Seville: City of Gold

APPLICATION DUE DATE: JANUARY 15, 2014

Top: Ceiling, Royal Alcazar Palace, Bottom: Torre del Oro (Golden Tower) and the banks of the Guadalquivir

TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

SPAN1801 in Seville

The southern Spanish city of Seville offers

rich contexts for the study of Spanish cul-

ture and civilization, from Roman ruins to

Moorish architecture, world-class muse-

ums, and the remnants of dictatorial rule.

The class allows you to live and breathe

this city’s rich culture while earning cred-

its toward a MtA degree!

What is included?

Tuition for a 3-credit course (SPAN1801).

Study abroad programme fee.

14-nights accommodation in a double-

occupancy room.

Urban transportation.

Museum and monument admission.

Academic field trips.

CANADIAN STUDENTS $2,231

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS $3,029

PROGRAMME FEE

(PROVISIONAL)

Seville as your Classroom

About the instructor & the city

Dr. Lauren Beck has been

teaching SPAN1801 in a traditional

classroom for years and it is among

her favorite courses. She regularly

travels to and lives in Seville and

has intimate knowledge of that city,

its secrets and its delights.

Art, Architecture, and Soul

are words that define this city. From

the Roman city of Santiponce in Se-

ville’s outskirts to the Muslim-era

castle in its city centre and the

mosque-turned-cathedral to its left,

Seville represents the social, politi-

cal and spiritual history of Spain. Its

transatlantic empire operated out of

Seville, as large ships crisscrossed

the Atlantic Ocean and the New

World materialized to the West.

Dr. Beck specializes in the visual

culture of Spain and her expertise

and passion for painting, art, archi-

tecture, as well as religious and po-

litical history, will provide students

with a unique opportunity to em-

brace Seville in a way that is not

possible in the traditional class-

room.

Seville, Spain: Quick Facts

Founded approx. 100BCE as

the Roman city of Hispalis.

Conquered in 712CE by

Muslims, and served as fi-

nancial and commercial cen-

tre of the Islamic kingdom of

Al-Andalus for more than five

centuries.

Conquered by Catholics in

1248 and became the centre

of New World trade after the

discovery of the Americas in

1492.

1.5 million inhabitants.

Home to two La Liga soccer

teams (Sevilla FC, Real Be-

tis).

Cradle of Flamenco music

and dance.

Home to oldest continuously

operating Bull Ring in Spain

(Real Maestranza).

Home to the third-largest

church in the world!!!

TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

SPAN1801 in Seville

P h o t o H e a d i n g

DATES

SPAN1801, “Spain: A Mosaic of Cultures” will be taught on location from

May 1st to May 15th.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

You are expected to be present in Seville on the afternoon of May 1st for an

Orientation Session and should schedule your departure for May 15th. If

you choose to extend your stay, please be in touch with Dr. Lauren Beck

and she will help you explore the possibilities!

Airfare to Seville is not included in the programme fee, but it

is relatively inexpensive. Carriers such as Air Canada will

maximize your comfort for the longer journey whereas Air

Transat will provide a more economical fare. Typically stu-

dents depart from a larger airport (ie Toronto, Ottawa, Mon-

treal) and connect via Frankfurt or Munich, to arrive in Ma-

drid. Dr. Lauren Beck will help you determine the best option

for you.

After an easy transfer from the airport to the train station in

Madrid you will take the most amazing journey southward:

during this trip you will see an incredible landscape stretch

out before you, small towns and cities, and mountains. Your

professor will be waiting for you at the accommodations.

GETTING TO SEVILLE

Preparing for the trip (Please read the following carefully!)

P h o t o H e a d i n g

The Programme Fee does NOT include:

Air travel to and from Seville, nor train travel to or from Seville (about 80 euros

each way from Madrid), nor taxi travel from train station to apartment (about

15 euros each way).

Medical insurance and cancellation protection.

Food costs (students will be housed in apartments, some of which have terrac-

es, all of which have a kitchen) you should budget $30/day for food and drink.

Passport or visa fees (if applicable).

Spending money, telephone calls and sundry expenses.

Optional Train Transfer from Seville to Paris:

Students continuing on to Paris for FREN1801 will be accompanied to the Seville

Santa Justa train station by Dr. Lauren Beck and met at the Paris Montparnasse

station by Dr. Christina Ionescu. Inexpensive flights can also be arranged.

Above: Seville Cathedral at

night. View from the centre of

Plaza del Triunfo, From L to R:

Triana Bridge (inspired by

Gustave Eiffel), Royal

Maetsranza Bull Ring , Free

weekly Flamenco show at “T

de Triana”.

TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

SPAN1801 in Seville

S E L F C A T E R I N G

You will be staying at the Conde de Gelves Apartments, a converted palace that

now boasts several well-appointed and comfortable interior and exterior apart-

ments. Located in the centre of Seville, all apartments come with internet, air-

conditioning and a completely-equipped kitchen. Most monuments can be

reached on foot from this location.

CONTACT INFO:

Tourist Apartments-La Casa del Conde de Gelves

Calle Viejos, 5 Seville, Spain

LEARNING THROUGH SUPERMARKET TOURISM

You may not think it, but a great way to learn more

about a culture is to browse its supermarkets. Self-

catering accommodations (aka cooking for your-

self), asks you to have a truly immersive experi-

ence. Find out what the average Sevillian family

has for dinner. Try a new breakfast item that you

could never get back home.

Your apartment is not only close to two open-air

fresh food markets, but also extremely close to two

supermarkets. One a small neighborhood store,

the other a large chain store with foods for every

taste and from every part of the world.

Well-situated for a true gastronomic

experience, the apartments are only a

few steps away from a centuries-old

open air market on Calle Feria on one

side, and the clean and modernized

market at Plaza Encarnación on the

other. Indulge in fresh bread, meats,

vegetables and seafood all sold by

local families.

ACCOMODATIONS FOR 2014

He

Lo-

rem

ip-

S E L F C A T E R I N G

TAPAS! (and other delights)

If eating out is your thing, you’re in luck! You are a five-minute walk from the

Alameda de Hercules plaza, where there are dozens of restaurants and tapas

bars where you can enjoy some of the best cuisine in the world for a fraction of

the price.

The Alameda, as it’s called, is the bohemian heart of Seville and here you’ll find

everything from traditional homemade tapas (called “caseras”), to pizza, sea-

food, and for the less adventurous, even North American style hamburgers,

sandwiches and fries (patatas fritas).

As already mentioned, you should budget roughly $30/day for food and (non-

alcoholic) drinks. For this amount,

you can anticipate having some of

the most exquisite and unique

meals you’ll ever have, while still

being able to experiment with Span-

ish ingredients at home in your

apartment with your roommates.

For more on the delights and sur-

prises of Spanish cuisine, take a

look at the 2009 PBS television series Spain, on the Road Again with actress

Gwyneth Paltrow and “Iron Chef” Mario Batali. (Available on iTunes, You Tube,

online at pbs.org or on request from your instructor Dr. Lauren Beck).

A selection of Tapas

Page 8

Before you leave...

Orientation Session

We will hold an orientation ses-

sion at the beginning of April to

go over practical arrangements. It

is hoped that at that time stu-

dents will have determined when

and how they are arriving in Se-

ville. Instructors will be able to

provide each student with cus-

tomized advice.

Exploring other opportunities

Students may choose to combine

this study abroad programme

with language learning, cooking

classes or volunteer opportuni-

ties. One website worth checking

out is transitionsabroad.com. If

interested in obtaining transfer

credits for courses in Spanish as

a second language that they will

complete in Spain, students

should consult the Programme

Advisor in Spanish, Dr. Juan Car-

los Martínez, prior to departure.

Self-fundraising

To raise funds in order to cover

the cost of the programme or to

set aside some spending money,

you can opt to forego birthday

and Christmas presents in favour

of a donation to the Paris/Seville

personal fund. Other creative

ideas can be entertained as well,

depending of course on individu-

al talent and abilities. A bake

sale? Coupons for cleaning the

house? Dog walking in Sackville?

Selling artwork? Be shameless!

It is an investment in your educa-

tion after all.

Language

You do not need to speak Span-

ish to get around, but you will be

at an advantage if you can com-

municate even at a basic level.

Nonetheless, Seville is a major

tourist destination, and most

shopkeepers, waiters and monu-

ment staff do speak at least

some English.

Passports

You must have an up to date

passport for travel to and inside

of the European Union. If you do

not have a current passport, you

should apply for one or renew

yours right away. For worry-free

travel, the expiry date on your

passport should be more than six

months away from the date of

your travel. Tip: it’s always a good

idea to take a couple of copies of

your passport, leaving one at

home and storing one in your

luggage.

Business Name

Page 9

Other things to know...

Walking

As is the case with most Old World cities, Seville is best explored on foot.

Your programme fee includes some access to public transportation, but

the majority of the monuments and museums you will visit in order to com-

plete the course will be on foot. Comfortable shoes are a must, but make

sure to bring along some casual/dress-casual footwear as well.

The Sevillan Heat

There is an old Spanish saying:

“En Sevilla, hay dos temporadas: Invierno & Infierno!”

Or, in English

“We have two seasons in Seville: Winter and Hell!”

