St. Andrews
Thought I would go back through and post some pictures that I haven’t gotten to post anywhere else while I study. Here’s Itálica.
Feria and Posing for Photos with Half of Japan
Feria is a giant party/festival held over the course of a week. Everyone dresses up and buys entrance into special “casetas,” which are small houses, where the real party is housed. So Mercedes, i.e. best host mother in the world, Queen of Sass, etc, etc… decided that I needed to dress up in a flamenco dress like the spanish women. So after finding a dress in the house and enduring all sorts of criticism (According to Mercedes I have a “cuerpito de niño” or “body of a little boy”. -____-) I got dressed up to go out.
Originally I was not excited about this. I pictured myself being the only person and american poser dressed up in the giant outfit. But Mercedes was very insistent. Oh, the things I do for love.
When we got to feria it turned out fine because nearly everyone was dressed up. I felt slightly less toolish. However, at some point after lunch I left to walk home to get some work done. The fastest way home is through Plaza de España, a large tourist attraction in Seville. So I passed through. And then…..TOURISTS.
I was seized by a crowd of Italians that wanted a photo with me, mistaking me for a native Sevillana. They screamed at me in Italian, and not understanding a word of this, I looked terrified and tried to run away. Alas, no. I somehow ended up standing for a dozen photos with various Italians positioning themselves around me.
When I thought it was nearly over I was about to make a bolt for the exit. But then a group of Japanese tourists appeared from seemingly nowhere. It was picture time again. Then some Germans. And then some more Japanese.
Slowly my terror dissipated from dull annoyance to mild amusement. I found that if I said “Hola.” the crowd of Japanese tourists would erupt in excitement. “Flash. Snap. Flash,” went the cameras. Yes, it speaks.
The irony of this situation was not lost on me. I, too, remember traveling or even coming to Spain the first time. Everything seems exotic, so spanish. Here are these tourists thinking they’re seeing REAL spain during feria. In reality, all they’re seeing is an american girl in polka dots and fuchsia lipstick.
