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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Santiago School Group Visit, Barrio Santa Cruz, Seville, Andalusia, Spain



Wandering around the Cathedral area, these happy young people in the bright red sweatshirts caught my eye. There seemed to be at least a hundred of them in groups of ten or so running around doing different tasks, seemingly in a race with each other. The sweatshirts says "Santiago," so I thought they were from Chile. They roared with laughter when I said so. With my Spanish mastery, I might have said, "you have dog banana head," or something similarly inappropriate.



For this task, a selfie seemed to be required that included the Cathedral in the frame. They couldn't quite get the right angle so I was enlisted to shoot it for them. Hey, you!



For this task, they tied or taped each other's legs together.



They were hooting and hollering and laughing with a joy and exuberance that made me feel young again just to be around them. Ah, youth.



Some of the groups figured out the teamwork challenge quicker than others.



Going down the steps tied together was a particularly difficult challenge.



With part of the Alcázar perimeter wall in the background, off they went around the corner and out of sight.

What a friendly group who didn't mind an old tourist (me) following and taking pictures. It is a delight to see young people exhibiting such joy. They were from the Santiago School here in Seville. I couldn't quite understand whether it was middle, high, private, religious or what - they talked so fast and my Spanish is a struggle even when people speak slowly. When I ask folks to speak more slowly here, they smile and do so.  They don't just speak louder like stereotypical Americans often do when dealing with a foreigner. I think there's a lesson there.


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