Learning to Slow Down in Seville

Expectations as a senior going abroad

Going abroad as a senior, I assumed most of my growing and learning was behind me. After all, I had already navigated the challenges of college and even studied abroad in Spain. Surely, this experience in Seville would be a breeze—an opportunity to refine my Spanish and enjoy the city’s famed charm. But from the moment I arrived, it became clear this semester would hold more surprises than I imagined.

Despite my previous experience abroad, culture shock hit me hard. Navigating the laid-back, slow-paced culture of Seville initially felt like a challenge rather than an opportunity. I raced through everything—meals, the sights of Seville, and conversations—avoiding immersion. Frustration clouded the excitement I had anticipated.

Learning to say ‘Yes’

During a program overnight trip to Granada, the lightbulb went off. Wandering the streets late at night, my peers and I shared our experiences and our struggles to adapt. We felt like outsiders and realized we were not taking advantage of certain opportunities. We decided we needed to maximize our time abroad.

I began saying yes to all the cultural activities offered to me, from ceramic making to cooking classes (where I fumbled through the recipes but still had a great time). Life in Seville slowly started turning around. The small moments became the favorite part of my day—walking around Plaza de Espana with my host parents became one of the highlights. Cultural immersion happened in the most ordinary of ways when I learned to slow down—chats with a vendor at a street market, late night chats over tapas, and new deepened friendships began characterizing my time abroad.

Life abroad tends to throw curve balls at you; whether it’s a cancelled excursion on a weekend trip to a different country, getting sick, or embarrassingly miscommunicating in Spanish—these things could have easily been something that determined the fate of my experience abroad, but instead, I learned from them. I realized that flexibility and openness to making mistakes was the key to navigating my experience abroad.

Seville taught me so much more than just Spanish or history about the city. It taught me patience amid frustration, flexibility, and joy in the unexpected. During walks, errands, or spontaneous kebab runs with friends, I discovered the value of slowing down and enjoying the little moments in life.

Stephanie Boktor | Washington and Lee University | IFSA Seville Universities Program: UPO | Fall 2024