Let’s go over the “bad” news first. Nothing horrible and actually – they end up being a bit hilarious so I’ll share. So I finally got sick enough where I had to go to the doctor. The medicine I needed for this sinus infection wasn’t available over the counter so I had to go and get a check-up just to make sure all was okay and get the prescription. So I go to the Hospital/Clinic and once we go thru the language barrier fun, I go and sit in the waiting room. As I’m waiting, every time a person would walk into the room – they would greet the entire room: “Buenos Dias!!!!” And, I kid you not, everyone would respond back: “Buenoooo!!!” - I was like, Que?! Actually, I just stared. Nobody called me out for not chiming in but I was just amazed at how friendly all of these sick people were and wondered if this was waiting room etiquette over here in Espana…Next time I’ll be more prepared. Anyhu, all went well and I’m on the path of recovery… 2nd “bad” story: Spanish classes = FAIL! So Anna and I found a great deal for a month long intensive Spanish course as we felt we needed to brush up and become a bit more fluent. So we go to our first meeting with the school and take our placement tests. The next day I get to class and meet my other two class-mates: a girl from the UK and another girl from Japan. And then I meet my teacher…Oh. My. How one can make their skin color and hair color match to a tee is beyond me. Especially when it’s a nice shade of orange. So I take my seat and she asks my name (yes, this is all in Spanish) and I say “Lindsay.” “Lindsay Lohan?!” “Um, no.” “Me gusta Lindsay Lohan! Te gusta Lindsay Lohan?! Te gusta Paris Hilton?!?! Me gusta Paris Hilton!!!” So for the REST of class she insisted on calling me Lindsay Lohan. And then she would giggle afterwards. Riiight. So we were discussing how to say if you like something, really like it or hate it, etc. and she made us write about our favorite celebrity and what they would and would not like… So, just to go along with the entire Lohan/Hilton theme- guess who my celebrity was? Well. You can’t have Paris and Lindsay without Brit-Brit! Yes, I wrote a report on Britney Spears – how we are from the same place in the USA (you should have seen my teacher freak) and how she likes to sing but she likes to party even more so! Okay, so this is when it gets a bit worse… She makes us write what we like and dislike and then read it aloud to the class. So it’s the Japanese girl’s turn to go and she mentions how she likes shopping and reading but doesn’t like cleaning her house. Great job…Moving on, right? Um, no. Our lovely teacher decides to ask her why didn’t she say that she likes sushi…Or karaoke? I mean – can we please be a bit more stereotypical and ask her where she keeps her Kimono? So, besides being called Lohan and how ridiculous this teacher was with her views on outside cultures – she just sucked at teaching Spanish. She gave us worksheets and kept texting her lovah while in mid-sentence explaining some pretty basic, simple Espanol. Yeah – I didn’t return. So I continue my search for an affordable Spanish class and, in the meantime, allow my teenage girls to teach me some Spanish slang.
3rd “bad” story(s): Okay, there is one thing to be lost in translation when discussing various topics in Spanish. But to be so confused that you constantly make stupid purchasing decisions…Oh yes, I have become a pro regarding this. It all started when I thought I bought an orange…And it turned out to be some mutant grape-fruit sourness thing. Then I bought grapes…All with seeds. Have you ever tried to pop a grape in your mouth and almost break your teeth because of seeds?! Eck. Okay, then, in honor of Castanyada (I will discuss this later) I thought I was buying the castanyadas that all of my students have been talking about – some type of sweet dessert. Instead I bought yams. Yeah – I don’t know either. And then, to compliment the apple pie that I baked the other day, I went and bought vanilla ice-cream…Um, no – I bought some nasty-ass cinnamon ice-cream instead. Yes – I am a PRO. So the best one yet is the other day. All around the city are these Big Lots-esque stores aka as "Chinese Gift Shops." You can find all ends and odds stuff there. So I went to buy one of those fire lighters for our stove along with a few other items. I get home and am trying to light the stove but the lighter will not work. I show Anna that I bought this defect lighter and storm back out the apartment to get a new one. I walk into the store and tell the guy – I just bought this and it doesn’t work. He looks at me, takes the lighter, TAKES THE CAP OFF, and fires it up. Again. And Again. Each time he lights it he goes “HaHAHAHA” and then gets quiet. Then lights it up again. And the laughter begins again. After the 5th time, I grab the lighter from him and storm back out… So maybe this isn’t just a lost in translation moment but more so a blonde one? Claro que si.
