...Who hasn't seen Seville, hasn't seen a miracle...
(Spanish proverb)
And we completely agree with that.
On 9 January 2023, students of Savremena Gimnazija, together with their Spanish language, Spanish culture and literature teachers, Milica and Anita, set off on an unforgettable journey as part of the "Winter School of Spanish" project in cooperation with the language school from Seville "Saint Gabriel International".
After travelling from Belgrade to Budapest by bus, the students arrived at the Ferenc Liszt airport with their teachers where they waited for the flight to Seville. After a 3-hour and 30-minute flight, they arrived in Seville and settled in the Xior Student Housing located on Avenida de la Palmera.
Learning Spanish and getting to know the spirit of the city
The students had Spanish language and culture classes every day from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. After the lessons, the students participated in organised guided cultural activities which included certain tasks. They mostly spent the evening hours walking around the old part of the city of Santa Cruz and the narrow streets where they bought souvenirs and enjoyed the famous churros with chocolate. They walked along the banks of the Guadalquivir river while recharging their batteries for further sightseeing of the city. The Golden Tower, which was once an observation post and a fortified building, is located on the river itself. Today, the Maritime Museum is located there (it was from that place that Magellan started his journey around the world).
Cultural exchange in a city with 25,000 orange trees
As part of extracurricular activities, the students visited: the Alcázar fortress (among other things known for its famous gardens that were used to film the well-known Game of Thrones series), squares, fountains and souvenir shops in the Jewish Quarter, the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Sede (Seville Cathedral), which is the symbol of Seville and is known as the 3rd largest cathedral in the world, and that it houses the remains of Christopher Columbus, La Giralda bell tower with an incredible view of the entire city, Las Setas giant mushrooms, the modern complex that has a unique structure which looks like large mushrooms – hence the name la seta – the mushroom, designed by the German architect Jurgen Meyer.
Students also had the opportunity to learn how to dance Flamenco, a Spanish traditional dance, from famous flamenco instructors. The teachers Milica and Anita said it was wonderful to observe that cultural exchange when, at the end of the lesson, our students showed the flamenco instructors the Serbian folk dance, "užičko kolo".
Seville is also known for its orange trees, which are found all over the city, mostly in the city centre. When they bloom in the spring, a special fragrance spreads throughout the city. There are 25,000 orange trees in Seville, making it the city with the largest number of these trees.
A weekend to remember: Córdoba and the magnificent Spanish Square
The students of Savremena Gimnazija spent the weekend in Córdoba as part of a one-day trip and at the Plaza de España, where they had the opportunity to enjoy and admire its magnificent beauty by riding in small boats located in the canal surrounding the Square.
The Spanish Square covers an area of almost 50,000m2 and is decorated with gardens, canals filled with bridges, and boats. There are a total of four bridges that symbolise the four ancient Spanish kingdoms. The Square is located within Maria Luisa Park. Maria Luisa Park doesn’t lack green areas and it covers an area of 34 hectares. In addition to gardens, landscaped paths, and diverse flowers – it also has an aquarium, an archaeological museum and a museum of popular art.
Thanks to this project, a love for the Spanish language and Hispanic culture was instilled in the students of Savremena
The students and their teachers returned to Serbia on 16 January in the afternoon. It is an understatement to say that the students enjoyed themselves in the capital of the Spanish province of Andalusia. Ever since they returned from Seville, every smell of orange or tangerine reminds them of this city. The students got to know the true spirit of Spain, cheerful and full of positive energy.
Professors Anita and Milica believe that they have achieved their goal, which is to show students in real life what Spain and the Spanish language are. They believe that they instilled in them a love for the Spanish language and Hispanic culture for all time. They will carry that beauty and love in their hearts for the rest of their lives.
Upon their return, the students were given the task to retell everything they saw, experienced, tasted, heard and learned to their parents, friends and everyone they know.
¡Hasta luego y hasta la próxima, Reciban saludos cordiales de sus profesoras de español, Milica y Anita!
(Until your next trip to Spain, learn Spanish and be ready for new trips to Spain, say professors Milica and Anita.)
