I must admit I was kind of bummed about not being able to go to Valencia because I had no puppy sitter. As you all know, I have been going back and forth about this puppy thing. I am pretty sure I want to keep himñ it just takes patience, but I can work out the travel issue easily next time. Anyway, I decided to look on the positive side; I have a whole year here to travel, Chulo is only 3 months; and Valencia is only a bus ride away. I set out to make the most of my day. I wanted to continue my exploration of Madrid in order to discover how walkable things are from my house. I had an idea about where a cute pet store was nearby, and I knew there were many other cool things in the neighborhood. I put Chulo's leash on so he could take a 5 minute walk in. He can only go so far still, and he is scared of everything. So he walked slowly for about 10 minutes down the street, with people stopping to pet him every two seconds. I put him back in my purse and walked down the main street I live off of for about 15 minutes. I passed many bars, restaurants, fountains, etc. I came to Calle Bilbao and headed straight down. There were many things on this street that caught my eyeñ first, the shoe store! I tried on shoes and talked to the girls in the store while they played with Chulo. I had been looking for some comfortable heels and flats, so I didn´t hold back and bought two pairs; on sale of course! Content with my purchases, I headed to the pet store for Chulo. To no surprise the store was closed for ciesta, to re-open at 5. I was left with an hour and a half to explore the area, but all there was in sight was store, after store, afeter store; leaving me with only one option...shop!
I had tried my very best to restrain myself from shopping before. I had done well up until this very moment. There were so many different colors and fabrics and unique designs, and things that I just could not resist. Spanish people are generally very fashion forward people, so I was anxious to join the club! I felt like a kid in a candy store! I literally took a long pause outside of each window to ponder upon how each fashion would befit me. This was great!! I went into almost every store, just browsing. People are so nice here, I talked to everyone. Chulo of course got much attention as well. I only bought things from 3 more stores, before I decided it was time to re-activate my self-control. My favorite store was Friday's Project. Great finds! All of these things were on the same long street, about 15/20 minutes from my house! I also spotted some good eats along the way as well. As I reached the end of the street, I saw a huge fountain, many beautiful large buildings, and a few streets that opened right up to the centro! Perfect!
I finally made my way back to the pet store, my original destination, to find some good for Chulo. He is too young for many things, and doesn't like toys yet. So I just bought some snacks and pee pee pads for him. Many bags in hand, and Chulo in the other, I headed back home. I relaxed a bit, but soon it was time for running practice at 7. I usually don't run on Fridays (MWF are optional), but I felt it was necessary after missing a few days. I met up with my team and we set off to a new destination for me; Casa de Campo. Because it was Friday, there were only 6 of us training. We chatted about Spain as we ran, and they gave me a mini history lesson, and some more must see/eat places. As we began our trek, I knew this run would be different. It was literally in the campo (countryside). There was just open air and trees, and silence. It was actually kind of creepy, like a horror movie almost. I ignored the eerie scenery, and continued my conversation. Before I knew it we were done, and Jose Miguel was insisting that we go for drinks....what a surprise.
As I said before, you cannot actually say no when Spaniards invite you for drinks, so off I went. Also, Spaniards are very routine/traditional, so naturally we went to the same bar as the week before. My friends recommended I have a red wine, Ribiera del Duero, and it was great! One glass a day does the body good! I think I will stick to that regimen. We talked about traveling and we decided we will try to make a team trip soon; to Jose Miguel's pueblo outside of Madrid, and to London hopefully! Once again, I had lost track of time and forgot I was supposed to meet some friends in my program later. The plan was actually to go to some random lesbian bar, just for kicks and grins. I got home around 10:45, cooked, ate, and fell into the couch. I was beat, and there would be no Lesbian bar for me that night......
Monday, October 4, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Ditch Day at Lavapies y Mas
Thursday we had an all day Jornada dia de Formacion, which is basically a teachers' workshop. It was supposed to last from 9am to 6:30pm; why, I don't know. We had seen most of this information already in our orientation; but this time all 340 of the auxiliares de conversacion in Madrid were present. It was interesting to see people from around the world who had come to see teach English in Madrid. My friend and I had gotten there 30 minutes late, and had to sit on the floor in the back of the hot crowded room. I knew this would be a long day. I sat and read my book through the most boring parts. We talked about adjusting to Madrid, and classroom procedures, and our roles as teachers; things we had heard before. I was bored and hungry. They served us lunch. of course the classis spanish bocadillo; a whole lot of bread, with little meat/cheese inside. After lunch, I caught a serious case of the itis/boredom, and I couldn't keep my eyes open at all. As I sat and fought to keep my eyes open in front of the speaker, my friend and I devised a plan to escape. We decided we would leave after this session, as we had already signed in twice. As the speaker finished, we inconspicuously slipped out of sight. Off to Lavapies!
Lavapies is a very diverse immigrant neighborhood. Some would call it "sketchy," but I think it's very cool. In Lavapies you can find a very diverse array of foods including Latino, Arabic, African, and Indian delicacies. Also, this is the area where I can buy all my black hair care products! With food on our minds we went into one of the unique grocery stores. There was a large selection of exotic spices, rice and beans and juices, and many other great meal enhancements. I picked up some hot mango sauce, a bag of fresh mint leaves for tea, a bag of cous cous (like middle eastern rice), some pita bread, some Goya beans, some Arabic tea mixture, and some delicious natural Mango juice that I drank on my way out of the store. I'm going to be cooking some fabulous meals!
We walked around the neighborhood some more to explore the rest of its diverse elements. My friend, (the one who fixed me the Arabic treats) told me there was another small store which we had to visit, owned my an Iraqi man. We walked into the store and she spoke to the man in perfect Arabic, asking him about the fresh fetta cheese and sweets we were looking for. He talked to us in Arabic/Spanish about many items in his store and why we should try them. The fetta cheese we were looking for was a huge tube of fresh Arabic fetta cheese that cost 9 euros! I had to leave that one behind. He was eager to show us some more interesting eat, so he closed his store and walked with us to another down the street. There we met his son, and he went straight to the back and pulled out what I suppose was their "secret stash." He gave us each a small, fresh Arabic desert filled with dates (like the one my friend had shared with me at her house). It was perfect. Then he pulled some more of his stash and asked us if we liked falafel. Of course! He brought us this sheet of frozen green/brown stuff, which was supposed to be frozen falafel which we could make easily ourselves. My bold friend bought both the sweets and falafel, confident she could create a meal; I would wait and try hers.
