Photo albums

I don't have anything insightful to say at present but I have awesome photos:

Alhambra

Granada

Murcia

Mojacar

Living in a place as inspiring as Granada....

...it's really no wonder how Sarah is drawn to participate in the 50,000 word novel writing contest this month.

I myself, like Paige before me, went down to the heart of Andalusia this past weekend to visit Sarah, see Laura as well (who was also visiting that weekend -- come to think of it, I think it was due to some well placed peer pressure on Paige's part), and of course to take in the wonderful sights of the city and the immediate surrounding area. Thus I can say with certainty that if just touring its many elegant avenues, the even more numerous smaller passages, and its near countless winding alleyways and narrow cooridors compelled me to write as many pages in my personal journal as I did-- not to mention take as many photos of my surroundings as I did-- imagine, then, what it would do to live there for a far more extended period of time!

I came down by bus on Friday and came back to Ciudad Real by train on Sunday night. Both traveling experiences served to give me a more solid idea of the difference in efficiency and facility of each mode of transportation, but more importantly-- at least for my ever-hungry traveler's spirit-- it gave me time to pause, look, and reflect on the gorgeous and multi-faceted terrain of the Spanish landscape. Especially coming in by bus.

To come into an Andalusian town by bus is to be given a long, warm, and disarming welcome to, for my knowledge, the most beautiful region of all of Spain, which furthermore captivates the traveler in such a way as to not ever want to leave. Picture multitudes of rolling green hills, orchards of olive trees in every direction, as well as the rough but elegant curve of desert sands and high rocky mountains-- ALL living together in peaceful, natural, symbiotic harmony. It is a magnificent treasure to behold. And completely encantador - charming - (though as wonderful a word as it is in Spanish, in English I don't find the translation is as strong a word as I'd like to employ. Bah, such is life.).

Then of course there's the trademark and emblematic impression of the white-washed housing communities, which are the start and nucleus of most every Andalusian town, big or small. They are themselves beautiful and precious to look upon. Or at least I, for one, was smitten.

But enough of glowing introductions. The town of Granada is itself a treasure, as I think I've already said, both cosmopolitan metropolis and renewed crossroad of diverse cultures and backgrounds. I stayed very close to city center and so was able to get a taste-- both literally and figuratively-- of these aspects which make Granada the veritable pomegranate of bursting color and flavor from which it draws its name in Spanish. Northern African and Middle Eastern flavors and delights-- vices, yes-- and traditions are quickly becoming treasured pasttimes of this once great Moorish city, and thus everywhere there is the smell of kabob, hookah, and the sounds of darbuka and tambourines and tiny cymbals.

The food: delicious. The tapas scene: stupendous. The ice cream: tremendous... but I'll spare you the juicy, delicious details... The main landmark attraction (the Alhambra): as Paige rightly put it, no wonder it was considered for the list of one of the great wonders of the world. Sweeping vistas, humble halls, elaborate detail in every column and wall facade, impressive gardens, and a plethora of fountains is how I will here sum up my trip to that venerable last stronghold of the old Moorish guard. Though to break it down by its individual features does no justice to the place that is truly made all the more mighty and majestic due to the sum of those parts.

I would write more about Granada here, but I do believe that over time Sarah will give all a sense of the place and its climate and so I do not need to say much more, except to add-- at no small aside, but rather as a means of giving thanks and gratitude to that same lady-- that I much enjoyed  my weekend there in large part due to her help, coordination, and recommendations.

So for now I sign off with a few lines about this current week, a few photos of my past weekend, and a little more about what the outlook for the next few weeks holds in store. First off, this week is progressing beautifully. I feel that my ability to manage in the classroom, if not managing in my speech, is coming along smoothly, and I am feeling overall more comfortable with the situations that I am faced with. Yesterday I was acknowledged and complimented on my work by one teacher in particular whose opinion I respect and admire. It was after what I similarly felt had been my best in-class time to date in which I had both kept their attention for the majority of the time, and had more importantly explained and taught a good deal of material that they seemed to understand and comprehend.

In the weeks to come I've got some fun out of Ciudad Real travel planned. In two weeks it's off to a certain southeastern province of Spain to join in celebrating the birthday of fellow blogger Laura B, and then the last weekend of November I'm going to Barcelona to meet up with an old camp friend, see the sights as well as take in a Spanish fútbol game: Espanyol v. Sporting Gijon. Should be a blast.

