So last night I went to the Orchestra here in Sevilla. It was phenomenal! They played Beethoven's Fifth, and a composition I hadn't heard before called Don Juan, and also a composition by the conductor but I din't really like that one. Don Juan was amazing, if anyone reading this is into orchestral compositions I strongly suggest you listen to this piece if you haven't already. I freakin love classical music.
Then we went to this cute little bar that played sweet ass oldies rock, which I plan on going back to at some point. I didn't get anything because I'm broke for the week (budgeting is def something you have to do here, there are kids here who've already blown close to two thousand and it's been all of a month) but I def want to go back at some point and sing rock songs in the back (yes I sing obnoxiously in bars kiss my foot).
Before we went to the orchestra roomie and I went to this amazing cafe called Mama Terra. Def an American place, but it has all sorts of vegetarian stuff to eat and I'm way excited about it. And sweeeeet milkshakes. It is very amazing.
So on to the funny story.
At the end of the night I wanted a night to sleep. I had had a good time and my greatest desire in the mundo was to sleep for like twelve hours straight and be a bum since I don't have class today. So I went to sleep and Roomie went out to do her thing. I was awakened at four am by drunk roomie. She came in, I think woke up my host mother because the radio she sleeps with was blasting by the time I woke up and contributed to my wakefulness. Since the curtains were open, my roommate shut them violently, and then began munching on cereal loudly below my head (top bunk). I made some noise or something and so she started attempting to munch quietly, which was better but still loud. After a minute or so of this I said something to the effect of "Mirais, I know you're down there eating, I can still hear you, go to the bathroom if you wanna eat cheetohs or whatever it is you have". At which point she froze. I thought of a rabbit. A rabbit eating in the field that thinks you can't see it because it isn't moving. So I said, "Mirais, I'm awake. I'm still gonna be awake. You can't wake me up now." To which there was no reply. Complete rabbit. So I lay there for a while, and she lay there for a while, and eventually I got up to go to the bathroom because I was up anyway and the radio was loud. When I got out of bed, I discovered that my roommate had been so drunk that while she was waiting for me to go back to sleep to continue eating, she had passed out covered in cereal. I left her there. It was amusing. I then covered my head with a pillow and went to sleep.
Of course, in the morning she remembered none of it, and I thought that was even funnier. Oh drunken roomies.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My first REAL night out in Spain
So, I went with roomie to Calle Betis last night, which is the street where all the American students go (unfortunately). It was definitely interesting. While I don't really click with any of the girls in the program who I went out with (they don't talk about anything really interesting. I'm not actually sure what they talk about really. Guys? Drinking? And they drink way more than I do, too, which is awkward when they do stupid things but more on that later).
So the good thing about last night was that, by dent of being an American female, I didn't have to pay for drinks. At all. One bar, we had to pay, and I was no longer interested in drinking by that point so I didn't lol. And I guess it was good to go out and better relations with roomie. But by the end of the night, there was a story. There's always a story. Roomie and roomie's friend Marg. go out to Calle Betis a lot so they know a lot of the bar tenders there and three of those guys we ran into in the last bar we went to. They were uninteresting, mostly because they are around thirty and work in a bar (and not a cool Sevillan bar, a bar that's specifically designed to attract young female Americans). To make a long story short, some girl started dancing on the bar and so some guys got up there with her and started stripping. Needless to say, awkward. One of the guys was one of roomie's friends. Roomie's friend was so drunk (and just kinda lacking all sorts of common sense anyways) that even though this guy was half naked, pants unzipped, on a bar with this girl dancing in very unnecessary ways, she still wanted to say bye to him, and proceeded to do so. And then didn't understand why that was maybe a slightly awkward thing to have done.
Needless to say I'm not a huge fan of this sort of party environment. I'm not a child to think that that's fun. I am becoming increasingly more aware that I may have been born forty years old. And that some fifty year olds with never reach forty years old.
On the other hand, I did get free drinks, which was nice. Free is always nice, especially since you don't feel obligated to finish anything you don't want. As well, I've learned something interesting about people/myself:
People are not interesting because they're interesting.