After walking around with bags for a while, I was ready to head home. Later, I cooked a meal with some things I'd already had, and created a mix of spices for a sauce that proved to be waaayyy too spicy. I love experimenting with food! That night, I went to the same Intercambio spot as last Thursday, met some new folks, and had some great convos with a diverse crowd. I met a girl from Egypt, who was beautiful; same skin and hair as me! Amazing the people you meet. On the way home, around 1am, I decided to figure out how to walk home from the centro, in order to avoid taking the metro so much. Eureka! I do live close to everything!
Lavapies is a very diverse immigrant neighborhood. Some would call it "sketchy," but I think it's very cool. In Lavapies you can find a very diverse array of foods including Latino, Arabic, African, and Indian delicacies. Also, this is the area where I can buy all my black hair care products! With food on our minds we went into one of the unique grocery stores. There was a large selection of exotic spices, rice and beans and juices, and many other great meal enhancements. I picked up some hot mango sauce, a bag of fresh mint leaves for tea, a bag of cous cous (like middle eastern rice), some pita bread, some Goya beans, some Arabic tea mixture, and some delicious natural Mango juice that I drank on my way out of the store. I'm going to be cooking some fabulous meals!
We walked around the neighborhood some more to explore the rest of its diverse elements. My friend, (the one who fixed me the Arabic treats) told me there was another small store which we had to visit, owned my an Iraqi man. We walked into the store and she spoke to the man in perfect Arabic, asking him about the fresh fetta cheese and sweets we were looking for. He talked to us in Arabic/Spanish about many items in his store and why we should try them. The fetta cheese we were looking for was a huge tube of fresh Arabic fetta cheese that cost 9 euros! I had to leave that one behind. He was eager to show us some more interesting eat, so he closed his store and walked with us to another down the street. There we met his son, and he went straight to the back and pulled out what I suppose was their "secret stash." He gave us each a small, fresh Arabic desert filled with dates (like the one my friend had shared with me at her house). It was perfect. Then he pulled some more of his stash and asked us if we liked falafel. Of course! He brought us this sheet of frozen green/brown stuff, which was supposed to be frozen falafel which we could make easily ourselves. My bold friend bought both the sweets and falafel, confident she could create a meal; I would wait and try hers.
After walking around with bags for a while, I was ready to head home. Later, I cooked a meal with some things I'd already had, and created a mix of spices for a sauce that proved to be waaayyy too spicy. I love experimenting with food! That night, I went to the same Intercambio spot as last Thursday, met some new folks, and had some great convos with a diverse crowd. I met a girl from Egypt, who was beautiful; same skin and hair as me! Amazing the people you meet. On the way home, around 1am, I decided to figure out how to walk home from the centro, in order to avoid taking the metro so much. Eureka! I do live close to everything!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday is Fun Day!!!
I was amazed at myself that I actually woke up to go to running practice Sunday morning, after my tiring vacay. Nonetheless, I awoke at 9:30 to be at practice at 10:00. I particularly enjoyed this practice because we focused on speed and strength rather than distance. Our team seems to grow every practice. Love it. After practice, I quickly showered to make it to my lunch date at a friend's house. Her parents are Arab, from Jordan and Algeria, and she heard of my love of Arabic tea; so she did the honors. Lunch was yummy; pita bread, lettuce, avocado, fetta cheese, and olive oil; simple, but it made my heart smile. Natural mint tea and arabic sweets to follow. After leaving her house about 4pm, I went back to my apartment and my two rommates (Slovenia and France) were ready to hit the streets. We had planned to go explore a park near a lake and then go see the Vagina Monologues show that night.
The park we went to was nice. Very open, with a lake, and all kinds of interesting people. We looked out on the lake, and we heard singing and clapping coming from the other side. Our curiosity led us toward the crowd, where we discovered a crowd of Spaniards dressed in 50's (American) style clothing, singing swing tunes and dancing. What for? Who knows! Hilarious. They were also out on the lake, in boats, singing and playing instuments to 50's music. The boats looked enticing, and we had time before the show, so we inquired about the price. It was only 4.50 euros for four people, 45 minutes! We were all in! We hopped into the boat and I took the back seat because I had Chulo in my purse....and because I knew I would be horrible at boat rowing. My roommates got to work with the paddles and we had a pleasant ride. I ended up trying to row too, but that didn't go so well.
We finished just in time to book it to the theater in time for our showtime at 9. We were all starving, so we pick up some tortilla espanola and snuck it into the theater, along with the puppy in my purse. I had taken him to the movies in my purse before, so I thought he would be fine. He is usually pretty chill in my purse and falls asleep. Not the case at this show. He squirmed around forever, and insisted on biting my fingers for most of the play. He calmed down and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Spanish people, in general, are much more sexually open than are Americans. Spanish Vagina Monologues was a little more vulgar than our version at Spelman, but that was fine. When the show ended our night did not. We wanted to get drinks, and I was still hungry. There are so many cute bars around, it's always hard to decide. We picked one around the theater and sat for some wine, tapas, and good convo for a couple of hours.
The park we went to was nice. Very open, with a lake, and all kinds of interesting people. We looked out on the lake, and we heard singing and clapping coming from the other side. Our curiosity led us toward the crowd, where we discovered a crowd of Spaniards dressed in 50's (American) style clothing, singing swing tunes and dancing. What for? Who knows! Hilarious. They were also out on the lake, in boats, singing and playing instuments to 50's music. The boats looked enticing, and we had time before the show, so we inquired about the price. It was only 4.50 euros for four people, 45 minutes! We were all in! We hopped into the boat and I took the back seat because I had Chulo in my purse....and because I knew I would be horrible at boat rowing. My roommates got to work with the paddles and we had a pleasant ride. I ended up trying to row too, but that didn't go so well.
