C\u00f3rdoba, the city in which I am lucky enough to be spending this year, hosts two primary examples of the Muslim heritage which can still be viewed in Spain today. The largest tourist attraction in my beautiful city is \u00b4La Mezquita\u00b4. This literally translates to \u00b4The Mosque\u00b4, despite now functioning as a Catholic Cathedral and tourist hotspot. It plays host to architecture from different eras and still remains in excellent condition.<\/p>\n
Los historiadores creen que se empez\u00f3 a construir la mezquita en la \u00e9poca visigoda, en que se compart\u00edan el edificio entre musulmanes y cristianes. Sin embargo, en 784, los musulmanes lo compraron, y despu\u00e9s de eso era una mezquita; hasta 1236 en la reconquista, en que los reyes cristianos construyeron la catedral en el centro del edificio.<\/em><\/p>\n Another key example of the Muslim heritage in C\u00f3rdoba today is the ruins of the \u00b4Medina Azahara\u00b4. This literally means \u00b4the shining city\u00b4. This was home to the first \u00b4Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba\u00b4 (muslim king) and housed the heart of the administration and government of al-Andalus. Based in the hills on the outskirts of Cordoba, the remaining structures of this ex-fortress\/town can still be seen and reconstructions can be imagined.<\/p>\n Se empez\u00f3 a construirlo entre 936 y 940. Mucha gente cree que el objeto de la construcci\u00f3n fue para demostrar la importancia y fuerza del califa. Dos califas diferentes viv\u00edan all\u00ed hasta 1010, porque fue una guerra civil en este a\u00f1o en que los musulmanes abandonaron la ciudad. Arqueol\u00f3gicos solo se han excavado y restaurado aproximadamente el diez por ciento de la ciudad, que incluye dos residencias calafates y muchos otros aspectos tambi\u00e9n.<\/em><\/p>\n Despite the strong Arabic heritage which can still be seen throughout Andaluc\u00eda, many would view the region as one of the most \u00b4Stereotypically Spanish\u00b4 of the country. Flamenco originates here. In the less touristy areas (including C\u00f3rdoba), almost all shops and businesses close between 3 and 6pm so that the Spanish can have their daily siesta. The south contrasts greatly with the north, which many would view as more modernized and more in keeping with Europe as a whole rather than Spanish traditions.<\/p>\n La cultura andaluz es muy relajada. Cuando hace sol, la gente bebe y almuerce en las calles. Cuando hace mucho lluvia, la gente son m\u00e1s triste (en general, porque un gran por ciento de la cultura incluye disfrutar el sol). Se toman el almuerzo a las dos. Se toman la cena a las nueve por la noche (o m\u00e1s tarde, pero nunca m\u00e1s temprano).<\/em><\/p>\n It is this laid-back way of life that people tend to associate with the Spanish in general. Entering my sixth month of working in a school here, this laid-back way of life has been made clear. Unlike the shirt and tie uniform of British teachers, it is fully acceptable here for staff to wear t-shirts, jeans and trainers. Not only that, but the students do not wear a uniform and find the concept of a uniform crazy. They also address teachers by their first name. The whole environment is incredibly different to my English state school education.<\/p>\n En la realidad, me parec\u00eda muy raro cuando llegue en octubre, porque el sistema es muy diferente. No es una diferencia mala y todav\u00eda disfruto cada d\u00eda de mi trabajo, no obstante fue extra\u00f1o para empezar.<\/em><\/p>\n Last, but not least, it must be noted that the Andalusian culture is an enormously friendly one. With tourism playing such a large part in the region\u2019s economy, Andalusians are totally used to the stereotypical clueless Brit Abroad and have a great level of patience for such. I personally think back to opening my bank account here. I had incredibly limited knowledge of the vocabulary required for this and hence had to have the very kind gentleman in Caixa Bank speak to me slowly and clearly. He did such without hesitation. Also from the first day at work, I began being greeted with a kiss on each cheek and genuine interest as to how I was settling in abroad. Whether this genuine friendliness is the culture within the region or the country as a whole I am unsure, but it is a wonderful part of it that makes us year abroad students lose a little bit of our hearts to this beautiful country.<\/p>\n KEY VOCABULARY \u2013 <\/u><\/strong>VOCABULARIO IMPORTANTE<\/u><\/p>\n Muslim \u2013 <\/strong>Musulm\u00e1n<\/p>\n Certain \u2013 <\/strong>Cierto(s)<\/p>\n As a result \u2013 <\/strong>Como Consecuencia<\/p>\n War \u2013 <\/strong>Guerra<\/p>\n Historians \u2013 <\/strong>Historiadores<\/p>\n Mosque \u2013 <\/strong>Mezquita<\/p>\n Weird \u2013 <\/strong>Raro\/Extra\u00f1o<\/p>\n Kiss \u2013 <\/strong>Beso<\/p>\n Hug \u2013 <\/strong>Abrazo<\/p>\n Friendly \u2013 <\/strong>Agradable<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Andaluc\u00eda is an amazing place to live. It is rich in culture and heritage and has a fascinating history. Granada, one of the most prominent cities in the region, played […]","protected":false},"author":1489,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[268],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-europe"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4QQbz-Ol","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3423,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/identidad-cultural\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":0},"title":"Identidad Cultural","author":"Katie Elgie","date":"June 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the things which has been apparent to me here throughout my time in Andaluc\u00eda is the strong cultural identity which Andalucians possess. They are proud to be Spanish, yet they also define themselves strongly through their regional inhabitance. Andaluc\u00eda es muy diferente de las regiones como Catalu\u00f1a; quien\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/06\/35151293_10216378265109691_7530846702492712960_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/06\/35151293_10216378265109691_7530846702492712960_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/06\/35151293_10216378265109691_7530846702492712960_n.