Outdoor Adventures

As I got dressed this morning, I looked in my closet and thought about how efficiently I'd packed for my 5 week stay in Spain. The only think I didn't seem to use was my sneakers. . .

That changed this morning.

This pic isn't mine, but it reflects the dryness of Madrid. There's a giant lake that had no water, and areas that are river during the winter, but just dry patches in the summer. The views go for miles and miles, but your immediate surroundings are crying for some rain.

I just finished breakfast when Quique asked if I'd like to join him and Antonio for a bike ride. Jumping at any chance to get out and about, in a matter of minutes we were taking the bikes out of the shed and riding through the neighborhood. We rode to the end of the development, and then crossed into what would be the 'forest preserve' or 'prairie lands' of Santo Domingo.

I was really glad to be out and doing something active, as we spent most of this week just hanging around the house. On the trail we saw herds of sheep, a guy on horseback, and some machinery doing some farming and drilling work. It was neat to see the more natural side of Spain, and understand the fact that it really is dry. (It's currently 82*F w/ humidity of 48% Chicago's humidity is 89%).

As we were riding I laughed to myself thinking how I naturally tend to do more things with the guys. Quique and Antonio try to keep me in the loop and get me out and experiencing Madrid, Spain, and their everyday lives. The women include me too, but it's more for the social/entertaining side of things.

I also thought about how I would categorize myself as an athletic, adventurous person, but not necessarily an 'outdoorsy' person. While I love doing things outside, and getting involved in outdoor athletic activities, I think I focus a bit more on the activity part than the being outside in nature part. It wouldn't be fair to the true nature lovers if I labeled myself as such.

One thing I'm excited about being back in the states for is a more regular work-out routine. I miss it. It'll also be great to understand what people are saying without trying too.

~Jenna

English & The Spanish School System

The Simpsons would qualify as a large famliy

Since I've been teaching English to her kids, I've been asking Magui a few questions about the school system and how it all works. I wrote about it a bit previously but now that I've learned a bit more and discussed it with some people, it deserves an entry all its own.

First, a quick re-cap of the point system: This determines which school your son or daughter can go to.  You get points for - proximity to the school, having a sibling who's already/currently attending, and for having a large family. The more points you have, the higher up you are in the lottery/selection for that school. My family has 3 points so they always get their first option, while Jamie - Alvaro's friend - only has 1 point (proximity to the school) so he goes to a different school despite living near to this one.

You reach "large family status" when you have 3 kids, and actually get a special card (similar to a passport) that officially shows that you are a large family. It includes a family portrait, and information of your residence too. Having this status gets my famliy discounted prices for things, or better admission rates for the adults. It also gets them some tax breaks and other things like that, which, in the end don't end up being that financially beneficial, but help a bit along the way. I found this very interesting.

Also, through some brief Google searching, this seems to be an EU wide thing. Here's one site I found that seems to have decent information ELFAC Google Site

This document is a brief overview of the cause Child's Rights PDF

And here is the official .org site that leads you to another part of the Google Site elfac.org

English taught from the beginning of a student's education for 1 hour a day, but the classes are very poor. Many parents elect to put their kids into private tutoring for an additional hour a day, but this doesn't seem to be that effective as Alvaro told his mom he learned more about English from me in 1 week than he did from a whole year of his private tutoring.

He will be going to a new school in the fall that is bilingual: Half Spanish, Half English. The school the Mercedes goes to has 'sessions' so some things are taught in English, while the rest is in Spanish. Alvaro's previous school only had the 1hr English class, with everything in Spanish, so his sister has the advantage in my classes as she's more exposed to the language already.

From what I gather, there are about 4 different levels of English incorporation during a child's schooling years. Depending on their scores, as well as proximity to the school and (if its private) ability to pay, some students get much better English training than others. Both of my parents spent a few years living in London, and that is where they learned their English. My host dad said he really started to learn English when he was 18. Hopefully this new school will help Alvaro advance his English so he can learn it much earlier than his parents did. 

Its interesting, because the school system clearly understands the importance of English, as they start it right along with formalized education (even if it isn't done that well). While we don't introduce the option of a second language until the 6th grade/middle school, their need to learn English (or any other language for that matter) is much more pressing than ours. Living in Europe makes the knowledge of a second language that much more important, because you are much more likely to come across a situation where you can use it. If you go a few hundred miles in any direction, you're facing a new language. I could take a language trail from Spanish to French, to German to Polish in Europe, but in the US the most difference you'll get could be some funny phrases or an accent.

Our philosophy towards a second language is much more educational, and becoming more pressing given the US's position in the global economy, and the increasing rates of international travel. You could easily traverse all of North America with out any difficulty if you have English in hand. Of course if you are living in a highly Mexican populated area like Texas, New Mexico, or Southern California, Spanish can come in handy, but there are minimal situations in which you'll be the odd man out speaking English.