So three Friday nights ago we decided to venture out to our very first Spanish concert. We discovered a band, The New Raemon, when we were researching Jose Gonzalez. We downloaded some of their music and decided to check them out live. Well, again, my Spanish is nowhere near fluent so I wasn’t quite sure what they were singing about but I knew I liked their sound and the lead singer’s voice. So, Friday night Anna and I decided to pregame before the concert- perhaps a bit too much. So we walk over to the venue which happens to be a double-auditorium for the arts. In one section is where the Barcelona Symphony performs and the other was a sit-down formal concert hall where The New Raemon was playing. Hmm… Totally not the venue we were expecting. So, we go in, rather giggly and such, to find out that we are some of the youngest people there. The more we survey the crowd, we also notice that we are more so dressed for a concert at say, The House of Blues, than what these people were wearing (very conservative church clothes). Okay, no big deal. Well, the music starts and we are chatting away and signing along and then get real quiet when we notice – NOBODY else is singing along. These two Spanish girls to our right look like they want to kill us and the guy to my left looks like he is praying… So as the music keeps going – people would randomly shout, in perfect unison, Hallelujah… Um yes – The New Raemon is a Christian-Rock band! We went F-ed up to a Spanish Christian Concert!!! Aaaaaaaahhaha! So when we realized it – oh – I mean, I had to stick my head in my purse to somewhat muffle my laughter. We had to leave early as we were going to be kicked-out if we stayed any longer. I mean, still a good band but not what we were expecting… So we head to the bar across the street and continue the night with more drinking.
Okay, so this is where luck comes in: As we walk in we notice that a bunch of guys in tuxedos are sitting around the bar. One comes up to us and bluntly states: “You girls are American, right?” – So we end up sitting down with these guys in tuxes to find out … They all play for Barcelona’s Symphony! As the night progressed, our new friend (the blunt one) Matt offered Anna and I two free tickets to the Saturday showing! Of course, we gladly took him up on the offer and went home excited to have the opportunity to dress up for an evening at the symphony. So Saturday rolls around, we get our tickets and head on into the gorgeous music hall. So, again – our Spanish is not at a fluent level – hand our tickets over to the usher who beings leading us down the center of the hall…to the front row!!! It was crazy! Again, we were the youngest people in the hall by a good twenty or so years but this time, we knew we didn’t have to figure out what was being said and just enjoy the wonderful music. Such a great experience! The best part was when the solo pianist came in and performed a few Beethoven pieces which were amazing…Especially since it was RIGHT in front of my very eyes.
Later that week we had a farewell party for our friend Jake that was heading back to Cali. He wanted to do everything very Barcelona-esque so we went out in the Barri Gottic area (where we used to live) and bar-hopped around. As it was a Wednesday night – most of the bars were pretty dead so we decided to continue the party down Las Ramblas (the main street in Barcelona) and buy some cervezas off of the Euro/Beer Men and walk around. As we were some of the only people on the street we ended up having cartwheel contests and wheel-barrel races down the main drag. It was rather hilar and I think everyone that passed us just rolled their eyes and muttered “immature Americans.” Either way, I think it was a good send-off.
So last weekend was Halloween which is not a big deal over here. They celebrate Castanyada which literally means The Chestnut that they eat on All Saint’s Day. It’s the only time the bakeries make these sweet, chestnut little treats so of course Anna and I jumped on that bandwagon and bought a dozen of them… Can you see how healthy we are being here? (Beans – we can discuss my food journal later). Anyhu, there are a few clubs that celebrate Halloween mainly to make some $$ off the American expats. We decided to go but wanted to dress up a little bit – not be THOSE obnoxious Americans but still continue on the Halloween tradition over here. So we opted for head-devil and pocket-devil (or fallen angel). Guess who was who. So we got dolled-up for the night and again, here is where the pre-gaming becomes disastrous- we drink and drink and do not leave our place for the clubs until 2AM. Good thing this is a late-night city. Well, as the club we wanted to go to is 208098 stops from our metro station we ended up creating the party on the way to the club. We danced with other fellow Americans in costumes, we took pictures with random passengers on the metro, we had a debate on why Halloween is not hurting Spanish culture and why mullets are gross (okay – that was just me with this one punk Catalan boy) and pretty much – had a huge photo-shoot the entire time. So I guess, in the end, we were THOSE Americans... It was a pretty tame Halloween night but still loads of fun. And carrying around a pitch-fork in a club is a GREAT way to flirt with boys… I highly recommend it.