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/06\/35151293_10216378265109691_7530846702492712960_n.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3258,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/la-musica-de-espana\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":1},"title":"La M\u00fasica de Espa\u00f1a","author":"Katie Elgie","date":"April 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Spanish, as a rule, love to dance. Espa\u00f1oles se encantan bailar As a result of this among many other things, music is of great importance in Spain. It is a country rich in musical history and culture and favours a wide variety of different music styles which vary from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/04\/despacito.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2805,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/2805-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":2},"title":"Ser un j\u00f3ven en el Espa\u00f1a de hoy.","author":"Katie Elgie","date":"January 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Hola, buenas. Bienvenidos a mi primera \u00b4Routes into Languages blog\u00b4. I have been provided with the broad subject of \u00b4Being a young person in Spanish speaking society\u00b4. This year abroad so far has been incredibly fulfilling and has opened my eyes to the lifestyle and culture of another country; which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/01\/27046938_10215118661300383_1656202329_o-450x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3502,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/el-legado-de-franco\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":3},"title":"El Legado de Franco","author":"Katie Elgie","date":"August 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"One period of Spain\u2019s history which has always fascinated me is the Franco and post-Franco era. I\u2019ve always been intrigued by the way that Spain transitioned from a false democracy, into civil war, into a long lasting dictatorship and beyond. Francisco Franco era el l\u00edder de Espa\u00f1a durante 36 a\u00f1os\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/08\/catalonia.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/08\/catalonia.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/08\/catalonia.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/08\/catalonia.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3442,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/las-ferias-nacionales-espanolas-y-las-zonas-locales-de-interes\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":4},"title":"LingoMaps: Las ferias nacionales espa\u00f1olas y las zonas locales de inter\u00e9s","author":"Lewis Hacker","date":"July 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a1Hola a todos! Espero que est\u00e9is disfrutando del buen tiempo. Esta entrada es mi \u00faltima de mi a\u00f1o Erasmus y se trata de las ferias nacionales espa\u00f1olas y las zonas locales de inter\u00e9s. La fiesta nacional de Espa\u00f1a is the national day of Spain. It is held every year on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/07\/12-octubre-barcelona-450x242.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1521,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/andalucia-memories-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":3121,"position":5},"title":"Andaluc\u00eda Memories <3","author":"Simona Dundova","date":"December 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last weekend I went on a trip that I hadn't really planned to do, but it turned out to be the best thing that has happened to me on Erasmus. Although it was raining most of the time, we managed to see some of the most famous and beautiful places\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "European Placements"","block_context":{"text":"European Placements","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/category\/europe\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"15181491_1533293316686714_8408743678155304967_n","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2016\/12\/15181491_1533293316686714_8408743678155304967_n-450x450.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"meta_box":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3126,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3121\/revisions\/3126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"28939185_10215610609478780_701708047_o\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/globetrotters\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/281\/2018\/03\/28939185_10215610609478780_701708047_o.jpg\")
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