Last night at the terrace I was talking to Antonio (Magui's brother in law) about languages, and he knows 4 (Spanish, English, Catalan, Italian). This isn't out of a heightened cultural interest, or a unique language ability - it is out of necessity, and there are many more Europeans who fit this mold of being armed with multiple languages than you'll probably find anywhere else in the world.

It's great how the geography of a continent has so much to do with language education, skills, and abilities. In fact, geography can be the attributing factor to a lot of things we do. Language and communication is just one of them.

Hoy es Miercoles

Alvaro, shopping at the China Store

It seems like every day now, the kids ask me what day it is, what date it is, and how much longer I will be living with their family.

This makes me sad.

While I have loved teaching them, and living with their family, I realize that 5 weeks will be the perfect amount of time to do so. Originally, I was going to stay here for 2 months (July, Aug) but my start date at DraftFCB got moved up, so I had to shorten my trip. I could keep on traveling for quite some time without a problem, but I'm realizing how challenging it is to teach kids this young during the summertime.

For them, it must be difficult as during the mornings, I am their teacher. But as soon as class is done I'm their friend, like an older cousin or a neighbor, who can play Wii with them, swim in the pool with them, and just goof around. Then at night i'm their mom's friend who goes out with the parents, or the person who hold all the top records in Wii Fit.

Mer & Cousin Laura

This experience has been incredible, and I am so glad and fortunate that I was able to do it. There is no better way to experience the culture of a place than to witness, day in, day out, what the people actually do. How they treat their family, what they eat, how they work, what they do for fun. Sure, going to the major cities and spending a weekend there is great, but that's the way to learn the city - not its people.

I would love to do something similar to this again in the future as I think I've learned so much about myself, what I want in my life, and what I want in my future in terms of work/life balance, children, spouse, and family relations.

Alvaro, on several occasions, has asked if he can come visit me in the states. I told him to wait until he's 16, or until he learns English. While I don't know how realistic this visit is right now (he's 10 years old . . . I'm starting my first full time job while still living with my parents) I truly hope that it can happen some day in the future.

Paula with the BK crown

Last night in the pool, he was talking to his dad about going to college/university, and how much things cost. His dad would like him to go a school in the states as it provides you better life experience and gives you more options. Alvaro says "Oh! So I should go to school in Chicago, so I can live with Jenna!"

Kids are so great. They are so young and innocent, and know just what to say to make you smile.

Barcelona: Friendship & Fantasy

"I recharge like American electronics on Spanish voltage"

Super silly, but totally true. No one should be able to have a Saturday like I did on less than 3 hours of sleep.

Last weekend, I flew to Barcelona to cross Euro Trip paths with one of my best friends from College, Seth, and his friend from home. It was exciting for us to have our first post-grad reunion while we were both abroad in Spain! The morning getting there was tough, but totally worth it - down to the last Euro.

I'm still surprised by my ability to do so much with such little time, including touring Barcelona and having an epic reunion in less than 40 hours. Here are photo highlights from my weekend adventures with Seth:

Here is the famous street of Barcelona, La Rambla. It is home to tons of street performers, and apparently a guy who rides around naked on a bike (we must have missed that). It was pretty cool as the street is lined with trees and has pretty much everything for sale. I liked that from up in the park you could tell which street was La Rambla due to its sheer size.

La Boqueria was the best part of walking La Rambla, as it was the most epic food market I have ever seen. I'd have to liken it to shopping at the silk markets in China, but minus the bartering, and exchange the clothes and goods for food. It smelled of fresh everything! Fruit, juices, seafood, meats, I wanted to try a bit of everything. The crabs were still alive and some of the fish look straight out of the sea.

We ended up trying some quiches/empanadas, and then a variety of fried cod as well (croquetas, dumplings). Both very excellent choices.

The Beach in Barcelona was amazing. Not just because it was my first Spanish beach, but everything was sparkling with golden flakes! The sand and sea apparently appear to shimmer due to a large amount of Mica. It was super neat to be all golden and sparkly just by laying in the sand.

Interestingly enough, these beaches aren't natural. They were actually made when Barcelona had the Summer Olympics in 1992. All of the sand was imported, and now gives Barcelona bragging rights for having one of the best beaches in the world.

 Magnum Bars! Not specific to Barcelona, or Spain, but still the best ice cream bar I've ever had. I don't know what it is, but its absolutely delicious. This one was Magnum Gold!?, which was a mix of vanilla and caramel ice cream, with a chocolaty golden covered shell. Even my ice cream on the beach shimmered!

Okay, so easily my favorite part of Barcelona was the Gaudi designed, Parc Guell. I don't know exactly what it is, but the feeling of whimsy, bliss, and pure content can be hard to come by, and I felt all of that during my time in the park. It was like being in a Dr. Seuss story, or in a scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Just totally unreal.

While the entrance to the park was fun, what really did it was the expansive view of all of Barcelona. We felt on top of the world, which is a position that really gets you thinking about people, places, and life in general. Everyone needs to experience a view like this to really expand their perspective. I wish this view was outside my window every day. 