Okay, a quick cultural digression (as some of you think I JUST party. Pshaw!):
Jake and I visited Tibidabo the day before he left. Soo fun! It’s the other highest point in Barcelona and is considered Barcelona’s other mountain. There are a lot of hiking opportunities and the Temple of the Sacred Heart (Temple del Sagrat Cor) sits right on top. There is also a small amusement park that is the oldest one in Spain- been around since the 1800s! Also, a few key scenes of Vicky Christina Barcelona were filmed there. So we visited the Basilica and decided to hike around the area. Some of the BEST views of the Spanish countryside ever. I would look down and see just hills upon hills with these adorable little farm homes tucked in between...This past Friday we went to the MNAC (The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya) and explored around. Barcelona has such an amazing art scene – so many great museums and so many areas to help cultivate and preserve the arts. You have to appreciate that. By living in Barcelona post Dallas and being from New Orleans I just know I must live in a city that is culturally alive and aware. To have the access to museums and art galleries and to promote the creative… It’s a great environment.
Teaching is still going great. I have created some great relationships with various students and classes – it’s fun to have the varied ages as I can act differently depending on the class. I can be goofy with my teenage girls, have heart-felt conversations with my eldest student and bond over music and movies with students that are closer in my age. This past week, I had my class with Domingo, my older student, and was teaching him various adjectives used to describe someone’s personality. I gave him a worksheet where I asked him to use the adjectives he learned to describe his wife, kids, grand-kids, former boss, his teacher (me!) and various other people in his life. I have to say – I was rather touched at his kind words regarding his wife. I feel that if I was to give this lesson to a married person back in the States – male or female – that majority would use negative adjectives to describe their mate – perhaps nagging, lazy, unappreciative, etc. Perhaps these would be said jokingly but I just don’t think that we are promoted to be as honest and upfront with our feelings as many of my European friends were raised. Okay, so the words he used to describe his wife: hard-working (she raised four kids and always had supper ready for them – it’s the hardest job in the book! – and yes, I’m quoting him), sensible (hmm – don’t know many men back home that would call a woman this word…) and affectionate. So of course, cue the “awww” from me. He then follows with:
“This isn’t one of the adjectives we learned today – but I think of my wife as my treasure. I hold her dear to my heart.”
Yes, I just melted and no, I cannot make this up. I just really appreciated Domingo’s honesty and heart-felt description of his wife and how important she is to him. I did ask if he had any single, Matador sons but alas, no.
I could go on with more teaching stories or random excursions and encounters Anna and I embark in on a daily basis. This city is full of characters and they love to interact with us. No complaints. Just funny stories. Anyhu, as Nicole just informed me that it is National Blog Month – I vow to post a blog each week for the month of November! So be on the look-out and hopefully I’ll have some good stories to fill this blank space with.
For those of you that just booked a trip to come see me (Babbsy!) or getting on it (Eri/Meesh/Fanny/Burnsy) – I just can’t wait! There is so much to show ya’ll… So please, come visit! I’d love to have you.
Still on the search for a romantic matador,
Linds
Song Suggestions (just for you Suze):
Freeway – Aimee Man
Hot Stuff vs. World Hold On – Craig David vs. Bob Sinclair (um yes, I just put a club mix on the list)
Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear
Movie Suggestion:
{500} Days of Summer/ {500} Dias de Junto
I think majority of ya’ll have seen it but oh- I finally got to and loved it. Love, love, love it.
grape seeds are potentially very healthy. i had a link to the abstract of an article, but they don't seem to allow copy-and-paste in the comment box. so just take my word for it.
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