Chau for now, and long live Granada,

-Nick

poetry like only the passage of a dozen centuries could have created

"la elección del mundo"

On Tuesday, November 4 as I climbed into José Ángel's car on our way to El Robledo for the day, there was the usual Spanish salutation of "Good morning" followed by the equally customary "How are you" that sounds more like "How are jew?" in his wonderfully slurred English-Spanish mix, that I purposely do not call Spanglish not for fear of copywright infringement but rather due to it's more Iberian and less Mexican / Central American source. But on this Tuesday, the fourth of November, 2008, he added an extra solitary word, with the inflection of curious interrogation: "Obama?"

Living in Spain during this period of election speculations and preparations has had many advantages and disadvantages. Namely, I'd like to state that one advantage is that there was (and still is) never any lack of investigative journalism done on the subject of what's the latest in United States politics, and thus even if Friday night's Presidential Debate isn't spoken about in the newspaper until the Sunday morning edition, you know it will make the front page and be given at least three pages of space for review and opinion. The main disadvantage is not that what happens on Saturday Night Live is only given but a paragraph's summary in print or broadcast journalism (in fact, that such things are reported at all is something to consider), but rather that being six hours ahead all the time meant having to decide whether or not to sacrifice the time in between midnight and six AM, Wednesday, November 5 in order to watch the minute by minute coverage of the results as they came in. Whilst I was anxiously checking washingtonpost.com at 1 in the afternoon on Tuesday, I had to frequently remind myself that people were only just going to the polls with their Starbucks coffee and Dunkin donut (or donuts, if they wanted to be generous to their fellow line-waiters).

Thus, upon waking on Wednesday the 5th, to the sounds of my iPod playing "Hail to the Chief" (not by poetic happenstance, but rather on purpose), I rushed to the living room of my apartment as soon as I could, flipped on TVEspaña 1 and let the results come as they would.

Furthermore, if the coverage and attention given this election by the Spanish press and public is any indication, the status of the United States is certainly one of great importance, or, at the very least, great interest, for better or for worse. As a few of the professors at el Valle remarked on Monday during our weekly professor's luncheon, the election is not just for the United States, it is "la elección [más importante, supuestamente dado las opiniones de ésta gente] del mundo" (the [most important] election [given the opinions expressed by those present] for the world). It is worth echoing an observation already mentioned that to look at today's edition of El Mundo makes one feel that he or sshe has not really left home as, because they can see page after page dedicated to the summary, discussion, and minutae of the election results and the people who made it possible (if not for the obvious difference that all such information is conveyed in Spanish and not in English). In particular, the Op-ed section today either centered around speculation about what will be the first moves of the President Elect, how he will have to go about proving that he can bring the change he has promised, or was simply just thinny veiled elation and relief upon receiving official word of the new face of the United States.

I've even learned things -- if not just rediscovering things -- about the political history of my own country here through this press. It's a neat thing for anyone here to experience... assuming of course, that this "anyone" comes from the United States.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Before I log off and go to bed, I feel I need to say one other thing about this week that I couldn't think how to tie into the the above discourse, though it is related. While sharing some tapas on Monday night with a few British friends in the Plaza Mayor, I was approached by a man who asked if I was from the US. When I answered affirmative, he told me that he worked for the local branch of a national radio network, Cadena Ser, and that they had been looking for Estadounidenses living in Ciudad Real to come in and speak on the topic of the election's outcome this Wednesday evening, but that so far he had been unable to find anyone. Long, lucky story short, they interviewed and recorded me last night at 7:00 PM local time and broadcast it this afternoon at 1:00 PM. I was unfortunately not able to listen in, having still been in classes with the kids, but I was told by the mayor of El Robledo (the town where the school is located) that it was a very nice interview (the station told me they'd send me a link to find the online archive feed, but I haven't received anything from them yet. When I do, I'll be sure to post it with a translated transcript).

My, my, my... first local broadcast news and meeting the President of the region, now a one on one interview on the local branch of their national public radio system. What's next? A guest appearance on Física o Química, the number one hit teen drama on the air in the country right now (and also the subject of what I had planned to talk about -- though still can next time -- before deciding that election-based content was clearly a more important matter to discuss)? One can dream, eh?

All right. A picture or two of the last few days, and then I'm out. Chau for now,

-Nick.





