Hidden history

There is so much to this city that I am still learning about and experiencing. I never knew how much the city of Sevilla had to offer and all the history behind it. The new class that I am taking this session is called the Legacy of Al-Andalus and is all about the history and culture that are hidden yet so apparent in this wonderful city. There is such a large Roman influence in many of the buildings along with Muslim and even Visigoth. We get to explore all these cool buildings and structures during the second half of our class and I absolutely love it. Yesterday we toured the "Setas de la Encarnacion" which are located in Plaza de la Encarnacion towards the center of Sevilla and are a new addition which was started in 2005 and was just finished in March of this year. When first walking by this large wooden structure, the first thing that came to mind was "What is that and why is it in Sevilla?" A question that was common to many Sevillanos also. I quickly learned the controversy behind this structure. Sevilla is filled with old traditional buildings and its lack of modern structures is what makes it unique. It really is like something out of an old story book or off of a postcard. My senora said it perfectly when she remarked that the "Setas" are great but would look even better somewhere else, not Sevilla. I went into our tour with that mindset, thinking why would they spend so much money on this modern structure when it would look better somewhere else and so many Sevillanos do not like it. Little did I know what would be hidden underneath it. Apparently, Sevilla is built on top of many Roman ruins and every time construction is started on something new, something from the past is found and another piece of history is discovered. Underneath the "Setas" was a large display of Roman ruins, what almost seemed like a neighborhood of houses. What was left were the floor plans and beautiful mosaics that once made up extravagant Roman houses. There were even deep holes still dug from where a fish business had once stood and where they had kept the fish to be sold. We were touring what used to thousands of years ago, a bustling Roman city. The things we find in this town are just so unbelievable sometimes. After we toured the bottom and learned all about what used to be there we got to tour the very top of the "Setas." What an amazing view of Sevilla. We could see the Giralda at the cathedral and the many buildings and streets that held the tradition of this town. No skyscrapers, no pollution or gray clouds hovering over, just a beautiful view full of culture and history. I also learned that no building is allowed to be built taller than the Giralda at the cathedral, although the "Setas" came very close. Another indication of how important culture and religion are here. I love the traditional look of Sevilla and I am so glad I ended up studying here. My view on the "Setas" did change after our tour. If they had not built that structure they may not have found the beautiful things that lied underneath. As the world becomes more modern, this was a positive step to keep Sevilla in the loop with a new modern structure that still has so much history right underneath it. It is also a way to bring the people together because rallies and markets are held on the middle level of the structure. I feel like after a few more years the structure will grow on the people of Sevilla and be more welcomed. I am so thankful to have gotten to experience and see what I did while here though.

For the research part of my trip, I have already made appointments with 3 of the 4 non-profits I would like to visit and am in contact with the 4th to set a time to stop by their office. I am really excited to see the kind of work non-profits in Sevilla do and to maybe even volunteer if options are available. As immigration goes, I have noticed many men of African descent on the streets selling little things and trying to get people's attention as they walk by. My guess is that these men could be immigrants from African countries near by and this was the only work they could find. I am going to ask about this when I visit the non-profits and see if they have anything to say about it.

Time seems to be going by so fast here. I feel like I have already seen and experienced so much but yet there is still so much more to see. I am definitely going to make the most of these last couple weeks.