We finished just in time to book it to the theater in time for our showtime at 9. We were all starving, so we pick up some tortilla espanola and snuck it into the theater, along with the puppy in my purse. I had taken him to the movies in my purse before, so I thought he would be fine. He is usually pretty chill in my purse and falls asleep. Not the case at this show. He squirmed around forever, and insisted on biting my fingers for most of the play. He calmed down and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Spanish people, in general, are much more sexually open than are Americans. Spanish Vagina Monologues was a little more vulgar than our version at Spelman, but that was fine. When the show ended our night did not. We wanted to get drinks, and I was still hungry. There are so many cute bars around, it's always hard to decide. We picked one around the theater and sat for some wine, tapas, and good convo for a couple of hours.
Holy Toledo!
I managed to wake up in the morning, at 8:30am to take the metro to our meeting point. This would be Chulo's first mini vacay with me; needless to say, I was a bit nervous carrying along a 3 month old puppy. I put him in my purse and off we went. When I got to the train station, I found my friends, 4 other Fulbrighters. We stood in the long line to get our tickets for the 10:20 train, only to find out that it was sold out. We had to wait until 12:30 to leave. So, we killed time by walking around the neighborhood, playing with Chulo, and found a cool book fair. When it finally came time to board the train, I was nervous for Chulo because there was a security point. To my relief, a small dog in my purse was not, and will never be a problem in Spain. Onward! Chulo was sitting in my lap, when this Brazilian couple, along with the rest of the train, turned their attention to my puppy. I was caught off guard when the couple took him out of my arms to go sit with them. Awkward. The train ride flew by, only thirty minutes, and before we knew it we were in Toledo!!
As we stepped off the train we could see the whole small, mountanous, beautiful town before us. We hesitated not, grabbed some maps, and headed uphill. Uphill is no exaggeration. We had to climb up a million "stairs" (really, the side of a mountain) just to get to the center of the city. We stopped to take pictures of the beautiful views around us, but our main goal was to find food. We were famished, and had heard about the good eats in Toledo. After wondering around the town for about an hour, we finally settled on a cute restaurant uphill, with terrace seating outside. Chulo was on his best behavior, but was trying to snatch our food. In Spain, for lunch, you can always order the menu del dia, which includes appetizer, main dish, dessert, and wine for a set price. Perfecto! The red wine was delightful, and just what I needed. My appetizer was a grilled veggie mix with a warm tomato sauce. The main course was roasted chicken "a la Toledo" in a special cinamon-like sauce. Delicious! After stuffing our faces, we decided it was time to really explore the town.
We walked up and down numerous hills and narrow, stone laden streets. We went to see the famous catherdral, which looked like it was about a thousand years old. Gothic style, with gold adornments all over, extremely high celings, and an altar made of ivory. Outside of the cathedral, a wedding had just taken place. A young, seemingly rich couple, drove off in a navy blue Rolls Royce. We sauntered on and saw the House of Greco, famous painter, and began our search for mazapan, a typical Toledian treat made of almond paste. In one of the bakery windows, we saw a huge replica of the cathedral, made completely out of the mazapan paste. Amazing. I had never even heard of this typical almomd paste treat, but I decided to indulge and buy a whole box. Delectable!
Our next venture was finding the famous mosque. We searched up and down, walked forever, got tired, sat down, and still no mosque. We ran into a 90 year old woman with a cane and decided to try our luck asking her for directions. She was more than happy to walk us right up to the door! The mosque was nothing like we had hoped. It was small, old, and dusty. However, we walked across a rusty bridge, and stumbled upon a castle-like structure and a fabulous view of the whole town. We sat and enjoyed the veiw for a while. When we walked back to the center of the city, we noticed some kind of celebration being set up. Out of curiousity I asked what was happening, and was informed that it was the 20th anniversary of Star Wars!! There would be a parade, and music, and a show too! I tried to contain my laughter. These spaniards were going all out for this Star Wars business! They were even dressed as the characters! We moved on.
We found another great view by the national library and the royal palace, Alcazar, and we sat some more. Our time in Toledo was winding down, so we inquired about the one thing we had left out of our trip.....churros y chocolate!! It is very typical here to have a very thick rich cup of chocolate and a plate of churros. Fresh. Very tasty. We found a cute bar closer to where we had to catch our train, and sat there for a while; very content with our churros y chocolate, and with the Holy Toledo!
As we stepped off the train we could see the whole small, mountanous, beautiful town before us. We hesitated not, grabbed some maps, and headed uphill. Uphill is no exaggeration. We had to climb up a million "stairs" (really, the side of a mountain) just to get to the center of the city. We stopped to take pictures of the beautiful views around us, but our main goal was to find food. We were famished, and had heard about the good eats in Toledo. After wondering around the town for about an hour, we finally settled on a cute restaurant uphill, with terrace seating outside. Chulo was on his best behavior, but was trying to snatch our food. In Spain, for lunch, you can always order the menu del dia, which includes appetizer, main dish, dessert, and wine for a set price. Perfecto! The red wine was delightful, and just what I needed. My appetizer was a grilled veggie mix with a warm tomato sauce. The main course was roasted chicken "a la Toledo" in a special cinamon-like sauce. Delicious! After stuffing our faces, we decided it was time to really explore the town.
We walked up and down numerous hills and narrow, stone laden streets. We went to see the famous catherdral, which looked like it was about a thousand years old. Gothic style, with gold adornments all over, extremely high celings, and an altar made of ivory. Outside of the cathedral, a wedding had just taken place. A young, seemingly rich couple, drove off in a navy blue Rolls Royce. We sauntered on and saw the House of Greco, famous painter, and began our search for mazapan, a typical Toledian treat made of almond paste. In one of the bakery windows, we saw a huge replica of the cathedral, made completely out of the mazapan paste. Amazing. I had never even heard of this typical almomd paste treat, but I decided to indulge and buy a whole box. Delectable!
Our next venture was finding the famous mosque. We searched up and down, walked forever, got tired, sat down, and still no mosque. We ran into a 90 year old woman with a cane and decided to try our luck asking her for directions. She was more than happy to walk us right up to the door! The mosque was nothing like we had hoped. It was small, old, and dusty. However, we walked across a rusty bridge, and stumbled upon a castle-like structure and a fabulous view of the whole town. We sat and enjoyed the veiw for a while. When we walked back to the center of the city, we noticed some kind of celebration being set up. Out of curiousity I asked what was happening, and was informed that it was the 20th anniversary of Star Wars!! There would be a parade, and music, and a show too! I tried to contain my laughter. These spaniards were going all out for this Star Wars business! They were even dressed as the characters! We moved on.