Even higher up in the park, this location offered a 360 view of Barcelona.

On Sunday we went over to see La Sagrada Familia. Yet another breath taking, thought provoking design by Gaudi. We didn't pay to go inside, but outside was enough to have us sit and talk about the building and Gaudi's influence on Barcelona for quite some time. Its incredible to think that this is the only Cathedral in the world still under construction.

All over Barcelona, there are different houses and apartments that Gaudi was commissioned to do. We didn't go inside as they cost 20ish Euro each, (and had really long lines as the houses seemed to be the only thing open in all of Barcelona on a Sunday), but outside and the gift shop gave us a pretty good idea of what he was all about. His designs create a fantasy land that I never wanted to leave. It was just so much fun!

Barcelona was an excellent weekend trip, and I hope to go back there again soon. Despite my Spanish being useless in reading signs and some menus, (as they use Catalan), the vast feeling of the city and the beauty of the beaches and the park are enough to keep me coming back for more.

~Jenna

Pics from Last Week

Here are some random pics from last week in Madrid. . .

McDonalds Restaurants are so much more upscale everywhere outside of the US. This one was connected to a supermarket complex. It included a 'theater' room where they had kid's tv playing with surround sound, and a whole array of seating so you could enjoy your meal without missing your show. Naturally, it was highly air conditioned, so we didn't stick around too long after finishing our food. . .

I met up with some of the other people doing Conversation Corps in Madrid right now, so we took to the city for some tapas, and exploration. Here, we stumbled upon a food market that was pretty neat to look at.

I love taking pictures of my kids as they just go about doing normal things. Here's Alvaro on our walk to "el super" (the supermarket)

And here's Mer, chasing the butterflies.

Monday we went to the water park, Aquopolis. It'd be similar to any non-major water park in the US, so not your six flags water park, but better than the local water slide at the pool. Check out some of the attractions here!

 . . . And yes. Those are my feet.

Flying in Spain

So as much as I love traveling, I'm gonna take a break from planes for a bit, at least while my home is Madrid.

Both weekends, I've been set back by serious delays upon my return, the primary cause being that the air traffic controllers are on strike.

I don't know why they even bother to sell tickets for a flight at 21:20 that ends up leaving at 1:10am, or another for 20:45 that can't board till 1:45am, then surprisingly lets us on the plane an hr before that. I mean, they have to know there are going to be delays when 30% of the staff is 'out sick'.

Anyways, its interesting how people bond in a time of stress. You feel like a collective group, rather than a bunch of individuals trying to get to the same place. This happens for any type of emotion: Happy, Sad, Excited, Stressed. Look for it next time you're in a group of anonymous individuals and something happens. Its a part of human nature.

(Also, its interesting how quickly a crowd can all light up cigarettes upon stepping foot outside the airport.)

Ah Spain, how do I only have 2 weeks left of you?

Sevilla: My 2-Day Adventure

I haven't really yet said what I did while in Sevilla, so I though I'd show you. . .

 After I got off the bus, it hit me that I was in Sevilla. En route of wandering to find my hostel, I ended up over in the Parque de Maria Louisa, and found La Plaza de Espana. Although it was under construction it was still one of the most beautiful places I went to in Sevilla.

A block away from my hostel, I was distracted by yet another monument type structure: El Torre de Oro (Tower of Gold). It was only 1 Euro to go up for students (I had to pay 2E because I didn't show the lady my student ID. . . she never asked me. Lame), so I figured it'd be a great easy way to get a good view of the city, and check out the sights. From here I discovered the river, the bridges, the cathedral, and a few other nifty things. I'd say it was worth it.

I finally made it to The Living Roof: Backpacker's Hostel, which was only a few minutes walk away from the main attraction, The Cathedral. I loved staying here, and for my first Hostel experience, it's gonna be pretty tough to beat. The rooms were furnished by IKEA, and had AC. The rooftop had some nifty seating and a pretty cheap bar at night. Plus, the people I met there really made my weekend.

After checking in, I went over to The Cathedral of Sevilla, which is the Largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, 3rd largest overall. It was quite elaborate, and after I got out of the main room, each turn was full of surprises. Be it the treasure room, or a decked out oval ceiling, I really enjoyed my time there more than I thought I would. This pic shows the ornate nature of the ceiling of the main room in the Cathedral. They had this angled mirror on the floor so that you could look up and get a great view, Or so that everyone could stand in it and take a picture like I did.

The tower of the Cathedral is called La Giralda, and this is the view from the top of it. Walking up the slanted floor was quite a challenge for 32 floors, but not as hard as it was to walk down them. (Instead of stairs, it was just a slant. . . quite the calf workout). At the top were bells, as well as great views of the city as you can see here. I love being high up, so this just added to that feeling of awesome when exploring a new city. Also, through traveling I've noted that each city has its own color scheme. Paris is very white and cream, Sevilla was very light brown with pockets of color. I really enjoyed it, especially from the street level.

