Being a ‘guiri’ in Seville

Bethan Watkins – Universidad de Sevilla

‘¿Oye tío, por qué hay tanto guiri aquí?’ was a phrase I heard that stuck with me for days after. I was in a bar in the centre of Seville with a group of other friends from the UK, when some locals began laughing and chatting about us in Spanish, unaware that we could understand them.

The person was essentially asking his friend why there were so many tourists or non-locals in his pub. The word ‘guiri’ is a Spanish word used to refer to foreigners or tourists, especially British and American ones, essentially meaning ‘outsider’. I’d never heard the word before, but since I arrived in Spain for my year abroad I’ve heard it countless times.

Seville is a paradoxical city, in that it retains its quintessentially Spanish essence, while simultaneously being full of tourists and international students roaming the streets. Sevillanos are known for their pride in Spain and Andalucía: a pride that is deeper rooted than the stereotypical football, flamenco, and bull fighting that draws in the crowds of tourists each year.

Whether it’s the elaborate religious processions, time spent with family, or going to your local bar for tapas and a Cruzcampo, life here is permeated with an authentic Spanish flavour and centuries-old traditions that still persist despite this increasingly international population and the influx of sightseers that arrive each Spring. It’s no wonder why locals, most of whom who have lived here all their life, are hostile to tourists who don’t truly understand or respect the culture.

At first, I wanted to fit in too. I wanted to speak perfect Spanish, dress like a local (goodbye to my Manchester baggy jeans and Brit-abroad Birkenstocks), and only go to non-touristy places – anything to avoid being obviously *foreign*. But now, after three months here, I’ve found peace with being a ‘guiri’.

It’s a huge privilege being an able to be able to spend a year being an outsider, a sponge soaking in the language, culture and lifestyle of somewhere new. In some ways, that’s the whole point of studying abroad. Now, the things that were once new and unfamiliar to me are some of my favourite things: I’ve grown to like reggaetón (Latin American dance music), I can navigate the questionable vegetarian offerings of Spanish supermarkets, and have adapted to night outs ending at 5AM.

But at the same time, I can also enjoy being a tourist: I’m still in awe every time I walk past the Plaza de España, I still take photos of every aesthetically pleasing street corner, and get excited at the oranges starting to appear on the trees. Seville’s location has also given me the perfect opportunity to travel around, not only to other Spanish cities (taking day trips to Córdoba, Cádiz and Madrid), as well as having the chance to travel to Portugal and even Morocco.

These experiences, and the chance to live and study in such an amazing city have made the first half of my year abroad unforgettable – and are definitely worth being called a ‘guiri’ every now and then!