Here's how that works. People are more or less predictable. They fall into the same basic categories and have many of the same basic motivations. Most of what you need to function around someone is learned merely by observing that person. You don't have to ask them about the depths of their lives to know that a black person has probably at some point experienced an incident of racism, that a woman with pearls and eyeliner on likes to look cute and probably knows how useful that is. You can interact with them accordingly. Most people do. They make assumptions based on appearance, and sometimes they ask about these assumptions to perpetuate conversation if they find it advantageous to get to know someone. The only difference between myself and someone who would choose to chat with you in a bar is that I won't chat with you to try to get free drinks. You will get no false flattery from me. I'm bad at it. If you aren't different, if there isn't some piece of you that is incongruous or outrageous or amusing....I'll walk away. And be completely comfortable doing it.
Everyone is interesting to someone. And everyone is worth observing in passing. But the truly special people, the ones that have some sort of spark or quirk or oddity, those people you keep with you forever. And while you can find that in a bar, it's probably not as likely as finding that person on a street corner in a UNICEF vest, or in a book store reading looking for the same book, or in a class that happens to interest you both. Them's just facts.
So the good thing about last night was that, by dent of being an American female, I didn't have to pay for drinks. At all. One bar, we had to pay, and I was no longer interested in drinking by that point so I didn't lol. And I guess it was good to go out and better relations with roomie. But by the end of the night, there was a story. There's always a story. Roomie and roomie's friend Marg. go out to Calle Betis a lot so they know a lot of the bar tenders there and three of those guys we ran into in the last bar we went to. They were uninteresting, mostly because they are around thirty and work in a bar (and not a cool Sevillan bar, a bar that's specifically designed to attract young female Americans). To make a long story short, some girl started dancing on the bar and so some guys got up there with her and started stripping. Needless to say, awkward. One of the guys was one of roomie's friends. Roomie's friend was so drunk (and just kinda lacking all sorts of common sense anyways) that even though this guy was half naked, pants unzipped, on a bar with this girl dancing in very unnecessary ways, she still wanted to say bye to him, and proceeded to do so. And then didn't understand why that was maybe a slightly awkward thing to have done.
Needless to say I'm not a huge fan of this sort of party environment. I'm not a child to think that that's fun. I am becoming increasingly more aware that I may have been born forty years old. And that some fifty year olds with never reach forty years old.
On the other hand, I did get free drinks, which was nice. Free is always nice, especially since you don't feel obligated to finish anything you don't want. As well, I've learned something interesting about people/myself:
People are not interesting because they're interesting.
Here's how that works. People are more or less predictable. They fall into the same basic categories and have many of the same basic motivations. Most of what you need to function around someone is learned merely by observing that person. You don't have to ask them about the depths of their lives to know that a black person has probably at some point experienced an incident of racism, that a woman with pearls and eyeliner on likes to look cute and probably knows how useful that is. You can interact with them accordingly. Most people do. They make assumptions based on appearance, and sometimes they ask about these assumptions to perpetuate conversation if they find it advantageous to get to know someone. The only difference between myself and someone who would choose to chat with you in a bar is that I won't chat with you to try to get free drinks. You will get no false flattery from me. I'm bad at it. If you aren't different, if there isn't some piece of you that is incongruous or outrageous or amusing....I'll walk away. And be completely comfortable doing it.
Everyone is interesting to someone. And everyone is worth observing in passing. But the truly special people, the ones that have some sort of spark or quirk or oddity, those people you keep with you forever. And while you can find that in a bar, it's probably not as likely as finding that person on a street corner in a UNICEF vest, or in a book store reading looking for the same book, or in a class that happens to interest you both. Them's just facts.
Monday, February 23, 2009
homework is boring
So I officially haven't done any of my homework for tomorrow, mostly because I was madly ill for like two days (as I'm sure most of you have heard) and so didn't get any homework done this weekend and have been completely unmotivated to do it today. So far I'm pretty sure I've been sick more than not here, but hopefully this last bout will work through my system and I'll be done for good.
Anyways, I begin my new schedule this week, which unfortunately involves not having class before 1130 any day of the week. I feel that this might be a negatory addition to my life, since my roommate likes to go out at night and then sleep all day (her classes are similar) and I really don't want to deal with that cuz I'd rather be awake in the morning wandering around and then do classes, hw and sleep. I guess we'll see how it works out.
