What a wonderful weekend!

Students from a business school in Tangier came to Sevilla for the weekend and I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with them Saturday and Sunday. Their school receives 10,000 applications a year and only accepts 200 students. On Saturday, two other students and I accompanied them on a tour around the city. We took the metro from Nervion to El Centro. The students were having a hard time with the escalator and I couldn't help but laugh and of course hold their arms and tell them when to jump.

On Sunday they put on a bunch of activities for us including a concert, a fashion show, and a traditional moroccan wedding. I was originally asked to be in the fashion show but when I arrived at the Palacio on Sunday I was informed that I would be the Moroccan bride because the girl who was supposed to do it had other plans. Moroccan weddings are 3 days long; the bride and groom have their own wedding on the first two days and they're together on the third day. The bride usally has 3-4 dresses, and the long white gown is worn on the third day.

Dates with walnuts..so yummy! I had one when I first walked in and I was told that I shouldn't be eating on my wedding day. They are served with milk and if you offer a glass of milk to people when they enter your home you are considered generous.

The bride's hands are done up with henna on day 1 of the wedding. When it dries, the designs are very red and beautiful. Traditionally, it is done on both sides of the hands all the way up past the wrists but only the top of my hands were done. This red dress was dress number 1.

And here is dress number 2. My "husband," Josh, is also wearing his second outfit. The girls did my hair and make-up, too.

Later that night, we all went out for tapas and had a great time. We ate spinach croquettas, cheese, salad, bread, and everyone but me ate seafood paella while I had pork in whiskey sauce. Muslims cannot eat meat unless it is killed the right way, and they are forbidden to consume anything made with alcohol. We also learned that all of this is freedom of choice. If you choose to drink alcohol, you can. If you choose not to wear the head scarf, you don't have to. The girls left for Tangier and Courtney and I are hoping we get to see them again when we go to Morocco in April. 

5 days until Italy!!!