Lost in Translation

Hello Lovies:

Sorry it has taken me some time to update the blog! I have been busy with school. And this is not a joke. They weren’t kidding when they said this would be an intensive course. It’s great but the time at school and lesson planning and back to school has definitely cut into my exploring Barcelona. But fear not – I have still been having fun. Even if it’s in the classroom by making “That’s what she said” jokes at really inappropriate times just to have Anna crack up…and only Anna crack up…And yes, we are the 2 oldest students in the class. Are we surprised?

Anyhu, I really have been enjoying teaching. I can’t stress how much these students WANT to learn and enjoy whatever crazy lessons I present them…So the latest lesson I taught was for the intermediate class (which, remember is a bunch of adults) new vocabulary. So the lesson I had to teach was regarding film and all of the vocabulary that correlates with movies. So the one film I knew that my students and I would have in common is Vicky Christina Barcelona. Even though the subject of the film is a little risqué – I decided, after clearing with my instructor, it would be a great base to start the class in debate. So the class is going along really well – everyone is discussing why the movie is wonderful or horrible and totally understanding the vocabulary I’m introducing until I get to…memorable movie quotes! So I explain how in the USA everyone LOVES to quote movies. So they are rather confused (I can tell by the looks on their faces) so I go – Let’s play a game…I am going to say a quote from a movie and you will tell me what it is - “Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.”

SILENCE.

I repeat the quote. Que?! I am clicking my heels. They are laughing... “I don’t know that movie…” So I go, WIZARD OF OZ! Still – I get blank stares. Yes, that is right – Spaniards are in the dark about one of the greatest movies of all time. So when I quote the Godfather – they all got that…Good thing the Fascist regime didn’t keep gangster movies away from these folks. Anyways, I ask for famous quotes and the first one I get it “Yes we can!” (Love for Obama over here). So I ask for a movie quote and this one girl tells it to me in Spanish… “I don’t remember the name of the movie, only in Spanish. But the quote – it ends the movie. It’s about eating…Or starving…Or…” So I freak out – “AS GOD AS MY WITNESS, I WILL NEVER GO HUNGRY AGAIN?! GONE WITH THE WIND?!?! YOU KNOW A GOOD, CLASSIC MOVIE – woo!” So they loved the English translation & had me write it on the board so they could go home and I guess tell their husbands/wives their English lesson for the day… So yeah, maybe it’s not something as effective as perfect present tense but it definitely is more entertaining!

Now as for my lost in translation moment: I decided that in between all of my partying I needed to go to church – as a good, Catholic (Spaniard) does. So I picked a beautiful cathedral in the El Borne area – about a 10 minute walk from my apartment. I walk in and the heat and smell hits me – I forgot that these ancient cathedrals do not host central AC… It was miserable. And, because it is voted one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the city, tourists kept coming in during mass and snapping pictures. Even though there are millions of signs in millions of different languages stating – NO PICTURES DURING SERVICE. People are idiots sometimes. Anyways, I settle in, expecting to follow the mass and gather some of the phrases with my basic Spanish knowledge. Wrong. It would have been easier if the mass was in Latin…Since they did this mass in Catalan! Catalan is the preferred language of Barcelona and it is a mix of Spanish, French and Portuguese. Then you add an intense lisp sound and wahla. In other words, I have learned one Catalan word since I have been here and don’t know if I will master more than 10 as it is very difficult. So I’m still on the search for a church in this very Catholic city – I will keep you posted.

Okay, so for those of you that have skimmed the past two monster paragraphs regarding school and church, I will now share the fun stories…Nights in the BCN!

