MICAYLA 

It's getting warm in Sevilla, and the crowds don't help. So obviously we got gelato.

Today is Domingo de Ramos, or Palm Sunday! The streets of Sevilla were overflowing with people, and the area outside of the cathedral was impossible to walk through. We weaved through the crowds only to stumble upon a line of people crossing the street that the pasos and the Nazarenos go down toward the cathedral. We got lucky and were stopped RIGHT next to the paso as it went by. Front row seats. We sure know what we're doing, even when we don't know what we're doing.

Sorry I only have a picture of this empty plate and a google image from a recipte site to show you but today I tried THE MOST DELICIOUS typical Holy Week dessert. I came home from the pasos with Álvaro to find my señora and her sister sitting at the table trying Torrijas, which is basically french toast but way better and covered in honey. I'm obsessed.

Fun fact: I was supposed to be in Germany right now, headed to Austria next and then Switzerland. However, due to terrible, terrible luck and little knowledge about flight changing protocol, I'm here in Sevilla for the week. I know what you're thinking - first Zayn leaves One Direction and then this?! I know, I know. But lucky for me, I'm staying in the city I love during one of the biggest, most popular weeks of the year - Semana Santa. So sure, I'm not exploring castles (which would've been fr

So this semester I've been taking a Don Quijote class. Despite the fact that the book is FREAKING HUGE and is written in the Spanish equivalent of the Shakespearean language (aka it's super old), it's been one of my favorite classes! Today, my professor bought in this crazy valuable book that is an EXACT copy of a ancient book about knights that inspired Cervantes to write Don Quijote and make fun of the whole genre. There are only 2 copies of the original book ... (click to continue reading)

Today Álvaro and I visited 2 museums in Sevilla - El Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares and El Museo Arqueológico. It was super cool to see and learn about, but tricking birds to come and land on our arms without buying any bird feed was a huge victory.

Ignore the fact that the river behind us is seeping with dirt, but instead focus on the fact that WE WENT DOWN IN A SECRET MINE. Practically a million steps later, we were standing at the bottom of the canyon we had been looking down at 20 minutes earlier and finding secret rooms where, if you pressed your ear against the wall, you could hear whispers from someone standing on the opposite side. Too cool.

How could your heart not melt when a 7 year old boy hands you a drawing of the book you read to him and tells you your beautiful? It's actually impossible- I've tried. So glad to have been able to hang out with some kids from a local elementary school yesterday! I'd go back in an instant.

Today I went to my friend Jamee's intercambio's choir show at her university! The singing was great, but I'd say the highlight was fining a Spanish Zooey Deschanel. Literally, they could be twins. Don't even try to tell me they don't look the same.

So apparently it rains in Sevilla... No joking when I say I was DRIPPING when we finally got to the cafe. Insane.

I can add Spanish tortillas and paella to my list of about 4 things I can now successfully cook! Shout out to Ana Bello for the cooking lesson - sorry I suck at cutting onions.

Hillsong Paris || A familiar style of church in an unfamiliar language. Bucket list item "visit every Hillsong Church" is 3/12th completed!

Chez Gladines Restaurant, Paris, France || From this day forward, if anyone ever asks me if I've ever tried snails, I'm obligated to say yes. And that I liked it. Oops. Quote of the evening: "I'm glad I just almost ate an entire baguette." -Jessie

Chez Gladines Restaurant, Paris, France || What's shown in this picture is a super crowded authentic French restaurant that Jessie and I ate at tonight. What's not shown is me trying to take the photo while being squished in the entryway between 30 different people all trying to put their name in for a reservation. In case you were wondering, it was at least an hour of waiting for a table but the food was ABSOLUTELY UNREAL.

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France || During the course of this photo being taken, our well hidden crepes almost fell off the wall and into the river. I realize this fun fact has very little importance in the grand scheme of things, but it was actually a pretty big deal in the moment and I felt like you should know. Also, that's the Eiffel Tower.

Crepe Stand, Eiffel Tower, Paris, France || Two people have requested for me to eat a crepe for them in France, so here goes round one. Ana Bello - this one's for you.

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France || Macaroons were meant to be enjoyed on a park bench overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

Arc de Triumph, Paris, France || May or may not have literally stumbled upon this gem as we were looking for the Eiffel Tower. Who needs a distinct plan? Not us.

Laduree Macaroons, Paris, France || high prices and long lines, but well worth it. After 19 long years of never having tried these colorful masterpieces I often compared to "Pretty Patties", the streak has been broken. In France. Cool.

The Lock Bridge, Paris, France || If you read my last post, I'm sure you're worried Jessie and I got lost somewhere deep in the Paris metro system. But not to worry - we arrived at our first tourist destination safe and sound, ready to take some selfies with some locks.

Paris, France || I'm not sure you understand how much effort it took to get to this stupid metro. It took us a whole hour and a half to walk to the stop and figure out which ticket we needed to buy. If to you in sounds like a small amount of things being done in a large amount of time, you're correct. Being a tourist has never been so difficult. Quote of the morning: "Nothing makes a good blog post like fresh anger." - Jessie

Paris, France || Oh what an adventure Paris has been already... Turns out I only know about 6 words in French and none of them could help me find the room we were staying in. This of course was after I nearly thought we would miss our flight, Jessie's sandwich squired sauces all over the floor of the metro station in Malaga, and we somehow stumbled on the apartment building after wandering the streets for a good twenty minutes. (click to continue)

Finding time to study here has only gotten harder as time goes on. So I've created the terrible habit of spending the whole day before my test with my friends and complaining that I need to study, but waiting until the morning of my test at 5am to actually get work done. Not sure how long I can keep this up... Fingers crossed I just don't flunk out of my classes...

This afternoon I spent absolutely no time studying for the grammar test I have coming up tomorrow, but instead got wildly lost in the Alcazar's maze, took selfies with peacocks, and bought leftover communion break crackers from some nuns. Worth it.

A wildly uneventful photo to represent a wildly eventful night. This photo was taken after the passionate sermon and worship that challenged me to not remain stagnant in my relationship with Christ, and before the absolute chaos that would ensue in a matter of minutes. Games of ninja with way to much strength involved, trying to explain the game "What are the odds?" in Spanish in order to rid the table of some weird sandwich spread, and so much screaming and laughing at absolute NONSENSE. Hands

You'd think someone so obsessed with social media would think to take a picture when the little boy she's babysitting writes "thank you for coming to my house" on a dry erase board as she's leaving. But instead of capturing the moment, I hugged him (because how could you not?), leaving you with this picture of the sunset I got to enjoy on my walk home instead of his adorably messy handwriting. ... (click to continue reading)

Toledo, Spain || sat in a bus for 6 hours the view made up for it.

Sevilla, Spain || Day 3: Italy is nice, but it's good to be home.

Somewhere between Italy and Spain || Day 3: I know everyone's favorite picture is the airplane-wing-featuring-a-sunset-or-ocean-or-clouds one, but just bear with me and allow yourself to stand in awe of these insane mountains caked in snow. Freaking cool. Also, RyanAir, if you wanna give me a free flight for this fantastic advertisement-to-be, I'd be down.

Milan Italy || Day 3: Unfortunately, 2 days of living the Italian dream leaves you broke. Luckily supermarkets allow you to buy salami, ham, bread, chips and drinks for a total of 8 euros. We ate like kids today - if kings only had about one euro left to their name and were allowed by their security team to go out and have a picnic in a sketchy park.