NO VALENCIA VISA, NO PROBLEMS
The road here was long and not so legal.
I moved to VLC last September, after I spent a month at home in Seattle, WA, a month and a half in London with my boyfriend, and a month traveling around with my three best friends from college. I spent a lot of time pinching pennies and buying the odd meal deal when I was out around London. All of my time spent around the U.K. was great and legal, and lawfulness continued when we arrived in the Netherlands. When we left London for Amsterdam, I found a cheap train and ate most of my meals at Albert Heijn, the not so fancy but oh so cheapy Dutch supermarket.
When we continued down into Paris, my friends took a flight and I took a 14 hour long train journey down to Valencia. Here's where the lawlessness began. Instead of starting the visa process when I should have, I waited until it was way too late and even after a flight to Alicante earlier in the summer (last year's place of residence) to try and sort it out, the Spanish government told me no way. They said I'd have to return to the U.S. to start the process all over again. So, I did entered the country the not exactly legal way and snuck in via train.
I moved to VLC last September, after I spent a month at home in Seattle, WA, a month and a half in London with my boyfriend, and a month traveling around with my three best friends from college. I spent a lot of time pinching pennies and buying the odd meal deal when I was out around London. All of my time spent around the U.K. was great and legal, and lawfulness continued when we arrived in the Netherlands. When we left London for Amsterdam, I found a cheap train and ate most of my meals at Albert Heijn, the not so fancy but oh so cheapy Dutch supermarket.
When we continued down into Paris, my friends took a flight and I took a 14 hour long train journey down to Valencia. Here's where the lawlessness began. Instead of starting the visa process when I should have, I waited until it was way too late and even after a flight to Alicante earlier in the summer (last year's place of residence) to try and sort it out, the Spanish government told me no way. They said I'd have to return to the U.S. to start the process all over again. So, I did entered the country the not exactly legal way and snuck in via train.
The only reason this ended up working out was because I'd been traveling within the Schengen Area, a group comprised of 26 countries that have abolished all passport control between their borders; making it easier and faster to go between countries that people travel between on workdays or for weekend fun; lucky for me! It's even more relaxed with train and bus travel.
So, for anyone stressing about visa paperwork and passport checks within Europe, check out the list of countries in the Schengen Area and keep your travels limited to these countries so you don't have to suffer the messy business of legal grey areas in between visa renewals.
So, for anyone stressing about visa paperwork and passport checks within Europe, check out the list of countries in the Schengen Area and keep your travels limited to these countries so you don't have to suffer the messy business of legal grey areas in between visa renewals.
After a long, hot day with a heavy backpack, I finally arrived in Valencia, care free! The train station is farther south from the city center, so I was hot n sweaty by the time I reached our Airbnb, and the place was insane! It was
kitted out for 8 to 12 people, but was still only €15 a night between the four of us! Really, truly, the prices in Spain are unbeatable. I put down my pack, relieved to be there beyond the clutches of customs and border patrol, safe and sound in my new home city.
I love Valencia so much I'll be there for 2021, too! Luckily, this year the Spanish government decided to extend my visa, so I don't have to worry about expiration dates for a couple more months. Happy to be legal!
kitted out for 8 to 12 people, but was still only €15 a night between the four of us! Really, truly, the prices in Spain are unbeatable. I put down my pack, relieved to be there beyond the clutches of customs and border patrol, safe and sound in my new home city.
I love Valencia so much I'll be there for 2021, too! Luckily, this year the Spanish government decided to extend my visa, so I don't have to worry about expiration dates for a couple more months. Happy to be legal!
HOMECOMING 2018
Friends attended their Homecoming games and gatherings this fall, and although Western Washington University offers its students (current or alumnus) neither, I was able to experience my own Homecoming in Sevilla with my two best friends from two years ago.
Home is a sublime mix of two elements: Friends and memories. After living in Sevilla for nine months studying Spanish, Communication, and WGS, the city became another home for me. And this year, a Homecoming serendipitously emerged out of a messenger group convo with two friends: One traveling stateside for work but missing Europe, and the other returning to Germany on the job hunt, visiting her Sevillan boyfriend. Element one.
Home is a sublime mix of two elements: Friends and memories. After living in Sevilla for nine months studying Spanish, Communication, and WGS, the city became another home for me. And this year, a Homecoming serendipitously emerged out of a messenger group convo with two friends: One traveling stateside for work but missing Europe, and the other returning to Germany on the job hunt, visiting her Sevillan boyfriend. Element one.
Element two - Sevilla is an absolute paradise for me: palm trees frame blue skies, its plazas fill with Spaniards lounging in cheap plastic outdoor seating. You’ll find an old couple on any corner in town with a beer and an espresso any time between 9:00am to 2:00am. The city has pockets, neighborhoods connected by narrow cobblestone pathways a smart car could barely drive down. In winter months, groups of smartly dressed Spanish fill the streets, strolling through the smoke from chestnuts roasting on an open fire (I’m serious, they’re on every street corner come late October). The oranges that sat green on trees all autumn finally fade orange. Every Spanish person dons a scarf and a jacket November 1st, no matter if it’s still 70 degrees out and the sun is shining. Christmas markets and intricate light installations go up December 1st, and the streets near el centro fill with tables covered in expensive and strange wooden Biblical figurines.