Seville has the second hottest summers on the European continent (the

hottest being in Cordoba, only a couple hours away), and while SPAN 1801

will be held in the Spring, it is not uncommon for temperatures in the first

two weeks of May to reach a hot, dry and sunny 32 degrees Celsius (or

more) for days at a time during a heatwave.

You should come prepared for these temperatures, as they will be quite

different from the ones you’re leaving back home and/or encountering in

Paris after leaving Spain.

Sunscreen is ESSENTIAL!!

Health & Safety

Seville is a safe & modern city where you can expect to live relatively free

of concern for personal safety. There are no vaccinations required for trav-

el to Spain, but you should consult with a physician if you have any specific

health concerns.

You should also consult the Department of Foreign Affairs & International

Trade website on travel to Spain ( http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/spain)

for other useful information including passport & entry requirements, and

locations of embassies and consulates.

Page 10

More useful information...

Food allergies

Although things are slowly chang-

ing in Spain and most of Europe,

sensitivity to food allergies is not

nearly as high as it is in North

America. Students with food aller-

gies and other food sensitivities

(such as nut allergies, gluten sen-

sitivities & shellfish allergies)

should consult with the instructor

about how to navigate these con-

cerns while in Seville.

Alcohol & Nightlife

Spaniards are well-known enjoy-

ers of wine and beer. In fact,

most regard them as a regular

part of their diet; and alcohol,

particularly red wine (vino tinto)

and beer (cerveza), occupies the

same space in Spanish culture as

soft drinks and juices. This is re-

flected in the price of these items

both in the supermarkets and in

bars & restaurants. Beer is in-

deed cheaper (and most of the

time colder) than water.

For this reason, it can be chal-

lenging to first-time visitors, espe-

cially young people, to opt for the

non-alcoholic option. A few things

to keep in mind:

Binge drinking is not a com-

mon phenomenon in Europe

because teenagers learn quite

early on how to pace their

drinking.

Tourists stand out when intoxi-

cated and expose themselves

to danger.

Go out for some tapas first. Do

not drink on an empty stom-

ach.

Drink to enjoy your evening,

not to get drunk .

Drink plenty of water after a

drink.

Say no to drugs at clubs. This

is not Amsterdam! Drugs are

illegal.

Buddy up! It’s great to interact

with Sevillanos and interna-

tional visitors, but try not to

stray away from your class-

mates and make sure some-

one knows where you are at all

times. Arrive and leave togeth-

er!

Oh, and remember, you’re tak-

ing a course, this means no

sleeping-in...even for the worst

hangovers...

Business Name

Page 11

Oh yah, and what about that coursework?

The Moving Classroom

You will be staying in a 17th-century palace converted into tourist apartments,

where each morning we will gather in the typical Andalusian courtyard for a

brief lecture before starting out for the day’s field trip. You’ll be expected to

complete daily assignments in groups or as individuals and pass them in to

me electronically.

Provisional Schedule (subject to change)

Day 1: Orientation; (Lecture) An Overview of Seville; (Field Trip) Walking Tour

of the Area.

Day 2: (Lecture) Roman Spain; (Field Trip) Seville’s Aqueducts.

Day 3: (Field trip) Itálica, Santiponce’s Roman City; (Lecture) The Design of the

Hispano-Roman City.

Day 4: (Lecture) The Decline of Roman Spain; (Field Trip) Archaeology Muse-

um.

Day 5: (Field Trip) Hispano-Expo (1929) Grounds; (Lecture) Spain in a World

Context I.

Day 6: (Field trip) Hispano-American World Expo (1996) Grounds; (Lecture)

Spain in a World Context II.

Day 7: (Lecture) Gothic Spain and Its Demise; (Field Trip) Reales Alcázares.

Day 8: (Field Trip) The Jueves Market; (Lecture) Islamic Spain.

Day 9: (Lecture) The Reconquest of Spain; (Field Trip) Mosque-Cathedral and

Giralda.

Day 10: (Lecture) The Conquest of the Americas; (Field Trip) Archivo de Indias.

Day 11: (Field Trip) Bull Ring and Museum; (Lecture) Transatlanticism, 1492-

1898.

Day 12: (Lecture) Renaissance, Mannierist, and Baroque Art; (Field Trip) Bel-

las Artes Museum.

Day 13: (Lecture) Spanish Civil War; (Field Trip) Historical Military Museum.

Day 14: (Lecture and Field Trip) TBA based on student interest.

Day 15: Departure.

Application Due Date: JANUARY 15, 2014

INFORMATION SESSIONS

September 24, 2013 at 5:30 pm in Crabtree 304.

November 19, 2013 at 5:30 pm in Crabtree 304.

“Seville is the world’s centre of nobility and courage.”

-Lope de Vega

Las Setas (The Mushrooms), Metropol Parasol, Plaza de la Encarnación