I'll let you know how I like my classes when I get them. Peace
Anyways, I begin my new schedule this week, which unfortunately involves not having class before 1130 any day of the week. I feel that this might be a negatory addition to my life, since my roommate likes to go out at night and then sleep all day (her classes are similar) and I really don't want to deal with that cuz I'd rather be awake in the morning wandering around and then do classes, hw and sleep. I guess we'll see how it works out.
I'll let you know how I like my classes when I get them. Peace
Friday, February 20, 2009
the blog is getting long O.o
so very sorry that I haven't written in a while.
I am currently sitting in the computer lab chillin out writing back to people. I have discovered that upkeeping all of my ties to the US takes a ridiculous amount of time lol. It's not something you really think about when you can just call everyone, but when you can't...it becomes an issue. I still have a few more letters to write, but I may leave them for this afternoon since i have to go to the cafe to upload my pics cuz my comp is dead and i conveniently forgot my charger this morning.
Today I'm going to tell you about the mailing system in Spain.
We have post offices in the US, and they kind of have post offices here, but I've never actually seen one. Instead, they have Tobaccos, which are places where you buy cigarettes, and at the Tobacco you can also buy stamps (and chips and juice and bus passes...i know, weird). But you can't send anything out at a Tabacco. You have to find a place that sends things out. Luckily CCCS does, so it works, but if it werent' for that I'm pretty sure I would be screwed. Not that I've managed to send anything yet :-/ But I shall certainly fix that after I get my act together.
The United States prizes efficiency. You go to one store to do all of your shopping. Post Offices are organized. If you need to figure out how to do something you can go the internet site for any given place. If you need to throw out your trash you put it on the curb. Though admittedly that's in rural US and the organization may be different in cities. If you go to a bar, you can't get sweet ass coffee and a meal of pretty decent taste factor. The street signs are where you can see them. There ARE street signs.
Spain...not so much. So I mean there are good things and bad things. You don't think "oh this other outpost of the Wester World will be different beyond my wildest imaginations". But it is. Go figure. Makes me wonder how different going to Japan, to Iraq, to Nigeria, to Argentina, must be. Makes me a little worried about it.
Anyway, the point of the story is that this is my thirteenth post. Hopefully I'll have some amazing and meaningful cultural experience to share with you shortly.
Peace
I am currently sitting in the computer lab chillin out writing back to people. I have discovered that upkeeping all of my ties to the US takes a ridiculous amount of time lol. It's not something you really think about when you can just call everyone, but when you can't...it becomes an issue. I still have a few more letters to write, but I may leave them for this afternoon since i have to go to the cafe to upload my pics cuz my comp is dead and i conveniently forgot my charger this morning.
Today I'm going to tell you about the mailing system in Spain.
We have post offices in the US, and they kind of have post offices here, but I've never actually seen one. Instead, they have Tobaccos, which are places where you buy cigarettes, and at the Tobacco you can also buy stamps (and chips and juice and bus passes...i know, weird). But you can't send anything out at a Tabacco. You have to find a place that sends things out. Luckily CCCS does, so it works, but if it werent' for that I'm pretty sure I would be screwed. Not that I've managed to send anything yet :-/ But I shall certainly fix that after I get my act together.
The United States prizes efficiency. You go to one store to do all of your shopping. Post Offices are organized. If you need to figure out how to do something you can go the internet site for any given place. If you need to throw out your trash you put it on the curb. Though admittedly that's in rural US and the organization may be different in cities. If you go to a bar, you can't get sweet ass coffee and a meal of pretty decent taste factor. The street signs are where you can see them. There ARE street signs.
Spain...not so much. So I mean there are good things and bad things. You don't think "oh this other outpost of the Wester World will be different beyond my wildest imaginations". But it is. Go figure. Makes me wonder how different going to Japan, to Iraq, to Nigeria, to Argentina, must be. Makes me a little worried about it.
Anyway, the point of the story is that this is my thirteenth post. Hopefully I'll have some amazing and meaningful cultural experience to share with you shortly.
Peace
Monday, February 16, 2009
After the rain has fallen
So I had this uber migraine and was incapacitated for like two whole days. Woo!! But now I'm back and better than ever! I actually feel like I just had to physically manifest and expell my angry feelings towards Sevilla and all my missing home and everything and now it's hopefully done and I can get on with this whole experiencing the culture thing. Which I am doing now.