Next to the Cathedral was my favorite attraction, La Real Alcazar. It is one of the best remaining examples of Mudejar architecture, and all I wanted to know was when I got to move in. The grounds consisted of the palace itself as well as the gardens, and was enough to occupy 2-3 hours of my time. I'm not much of a tour person when I travel (ha despite being a tour guide at Michigan. . . that's different though) as I like to take my time where I want, and skip over the over generalized parts. This self guided tour took me in rooms and out into gardens and passage ways, leaving me hoping I didn't miss anything. It was great. I have lots of pics of this place on Facebook if you want to see more of its beauty.

On Sunday, I met up with two of the guys from the hostel, Rob and Jeff, to spend the day experiencing the local life of Sevilla. We started off by visiting an art market displaying work by local artists. It was great. I bought two small pieces of a narrow street in Sevilla, with a flowering building on the side, where one is far away view, and the other is close up. They work well together. It was fun to practice speaking Spanish to all of the vendors/artists as well.

The rest of the afternoon we just walked around the city, finding ourselves taking the more narrow road and getting 'lost' in the beauty of the city. Streets like this would emerge, and take us down more small roads before ending in a 5 way intersection of other streets. Regardless of how long we'd wander, we'd always find our way back. The amount of tourist shops was always an indicator of our proximity to the Cathedral.

After spending some time riverside, we made our way back through the small streets to find this highly recommended Tapas place. It was for sure a great choice. Not only for the drinks and the food, but for the atmosphere, and last bonding moments, I couldn't have asked for a better closure to my trip. The speed at which it came and went feels like a dream that I want to have again and again. Everything was just so perfect. (p.s. the picture on the top of my blog w/ the chalk writing came from this place. Loves it)

We made our way back to the hostel, I gathered my things and said my goodbyes. This was a much needed solo vacation, and one I will never forget. Not for the major sites, but just for the little things and how easy it was to connect with people, and go with the flow to have fun.

~Jenna

For the Record . . .

I HATE Flys.

Since Spanish don't like AC, all the windows are open all day, and these windows are like, ceiling to floor. Hence, at least 20 flies swarming around as I type. Not Cool.

Someone needs to bring them the invention of the screen. And Fast!


/end rant.

Sevilla: The Thrill of Travel

My first weekend trip was to Sevilla. I flew out Saturday Morning and returned Sunday Night (which actually ended up being 3am Monday Morning).

What I liked about this trip in particular, was that it was my first journey completely by myself, with nothing really planned other than flights, hostel, and a few recommended sights. It ended up being so much more than I could have asked for.

Traveling gives you such better outlook and insight than any other experience, and the more familiar things you take away from it, the more you learn and grow. During this trip I pondered the awesomeness of  time travel not that we can actually do it (although, my personal interest in super power development would be the ability to teleport), but our swift ability to wake up in one city and go to bed in another. To cross time zones in a matter of minutes and cover more terrain in a week than some people will ever see in a lifetime. Short weekend trips are one of my favorites just because you wake up in the familiar, and could be having dinner in a new city you just finished getting a taste of. Its and incredible feeling.

Other components of travel would have to be the following:

-Life Experience (adding to the list of things you've accomplished is quite rewarding)

-Food/Drink (half of traveling is eating. . . seriously)

-People (locals, back at home, traveling like you, tourists and otherwise)

-Escape (from your other location, and from yourself)

-Efficiency (crazy how much you can do in a day when you only have 2 to work with)

-Adventure (the willingness to just get up and go where the day takes you)

-Soul searching/reflecting (I learn more on my travels than I ever will in a classroom)

-Growth, learning, development (better understanding of the world, and yourself)

-Love (knowing of what you love, who you love, how to love, and what it is to love)

I just realized that the above 10 themes/topics are probably the most important and prominent in my life, which explains a lot about me and my desire to constantly be doing new things and going new places. It allows me to stretch and grow, enriching what I do and what I know about myself, and the world. Which is quite fascinating actually.

I've said it before, but few things can compare to having a great conversation: be it with a stranger, a best friend, or someone you've just met. In the past few weeks I've had great conversations with all of the above, and look forward to having more moments like that in the days, weeks, and years to come. 

Peace, Love, and Happiness,
~Jenna

Drinks in Spain

 While visiting with Seth and Ali last weekend in Barcelona, I thought about what drinks they had to try while in Spain. That got me thinking that it'd be a neat thing to write about.

First things first though, everyone back home has been saying things like "Enjoy some Sangria for me!" or "Toast with some Sangria". Just to let everyone know, that although for some reason Spain is known for its Sangria, it is not popular here at all. While talking with one of my dad's friends who's lived here for 8 years she said:

"Sangria!? Oh wow, I've lived here for 8 years and I've never ever had Sangria. Only the tourists drink it because they come to Spain like "Oh I'm in Spain, I need Sangria!" I don't even know if most places even have it on the drink menu. If you were at a tourist restaurant for sure they would have it, and they'd make a big deal about offering it too."

