My experience in Seville, by Jacquelyn Scott

There are so many cultural differences that I have experienced since my arrival to Spain. Some of these differences are huge and have an effect on my every day routine, and some are small and were easier to get adapted to. Some of these differences include meal times, leaving a tip for the waiter or waitress, fast paced everything in America versus everything being slower in Spain (eating, walking, etc.,), spending time in the streets with friends rather than in the home, and the biggest one for me was public transportation. This difference is not as much a country vs country difference but a small town (where I come from) versus bigger city (Sevilla) transportation difference. Before arriving to Sevilla, and spin in general, I had been in a metro one time in my whole life, and a taxi maybe twice. My town is very small and we have no means of public transportation. I experiences culture shock when I had to take the metro for 20 minutes just to get to school everyday. When I first arrived to the Sevilla airport, I had to take a taxi to get home, this was the first time I had ever taken a taxi by myself and only my second time ever being in a taxi. I also found it interesting that not everyone here owns a car, where I am from, having your own car is the only way to get around. I think my experience abroad was a huge eye opener into city life, and even though most people would say Sevilla is not a huge city, it is very huge in comparison to my small town in the Unites States.