Diferencias entre culturas

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about Spain is seeing the cultural differences between here and the United States. In my class, we talk about them often. I wanted to blog about them, but every time I try, I forget them. That said, I started to take notes on a sheet of paper…so here they are.

1.Where the money goes: In the US, I feel like people want a nice house. They spend money on lawn care and interior decorating. Especially in Texas, the bigger the house, the better it is. Here in Spain, the majority of people live in apartments, none of that one bathroom per bedroom business. Rarely do people invite friends into their homes…and who needs to impress family? In fact, I have yet to see a guest who isn’t one of Pilar and Marcos’ children, daughter or son-in-law, or grandchild, and I’ve been living here nearly a month. As most people know, Europeans – along with most people – do a better job of conserving energy and water than do Americans. Showers are short. Lights are turned off unless you’re sitting in the room, etc. So you have to wonder, where does the money go? For one thing, Spaniards work A LOT less than the average American. And it seems – if you can imagine – they shop a lot more. All the Spanish women I’ve walked past on the street are beautiful. They are chic and stylin’. On Recogidas, one of the main streets in Granada, nearly every other store is a zapatoria, as Spanish women LOVE their shoes.
2.Which brings me to observation Numero Dos: one’s appearance. Once you step inside a clothing store and grab an item to try on, you’ll see an immediate difference in sizing. For example, what is a medium in the US is probably a large or even extra-large in Spain. The clothing sizes are teensy-tiny, which my professor says is a hot topic in Spain. Many Spanish women develop eating disorders because they are trying to fit into these unrealistic sizes. As my professor put it well, “The clothes for women are clothes for children.” What woman wants a child’s body? But more importantly, who wants to miss out on the amazing Spanish food?
3.In conjunction with Numero Dos: the appearance of one’s child. In Spain, mothers dress their children up all the time. Again, I have yet to see an ugly child. They all look like dolls, or muñecas. Many mothers will put their children in matching outfits as they parade them through the streets. My mother wouldn’t have made it as a Spanish madre. No offense, Mom, but you had trouble styling are hair as a child. I remember once when my sister broke her arm, my mom attempted to put Stephanie’s hair in a ponytail. Let’s just say, she wore a lot of headbands instead.
4.In recent days, my class has discussed the Spaniard’s view on silence. Unlike the US, it is considered rude to be silent while a friend tells a story. That isn’t to say you should speak over them and interrupt, but it’s important to give brief responses throughout their account (por ejemplo: vale, ¡No me digas!, claro, etc), this lets your friend know that you are paying attention and listening. Many students also noticed how the television is ALWAYS on at home: during lunch, dinner, siesta – siempre! This is because they like background noise and goes back to silence being negative.
5.When it is your birthday here (as it was Pilar’s, my host mother, birthday on Sunday), it is customary to pay if you and your friends go out for dinner, drinks, tapas, whatever. For Pilar’s birthday, the entire family came over. She cooked and prepared everything and then cleaned up once everyone left! I know if it was my mom’s birthday, that would NEVER fly.
6.People rarely say, “Thank you.” It’s understood here. When you pass someone on the street, they don’t move or say, “Excuse me.” They keep on walking. Speaking of walking, everyone strolls through the street. I try not to get frustrated when caught behind a couple moving at a snail’s pace. The Spaniard mentality surely teaches you to slow down. None of that power-walking-through-the-mall in Spain!