I though that was so funny when she said that, till I though and realized that none of the people I've met while out have ever asked for Sangria. Its either beer, wine, or something like Rum & Coke or Gin & Tonic. The only time I had Sangria (which was on Friday actually) was at a dinner at their Aunt's house and it was home made. It was absolutely delicious.

Here are 3 drinks that are popular during the Summer in Spain

1. Tinto de Verano (Summer Wine)
This beverage is the local's alternative to Sangria, and is equally delicious. It is red wine (or if you're out, the house wine) with lemon. If you are at a bar/restaurant and ask for a tinto, the will give you a glass of the house wine. If you ask for a tinto de verano they will give you the same glass of house red wine, but add in lemon flavored Casera, which is a lemon soda drink found in Spain.

In Barcelona last weekend, we were at a tourist tapas bar, Tapa Tapa (you could tell as Sangria was on the Menu). I asked for a "tinto de verano" and the watier said "you mean Sangria?" I replied, "no, tinto de verano". He looked puzzled for a bit, then when through a whole bunch of clicking on his electronic order machine  before continuing. I love how he thought I ordered the wrong thing. Too bad I've been living like a local for the past 3 weeks guy. Haha. He also seemed a bit put off when I ordered our Tapas in Spanish. Silly.

C

2. Clara
For those who prefer Beer to Wine on a warm summer day, you would enjoy this lighter, more refreshing alternative.

A "Clara" is a mix of Beer and Casera, but you can choose if you just want the fizz, or if you want the lemon flavor. It goes down much cooler and smoother than beer, and has a clear aftertaste rather than the residual taste of most beers. I enjoy this the most as it satisfies your thirst for a glass of water, while giving you the enjoyment of a nice beverage.

3. Mojito
This third beverage is something I've seen advertised for many what would be "happy hour specials" as well as "copas" (late night drinks after dinner). But more frequently, I have seen people making them at home for themselves and for guests while entertaining.

The non-alcoholic version of the Mojito is common amongst kids (while in the US its more of a virgin strawberry daiquiri or pina colada, while on vacation)

I've had a home-made one while at the aunt's house, but have yet to order one while out. Since we don't have Caseara in the states, I've been trying that out instead.


As far as Beer goes, I haven't had any special "Spanish Beer". The men tend to drink Estrella Damm, Heineken, San Miguel, and Cruzcampo (Sponsor of the Spanish World Cup Team), none of which are anything to write home about. They're comparative to our Bud Light, Miller, and Coors brands. I haven't found anything too distinct about them.

If I find any new things to add, I'll let you know. Until then, what's your favorite summer drink?

~Jenna

Funny Things about Spanish People

 So I'm usually not very critical of things, but some observations are in need of criticism. That being said, I am absolutely LOVING my time here in Spain and it makes me sad thinking how there's only 10 days left. 

*** I in no way intend to offend anyone, but these are things that I (as well as other US traveling in Spain) have noticed. This is not to say that every person in Spain is this way, just that on more than one occasion I've encountered these things***

 Que Calor!!!

So Spain has seems to have this obsession with complaining about their weather. Not a day (sometimes a conversation) goes by where someone's not commenting on how hot it is (Que Calor!) and how they are feeling very warm. I mean, yes the temperature is 'warm' and we are in the hottest months of the year (July/August) but it is by no stretch of the imagination unbearable. Today it is 90, and the high this week is 100. . . (probably the highest since i've been here) and if you're sitting in the house, it's totally fine.  (lows range from 55-68, and at night if we're out they'll say "Oi I'm so cold!")

I understand if you're sitting in the sun, yes, you will be hot. But if you're in the pool, how can you still complain about how hot you are? I've even heard from a friend that their family said "Oh it's so hot! It's too hot to go swimming!"

This has become the running joke amongst every American I've met in Spain. "QUE CALOR!"

Swimming Pool
I mentioned this in an earlier post, but I find it funny how "mandatory" it is to spend time in the pool. This morning, the kids and I had Spanish class from about 10:30-11, till it was time for lunch at 2:30. After lunch their mom said they could watch 1 show then they had to change into their swimsuits and go in the pool. I understand that she doesn't want them just sitting and watching TV all day, but it's not like they can go read a book or just call their friends, the next activity must involve the pool.

We spent all day yesterday at the water park, Aquapolis (look for more in a separate post), running around, waiting in lines, and going down tube slides and body slides. I'm really not in the mood for the pool today after doing it for 6 hours yesterday. Mercedes doesn't want to go in the pool and it seems like her mom is having a problem with it. So funny!

Yes, its 'warm/hot' and the pool is refreshing. But I don't see how it needs to be as forced as getting your kids to eat their vegetables.
 

Oil & Fitness
Most everyone I've met seems concerned with avoiding things that may make them fat (peanut butter, candy, fast food), yet they haven't seemed to realize that some of their hard and fast routines are just as bad. The amount of oil that goes into cooking most Spanish food is absurd (although makes for quite a lovely result). Party Drinking, not getting enough sleep and eating ice cream 2x a day doesn't help either.