We found another great view by the national library and the royal palace, Alcazar, and we sat some more. Our time in Toledo was winding down, so we inquired about the one thing we had left out of our trip.....churros y chocolate!! It is very typical here to have a very thick rich cup of chocolate and a plate of churros. Fresh. Very tasty. We found a cute bar closer to where we had to catch our train, and sat there for a while; very content with our churros y chocolate, and with the Holy Toledo!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Mojitos y Caipirinhas
I had a great weekend!!....which will require more than one entry, of course. On Friday, I slept until 12:30 and it felt great! By the time I made it out of the house it was 6:00pm. Oh well. I ventured out, with Chulo in purse, to explore the the neighborhoods around my apartment. I walked to Plaza de España, which I had no idea was so close to me. There I discovered a feria / mercado (a fair with vendors selling random things), and of course I was intrigued. Vendors from Spain and other countries displayed jewelry, artwork, food, and many other things I probably did not need to buy. I decided to exercise some self control, purchased a pair of shades and some candied almonds (my fav!), and I sauntered back home.
I am not sure if I stated this before, but I think my French roommate is bipolar!! She was sketch from the beginning. I love the other two, from Slovenia and Italy/Spain; but Frenchie has a bit of a "tude." Anyway, I guess she was in a somewhat pleasant mood on Friday, and she asked to to come along with her to Calle Serrano, which is a very pijo (uppity) neighborhood. I said what the hell, and onward we went, along with our Slovenian roommate, Ivonna. As soon as I stepped off of the metro, I knew that Calle Seranno would definitely fulfill the stereotype. The streets were lined with top of the line stores; Gucci, Prada, Cartier, La Perla, and many other high end Spanish brands. We clearl did not buy anything. We had more fun watching the 70 year old spanish women walk around with their silicone injected lips and busts, and fancy attire. Only 30 minutes elapsed before we decided we should leave the pijo neighborhood and search for some real fun.
We got off the metro in Chueca, a barrio which is known to be very "vibrant." The gay neighborhood! We met up with some of my roommates' friends and they led us staight to a bar with mojitos for 2.70 euro mojitos; called Outlet. My kind of place! I was amazed at how cheap the drinks were, and also how big and potent! I soon realized that the bar was becoming a cloud of smoke, so I sucked down my TWO large mojitos quicker than I probably should have in order to make a rapid escape from the smoke. .....Things become nublado (cloudy).
While chatting the my new French friends about our lives, we all realize that the large drinks have taken effect. Frenchie is a lot more fun when under the influence btw! Completely bipolar still, but fun. We pick up some more people, and head to a different overly crowded bar to try to find some eats. At the bar Tigre, it took us what seemed like years to place our orders. Luckily though, many bars in Spain give you a free plate of tapas when you order a drink. So naturally, we ordered drinks! At first Frenchie and I were going to each get Caipirinhas, but then we soon realized that these drinks were even larger (and stronger) than the mojitos. O boy. So we ordered one to split, and coul still barely finish it. We ate the plate of tapas like famished vultures, and then we dipped to find the next move.
After wondering around aimlessly for about 20 minutes, we ran into one of my newfound friends from the intercambio the other night, the astrólogo. He introduced us to some of his friends, and we wondered about the streets to yet another bar; this one more like a club. At this point, I was "bien tipsy," and extremely sleepy, which does not make for a good combination. Also, I knew I had to wake up in the morning to go to Toledo. I tried to make my exit, but as usual, the Spaniards told me I must stay. I managed to escape home, leaving my French roommate behind to carry on the party.
Getting up the next morning was not pleasant.......
I am not sure if I stated this before, but I think my French roommate is bipolar!! She was sketch from the beginning. I love the other two, from Slovenia and Italy/Spain; but Frenchie has a bit of a "tude." Anyway, I guess she was in a somewhat pleasant mood on Friday, and she asked to to come along with her to Calle Serrano, which is a very pijo (uppity) neighborhood. I said what the hell, and onward we went, along with our Slovenian roommate, Ivonna. As soon as I stepped off of the metro, I knew that Calle Seranno would definitely fulfill the stereotype. The streets were lined with top of the line stores; Gucci, Prada, Cartier, La Perla, and many other high end Spanish brands. We clearl did not buy anything. We had more fun watching the 70 year old spanish women walk around with their silicone injected lips and busts, and fancy attire. Only 30 minutes elapsed before we decided we should leave the pijo neighborhood and search for some real fun.
We got off the metro in Chueca, a barrio which is known to be very "vibrant." The gay neighborhood! We met up with some of my roommates' friends and they led us staight to a bar with mojitos for 2.70 euro mojitos; called Outlet. My kind of place! I was amazed at how cheap the drinks were, and also how big and potent! I soon realized that the bar was becoming a cloud of smoke, so I sucked down my TWO large mojitos quicker than I probably should have in order to make a rapid escape from the smoke. .....Things become nublado (cloudy).
While chatting the my new French friends about our lives, we all realize that the large drinks have taken effect. Frenchie is a lot more fun when under the influence btw! Completely bipolar still, but fun. We pick up some more people, and head to a different overly crowded bar to try to find some eats. At the bar Tigre, it took us what seemed like years to place our orders. Luckily though, many bars in Spain give you a free plate of tapas when you order a drink. So naturally, we ordered drinks! At first Frenchie and I were going to each get Caipirinhas, but then we soon realized that these drinks were even larger (and stronger) than the mojitos. O boy. So we ordered one to split, and coul still barely finish it. We ate the plate of tapas like famished vultures, and then we dipped to find the next move.
After wondering around aimlessly for about 20 minutes, we ran into one of my newfound friends from the intercambio the other night, the astrólogo. He introduced us to some of his friends, and we wondered about the streets to yet another bar; this one more like a club. At this point, I was "bien tipsy," and extremely sleepy, which does not make for a good combination. Also, I knew I had to wake up in the morning to go to Toledo. I tried to make my exit, but as usual, the Spaniards told me I must stay. I managed to escape home, leaving my French roommate behind to carry on the party.
