I must share this amazing story: two days ago, I was stopped on the street by someone asking for directions to a certain cosmetics store. What? I can't believe someone thought I belonged here. Either her eyesight is really poor or she thought I was a northern European that had moved to Sevilla, or something. I'm pretty sure her eyes were just fine, so I'm going to take it as a compliment. I really can't bear to be obviously American. My blonde hair absolutely declares "I am not sevillana!" so the least I can do is look like a northern European. I will count this a success.

People generally throw out their entire, if limited, English vocabulary when they see me. I ask a question in Spanish, they respond in their attempt at English. And then there's the brief yet ever-ready "I luff jou."

So it was refreshing to not only be addressed in Spanish, but as if I were a local. A few more weeks here, and I would have actually been able to help her out.