I think their association with "bad foods" comes from their knowledge of what is popular in the US (McDonalds. . .) and our recent obesity issues, rather than knowing the caloric content and natural effects of diet and exercise. Also, they think I'm crazy for walking a lot in the city since it's so hot out. I wonder what they'd say if I wanted to go for a run. . .

Let's Go (NOW!)
This could just be specific to my family, but when she says "we're going to the store" that means, let's walk out the door and get in the car as we are leaving right now. Typically, it's not a big deal, I just get up, grab my purse, and tag along. But some things take prep: like going from swimming in the pool, to going out for dinner and drinks. For a girl, I get pretty fairly quickly, and don't have a problem going w/out all the bells and whistles you could do if you had more time on your hands, but it's funny that they use no prep time or fore-warning when it comes to going places and doing things. 

Stereotypes
So everyone is guilty of this at one point or another, and every culture does it in a different way. What I've noticed is that amongst Spanish people, it has a lot do with appearance, and language. While some people have their opinions of each type of ethnic group that inhabits their country, here its more like "she pronounces her La/El differently than we do. Why is that?" Or, having a particular name for people who have lots of tattoos and piercings.

I just found it interesting the amount of attention they give to it. Not saying that the US doesn't or anything . . . just think of a high school lunch room.

Now that you've had a taste of my criticism (if you've ever talked to me in person, this is nothing new) I'll go back to talking about all the nice and awesome things I've been able to do with my time in Spain.

~Jenna

Things i've learned about Spain (that are different from the US)

So since I've been here, I've been in Spain, I've been noting down the cultural differences between here, and the US. Ones that I find particularly interesting will eventually have their own, more detailed post. Enjoy!


Greetings with 2 kisses
When you see a friend, or meet someone for the first time, you are to give them 2 kisses - cheek to cheek - on both sides. Kids give you just one, and men who are friends can just do a handshake. Hugging is also very common among friends of both genders to accommodate the two kisses. Also, if you are having dinner with friends and another friend comes into the restaurant, everyone stands up to say hello. Everyone also remains standing until the guest either joins the table or leaves. (this is less formal at someone's house, or while watching a futbol game).

Along with the 2 kisses goes a heightened sense of physical interaction and expression of feelings towards another. Between siblings, this could be lots of hugging, or holding hands when their happy - and slapping/hitting one another when they're angry/upset. For the romantically involved, this is constant cuddling, hugging, touching, and kissing. On many occasions I've seen a couple go at it, regardless of their location. Be it in line at a water park, or as a pit stop while they're strolling down the street. A few times while a couple is sitting/laying down in the park or on the beach, I questioned what was really going on there . . . with the hands all over the place and clothes not so quite where they normally go.

Needless to say, Spanish is a very expressive and emotionally connected culture. When you feel a certain way, regardless of where you are, you act upon it.

Las Escuelas (the schools)
For elementary and middle school age children, the school they attend is determined through a point system. You can get points for living near the school, having a large family (3 children), or having a sibling whose attended that school. My host family has 3 points, so they go to the school only a few blocks away, while one of Alvaro's friends only has 1 point (living nearby) so he doesn't have enough total points to go to this school, and has to go to a different one.

I'm going to make a post about this now that I've learned more about the integration of English into their school system. 

To have a Nanny is common
Many people have nannies, or hired help, that live with them, take care of the house, cook the food, and take care of the kids. I love our nanny, Ciri, she's from Mexico, and her sister is her in Spain working as a Nanny as well. She is quite a joy to have around and very fun to talk to. Magui treats her like a part of the family and you can tell that she really enjoys her job, and taking care of Paula all day :)


Most houses are flats (apartments)
Although the house I'm staying in a two-story house, most houses in Spain are flats. The urbanizacion that this family lives in (think suburb) is very nice as all the houses have gardens (back yards), pools, and plenty of space. In the city (just like in the US), people live in small apartments which a community pool for everyone to use. The backyard/garden area is used for relaxing and entertaining guests. Whenever we have people over (family, friends, etc) we eat dinner outside. When it's just the family, we'll stay in at the kitchen table.

Smoking is Cultural
My host mom started smoking because "everybody does it" it's a part of their culture, especially if you are at a social event. This is probably the only thing I don't like about Spain so far, but also being from the US where everything is anti smoking and banning it in restaruants, bars, bowling alleys, and now some college campuses, its hard to get used to the cloudy fog again.

Army Time
They tell time like the military, using 1-24 instead of AM and PM. This took some getting used to because I would see 22 and get really confused. Now, I memorized that 9pm = 21, and go from there. Digital clocks are this way, movie times, and flight times, so it was definitely something I had to learn. Typically we have lunch at 2:30, and dinner at 9. In Spain things operate on a much later time table than in the US, where you could be meeting someone for lunch at 11, that's breakfast for those of us who don't have to wake up for work in the morning.