This morning, there was a protest outside of the cafe where we go to get tea and coffee and pan con aceite every day. It was crazy! They had propped open the doors to this cafe and were blasting obnoxiously loud music into the cafe. We ate there anyway, because they were protesting the fact that the cafe had laid off a worker, which is against the law in Spain and most other European countries, but with the economy like it is I don't know that they had a choice and I don't know all the facts and it would have been troublesome to go somewhere else. Besides it was an interesting experience. I have the pamphlet and a picture of the protest, though the picture doesnt capture the experience of actually being in the cafe.
This morning, there was a protest outside of the cafe where we go to get tea and coffee and pan con aceite every day. It was crazy! They had propped open the doors to this cafe and were blasting obnoxiously loud music into the cafe. We ate there anyway, because they were protesting the fact that the cafe had laid off a worker, which is against the law in Spain and most other European countries, but with the economy like it is I don't know that they had a choice and I don't know all the facts and it would have been troublesome to go somewhere else. Besides it was an interesting experience. I have the pamphlet and a picture of the protest, though the picture doesnt capture the experience of actually being in the cafe.
In further news, my computer appears to be functioning. It had some nasty malware on it, but I deleted programs and now it is better! So there will be sweet pictures from the Italica up soon on FB, which I would have written about if I had had access to the computer for the last four days. To make a long story short, its the ruins of an old Roman city and pics do NOT do it justice but I think you'll enjoy them.
Hasta luego!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
An okay day
Today was an okay day.
We went to the Italica, which is an old Roman city that is being excavated. I have muchas fotos, but as my comp is currently incapacitated (not that I've put any effort into it today) I will not be posting them for a bit. But there were sweet trees, and the day was gorgeous. I was forced to admit that I need to buy sunglasses as well as new shoes.
I then ate lunch and slept for like an hour or so before walking with Meg around the Centro. We found some amazing gardens and went to see the Plaza de España. Which was also sweet, but again no pics because of the whole comp thing.
Yesterday sucked.
It´s a long story and I don´t want to talk about it. I learned that I have to trust my instincts and not let the idiots that I exist with in this place change my mind so easily. I can´t be what I´m not after all, and so I have to be what I am.
But today was a pretty good day.
We went to the Italica, which is an old Roman city that is being excavated. I have muchas fotos, but as my comp is currently incapacitated (not that I've put any effort into it today) I will not be posting them for a bit. But there were sweet trees, and the day was gorgeous. I was forced to admit that I need to buy sunglasses as well as new shoes.
I then ate lunch and slept for like an hour or so before walking with Meg around the Centro. We found some amazing gardens and went to see the Plaza de España. Which was also sweet, but again no pics because of the whole comp thing.
Yesterday sucked.
It´s a long story and I don´t want to talk about it. I learned that I have to trust my instincts and not let the idiots that I exist with in this place change my mind so easily. I can´t be what I´m not after all, and so I have to be what I am.
But today was a pretty good day.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Fixing my comp/una nueva aventura
My computer is rota, so I'm trying desperately to fix it. Hopefully I'll have reached some form of progress shortly, since i need to leave to get lunch.
So today there is this huge soccer game here, which I didn't know until Monday. Which is unfortunate, cuz its between England and Spain and I kinda wanted to go. So roomie and I decided to take the bus, but we didn't know much about the bus so we missed the first one that came through because we asked the bus driver if the bus went to the stadium, he told us no (liar) so we thought we were at the wrong stop. But after a few moments we realized that he was wrong and got on the right bus. Only to be yelled at by this old woman who spoke very rapidly in Spanish about how we weren't supposed to cut in line to get on the bus. As soon as I figured out what the hell was going on, I found myself forced to ask myself, there was a line for the bus?
Enter the American South's idea of what is rude. Namely, this woman. Waiving and shouting at waiters. Giving people casual commands who you've never met before. Namely, Spanish every day life.
Of course, there are also things we do that I'm sure they think are rude. But it's still a very depressing experience when people look at you funny when you say "could I have" instead of "give me" when you're ordering coffee.
Moving on, after reaching the stadium we discovered three important facts. 1) the tickets were sold out (le tear). 2) the english team was arriving at the stadium in a mercedes-benz bus and 3) there is an outdoor ice rink (in sevilla, where it never gets below zero) in their version of a mall in Nervion, which is next to the stadium.
Now, fun cultural anecdote. In Sevilla, shopping centers are localized around an outdoor courtyard, and escalators are on the outside of buildings.