And in the springtime the jasmine blooms on every terrace in Parque María Luisa, its smell drifting through the rest of the city on a mellow breeze. Warm spring energy fills every cafe, bar, and narrow alleyway, everyone suddenly seems to stay out later and drink more. I’ve never heard louder birds than those on the April mornings I walked to class beneath the palms of María Luisa - bright green parrots swing between fronds in pairs, doves coo to each other beneath lush vines of blooming jasmine. The horse and carriages constantly circling around the Plaza de España and traveling back into the center become bolder as they lose patience for tourist foot traffic; and as summer nears the cause for all of the fragrant plants becomes clear: steaming piles of horse shit dot the streets. Watch your step in sandals.
I could go on and on about Sevilla, as each detail is a piece of home. The city is poetic in every sense, and November 1st I flew from Alicante to Sevilla (flying was cheaper than the bus) to meet Celina and Devon. The flight was quick, and boarding the bus from the airport, as I had done so many times before, felt almost like catching the ferry back from Seattle to Bainbridge. A Spanish woman behind me asked how much it cost, and I answered without thinking. Home!!!
And in the springtime the jasmine blooms on every terrace in Parque María Luisa, its smell drifting through the rest of the city on a mellow breeze. Warm spring energy fills every cafe, bar, and narrow alleyway, everyone suddenly seems to stay out later and drink more. I’ve never heard louder birds than those on the April mornings I walked to class beneath the palms of María Luisa - bright green parrots swing between fronds in pairs, doves coo to each other beneath lush vines of blooming jasmine. The horse and carriages constantly circling around the Plaza de España and traveling back into the center become bolder as they lose patience for tourist foot traffic; and as summer nears the cause for all of the fragrant plants becomes clear: steaming piles of horse shit dot the streets. Watch your step in sandals.
I could go on and on about Sevilla, as each detail is a piece of home. The city is poetic in every sense, and November 1st I flew from Alicante to Sevilla (flying was cheaper than the bus) to meet Celina and Devon. The flight was quick, and boarding the bus from the airport, as I had done so many times before, felt almost like catching the ferry back from Seattle to Bainbridge. A Spanish woman behind me asked how much it cost, and I answered without thinking. Home!!!
I’d arrived earlier in the day, and was looking for a healthy breakfast (almost impossible to find in Spain) at a favorite spot of many Erasmus students - Milkaway. (To anyone I studied abroad with - they moved! Totally expanded, prices have gone up but still affordable, not as cute as before).
They’ve got the best acai bowls - they even offer Chia seeds - anything like this is impossible to find outside of Barcelona and Madrid. Luckily, Milkaway moved to an equally scenic area in the city, and on my walk there I wandered through the fine-tipped alleyways that you really have to zoom in to see on GoogleMaps. Sevilla has such winding streets that, even after living there for 9 months (ye ol’ academic year) I still have to open GoogleMaps up to find half of my favorite spots. Keeps you on your toes, especially with the old cobblestones.
They’ve got the best acai bowls - they even offer Chia seeds - anything like this is impossible to find outside of Barcelona and Madrid. Luckily, Milkaway moved to an equally scenic area in the city, and on my walk there I wandered through the fine-tipped alleyways that you really have to zoom in to see on GoogleMaps. Sevilla has such winding streets that, even after living there for 9 months (ye ol’ academic year) I still have to open GoogleMaps up to find half of my favorite spots. Keeps you on your toes, especially with the old cobblestones.
Coming back I’d expected Sevilla’s legendary hot weather to still be around, but every morning we were there you could see your breath - surprisingly frigid but fitting for all the chestnut vendors and scarves about. In the plumes of smoke from the chestnuts fires the cathedral seemed intimidatingly medieval, looking up at the high walls it’s not hard to place yourself far into the past. As I passed, I noticed a beggar lifting a canvas covering a tiny doorway - a modest entrance to Friday morning mass. I ducked in and listened to the choirs sound bounce off the high vaulted ceilings. Circling around the old biblical artifacts on exhibit at the base of its massive pillars, I listened to the echoing calls of the Spanish priest. While living in Sevilla, I’d always joked that we should stop by mass on our way home from a late night, and two years later here I was - full-circle.
Soon, friends arrived and we got to experience all of our favorite places again together. We got coffee at the university (prices have gone up from 0.90 cents to 0.95 cents for a cafe con leche, scandalous) and chatted about life, just like we had between classes two years ago. We stopped at the 100 Montaditos across the street, a well-known Spanish chain with cheap beer and montaditos (little sandwiches) for a jarra and olives, like we had so many times after class.
