WCOE in Seville, 2010

I am typing to the rhythm of the clapping and foot stamping of Flamenco dancers rehearsing in a studio across the street from our apartment. That is part of the experience of Sevilla, Spain, home to the Texas Tech University Whitacre College of Engineering study abroad program for lower division engineering students. Welcome to the 2010 version of our blog. My name is Walt Oler and I am one of the Texas Tech University faculty members who are teaching in Spain this year. I hope that you will enjoy following the blog as we chronicle the experiences of our students and try to convey a little of the beauty and charm of this unique Spanish city.

Summer 2009 was the first year of the engineering program in Spain. Twenty students participated and everyone had a wonderful time. If you are new to this blog, I encourage you to check out the earlier posts which describe last year's experiences. Our participation this year is larger with approximately 40 students. Some were here for the first summer session and took the first fundamental course in engineering mechanics 'Statics' with Dr. Javad Hashemi. Many of the students also took 'Music of Spain' taught by Dr. Eric Fried. Additional students have arrived over the weekend to take 'Thermodynamics' which I will teach and either 'Engineering Communications' taught by Dr. Dean Fontenot or Dr. Mark Webb's class on 'World Religions.' Today was spent with the students getting acquainted with their 'host' families and beginning to find their way around Seville. Classes will begin tomorrow.

Here are a few of the sights from Sevilla (click on the photos for larger images):

One of the first things that you notice about Sevilla is that the plazas and sidewalk coffee shops and restaurants are the social centers.

In old Sevilla the buildings are all very old but reasonably well maintained. The streets are narrow and the sidewalks are even smaller. You have to be very careful not to step off in front of a car or moto (motor scooter).

This 14th century monastery now serves as the Andulusia Center for Contemporary Art. Christopher Columbus was a guest here between his first and second voyages to the new world. According to legend, this tree was planted by his son.