I’m positive there are more, but I have forgotten them. For now, I’ll right about some of my favorite things/customs of Spain:
1.The old couples who walk hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm throughout the streets every night.
2.Free tapas, or small dishes, with every drink you purchase.
3.Specific to Granada – the fact that I can be in a city, run next to the river, and overlook the Sierra Nevada Mountains all at the same time.
4.The importance of family. Each day when I come home, I like to see which stroller is downstairs so I know who is visiting. Family is over everyday and often for meals.
5.The “double kiss” on each cheek. Physical touch is very important in Spain whether between friends, family, lovers – everyone.
6.Siesta: relaxing after lunch between 2-5 PM? Yes, please.
7.All the plazas, water fountains and benches! Because people don’t invite friends over to their houses, everyone walks through town! They stroll, people watch, share café while catching up with friends. People are always out and about, unlike Houston, where we depend on our cars and go from our house to the office and back home again.
8.The quality of food and importance of meals. People sit down to eat. They enjoy each others’ company. Unlike the US where we over eat and grab everything “to go,” people in Spain consider meals to be an important time to connect and come together. In fact, my teacher told us a saying of the past, “Those who eat in the streets will not get married.” Although it’s not taken so seriously nowadays, it’s still rare to see people eat anything while walking, with the exception of helado – and even that is enjoyed on a bench!

And some things I could do without:
1.All the smoking.
2.Staying out until 5 AM.
3.Only having a piece of toast or café for breakfast.
4.The sport of bull fighting. Marcos, my host father, enjoys watching it on TV. In my opinion, it’s horrible. I understand it is a large part of the culture; but killing an animal for the sport of it seems extremely cruel to me. Not to mention, they show the “fight” (can you call it a fight when you have already injured your victim before anything has begun and they have no chance of survival?) on TV with the swords stuck in the bull’s back and blood seeping everywhere. It is too graphic and inhumane to watch an animal literally dying before your eyes. Okay, enough of that.
5.I learned today that Spain has a very high domestic violence rate. It is a combination of things, among others the machismo attitude coupled with the fact that women only gained independence in the past forty years.
6.The vanity of one’s appearance.
7.Not refrigerating things.
8.The lack of ice.

All in all, it has proved to be a very eye-opening experience. I’m looking forward to my Spanish improving once I start my intercambios, speaking with a Spaniard who is trying to learn English. You meet over tapas – or wherever you choose – and spend half the time speaking in each language. The students arrive in the beginning of October and I am told the feel of Granada changes as it reverts to being a university town.

Time for bed, entonces…¡Besitos!

Kristin

Don't buy jewelry from gypsies

The Albaícin neighborhood was really neat. We met in the Plaza Nueva and then walked through narrow streets lined with tiny stores. Shopkeepers stand outside and the minute you hold your gaze on something, they swarm you, telling you they have more colors, sizes, styles – whatever they can say to make you pull out your wallet. After touring the area, friends and I went to a plaza with incredible views of the Alhambra. We pulled out our bocadillos, made with love by our señoras, and enjoyed lunch. While in the district, I bought a cool turquoise ring for only five euros. When I wore it the following day, I realized: don’t buy jewelry from gypsies. It turned my finger a slight charcoal color, lovely.

Saturday, some girlfriends and I met for tapas and sangria. We were all pretty tired from staying out late Friday and getting up early for the Albaícin. Poor Mia, an Austrailian classmate of one of my friends, desperately wanted to go to the Spanish rock concert on the outskirts of the city. None of us were up for it. After our second bar, we decided to call it a night around 2 am – embarrassingly early for Spanish standards. When I came home, Pilar and Marcos were still awake, watching tv in their room.

Sunday afternoon, friends and I returned to our beloved Café Fútbol to sample churros con chocolate. We sat down at the table and soon realized just how hot it was, not the kind of weather for warm chocolate. We all agreed ice cream would be a better choice. I’ve been trying to choose different flavors, but I get so attached to anything chocolate. I ordered a scoop of truffle and a second scoop of the house specialty, some sort of creamy vanilla sprinkled with cinnamon.

After Café Fútbol, John, Carly, Danielle and I continued to walk around Granada. I’m glad we did because we discovered where everyone goes running. I’m under the impression that most Spaniards don’t exercise a whole lot due to their diet of cigarettes, café, and tapas. Not only that, but when they do exercise they are still chic. There is a long section next to the river where people run with an “exercise park” on the right. I went running both Monday and Tuesday evening and loved it. If you run far enough, you start to reach the mountains and can feel the air become cooler.

