Tarjetas de Residencia

We’re officially temporary residents of Spain! We picked up our residency cards today, after filling out many forms, making many trips to a government office in Sevilla and waiting many days. Having these cards is necessary because we only have 3-month visas and the card is valid until July. My tarjeta (card) includes my basic info and describes me as, “Familiar de Estudiante,” family of a student.

I feel more and more a “resident” here in Sevilla. One day, on the street, I gave someone directions in Spanish. I have my favorite shops and bars. I go often to a church in our neighborhood – just to stand with the handful of people in the quiet courtyard, look up at the simple cross on the wall, breathe a few prayers and cross myself.

This week also treated me to more-than-the-usual number of social opportunities with Spaniards. I had intercambios on Tuesday and Wednesday. My intercambio partners were charming, but my Spanish skills seem to be in a free-fall. Last night, Brad and I met over a dozen researchers (working at the archive with him) at a bar near the Murillo gardens. Some of them spoke English, but I tried to tune into their Spanish conversations. As I chatted with a nutty girl named Magdalena, I asked, “Puedo hablo en español sin verbos?” That’s an (incorrect) way of saying, “Can I speak in Spanish without verbs?” She laughed and said, “Yeah, It will be like a telegraph! Food [stop] very good [stop] bar nearby [stop].”

Brad got to spend time with one of his favorite Spaniards, Profesora Manyé, this week and I tagged along. Profesora Manyé (de Barcelona) was Brad’s undergraduate advisor and she was visiting Sevilla with a gaggle of Furman students doing a study abroad in Madrid. We met Profesora Manyé, her husband, Wayne (de Maine), and their 2 girls at their hotel in town – the same hotel Brad stayed in 6 years ago when he did study abroad. After going out for coffee with them, I volunteered to babysit the girls while Brad took Manyé and Wayne out for tapas.


Brad enjoying some sherry with his Profesora

After tapas, they returned to herd the students off to the late flamenco show in Santa Cruz. Manyé had invited Brad and me to go with her and about 20 students to the show. Before departing the hotel, Manyé introduced Brad and me to the tired, but curious students. Little did they know that Manyé was going to giving a energetic talk that could have been titled, Brad: A Brief History. Brad is very fortunate to have a great supporter and friend in Manyé. I was delighted to spend an evening with her family. At one point, her 4-year-old, who is fluent in English, Spanish and Catalán (a language spoken around Barcelona), asked me, “Do you speak inglés?” I said, “Yes, and un poco español.”