Have I blown your mind? Join the club.
So today there is this huge soccer game here, which I didn't know until Monday. Which is unfortunate, cuz its between England and Spain and I kinda wanted to go. So roomie and I decided to take the bus, but we didn't know much about the bus so we missed the first one that came through because we asked the bus driver if the bus went to the stadium, he told us no (liar) so we thought we were at the wrong stop. But after a few moments we realized that he was wrong and got on the right bus. Only to be yelled at by this old woman who spoke very rapidly in Spanish about how we weren't supposed to cut in line to get on the bus. As soon as I figured out what the hell was going on, I found myself forced to ask myself, there was a line for the bus?
Enter the American South's idea of what is rude. Namely, this woman. Waiving and shouting at waiters. Giving people casual commands who you've never met before. Namely, Spanish every day life.
Of course, there are also things we do that I'm sure they think are rude. But it's still a very depressing experience when people look at you funny when you say "could I have" instead of "give me" when you're ordering coffee.
Moving on, after reaching the stadium we discovered three important facts. 1) the tickets were sold out (le tear). 2) the english team was arriving at the stadium in a mercedes-benz bus and 3) there is an outdoor ice rink (in sevilla, where it never gets below zero) in their version of a mall in Nervion, which is next to the stadium.
Now, fun cultural anecdote. In Sevilla, shopping centers are localized around an outdoor courtyard, and escalators are on the outside of buildings.
Have I blown your mind? Join the club.
Monday, February 9, 2009
The computer thing
So so far the most ridiculous aspect of this trip has been the computer thing. Spain is apparently not into computers so much. Which is fine, but it means that it's very difficult for me to access the internets. Which is kinda depressing coming from a place where I accessed it like every day. You also can't find any businesses which really advertise on the internet here, so you just have to guess where you're going by hearsay, which sometimes bombs out as I discovered Saturday night when a group of my friends tried to go out to the rumored discotecas on Calle Betis only to be unable to locate them. They ARE there. We just...didn't see them. Which kinda happens a lot here.
If you ever come to Sevilla, and are looking for a good area for bars that are quaint and friendly and full of people, then you should go to Calle Alfalfa. It's not a long street, but there is a chain of about six to ten bars that spread from one end of it to the other, and people just hang out and talk in the street, go inside and get a drink, then come back out and chill again. There aren't any drinking/drunk in public laws here, so you just kinda do what you want. Not meaning that you should pull an American and get wasted. Drinking is more of a social activity, designed to be enjoyed, and people don't drink to get drunk. They drink to talk.
They don't card you here either, and cigarettes are sold in vending machines. It's a very European thing, since I've experienced it before in Scotland. It's common for someone to go to one bar, drink a beer, and then fly off to another bar to have another, chilling all night and meeting people. You also eat tapas, small sandwiches or chips and nuts and olives, sometimes other things. This is the part of this city that is most interesting to me on the weekends. Not that I don't want to make it to a discoteca at some point.
Unfortunately, I am lacking in the music department and am needing to go find some music in Spanish so that I don't start pulling out my hair. But the musical scene here is not very strongly developed, like it is in the US or Latin America or even Britain. Spanish people import music more than anything, or so I'm told, and I have yet to find something that I really like in their music (though admittedly I haven't looked hard enough) besides their traditional pieces, of course.
I'm rambling. But yeah, that was my weekend.
If you ever come to Sevilla, and are looking for a good area for bars that are quaint and friendly and full of people, then you should go to Calle Alfalfa. It's not a long street, but there is a chain of about six to ten bars that spread from one end of it to the other, and people just hang out and talk in the street, go inside and get a drink, then come back out and chill again. There aren't any drinking/drunk in public laws here, so you just kinda do what you want. Not meaning that you should pull an American and get wasted. Drinking is more of a social activity, designed to be enjoyed, and people don't drink to get drunk. They drink to talk.
They don't card you here either, and cigarettes are sold in vending machines. It's a very European thing, since I've experienced it before in Scotland. It's common for someone to go to one bar, drink a beer, and then fly off to another bar to have another, chilling all night and meeting people. You also eat tapas, small sandwiches or chips and nuts and olives, sometimes other things. This is the part of this city that is most interesting to me on the weekends. Not that I don't want to make it to a discoteca at some point.