Getting up the next morning was not pleasant.......
Friday, September 24, 2010
Intercambio!!!
Running practice again last night until about 10:30. When I got home I showered, stuffed down some nutella y pan, and began to debate what I wanted to do with my night. Not having to work on Fridays will be my greatest joy. I had been wanting to go to an intercambio since after orientation. Intercambios are language exchanges, social gatherings, with Spaniards and foreigners. They are organized by different groups throughout various bars in the city. I called my friend, who I knew wanted to tag along, and off we went. As usual, we had no clue where we were to go upon exiting the metro, but we knew we were in the right area. As we walked around the unfamiliar neighborhood, we saw numerous groups of spanish kids participating in the great activity that is the botellón (I will speak on this later). We finally found the meeting spot for the intercambio, a bar called Beer Station, International Cerveceria. To our surprise, there was a large group of people standing outside the bar, with drinks in hand. We walked up and immediately sparked conversation with some Spaniards. They informed us as the bar's electricity and air had gone out, so they moved the party outside. Perfecto. We met so many new people at one time, conversations were flowing rapidly in both English and Spanish. Again, I got the question, "Are you Dominican? Cuban? Well, you can't just be American." I laugh as always,and explain to them that my dad is from the islands, but I am just simply good at Spanish.
When some of the guys find out that I am from Chicago/Atlanta, they get super excited and start telling me, in English, where they have been in the states and where they want to go. My new friend, Israel, is going to Atlanta to do his doctorate at Georgia Tech! What a small world. Another new friend had just returned from Chicago. This whole conversation between my friend and I, and our new Spanish, Brazilian, and German friends carried on for about 2 hours outside of the random bar, drinks in hand. One of the Spanish guys told me he was an astrologer, and proceeded to "read my sign." He told me that he could also see my future. Oooook sir, lol. A spanish girl, Eva, was clearly a little bit wasted; but hilarious and very entertaining. She kept talking and talking about God knows what, and walk with me arm and arm all night. The organizer of the intercambio program, David, came outside and talked to us for a while. He told us how well we spoke spanish, and how we must come to the discoteca afterwards. David was probably about 40, but looked and acted like he was 23; typical Spanish demeanor. I was fooled all night by the madrileños who tried to tell me they were from the States. This was quite funny. And I guess I was Cuban for the night.
My friend and I realized we hadn't ate a real dinner, and as the crowd died down around 1:15am (to go to the club of course, not home), we decided we should find food. I was craving churros y chocolate (a great spanish treat late night/early morning), but our new friends insisted that we could ONLY eat churros y chocolate after 5am. So Fernando tells us about all these cool places that we must try, and he leads the way. Three places were closed, so we ended up and this Cuban bar close by. We ate and conversed some more about things that we must do in Madrid. As we were being kicked out at 2am, Fernando pays for all of us (gotta love Spaniards), and we are led on another random adventure.
We are led to a very random/sketch bar called the "Crazy Cat," which Fernando says is really cool. That trip did not last long. We wonder around the street some more, and Eva tells me I must stay out with her. I am cold, and so is Chulo, who had been in my purse the whole time. So we try to get directions back to our house, because the metro had already closed; but our confused faces promted Fernando to drive us home in his cool red drop top. I'm sure that there will be many more random/fun intercambio nights!
When some of the guys find out that I am from Chicago/Atlanta, they get super excited and start telling me, in English, where they have been in the states and where they want to go. My new friend, Israel, is going to Atlanta to do his doctorate at Georgia Tech! What a small world. Another new friend had just returned from Chicago. This whole conversation between my friend and I, and our new Spanish, Brazilian, and German friends carried on for about 2 hours outside of the random bar, drinks in hand. One of the Spanish guys told me he was an astrologer, and proceeded to "read my sign." He told me that he could also see my future. Oooook sir, lol. A spanish girl, Eva, was clearly a little bit wasted; but hilarious and very entertaining. She kept talking and talking about God knows what, and walk with me arm and arm all night. The organizer of the intercambio program, David, came outside and talked to us for a while. He told us how well we spoke spanish, and how we must come to the discoteca afterwards. David was probably about 40, but looked and acted like he was 23; typical Spanish demeanor. I was fooled all night by the madrileños who tried to tell me they were from the States. This was quite funny. And I guess I was Cuban for the night.
My friend and I realized we hadn't ate a real dinner, and as the crowd died down around 1:15am (to go to the club of course, not home), we decided we should find food. I was craving churros y chocolate (a great spanish treat late night/early morning), but our new friends insisted that we could ONLY eat churros y chocolate after 5am. So Fernando tells us about all these cool places that we must try, and he leads the way. Three places were closed, so we ended up and this Cuban bar close by. We ate and conversed some more about things that we must do in Madrid. As we were being kicked out at 2am, Fernando pays for all of us (gotta love Spaniards), and we are led on another random adventure.
We are led to a very random/sketch bar called the "Crazy Cat," which Fernando says is really cool. That trip did not last long. We wonder around the street some more, and Eva tells me I must stay out with her. I am cold, and so is Chulo, who had been in my purse the whole time. So we try to get directions back to our house, because the metro had already closed; but our confused faces promted Fernando to drive us home in his cool red drop top. I'm sure that there will be many more random/fun intercambio nights!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Nos Vamos ya!
Yesterday was a good day. I woke up extra early to go get my residency card from the police station. I ended up getting an unexpected day off from school. So I went home to get my puppy, Chulo, and decided to explore a bit. I went to Casa del Libro, a big bookstore in the city center. I bought to interesting Spanish books; Como Agua para Chocolate y El Sombra y el Amor (or something like that). I am only reading spanish novels this year. I hopped on the metro and went to the Retiro exit, where the famous Parque del Retiro is located. The park is huge and beautifully tranquil. I walked around for a couple of hours with Chulo in my arms (as he cannot yet walk around outside); people seem to think he is a cat lol.