Last night, a few friends and I went out for a drink and then meandered over to Hannigan’s, the Irish bar in town. Hannigan’s is pretty lively throughout the week: Monday is trivia, Tuesday, open mic, Thursday, karaoke. A lot of students from my class happened to be there and one of them was singing when we walked in. Soon after, another one of our friends got on stage. Carly, Danielle, and I didn’t stay too long; I have to save up my energy for Thursday: my class will be taking over Karaoke Night.

Oh! One exciting new find was the pastelería that’s within walking distance from La Universidad de Lenguas Modernas (my school). Classmates and I ran over yesterday during our twenty minute break. My friend, Julie, and I shared a “pan y chocolate,” or chocolate croissant. It was probably one of the best chocolate croissants I have ever tasted. It is a wonder that Spaniards are so fit between all of the drinking, helado, and bread they consume! Another great purchase was the traveler’s backpack I bought in the Corté Ingles, Granada’s largest shopping mall (which is not that large). It’s a good size for weekend trips and – I hope – will force me to pack light. I’ll be testing it out this weekend when we head to the beach!

Now it’s time for my siesta – something America needs to adopt – and then running before dinner. Hope everyone is doing well; I know we are ALL ready for fall!

Besitos!
Kristin

Leisure reading: Rick Steves' Ireland

First off, the source of the illness is my friend, Danielle; we have all been trying each others’ gelato, café, drinks. Today, I went to the Corté Inglés and bought myself some strawberry-flavored cough drops. Hopefully they will help.

I feel as though I have accomplished a lot this week. I bought my plane tickets to Paris for the second week in October and….drum roll….bought tickets to IRELAND last night, for the last week in October. I am so excited to visit! A lot of my friends aren’t big on planning so I feel like there’s a lot of freedom to what we see and do, since I’ll most likely be the one making the decisions. We are flying into Dublin but want to try to get down to Southern Ireland, near Cork. It is supposed to be very picturesque. I have also read in a guidebook that you can rent a bike for about 15 euro per day and travel around the countryside.

Last night, Carly and I went out with our first Spanish friend, Mauricio. Really, he is from Argentina, but has been living in Granada for five years. He is a waiter at a café we frequent. We met him for tapas and it was so great to have a local’s perspective. At the first bar, we had tinto de verano and a tapa con “carne y salsa.” A little while later, we ventured to another place and ordered a pitcher of sangria. They brought us a huge plate of jamón y manchego (my favorite Spanish cheese). If only I knew how to find those restaurants!

The other day, I heard some sad news about the heladerías in Granada. Many of the ice cream stores close during the winter. Apparently, Spaniards don’t eat ice cream when it’s cold outside? Crazy, no? I could eat ice cream every day of the year!

And thanks to all of the ice cream…I went running yesterday with my friend, John. John’s from Texas, as well, and played basketball, football, soccer – pretty much every sport imaginable. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to go running at the Alhambra. There is a huge hill you have to walk up to reach the top. Never again. That hill kicked my butt. After reaching a certain height, we abandoned the Alhambra and what was supposed to be jogging turned into power walking turned into walking. We went down by the river and sat on a bench for a good two hours.

Tonight, I plan to go out for tapas with friends. It can’t be too late of a night because we’re meeting at 11 am to visit the Albaícin, a gypsy neighborhood of Granada, in the morning. Sunday, friends and I are returning to Café Fútbol (where Mauricio works) to try churros con chocolate. It’s basically deep-fried batter than you dip in melted chocolate.

Not this weekend but next, we go to the beach, which I have heard is beautiful. At the end of September, we visit Madrid. In Madrid, there is a discoteca called, “El Capital,” that is seven stories. Each floor is a different theme with its own music. We will be sure to check it out.

It took me a few days to realize you cannot sleep for two hours during siesta or else you won’t sleep at night. It’s hard, but I’m limiting myself to forty-five minutes. For now, I’m going to read up on Ireland. If anyone has visited or has suggestions, please let me know!