Tons of History!
I'm sure everyone knows that Spain has a ton of history, but going to Madrid really made it show. Every plaza, street, and building is named after some person or some event, and has a ton of stories to go along with it. This is part of what makes their culture so rich and so strong.


No AC in most houses
My family has a nice house, so I was at first surprised that they didn't have Air Conditioning. Then I learned that lots of people don't because they believe it's bad for your health. They think that it is not good to breathe in all the cold air inside, and then go outside into the warm air. It is best that your body only has natural air in it, rather than from a machine. Because of this, we have most of the windows open during the day which makes it feel nice, but lets in lots of bugs and flies. There are sooooo many flies. At times the can be quite annoying, but after awhile you learn to ignore them. (funny, we were at McDonalds which is mega air conditioned, and when Mer started coughing, they blamed it on the AC)


The pride of !!!Viva Espana!!! 
The Spaniards LOVE Spain. And everything to do with it. As compared with the US, where our world cup participation was moreso "GO USA Soccer Team", the Spanish cheer for their entire country, and the team that represents it - not that is just composed of people who live/play futbol there.

The amount of spirit gear could be likened to a college football apparel shop. They make just about everything with the Red and Gold, and the strip pattern of the flag. It almost makes you jealous that you don't feel their pride and excitement the same way that they do. 



Eat lots of ice cream
This, I can't complain about, but its quite interesting to note. We have Ice Cream/dessert after Lunch and Dinner every day. Also, if you're walking through a major city like Madrid or Barcelona, you will see these signs advertising the various ice creams that store has in their freezer. There are probably 3 different versions of these signs (Magnum vs. Maxibon vs. Nestle), and when you see it, part of you just really wants ice cream.

Its not always "ice cream" per say though, its just this necessity for everyone to have a frozen treat after they eat, because its "So Hot" all the time - or so they say. 

Everyone has a Pool
Pretty much everyone has a pool at their house, or lives in a townhouse/apartment complex that has one for that community. With my family, going in the pool is as routine as eating lunch and dinner. And, they think I'm odd for not wanting to go in the pool all the time. Its not that I don't like it (I mean, swimming and hanging out by the pool is pretty great), but sometimes I don't want to deal w/ my hair, or have some other things I'd like to get done. Also, it can be quite tiring to entertain a 7 and 10 year old in the pool for hours every day. Especially when their favorite game entails jumping on me and get a ride around the pool before I throw them off.

For people in the states, having a pool is a luxury (unless you live somewhere like Phoenix), while here, it is a necessity. 

Comida Tradicional
I've been loving all the food here, and it's been a mix of traditional and 'regular'. I've had traditional Spanish tapas and dishes like croquetas, empanadas, tortillas (egg/potato omelet dish), anchovies and vinegar, and paella. But sometimes we have things like Lasagna, Pizza, Chicken Tenders and French Fries. The medium range of meals would be like today's lunch of Chicken and Rice. We also eat tuna, and a variety of other fish.

The best thing about living w/ a family has been eating like regular Spanish people, not just the hyped up dishes restaurants advertise to the tourists. Watching Ciri cook has also been great, as most every dish is made on the stove top, and either fried, or with some awesome sauce. I'm gonna miss this when I go home, even though my mom definitely knows her way around a kitchen.

Beber cuando tienes 18 anos
As with most places other than the US, you can drink when you're 18, which changes the dynamic of going out the the bars and the clubs. One place called "Moon" where my host mom likes to go always has a mix of ages: the 18-21 crowd, 28-35 ers, and the 50+. It's always a good time, and I think it may be advantageous for the US to think about this a bit more. While it would push the drinking even more so into high schools rather than colleges, it would allow parents to have a bit more involvement with their kid's alcohol intake, and have them not feel so odd about discussing the matter with them.


While everywhere has their own variety of drinking problems, incorporating it into your lifestyle earlier on, rather than making it an act of rebellion, could help get things a bit more under control

Los discotecas/bars hasta 7am
Going along with the later time line, "going out" doesn't tend to happen till at least 11:00. (Makes me feel like i'm back in college, where you don't decide what you're doing that night till its after 10). Since dinner's between 9 - 10, you go out to the bars after. And things stay open so late (like 4am or more) the young adults tend to make it back home around 7am.

While my host parents can't do this now since they have to work the next morning, coming through the front door around 2:30, 3:00 be it from the terrace bar or from tia maria's house is totally normal. If I were my age living here full time, itd be more like 6am or 7am, even if I did have class or work the next day.


Fiestas & Siestas
Now the secret to making it through these late, energetic nights, and managing the delayed meal times is Siestas. Now, that's not to say that every afternoon we drop what we're doing to go back into bed, but it is a break from the norm.

If you are walking around during the day and say its 1:50pm, in 10 minutes every shop/bar/store/restaurant around will shut off their lights and close their doors. Seriously. The only exception to this is if you are in an airport, or a tourist heavy part of town. During this time, all the workers go home (if its close enough) or go for lunch. They relax, chat, enjoy, and then once 4 or 5 rolls around (depending on their form of employment) its back to work.