As I walked around I heard various hissing and whistling, "Ay morenita!" I have become accustomed to hearing this phrase, and actually find it quite comical. All these men here are positive that I am Dominican, even the Dominican ones. I haven't quite mastered how to turn someone down in Spanish, but something tells me I will have to learn that artform quickly. To no surprise, I got lost trying to find my way back to the metro to head home from the park; I think getting lost is good here. I took at serious ciesta before I met a friend for running practice at 7:30. This running club is truly like a God-send. The people are great and diverse; and I am able to counteract my alcohol intake with the tough workouts. I am nowhere near where I want to be in terms of fitness, but I plan to run at least one marathon this year. After a tough workout, Jose Manuel suggests that next time we run near a bar, so that we can grab a drink in between laps. In Spanish this was hilarious! My friend and I had made plans to meet up with some other Fulbrighters at the usual Wednesday night spot, 100 Montaditos. However, Jose Miguel (*sidenote: everyone here is names Jose (something)) invites us to go get drinks as a team. We inform his that we have no money on us, but true to Spanish form he says, "No pasa nada, vamos ya!" When a Spaniard says let's go for a drink, it's not really an option, but rather an informative statement. So off we go to some random cool bar, pretty far from where we were running. We sit and talk with our new Spanish friends for a while; about life, travel, gf/bf, Spain....todo. When talking/drinking with Spaniards, it is important to remember that you will lose track of time and be consumed in the hilarious conversation and the large drink in front of you; as we were.
We somehow found our way back home eventually, and quickly showered to meet up with the rest of our group....2 hours late. We drank and ate and talked some more....until I realized that I had to wake up at 6 this morning, and still had two activities to plan before bed. :-/ #fail Oh well, tis' life, and a good one it is!
As I walked around I heard various hissing and whistling, "Ay morenita!" I have become accustomed to hearing this phrase, and actually find it quite comical. All these men here are positive that I am Dominican, even the Dominican ones. I haven't quite mastered how to turn someone down in Spanish, but something tells me I will have to learn that artform quickly. To no surprise, I got lost trying to find my way back to the metro to head home from the park; I think getting lost is good here. I took at serious ciesta before I met a friend for running practice at 7:30. This running club is truly like a God-send. The people are great and diverse; and I am able to counteract my alcohol intake with the tough workouts. I am nowhere near where I want to be in terms of fitness, but I plan to run at least one marathon this year. After a tough workout, Jose Manuel suggests that next time we run near a bar, so that we can grab a drink in between laps. In Spanish this was hilarious! My friend and I had made plans to meet up with some other Fulbrighters at the usual Wednesday night spot, 100 Montaditos. However, Jose Miguel (*sidenote: everyone here is names Jose (something)) invites us to go get drinks as a team. We inform his that we have no money on us, but true to Spanish form he says, "No pasa nada, vamos ya!" When a Spaniard says let's go for a drink, it's not really an option, but rather an informative statement. So off we go to some random cool bar, pretty far from where we were running. We sit and talk with our new Spanish friends for a while; about life, travel, gf/bf, Spain....todo. When talking/drinking with Spaniards, it is important to remember that you will lose track of time and be consumed in the hilarious conversation and the large drink in front of you; as we were.
We somehow found our way back home eventually, and quickly showered to meet up with the rest of our group....2 hours late. We drank and ate and talked some more....until I realized that I had to wake up at 6 this morning, and still had two activities to plan before bed. :-/ #fail Oh well, tis' life, and a good one it is!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Twisted System
I love my kids!! I have 33 students in my class. I am teaching History and Geography, which I love; Natural Science, which is turning out to be fun; a section of English, where I teach lower level students....and Visual Arts and Technology, which I don't know how the hell I got into! I volunteered to teach technology because I was under the impression that it was about computers programs and PowerPoint, Word, etc. However, to my surprise this class of Technology is about electricity and tools, and gadgets; basically the equivalent of Shop. Ay Dios Mio! I have no clue, how to go about this one! Visual Arts is also a doozy for me. It is like advanced arts and crafts, with a little bit of Geometry; two subjects I was absolutely horrid at! One of my students asked me what an angle bisector was. I replied, "I do not know at this time. Please ask me again tomorrow." In History/Geography today, I asked the kids if they knew what the word democracy means. One girl raised her hand and answered, "I know that it is a very bad thing, and so is the United States." Omg! This shall be quite interesting.
It is so good to see the kids so eager to learn. They are very well behaved, yet full of energy. As for the teachers, they are all great too! I feel like a part of the faculty already. As I stated before, they just do things very differently. This is the first year that the school has a bilingual program. All of the classes that I teach, which were previously taught in spanish, are now taught in English. I can only imagine what these professors feel, having to completely change their curriculum. The teachers in the bilingual program are all pretty good at speaking English, but when it comes to curriculum they haven't a clue; and most of them will simply say that. That's where I come in! I ask the teachers what material they want to cover, I add my own touch to it, and roll with it! It is quite comical how most of the teachers run to me in the morning in a frenzy because they have absolutely no idea what to do in class. I have found great joy in coming up with random fun ideas to incorporate the curriculum. I must brag and say, I'm a damn good teacher!
Through conversations with many teachers about the differences between the American and Spanish education systems, I have come to some conclusions. We need to get on our game in terms of challenging our kids to learn languages!!! I think it is so ridiculous that there is not some type of language requirement in EVERY elementary and high school. It is a fact that children learn languages more easily at a younger age; so it makes no sense to begin mandating foreign language in high school. In every single country I have been to, many students have been fluent in at least two languages. It baffles me why the U.S. still believes that knowing English trumps all; quite the contrary these days. In Spain, school is only obligatory until the age of 16. I teach "secondaria," which is high school here, but includes 6th grade to Sophomore year of high school (in U.S. terms). What we consider Junior and Senior year of high school, is like college-prep/junior college to them. College is pretty much free!!! Families will pay a max of $1000 for 4 years; compared to our $30,000/year average. Some private ELEMENTARY schools in the states will charge up to $5000 a semester.....and those kids do NOT come out speaking more than one language. This is absurd! Are we really that much MORE educated than them because we pay for it?? I think not! Ok, enought said. I am teaching my child spanish from the womb!.....French and Arabic soon to follow. ;-)
It is so good to see the kids so eager to learn. They are very well behaved, yet full of energy. As for the teachers, they are all great too! I feel like a part of the faculty already. As I stated before, they just do things very differently. This is the first year that the school has a bilingual program. All of the classes that I teach, which were previously taught in spanish, are now taught in English. I can only imagine what these professors feel, having to completely change their curriculum. The teachers in the bilingual program are all pretty good at speaking English, but when it comes to curriculum they haven't a clue; and most of them will simply say that. That's where I come in! I ask the teachers what material they want to cover, I add my own touch to it, and roll with it! It is quite comical how most of the teachers run to me in the morning in a frenzy because they have absolutely no idea what to do in class. I have found great joy in coming up with random fun ideas to incorporate the curriculum. I must brag and say, I'm a damn good teacher!