Besitos!
Kristin

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. -St. Augustine

ps. Today I asked my madre, Pilar, if she liked to cook. She said she does not, which is unfortunate because she cooks for her entire family cada día! Now that’s love.

pps. Interesting fact about Spain: you don’t say “thank you” here. The other day I thanked Pilar for lunch and she said, “If I wasn’t cooking for you, I’d have nothing to do!” Very different than los Estados Unidos!

Insomnia

Of all the medicine I packed, the one thing I forgot is the one thing I need: medicine for a sore throat! It is roughly 2 am here and I have to get up in 7 hours for class. Since I can’t sleep, I figured I might as well write. Although I love living in the heart of the city, the one downside is the noise. Every night the same dogs – at least, I assume they’re the same ones – bark. They’re still barking right now. It’s pretty hot in my room and I’d like to open the doors to the terrace, but no, the dogs are barking.

Classes are going well. It’s hard to get on a schedule with everything. Right now, I’ve been waking up at 8:45 am, going to class from 10 am-2 pm, coming home for lunch, and taking at least an hour and a half-long siesta. After that, I get coffee with friends and come home for dinner around 9 pm. And I wonder why I can’t sleep? At the café yesterday, our waiter, Mauricio, gave me a free chocolate ice cream. We returned to the same place this evening; there’s nothing quite like free food.

This weekend, friends and I experienced our first discoteca. Friday night, we met in a plaza at 11 pm and then walked to a tapas bar. We went to two bars before heading over to the discoteca around 1 pm – which is early here! We stayed there for quite a while. I learned how to salsa with a Spaniard – highlight of the night. It wasn’t until my friend, Carly, and I went to the bathroom and I looked at my phone that we realized it was 4:30 am. We had to meet at 11 am to visit the Alhambra. Time to go.

Saturday morning, we visited the Alhambra. It is the oldest Moorish castle – I believe – in Spain. I’m too tired to explain the history of it, but if you have time, look it up. It’s the site that Granada is most famous for. Several of my friends asked our señoras to make us “bocadillos,” or sandwiches, and we ate in the gardens of the Alhambra.

After taking long siestas, we somehow rallied for night Numero Dos. One of our guy friends wanted to watch the Texas game, because, of course, Spain would be playing it. He didn’t find the game, but he did find the most non-Spanish bar in Granada, Murphy’s. It’s an Irish pub near our university. This time, we waited until 1:45 am to head back to Granada 10, the only discoteca we know how to get to. It was fine, not as fun as Friday probably because we were all exhausted. It didn’t help that someone accidentally dropped their glass at my feet. Side note: walking back home early in the morning with glass in your foot – not so fun.

Sunday morning, or afternoon, I didn’t wake up until 1 pm. I ate lunch and then took a siesta until my friends called at 5:30 pm. My señora probably thought I was dead. Still adjusting to the time difference, you know.

My house is very lively. There is always some sort of baby when I come home for lunch. Today it was Paola, one of the twins. She’s warming up to me. I stick out as a non-relative, thanks to my pale, obviously non-Spaniard, skin tone. Then, when I came home before dinner, Victor was there. He is about one-year-old and very animated. They sing this song to him, “Soy un elefante. Grande, grande, grande.” I don’t know the rest of the words, yet; but when they sing, he begins to dance and kick his feet.

Tonight, I went out with Pilar and Marcos, my host parents, for tapas. I was still full from dinner, but appreciated the invitation. I asked them for suggestions on cities to visit. I understand at least three-fourths of the things they say, but tonight I didn’t feel like asking for explanations. When I don’t understand I just say, “Ya, ya, vale, que bueno.” (Yes, yes, okay, how good).

The dogs have stopped barking – for now – so maybe I will try to sleep. Tomorrow the goal is to NOT take a siesta and book tickets to Paris. Oh, and take some “medicina” for my throat.

