“La próxima parada, Plaza Nueva, final de trayecto.” This is my sign to get off the tram that I take to school in the morning. The tram passes through the center of the historic city. From the windows, a passenger can see the renowned 15th century Catedral de Sevilla, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.
A ten minute walk to school through narrow streets and plazas filled with little shops and cafes where many locals stop for breakfast follows the ride. When I get to class, I settle into the desk that I will remain in for most of the day. High school in Spain starts in year eleven, not year nine.
At my school, the teachers are the ones that rotate classrooms as opposed to the students. I have six one-hour classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a 30 minute break after every other class. Unlike at Fieldston, teachers do not schedule meeting times with students. Instead, there is a “refuerza” session once per week for an hour after school that students can attend for extra help. Teachers are also referred to as “Don” or “Doña” along with their first names, such as “Doña Marta” (my physics teacher) or “Don Juan” (my history teacher).
While most classes are in Spanish, every student is required to take English as well. When English comes around, it is always my favorite part of the day, as it is nice to have a full grasp of what is going on in class. After school, I take the tram back home where I complete my homework and prepare for upcoming exams. In my classes, there are no quizzes, just exams. ¡Hasta luego!
Source: Colegio San Francisco de Paula