Through conversations with many teachers about the differences between the American and Spanish education systems, I have come to some conclusions. We need to get on our game in terms of challenging our kids to learn languages!!! I think it is so ridiculous that there is not some type of language requirement in EVERY elementary and high school. It is a fact that children learn languages more easily at a younger age; so it makes no sense to begin mandating foreign language in high school. In every single country I have been to, many students have been fluent in at least two languages. It baffles me why the U.S. still believes that knowing English trumps all; quite the contrary these days. In Spain, school is only obligatory until the age of 16. I teach "secondaria," which is high school here, but includes 6th grade to Sophomore year of high school (in U.S. terms). What we consider Junior and Senior year of high school, is like college-prep/junior college to them. College is pretty much free!!! Families will pay a max of $1000 for 4 years; compared to our $30,000/year average. Some private ELEMENTARY schools in the states will charge up to $5000 a semester.....and those kids do NOT come out speaking more than one language. This is absurd! Are we really that much MORE educated than them because we pay for it?? I think not! Ok, enought said. I am teaching my child spanish from the womb!.....French and Arabic soon to follow. ;-)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Lost in Translation....and don't want to be found
I find myself randomly/gradually exploring Madrid, and discovering its many different faces. Listening to the city talk has been a great learning experience. Not only do I hear Spanish, but many other languages of the world. I notice different color faces as we brush shoulders in the street and give warm saludos. Madrid is "colorful."
I had my 3rd meeting with the teachers at the school, and I am ready to meet my kids! I sat in the teacher's lounge and conversed with the other teacher's, eager to practice their english with me. Everything seemed so chaotic, yet perfect at the same time. It felt good to be so welcomed and appreciated at the school. Monday will be the true test. Full schedule; visual arts, technology, english, social studies, and science! Pray for me!
I have been looking in the newspaper for random, fun things to do around Madrid, and I stumbled across something I was trying to cross off my bucket list; running club! In Spain, the only sport that is truly popular/taken seriously is of course, soccer. The ad stated that the running team was full of diversity, fun, and best of all, free! I was all in! Though I knew our practice site was somewhere nearby, I took the metro just to be sure. I got off at Plaza de Espana and wandered around for about 20 minutes until I cam across a steep staircase and a hill. I climbed about a thousand stairs before I saw the beautiful, open park and temple in front of me. The sight overlooked the whole city! Gorgeous. I wandered around some more, lookinjg for the neon colored running club shirts. Jose Miguel was the first person I met, and we immediately took off running and talking. After hearing me speak, he makes a confused face, and asks me if I am really from the U.S. lol. I get that a lot here. There are people on the team from Spain, London, Scottland, India, and Uruguay. Many teachers, many interesting careers. I love it! And our head trainer is a 75 year old Spanish man, who can probably outrun us all.
Another item on my Madrid bucket list was to buy a puppy in Spain. I was sooo eager to do it, because I had been wanting one for a long time; a mini yorkie. I wasted no time. I looked online for puppies on sale for a couple of days, then I went to go see the same dog three times. I wanted him sooo bad, but some issues with my french roommate made me very indecisive. I won't go into detail on that, because that is a whole different entry; roommates. Anyway, I made a rash decision to say the least. I bought the dog and was very content with the decision. When I told people about my puppy they either said one of two things; "that's great, he's so cute and small"; or "why did you buy a dog in Spain, how are you going to travel?" After having Chulo for only three days, I feel a mix of both sentiments. I feel like a new mother who was not ready for a child. He is the most well behaved, calm dog I have ever met; and so adorable. I can put him in my purse and take him almost everywhere with me; even to the movies. However, I feel like I let my impulsive behavior get the best of me. Since I still have this "issue" with my roommate as well, I don't know how long I will keep him. We shall see.....
I had my 3rd meeting with the teachers at the school, and I am ready to meet my kids! I sat in the teacher's lounge and conversed with the other teacher's, eager to practice their english with me. Everything seemed so chaotic, yet perfect at the same time. It felt good to be so welcomed and appreciated at the school. Monday will be the true test. Full schedule; visual arts, technology, english, social studies, and science! Pray for me!
I have been looking in the newspaper for random, fun things to do around Madrid, and I stumbled across something I was trying to cross off my bucket list; running club! In Spain, the only sport that is truly popular/taken seriously is of course, soccer. The ad stated that the running team was full of diversity, fun, and best of all, free! I was all in! Though I knew our practice site was somewhere nearby, I took the metro just to be sure. I got off at Plaza de Espana and wandered around for about 20 minutes until I cam across a steep staircase and a hill. I climbed about a thousand stairs before I saw the beautiful, open park and temple in front of me. The sight overlooked the whole city! Gorgeous. I wandered around some more, lookinjg for the neon colored running club shirts. Jose Miguel was the first person I met, and we immediately took off running and talking. After hearing me speak, he makes a confused face, and asks me if I am really from the U.S. lol. I get that a lot here. There are people on the team from Spain, London, Scottland, India, and Uruguay. Many teachers, many interesting careers. I love it! And our head trainer is a 75 year old Spanish man, who can probably outrun us all.
