The Beginning of the End

My last post was a week and a half ago, but I've lied low this past week and stayed in Seville. Like I said in my last post, I'm not traveling anymore and enjoying my last weeks of life in Spain by staying in Seville. Last weekend, we had a nice girl's night on Friday which was much needed.
On Saturday, my host mom, her sister, and their friend took my roommate, their host daughters, and I to their "club" on Saturday. It's basically a country club for people whose family was in the army. My host mom's dad and grandfather were both in it, and I know for sure that they fought in the Civil War. We spent the day walking around the country club and eating lunch. It was a nice, relaxing day that I definitely needed after all of the traveling from the week before.

This week is my last full week of classes. Next week is the fair of Seville, so we are off class all of next week. I had my final test in culture yesterday, and I have my final in literature tomorrow. From today, there are only 4 days left of class. The end looms in the near future for us students of Texas Tech Seville.

Yesterday was also our trip to Los Torros. This is where the bull fighting happens. There is a judge who sits under a canopied area, and he controls the flow of the bull fight. It starts with the bull entering and the bull fight with the Torrero until the horses enter. The men on the horses have a stick with a sharpened, metal end on it, and they put this into the bulls back to stop it from running into the horses. This happens twice. After that, there are three men with two barbed sticks each. These men run at the bull, and in the last second, turn sideways and put it in the bull's back. From here, the Torrero (bull-fighter) gets the red cape which signifies the end of the bull fight. He uses this cape with the bull until he is lined up correctly for the kill. When he is ready, he retrieves the killing sword from a person along the ring and kills the bull by putting it in between its shoulder blades. Six bulls for sure go into the ring to die, but there can be up to eight if other bulls are pardoned for being good bulls and get to live as a reward.

At first, I was very skeptical of the event. No part of me wanted to go watch it. After Spring Break when we visited the farm where the bulls are raised, my mind was changed. I decided to go to at least see the culture. Nothing could have prepared me for it, and it was very different from my expectations. In all honesty, it was bloodier than I expected. I cried when the first bull died and didn't know if I would make it to the end. As the event progressed though, I understood it a lot more. I also handled it by reminding myself that some cows in America sit in a barn and never move out of the number of square inches they take up, and they never see light or grass or sun. These bulls are treated like kings their whole lives then come to the ring where hundreds of people are cheering them on and want them to do good/triumph. It's truly a unique experience to be a part of a crowd of people giving a bull a standing ovation for performing so well. It was in that moment that I came to respect the event for what it is. Like I said in my post from the farm, the meat gets donated to a market, and the money raised from that goes to a charity/charities. I guess I liked it enough to go back again on Sunday to see los Rejones, bull fighting on horseback.

Today marks two weeks until I step on America soil again. Today is the beginning of the end.
We had our "exit orientation" today where they warned us about culture shock going back into the United States. Like when I first arrived to Spain, I'll have my first roller coaster week of excitement until it sets in that I'm readjusting to a different culture, different schedule, and different foods all over again. As much as I love my family and friends at home too, I know I'll miss my host mom because I've come to love her as well. The thought of saying goodbye makes my eyes prick with tears and makes my throat feel like it's full of cotton. I'm trying not to think about saying good bye, but it's hard when you're finalizing your travel plans to home and buying souvenirs for people. I would appreciate some prayers of strength for these next four weeks. Also, thank you to anyone still reading my blog. I appreciate the support. <3

xoxo,
Caroline