If I had to capture the essence of Cordoba in two tangible forms, it would be the Mezquita-Catedral and my sit spot. The Mezquita, I think, is the city’s natural symbol. It’s a source of local and cultural identity for the community, whether they live in the center or the periphery. Aside from being a world-famous UNESCO site of cultural patrimony in the center of the city, it reflects –in a literal, architectural and decorative sense– the uniquely rich historical meld of cultures that is Cordoba, the influence of both Muslim and Christian rule over the city. The Mezquita is the communal, beating heart of Cordoba. Even as a mere semi-resident, semi-visitor, I felt this to be true. On a personal level, however, my sit spot came to hold an emotional role in my Cordoba identity. In a literal and figurative way, it has been my source of connection with the natural world of Cordoba, both in that I go here to be in touch with nature and in that it was the catalyst that inspired me to think about and research the environmental sphere of Cordoba (in terms of wildlife/environment and legislation/institutional sustainability efforts). 

Quite honestly, there were many times where I was tired, or stressed, or overwhelmed with schoolwork and simply didn’t want to come here. But I have to thank my sit spot for calling me to it anyway, for obliging me to interact with nature even when the stresses of daily life felt like obstacles in the way of such meaningful interaction. In the same way that a child dreads the bath until they actually get inside the warm water, every time once I actually sat here, I was glad for it. The rustling of the leaves, the humming steady stream of the river, even the chirps of the birds have become familiar sounds. The calming familiarity of my sit spot feels like a symptom of how Cordoba has become my temporary home; I have found my place here, not just as a foreigner, but as a semi-Cordobesa (who, now, has even learned about the local and national environmental challenges and efforts!).

I have chosen my final project to reflect this familiarity I’ve found, through the lens of environmental conscientiousness. I will take a more artistic, physical approach by way of a map of Cordoba. It only feels right, given that most of my tangible and intellectual exploration of the city has been via visits to particular parks or museums, etc. I’ll amplify the map by adding appendages (drawings, slips of paper with notes, perhaps photos) of local spots I’ve visited with a significant landscape or wildlife presence, or with larger theoretical presences such as environmental reforms, water sources, sites of intense tourism. I’ll focus particularly on mass tourism and its relationship with various local customs and festivals. During my time here, I took an anthropology class centered on Andalucía, in which we talked a lot about cultural patrimony, UNESCO, and the relationship between local customs and mass tourism/commodification. This sort of anthropological perspective is what has most stuck with me, what has converted into the lens through which I view these culturally rich but often environmentally unfriendly customs. In this way, my final project will be less scientific in essence, more focused on Cordoba as a local community converted into an environmentally unsustainable zoo of local customs made vendable phenomena.