Up Close and Personal, by Cora Thibeault

One of the first things I noticed when interacting with Sevillians was the way in which they held conversations. One of the first conversations I had with someone from Seville was with the leader of our program who has lived in Seville for many years. At first I was confused as to why she was standing so close to me and every time I stepped away she would move closer. I found out later that this was a part of the Sevillian and Spanish culture. This is something we are not used to as an American, as this is not necessarily part of our culture. When we have conversations, especially with someone we do not know well, we keep some distance known as personal space. When I was having this conversation with a Sevillian, originally I felt that my personal space was being invaded and I was confused, but now I know it’s just a part of their culture. This shows that they are interested and care about the conversation they are having. One of my professors explained to me that they thought it was strange that we were so far apart when we were conversating, and I found this interesting. It really shows how something so small can be different between cultures.