So here’s a great one: 2 Saturdays ago Anna, Casey (presh boy from our class) and I went to a beach outside of Barcelona. It was about a 20 minute train ride and was great – very serene and much cleaner beaches compared to the city ones. It reminds me a lot of LA when I went to go visit Beans – the waves were intense and super cold. Anna couldn’t even get in or she would have been washed away as I almost was knocked down. At least this time, if my top flew off (as it did in Cali due to some mean wave) I would have fit in with the locals. This did not happen and I still do not see the need to go around topless – it’s just weird. So what if I have tan lines…At least I can see progress with becoming tan. Okay, so that night Anna and I decided to go to some bars around the area – have a chill night, right? So we are walking down our alley and we hear music coming from one of the side alleys…We walk over and find ourselves in a side square next to Barcelona’s Cathedral (not Sagrada de Famila). Sitting on the church steps are a bunch of people around our age…All very alternative and a big mix of nationalities. So we kind of stay back and watch these gals and guys jam it out on their guitars and bongos and tambourines and sing these great Spanish songs. They are dancing around and this one girl is leading the group – she reminded me of Maria from West Side Story - her voice is perfect and everyone is harmonizing – it was nuts. So we are about to walk away when the leader of the pack – this Rastafarian dude calls us over: “Come join us. Sit with us. Sing with us.” So Anna and I walk over and then he points at me and is like “Sing!” – I’m like – Uhh…No hablas espanol…But I’ll listen? So he laughs and they all start… No Woman, No Cry. It was awesome! This led into a 2 hour music session with these street musicians – all super talented, taking turns playing the guitar, singing a Spanish song here, an American song there (Sympathy for the Devil was my favorite moment of the night) – it was a very hippie-esque evening. I even got serenaded…by the drunk Spaniard that looked like Cheech from Cheech and Chong. He also tried to serenade Anna with some song that started off how he wanted a little Vietnamese girl (okay that leads to a whole nuther story regarding everyone in this city’s fascination with Anna’s nationality…it’s rather hilarious). All in all – such a fun night. Very European, very surreal… More reasons for ya’ll to come visit!

And if that didn’t convince…We found a place to go salsa! We decided to have another chill night this past Saturday (why do we say this? It never is!) and go listen to some jazz. So we checked out this club called Harlem Jazz Club. And there was a Cuban salsa band playing. It was the best! We were sambaing and being nuts and busting in some hip-hop here and there to keep it real. Promise to take you there if you come visit.

Another favorite thing of mine here in Barca is Park de Ciutadella. It’s like the Central Park for the BCN but is more of an Audubon Park feel and yet even prettier. It is right across from Arc de Triumf and is simply gorgeous. There are a bunch of maze-like trails thru-out and Anna and I have been going every afternoon to run. It leads up to the zoo and also includes this cute pond with paddle boats. The only issue I have (and this isn’t just in the park) is the amount of PDA I witness while getting on my fitness… People in this city love to make out, make out, make out. I mean, I run into people on the street because they decided to stop and do it in the road. It’s just crazy. I really am not one for PDA – in or out of a relationship, drunk or sober…It’s just not my style. And I don’t plan to pick up this trait when I return to the US – so no worries there. At the same time, this city is all about the love. I have found myself becoming even more sappy and leaning back to my hopeless romantic views on life. It’s a great date city so all of my friends that are married or engaged or about to be engaged (like, 90% of ya’ll) – you should really come visit. I already have a list of places that look super fun and romantic…Of course, I’m saving it for when my matador takes me out.

And yes, speaking of men…The language barrier is insane! Besides leading on the deaf boy (I see him everywhere) and making friends with hot Spanish bartenders or Gelato scoopers – I haven’t really had any exciting options come my way! Of course, when and once and if I do – I will let ya’ll know pronto!

As for other things – I booked my flight to Paris for the 2nd week in August. I’m super excited and glad to be touring the city with a “local” that is all about food and drinking. I can’t wait to report back on that trip (no pressure Scott). Also, big news – Anna and I found our apartment for the year! It’s super cute and in a great neighborhood area of BCN – no more drunks and protests and protests led by drunks outside of our window! Woo! Also, we get our own bedrooms and our own kitchen! You don’t understand how excited this makes me. I GET TO BAKE!

I am going to get back to some lesson planning – teaching them how to politely say something negative about a person (I kid you not). More updates to come and in sooner time than before. Promise!

Also, as I can’t see any indy American films in Spain – I am going to recommend a few films that are coming out that I am DYING to see and can’t see and wah wah – you heard me complain about this stuff before. Also, going to recommend some songs that I can’t turn off of replay right now – hope you likey.

Miss you all. Start planning your visit to Barcelona. I’ll keep on my search for my matador…

Linds

MOVIES
(500) Days of Summer – Almost had the chance to see this at Sundance but it wasn’t out until the week after we were there. It looks adorable and lovely and all good things that make a movie wonderful.
Adam – Also another film I wanted to see at Sundance. I ended up seeing another film about a man with Aspergers disease but this one looks a bit lighter than what I saw. And very, very sweet.
Away We Go – I DID see this and loved, loved it. Sweet and quirky plus John Krasinki makes it top in my book. Soundtrack is amazing which leads me to…

SONGS
Wait – Alexi Murdoch (Away We Go Soundtrack)
Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ – The Velvet Underground (Away We Go Soundtrack)
Hard Sun – Eddie Vedder
Candy – Paolo Nutini
Crooked Lines – M. Ward