watching the results, early wednesday morning on TVEspaña 1

An American in Aguilas

I’m surprised. I’m surprised to be the first one to write about experiencing the U.S. presidential elections from abroad. I’m surprised that every news channel broadcasts coverage of our election as if it were the Spanish election. As we speak I’m watching “Estos no son las noticias,” a comedy show similar to Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. In today’s episode the (white) host has painted her face black and put on an afro in the spirit of “black democracy”. I’m surprised at the lack of a taboo in Spain. I’m surprised at the lack of a taboo in Spain on certain personal questions, such as who I voted for (other favorites include how old I am and do I have a boyfriend). Hell, I’m honestly surprised that Obama won! I thought for sure they’d find a way to take the vote like they did in 2000.
Being in Spain during this historic election makes me feel a little left out. I see clips on the news here of street parties in DC and I wish I could share the joy with other UMD students (a shot for every electoral vote that goes to Obama? Maybe not…). When I told my French roommate that I cried a little this morning when I found out who won, he couldn’t help but laugh at me. I may be a little melodramatic, but I think any American can sympathize with the emotional moment we are experiencing as a nation. If Obama lives up to his promises this could mean the end of Sarah Palin’s favorite phrase, the Bush Doctrine; the end of the War in Iraq, a new interest in social welfare programs and the environment, and a stable economy and international relations. I can tell you first hand that the world accepts us again. Not to mention the obvious, that our first African-American president has generated more support and enthusiasm than any presidential candidate I’ve seen in my (short) life.
As I pass students in the hallways at school, they give me high fives, ask me how I’m feeling about the outcome of the election, and shout “Go Obama!” and “Claro que podemos!” They ask difficult questions too: “Will the KKK kill Obama?”, “Is there really racism in the USA? But aren’t they supposed to be the most advanced?”, “Why does anyone support McCain?” (given the overwhelming international support for Obama, they find it hard to understand that nearly half the USA actually doesn’t support him). How would you answer these questions? As a mini-ambassador to a few hundred Spanish high school students I do my best, but there are some things that you have to experience for yourself in order to fully understand (and even with a lifetime of living in the States many American phenomena escape me).
Despite my increasing fluency in Spanish, I still can’t completely translate American social and racial politics, so I keep it basic: I think Obama challenges racism in the U.S., but only time will tell how much influence he has. Since America is a diverse nation, it’s only natural that there are people who differently, and we try to respect their opinions, even if they believe that the rich should have higher tax cuts than the working class. Most of all I think that many Americans are optimistic that change will come, and that the United States will live up to it’s reputation as “advanced,” socially as well as technologically. Claro que podemos.

Cádiz, City of Entertainers

My personal favorite from "Zombies go to class," the runner-up of my school's Halloween classroom decorating contest. The sign says, "I was killed by English."

Another decoration from the same contest. This one says: "Died dancing Shakira."

One of the greatest discoveries I've made in the last month is that Gaditanos, as the people from Cadiz are called, are not only incredibly kind but also extremely entertaining. I suppose this shouldn't come as that big of a surprise, considering that Cadiz is a city whose Carnival is one of the most renowned in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro's. Gaditanos are, without a doubt, masters of fun as well as impressively creative.

More than that, they are performers, capable of turning every space into a stage and every moment, into a reason to laugh or break out into applause. For example, last week in the open-air market, an acting troupe of four men dressed in tuxedos and top-hats came parading through the crowd, carrying a coffin -- a skit nobody seemed to understand but everyone found amusing. Another time, my friend and I were walking behind two attractive women in the town center. As we rounded the corner, a man chatting with his friend outside a bar paused to deliver them an impromptu flamenco song. This was clearly not your average piropo, or catcall, even for these local beauties, and they stopped for a minute or two to give the man the attention they felt he deserved.

Maybe the best example of the Gaditanos' natural theatrical abilities is the Halloween celebration at the school where I teach. In an effort to create awareness about this originally Anglo-Saxon holiday, the English department sponsored a classroom decorating competition for the upper-level classes. To every one's delight the students went above and beyond their duty of decorating. Entering each room was like walking into a different scary movie. In the winning classroom, the acting was so stellar that I stayed in one corner, hoping to avoid the kids on the floor, pulling on the judges' legs and moaning like dead people -- it was that terrifying (and equally hilarious.)

While I enjoy most of the performances I see, I do wish I could understand the local manner of speaking better to absorb the wit of the actors. To help myself out, I'm reading a book called El Habla de Cadiz, a dictionary of local terms that also includes the phrases' etymology and cultural evolution. Under "Animacion," or "animation," it says: "En el peculiar sentido gaditano, es 'un estado de animo colectivo, una predisposicion a manifestarse en publico, a contemplar y ser contemplado." A rough translation: "In the peculiar gaditano sense, it is the state of collective energy, a predisposition to show oneself in public, to contemplate and be contemplated." 

What does this mean to me as a resident of Cadiz?  Mainly that I'm more engaged with my surroundings than ever, having been blessed with free access to a nearly endless series of "shows." As I say more often than anything these days, for yet another reason: ¡Que viva España! (Sarah, consider the competition for the best city started.)

Visit my Facebook page to see the videos of these performances and others! (Blogger is not behaving.) VIDEOS

When you're working 12 hours a week...

