Seville: The New Normal

Video Transcript:

Good morning from a day in the life of Seville in the new norm. The new norm is quite similar to our life pre-Covid except that we are now more cautious to ensure health and wellness and we are more appreciative of what perhaps was before taken for granted.

Our sunshine continues to warm our daily walk to work through typical neighborhoods and across our river—Seville is best navigated on foot. And so each day begins with the joy of being professionally productive and in nurturing our life outside of work.

Our monuments are still a local source of pride and beauty, boasting 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and countless other cultural gems. We walk past them and think that soon their majesty will once again be the backdrop to unforgettable memories and experiences for you—it feels surreal that only our residents should enjoy such sites.

We continue to shop through several commercial areas in the city where traditional stores and prêt-à-porter dot pedestrian walkways to shopping heaven. For our groceries we still favor the fresh produce from our favorite markets, sometimes we buy from markets located near our places of work and other times we stop in our neighborhood market on the way back home after work. Either way, the ritual of getting our food in this manner fills our stomachs and souls in a way that supermarket food just doesn´t offer.

Our tapas bars, restaurants and outdoor terraces are open to enjoy the company of friends and relatives. Known as one of our favorite pastimes, a drink and tapa are always the perfect excuse to catch up and be in the moment with our loved ones by putting away the cell phone and any thought of chores or work—this is when the expression that in Spain we work to live is best illustrated.

Our sunsets remain spectacular and inviting for reflection on another day enjoyed after one of the world´s strictest lockdowns. As we reflect, we remember, one thing that for now continues to be different than life before COVID is that we miss you. Yes, you, the student abroad, the visitor from your university or from your family, the visitor from so many different countries and cultures ready to mingle with us. We have started to see some of our European neighbors; we look forward to welcoming you back again. With you among us once again, our new norm will be richer and more complete.