Another item on my Madrid bucket list was to buy a puppy in Spain. I was sooo eager to do it, because I had been wanting one for a long time; a mini yorkie. I wasted no time. I looked online for puppies on sale for a couple of days, then I went to go see the same dog three times. I wanted him sooo bad, but some issues with my french roommate made me very indecisive. I won't go into detail on that, because that is a whole different entry; roommates. Anyway, I made a rash decision to say the least. I bought the dog and was very content with the decision. When I told people about my puppy they either said one of two things; "that's great, he's so cute and small"; or "why did you buy a dog in Spain, how are you going to travel?" After having Chulo for only three days, I feel a mix of both sentiments. I feel like a new mother who was not ready for a child. He is the most well behaved, calm dog I have ever met; and so adorable. I can put him in my purse and take him almost everywhere with me; even to the movies. However, I feel like I let my impulsive behavior get the best of me. Since I still have this "issue" with my roommate as well, I don't know how long I will keep him. We shall see.....
Sunday, September 12, 2010
La Vida Buena.....Espanola?
Today marks the end of my first week in Madrid. What an experience! Having already spent a year in Spain, I am very familiar with the "locura" that is Espana. However, this past week has made me think about my life in the States, and mi vida en Espana, and how they are at times literally worlds apart.
As soon as I touched down in Spain, I felt as though I was picking up where I left off. I talked with my taxi driver as if he were one of the homies, until I arrived at the residence hall we were staying in for orientation. All of us, about 60 total, were arriving at different times; conversing and trying to figure out how the hell we were going to find a piso (apartment) in only 5 days. I immediately noted that this was not a "study abroad" kind of experience. Unlike study abroad, most of the people in my program speak spanish pretty well, are well traveled, and have a true desire to learn more about the spanish culture. I was put at ease by this observation, frankly because my study abroad program was saturated with typical rich American white kids who probably learned only two words of spanish, and pissed away their parent's money on Calle Betis...hanging with the rest of the Americans. Most of our time the first week was spent looking for housing on the internet, and running the city to see apartments between sessions. Frustration. Why in the world would we come to Madrid, a huge foreign city, not knowing where we were going to live for the next year?! Well, because that's the Spanish way, "que no pasa nada." I had to keep thinking to myself "tranquila."
In the midst of the housing hustle, I had to endure the shock of orientation. It was not bad at all, just interesting. In a typical Spanish manner, in April we were sent a paquet saying, congratulations.....see you in Spain! This was followed by a few emails which read, don't forget your visa and when do you arrive. Needless to say, spaniards are not very detail oriented. At orientation I found out I was teaching 6th grade; which was a relief because I thought I was teaching high school. I also found out that I would be teaching many subjects, in English, not just English as one subject. We were told that we would have a lot of freedom in implementing new things in the curriculum, and displaying our American culture. Ok, cool. I thought about all the fun ideas I had for my students, and how I want to start an Amnesty International student group there....and how I would bring good ol' America into the classroom!.......(I'll come back to this point)
During the week, I was taking notes in my head about how "laughable" Spanish lifestyle is. I love it! Most of the things that I observed this first week would NEVER occur in the US. Examples: snatching numbers off light posts to look for a roommate/apartment...and then going to see it alone in a completely random neighborhood; waiting 3 hours and the bank to open an account, because the man only uses two fingers to type and has a 1980 printer; going to three different branches of the same bank, only to hear 3 completely different excuses as to why you can't open an account; carrying a huge red hand fan in purse at all times; fanning frequently; staying out until 7am drinking and walking the city (with or without your kids), becasue it is a "cultural tradition"; sitting at a restaurant talking 3 hours after you finish a meal, and still not be given a check....I could go on, but this is only the first week's occurences.
All of these things, in my opinion, are "laughable." In the States, they would be unacceptable. To me, this aqui, es la vida buena! Enjoy the moments, que no pasa nada!
As soon as I touched down in Spain, I felt as though I was picking up where I left off. I talked with my taxi driver as if he were one of the homies, until I arrived at the residence hall we were staying in for orientation. All of us, about 60 total, were arriving at different times; conversing and trying to figure out how the hell we were going to find a piso (apartment) in only 5 days. I immediately noted that this was not a "study abroad" kind of experience. Unlike study abroad, most of the people in my program speak spanish pretty well, are well traveled, and have a true desire to learn more about the spanish culture. I was put at ease by this observation, frankly because my study abroad program was saturated with typical rich American white kids who probably learned only two words of spanish, and pissed away their parent's money on Calle Betis...hanging with the rest of the Americans. Most of our time the first week was spent looking for housing on the internet, and running the city to see apartments between sessions. Frustration. Why in the world would we come to Madrid, a huge foreign city, not knowing where we were going to live for the next year?! Well, because that's the Spanish way, "que no pasa nada." I had to keep thinking to myself "tranquila."
In the midst of the housing hustle, I had to endure the shock of orientation. It was not bad at all, just interesting. In a typical Spanish manner, in April we were sent a paquet saying, congratulations.....see you in Spain! This was followed by a few emails which read, don't forget your visa and when do you arrive. Needless to say, spaniards are not very detail oriented. At orientation I found out I was teaching 6th grade; which was a relief because I thought I was teaching high school. I also found out that I would be teaching many subjects, in English, not just English as one subject. We were told that we would have a lot of freedom in implementing new things in the curriculum, and displaying our American culture. Ok, cool. I thought about all the fun ideas I had for my students, and how I want to start an Amnesty International student group there....and how I would bring good ol' America into the classroom!.......(I'll come back to this point)
During the week, I was taking notes in my head about how "laughable" Spanish lifestyle is. I love it! Most of the things that I observed this first week would NEVER occur in the US. Examples: snatching numbers off light posts to look for a roommate/apartment...and then going to see it alone in a completely random neighborhood; waiting 3 hours and the bank to open an account, because the man only uses two fingers to type and has a 1980 printer; going to three different branches of the same bank, only to hear 3 completely different excuses as to why you can't open an account; carrying a huge red hand fan in purse at all times; fanning frequently; staying out until 7am drinking and walking the city (with or without your kids), becasue it is a "cultural tradition"; sitting at a restaurant talking 3 hours after you finish a meal, and still not be given a check....I could go on, but this is only the first week's occurences.
All of these things, in my opinion, are "laughable." In the States, they would be unacceptable. To me, this aqui, es la vida buena! Enjoy the moments, que no pasa nada!
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