Many places have hours posted like 9am-2pm, 5pm-8pm, as this mid-day break is just a part of their way of life. It is more widespread in some cities than in others, but across all of Spain it seems to still be in practice.

Also, on the weekends, you better plan when you want to get things done. While in the US everything is open late on Saturday, here, some things never re-open after the 2pm break until Monday Morning. Imagine walking down Michigan or 5th Avenue with all of the stores closed. This was Barcelona on Saturday afternoon, and all day Sunday.

That's probably the 1 part of Spanish living I could never get used to.

Look for more individual entries about the cultural differences between the US and Spain!

Update!

A lot has happened since last Weds, and there are some entries in the works that I'm going to finish up today as well.

Get ready for info on:
-Spain/Travel
-Sevilla highlights
-Barcelona highlights

Just wanted to prep you for the mass number of entries to be added today.

~Jenna

Clase Hoy

So, class was a bit of a challenge today.

We started off with a review of fruits, vegetables, and meals - then followed up with a 3 question quiz: I wrote down the names of fruits and vegetables, and they had to draw the picture. Both of them did it right, but not without some arguing first.

Next, we moved on to discuss hobbies and sports. The pictures of the hobbies were fine, but when we were talking about TV shows, Alvaro got very upset. He claimed that he "didn't understand what we were doing" even though it was very straight forward and Mer was doing it correctly. He started to cry and we took a 10 minute break to figure out why he was so worked up.

Once he settled down, we discussed Question words: who, what, where, when, why, how, and that went swell. So did discussion on possessives. It was the reading about sports where Mer lost it and started to cry. For no reason really, she was upset that she had to read more than her brother, when they both had exactly 3 sentences to read.

We ended class a bit early as they were both a bit worked up and upset.

This week has been quite interesting. Monday they were tired. Tuesday, they were too hyper, and today they were all emotional. Guess that's the emotional roller coaster of being a 7 or 10 year old.

Hopefully a game of sports charades goes over well tomorrow.

Cerveceria Internacional

At the hostel, I met a guy named Jeff who is also doing the Conversation Corps program in Madrid. We hit it off and decided to take to the streets of Seville for some exploration. He had a list of places he wanted to hit up, so I tagged along. One of them, was Cerveceria Internacional, the most amazing bar I've ever been to. Not only was there practically a book of all the beers they had available, but the atmosphere of the place was truly amazing. Definitely a highlight of my weekend visit to Seville, and a place of recommendation to anyone in the future.

Getting there was a bit fun too, as we were winding through many small streets of Seville, and straying far from the regular 'tourist track'. Both of us like to do our own thing when it comes to travel, so I was glad that we were in search of something that won't show up on a "Top 5 to do!" list on a travel site. 

We mapped the route, got there, and one street was suddenly an intersection of 5 roads. We knew it had to be near by, so Jeff asked someone, "Perdon, donde esta la cerveceria internacional?" The guy looked at us and said, "a la izquierda". We looked to our left, and there it was. He must have thought we were crazy stupid or something. 

Excited to have found it, it took a moment to realize that it was closed. We knew that we were meant to go to this place, and no sooner did we say that, did the owner of the place walk up and ask if we wanted to come in. Immediately thrilled, he opened up the door and invited us in.

This place was unbelievable. The far wall showcased bottles from all over the world, and they had over 12 different beers on tap, specialty glasses, and recommendations for just about everything.
 

 I knew we had found a treasure.

This photo became our viewpoint for the next 3+ hours, as we engaged in conversation, beverage consumption, and tapas tasting. For having just met a few hours before, you would have thought we'd known one another for years.

I love when that happens.

Overwhelmed with options, I asked the bartender for some of his favorites. Between him, and Jeff, I knew this was going to be a wonderfully interesting event. 

My first was "Gulden Draak" which was not only fun to say, but also a great beverage to experience. It had the body of a beer, but the sweetness of a liquor, and all the fun of a great name and a fancy glass. It took us a while just to get acquainted with the color and the smell.

 The next was similar to the first but a bit darker in color. Very rich tasting.

What I liked most about this place, other than getting to be conversationally acquainted with both of the bartenders, was the fact that we were the only ones speaking English there; all the other people were locals. On my trips of course I want to see the major sites that show up when you Google the name, but its little nuggets of the local's lives, things that the won't take you to on the tour of the city, that I love. Not only did I expand my beer horizons, but I spent a fabulous evening getting to know someone who has really traveled the world, and as we kept on talking, we got to know a bit more about ourselves as well.

What more could you ask out of an evening on the town? Everything was excellent. Even better, after several rounds of drinks and trying all the best tapas on the list, our bill was less than 25 euro. You can't beat that with a stick. Why would you want to.

Here's the website of the place: http://www.cerveceriainternacional.com/ check it out if you're interested.