How to Stay Busy in Spain, When You're Working 12 Hour Weeks
(Sarah's Version)

1. Get into an exercise routine

I go running about four times a week. I run along the Río Genil, where there's a bit of a long narrow park popular with strolling couples and dog owners. The other day I had a rather large dog chase and bark at me for half a length of the river, which was pretty fun.

2. Take public transport.

When I'm working, I probably spend about 1.5 hours per day getting myself from home to work and back again. This pales in comparison to my Buenos Aires commutes, but it's still a lovely, relaxing part of the day (except when I have to run to catch the bus). Though the actual bus ride is only 20 minutes each way, it is an excellent time for jotting down ideas in my notebook and grinning to myself because of the fabulous views of the snow-topped Sierra Nevada, which look something like this on my bus ride. Sometimes I have trouble not singing to myself as I rock out to my iPod, and I must look quite silly to my fellow travelers.

3. Go out for tapas.

This is a great way to spend hours and hours. Go for dinner, go for a late night drink and snack, go in the afternoon for lunch. Tapas are all-purpose, and come in many varieties. We have two favorite tapas bars so far in Granada: Café om Kalsum for Moroccan flavors; Poë for other international flavors, mostly Brazilian.

4. When you're not eating tapas, always eat home cooked meals.

I cook every day, except for frozen pizza days, which come around about once a week. I have lots of time to cook, so if you have any recipes that don't require more than 30 minutes of oven time (ours starts to act up after that), send them my way! I've become a big fan of making banana chocolate chip (cut from a chocolate bar) pancakes on weekends: that is, sometime between Thursday and Sunday. This weekend I'm giving scones a second Spanish go-round for a friend's birthday.

5. Read.

Okay, so my reading so far hasn't exactly been educational, other than the 100 pages or so I've read of Multitude, but I swear, I will go to the library to get a card one of these days. But, I did read the entire Twilight series in eBook form, courtesy of a friend. (Stop judging me.) I'm also a big fan of Samanta Schweblin's short stories, and I've downloaded several Very Important Foundational Texts of Latin American Literature to get cracking on. I'm trying to stay up to date on American news by reading the Washington Post and Slate (my favorite!), but I tend to prefer watching their election sketch videos... Sarah the Diva! The Anti-America America in Pro-America America! The Mainstream Media Needs a Hug!

6. ...And I guess I've strayed into the realm of video.

Sometimes I watch episodes of classy television shows, like Gossip Girl and Supernatural, illegally on the internet. One of my flatmates -- who's a student, not a language assistant -- is addicted to TV series (her words, not mine), and routinely watches entire seasons of television shows. Today, to reward myself for SENDING IN MY VOTE I watched a Real Movie, which I'd brought with me on DVD. It's called Me Without You, and it was just about as heartbreaking as I remembered.

7. Commit to do something completely insane.

I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short, a writing project in which crazy people like me attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in November. I've been busy planning and plotting, and am very excited to start. I'm in the process of compiling a grocery list of novel-writing snacks to buy, and I've already stocked up on coffee. Anyone crazy enough to join in?

Some other day I'll write a more serious list of things to do in Spain, but really, this pretty much sums up what I've been doing recently. Let the mocking begin.

Ode to the French

Since coming to Aguilas I have to confess I have learned more French than Spanish thanks to my French roommate and his friends who often come to visit. Sadly, the phrases I use most are ferme ta gul (no idea if I spelled it right) and je suis sul (likewise). To save my reputation I'll let Sarah translate. My Spanish has improved a bit, however, since these kids all learned "proper" Spanish, or the Iberian variety, while I stick to manejar instead of conducir and aca instead of aqui. Earlier, when I commented on Sarah's post that I'd jumped into Castillian Spanish I didn't realize how deep the water was. So much of what I say gets my point across but sounds foreign and awkward to Spanish ears. I would never know this had it not been for my French comrades who constantly correct me; if only I had a euro for every time I heard no se dice eso en España (you don't say that in Spain). Merci bokou!
While my Iberian Spanish progresses step by step, my gastronomic adventures go by leaps and bounds. The short list of some crazy foods I've tried in the last few weeks:
Duck pate
Pig head pate
Pig body pate (God bless the French and their creativity with blended meats)
Fried fish testacles
Octopus (or squid?)
Not to mention all the normal Spanish food, tapas of every variety: potato omelet, potato sandwich (yup, just bread and potato, I love starch!!), pork and pepper sandwiches, jamon serrano and cheese, mushrooms (this is experimental for me), "salad" (which can be a mix of any kind of food, vegetables or no), chorizo and other sausasge varieties, and all kinds of fried fish and seafood. Thank god "mas por favor" is the same in every Spanish speaking country!