The blend of memories and old friends was mutedly cathartic. Sat in the same places where we had talked about our futures as hopeful adventurers, here we were now, talking about the “two years later” we’d previously been so unsure of. Our year in Sevilla had been spent enjoying the present while feeling the looming pressure of future decisions, and here we presently found ourselves living out those decisions. The feeling of uncertainty hasn’t stopped for me, but I keep making big decisions, so I’m just becoming more and more comfortable with uncertainty. Maybe that’s the reality of growing up, just getting used to being mildly uncomfortable??
The blend of memories and old friends was mutedly cathartic. Sat in the same places where we had talked about our futures as hopeful adventurers, here we were now, talking about the “two years later” we’d previously been so unsure of. Our year in Sevilla had been spent enjoying the present while feeling the looming pressure of future decisions, and here we presently found ourselves living out those decisions. The feeling of uncertainty hasn’t stopped for me, but I keep making big decisions, so I’m just becoming more and more comfortable with uncertainty. Maybe that’s the reality of growing up, just getting used to being mildly uncomfortable??
Luckily, there was no sadness in the Homecoming for me, like I’d imagine there would be at a classic Homecomings hosted by American Universities. I wasn’t at a tailgate talking with my friends about how jealous I was of students living their lives freely, partying, living with their friends and taking interesting classes (thank god). We weren’t pushed out by crowds of new students having their own experiences in the lovely city, hopefully we’ll always feel at home in Seville and the city will always welcome us back (visa or no visa, I’ll find a way).
If you've only got one day, here's your plan:
Hostel: Oasis Backpacker’s Palace (Great central location, wonderful rooftop and bar. Careful when booking, there are two Oasis hostels in Sevilla. They’re both nice, but Backpacker’s Palace is my favorite).
Breakfast: Milkaway for acai bowls/fruit smoothies/granola
Make your way south to walk through the Cathedral, walk through the Universidad de Sevilla, a historical spot that was once Europe’s largest tabaquería.
Maybe stop for some street Flamenco outside la Universidad, don’t forget to tip. Walk down to Parque Maria Luisa, where you will also see the Plaza de España, famous for its gorgeous architecture and a scene from Episode II of Star Wars. Give Parque Maria Luisa a thorough walkthrough, try to find the swan lake.
Late Lunch: South of Maria Luisa, you’ll find the street I lived on for nine months, Calle Felipe II. Walk down it, maybe stop for some gelato at a little shop on the right, and get lunch at Plato Plató Or Taberna La Autentica.
***(Pro tip: try and rent bikes through the city bike service ‘Sevici’. I’m not sure how it works for just one day, but Sevilla has lovely bike paths along the river Guadalquivir and through the city.)***
After lunch, maybe take a nap in Maria Luisa. Or, cut across the park to walk along the banks of the Guadalquivir, past the Torre de Oro and across the Triana bridge. Check out Triana, it’s a lovely area for a beer or a café con leche.
Cross back over Triana and go to Mercado Lonja de Barranco, a big market with nice outdoor seating for a beer. Directly below is an outdoor bar that lights up and gets fancy at night (keep in mind for later on).
Las Setas: “The Mushrooms” in Spanish, go for the sunset views. It’s a lofty modern creation that will give you the best view of the city (besides the one from Oasis Palace) for €3 a ticket, and also one € off drinks at the rooftop bar (two years ago the drink was free, damn it!).
Late Dinner: Spend a little bit more for great tapas and sangría at El Pintón, down one of the windy streets above el centro. Or, if you’re on a budget, go to 100 Montaditos for cheap fast food! It’s an authentic Spanish experience.
From here on out, you have three options. I would recommend doing all three, in the order provided.
Drinks: Any plaza north of el centro will do. Do drinks outdoors! Enjoy the atmosphere. Explore!
Botellón: A Spanish experience, everyone grabs bottles and heads to the Guadalquivir to pre-drink, chat, and smoke. Hang out on the East side of the Triana bridge, on the banks of the Guadalquivir with a litro or a bottle of wine.
Partying: Start in the little neighborhood known as “Alfalfa”. This may not come up on GoogleMaps, and I’m not going to tell you how to find it. Go to Rock ‘n Roll for cheap shots, try the fire shot (hope you like absinthe). If you’re getting the munchies, there’s a spot that’s got a good €2 slice of pizza. Lots of kebab shops around too!
Or, go to Alameda. This is generally where the Spanish hang out, try going to FUN club for good throwback tunes.
Dancing: Go to Utopia. Just do it. Three levels of different music, hilarious experience. Fun dancing.
***(Pro trip: Get there before 1:00am for €2 entry.)
Stay out until at least 6:00am to get the full experience.
If you've got more than one day, you should also check out:
1). El Alcázar - designed by the same architect who created La Alhambra in Granada, it's got beautiful Moorish vibes. Entrance is €8, I believe.
2). La Carbonería - free flamenco, cheap tapas and drinks, wonderful atmosphere in the evening/nighttime.
Maybes:
3). Horse and carriage ride (expensive)
4). Calle Betis (erasmus) - on the West side of the Triana bridge, it's known as the American zone.
5). Long Island (erasmus) - on the southern end of the American zone, the bar has a shot named after every state in the U.S.
Have a question about anything mentioned? Comment and I'll let you know what I think.