Unfortunately, I am lacking in the music department and am needing to go find some music in Spanish so that I don't start pulling out my hair. But the musical scene here is not very strongly developed, like it is in the US or Latin America or even Britain. Spanish people import music more than anything, or so I'm told, and I have yet to find something that I really like in their music (though admittedly I haven't looked hard enough) besides their traditional pieces, of course.
I'm rambling. But yeah, that was my weekend.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I've had a request
Meghan requested that I tell you more about my current classes, so here we go.
My first class is Advanced Spanish - Present Day Usage where we discuss slang terms and common terms used in Spain. Which has been helpful in understanding my host mother anyway, and my professor is very nice but it's kinda boring on the whole challenging scale. I have that class every day too, so the boringness is not very much appreciated all the time, but at least we have a break to snack every morning.
Second I have my cultural realities class, which requires that I keep a journal about the themes we discuss (culture shock, culture shock, and culture shock mostly lol - como me choca la cultura de espana, to combine the two classes). Only meets once a week, so it's not too much work and the professor is funny so that's nice. There is a guy in that class. His name is Javier. He is from the same university as my roommate actually. Having a guy in the class = weird, but he's quiet anyways and can speak better Spanish than I can so whatevs I can't complain.
He's also in my clase de baile, the only guy in the dancing class actually. There I learn flamenco dancing. Very hard btw, you dance with your whole body, the hands have specific tiny motions and the posture is just so and your feet move at like 1000 mph. I actually need to practice because I'm going to forget all the steps I learned, not that I had them that well to begin with.
On to more interesting things, today people seemed to think I live here as in speak Spanish in multiple places that I found myself in. Like some highschool girls asked me for a light, and the British group that asked me for directions (I def gave them a map I had no clue what they were trying to say with their accent).
I also got my intercambio today!! His name is Javi, but I haven't met him yet so I don't know anything about him so I will post more on that later. Intercambios can be between 15 and like 40 so it will be interesting to see what happens with that haha. I hope he's close to my age so I can ask him questions about things to do and places to go in the city and make Spanish friends to hang out with.
Anyways, I'll catch ya later!
My first class is Advanced Spanish - Present Day Usage where we discuss slang terms and common terms used in Spain. Which has been helpful in understanding my host mother anyway, and my professor is very nice but it's kinda boring on the whole challenging scale. I have that class every day too, so the boringness is not very much appreciated all the time, but at least we have a break to snack every morning.
Second I have my cultural realities class, which requires that I keep a journal about the themes we discuss (culture shock, culture shock, and culture shock mostly lol - como me choca la cultura de espana, to combine the two classes). Only meets once a week, so it's not too much work and the professor is funny so that's nice. There is a guy in that class. His name is Javier. He is from the same university as my roommate actually. Having a guy in the class = weird, but he's quiet anyways and can speak better Spanish than I can so whatevs I can't complain.
He's also in my clase de baile, the only guy in the dancing class actually. There I learn flamenco dancing. Very hard btw, you dance with your whole body, the hands have specific tiny motions and the posture is just so and your feet move at like 1000 mph. I actually need to practice because I'm going to forget all the steps I learned, not that I had them that well to begin with.
On to more interesting things, today people seemed to think I live here as in speak Spanish in multiple places that I found myself in. Like some highschool girls asked me for a light, and the British group that asked me for directions (I def gave them a map I had no clue what they were trying to say with their accent).
I also got my intercambio today!! His name is Javi, but I haven't met him yet so I don't know anything about him so I will post more on that later. Intercambios can be between 15 and like 40 so it will be interesting to see what happens with that haha. I hope he's close to my age so I can ask him questions about things to do and places to go in the city and make Spanish friends to hang out with.
Anyways, I'll catch ya later!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
I need to do crunches
So I eat like a whole baguette a day here. And even though I also walk at least six miles a day, I need to do crunches. That's just fact. On the other hand my shoes are starting to shred so I am probs gonna have to buy new ones soon lol. Shoes I mean. Life in Europe is random. Also, I don't get honked at as much anymore!! I think it's because people are used to seeing me around the barrio so they've stopped shouting at the extranjera. Or maybe it's just cuz it's not the weekend and everyone is going to work/class. Actually it's probs the latter. How depressing.
I am excited for spring. And siesta. Btw they let the dogs roam around here. They don't have rabies in Europe, doncha kno. It is muy interesante. People train their dogs to walk with them and don't have to have leashes. I've seen like two dogs on leashes like the whole time I've been here. Which is really interesting. When their owners stop they sit still like statues and wait for them to finish talking to their friends. Super dogs. Muy inteligente.
Also, Spain is ridiculously economically fail right now. Something like 6,414 more people unemployed every day. That is a fudgeton of people. It's really distressing. The government is trying to feed everyone, but I still see homeless people everywhere and it's very upsetting for me. It's affected every aspect of their lives, from employment to the electric bill (my host mom's has tripled in the past two years). But what's scary is that Spain is one step below the US on an economic scale and that means our shit is just beginning. Still, life goes on, I guess, and while the people here have a name for what's happening and it's definitely a topic of conversation, they keep doing what they do.
Well, I'm going to go food/homework/siesta. I'll update you with more fun cultural anecdotes later.
I am excited for spring. And siesta. Btw they let the dogs roam around here. They don't have rabies in Europe, doncha kno. It is muy interesante. People train their dogs to walk with them and don't have to have leashes. I've seen like two dogs on leashes like the whole time I've been here. Which is really interesting. When their owners stop they sit still like statues and wait for them to finish talking to their friends. Super dogs. Muy inteligente.
Also, Spain is ridiculously economically fail right now. Something like 6,414 more people unemployed every day. That is a fudgeton of people. It's really distressing. The government is trying to feed everyone, but I still see homeless people everywhere and it's very upsetting for me. It's affected every aspect of their lives, from employment to the electric bill (my host mom's has tripled in the past two years). But what's scary is that Spain is one step below the US on an economic scale and that means our shit is just beginning. Still, life goes on, I guess, and while the people here have a name for what's happening and it's definitely a topic of conversation, they keep doing what they do.
Well, I'm going to go food/homework/siesta. I'll update you with more fun cultural anecdotes later.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Humo y cerveza
Okay, so here's the deal.
For the next three weeks I have class from 9-12:45. I get up at around 7, get dressed, eat breakfast and walk thirty minutes to school for class. At around 11 we have descanso, so we go to a cafe and get tea or food or maybe I sit here and check my internets. When we are released we have the option of either chillin in the Centro (a barrio) or returning to the casa which is across the river. At 2:30 my roommate and I eat lunch and have a thirty min siesta, more or less. At around four I usually leave again. At some point I do hw. Dinner is at 9:30, so there's a lot of time to kill. Afterwards, one goes out pasando un rato, or killing time in English. This generally involves cerveza y humo. Or wine or some other alcohol y humo. Humo being smoke. Everyone smokes.
Except for that last part, my life is sweet.
So far, I really like Spain. I mean, there's definitely the issue of my needing to eat more, and that being slightly expensive. And I still don't feel 100% comfortable here by any means. But it's beginning to grow on me, which I think is a good thing. I think I will like it more once I get into a groove. And once I get used to feeling like an idiot all the time lol. I'm just glad it's not raining anymore. It has rained nonstop for almost two whole days, which was very unfortunate.
In any case, I am excited to say that I am now off to find lunch. Buenas tardes!
For the next three weeks I have class from 9-12:45. I get up at around 7, get dressed, eat breakfast and walk thirty minutes to school for class. At around 11 we have descanso, so we go to a cafe and get tea or food or maybe I sit here and check my internets. When we are released we have the option of either chillin in the Centro (a barrio) or returning to the casa which is across the river. At 2:30 my roommate and I eat lunch and have a thirty min siesta, more or less. At around four I usually leave again. At some point I do hw. Dinner is at 9:30, so there's a lot of time to kill. Afterwards, one goes out pasando un rato, or killing time in English. This generally involves cerveza y humo. Or wine or some other alcohol y humo. Humo being smoke. Everyone smokes.
Except for that last part, my life is sweet.
So far, I really like Spain. I mean, there's definitely the issue of my needing to eat more, and that being slightly expensive. And I still don't feel 100% comfortable here by any means. But it's beginning to grow on me, which I think is a good thing. I think I will like it more once I get into a groove. And once I get used to feeling like an idiot all the time lol. I'm just glad it's not raining anymore. It has rained nonstop for almost two whole days, which was very unfortunate.
In any case, I am excited to say that I am now off to find lunch. Buenas tardes!
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