Also, I have not found the time to sit down and try to figure out how to post pictures. If you know how, please explain it to me. And if you don’t, then esperate.

Buenas noches.

Becoming "Type B"

What a whirlwind this has been so far! London was great, but very quick. I quickly made some new friends, which is always a good thing when you’re in a foreign country and know no one. There are several Texans in the program – seven out of thirty-seven. Of my friends, Carly and Erin go to University of Texas and there is another girl Katy, who is originally from Boston and goes to Colgate in New York. Everyone in the program is very nice and friendly.

Our second day in London, Monday (I think), we took a bus tour through the city. We saw Buckingham Palace, several memorials, different neighborhoods, the London Bridge, the Millenium Bridge (which was filmed in Harry Potter), Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. We were all thankful to have a tour guide. One interesting fact about London is that the taxi drivers must take “taxi driving classes” for two years before they can become a professional driver. Interesting, no?

We woke up at 3 am early Tuesday morning to hop a flight to Malaga. It has a bigger airport than Granada’s and is about an hour and a half bus ride away. I wasn’t feeling too great on the bus ride considering we hadn’t had much of a breakfast, or lunch (it was about 2 pm), and there were lots of hills and curves.

The buses pulled up to a central part of Granada and we all peeked out the window at the adorable señoras who were waiting for us. ALL Spanish women are fashionable and age gracefully. Most of the señoras are friends; they looked like a group of middle school girls, so excited.

My señora, Pilar, picked me up and then we walked to her husband and the car. The one request I had on the housing form was to live near the heart of the city, and I do. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m the most central person out of all of us. It’s only a seven minute walk to school when some friends have close to thirty minutes!

My family is wonderful. Pilar and her husband, Marcos, have five children, all grown-up. In total, there are six grandchildren and a baby on the way! Her daughter and son-in-law live in the apartment above us with their two sons, Ismael (age 9) and Pablo (age 5). When we arrived at the apartment, Ismael began talking with me, but Pablo was much more shy and reserved. Finally, he became jealous enough of his brother and poked his head out. They are both precious. It is SO NICE to have kids around! Especially because I never had younger siblings, let alone a brother. In the apartment, it is just Pilar and Marcos. I have my own room – with a terrace – and my own bathroom. There is even air conditioning (which they don’t use much, if at all). Although it’s just the three of us, family is over all the time, especially at meals.


That evening, Ismael went with me to six different stores to find an adaptor for my computer – the one thing I managed to forget. Finally, we found a store who told us to come back the next day. That night, we had a walk through town with the directors of my program, Paula and Inma (they are SO helpful! Almost a mix between a mother and fun older sister).

Granada is more beautiful than I remembered. The city is so alive with people. When I returned from our walk, I ate dinner with the two boys. We then went for drinks and tapas with my señora, señor, the boys, and their mother.

Yesterday, we took our placement exam. Thankfully, I placed in high intermediate, which is the level I need. During the month of September, we have classes Monday through Friday. Some people have classes 9-1, others 4-8 in the evening. I have class 10-2, which will be perfect. I get to sleep a little later, come home for lunch, and then take a siesta until about 5:30. What a hard life.

This morning, I had my first class and I love it. It is so fun to speak in Spanish – I already feel myself improving! I have two professors who are very fun, young, and energetic. There are two guys from my program and then the other twelve students are from different programs, all from the United States. After class, I came home for lunch. One of the grandchildren, Lucia, was there. She is five months old and looks just like a muñeca, or babydoll.

After siesta, I am supposed to meet up with some girlfriends in order to buy a phone. Currently, we have no communication with one another so it’s difficult. Hopefully that problem will be solved shortly! Oh, my friends and I also talked about where we would like to visit during the semester. So far, we’re thinking Paris, Prague (Katy’s boyfriend is studying there, how convenient), Portugal and Ireland. Big trips but we can make it happen.

I’d love to hear from everyone. Shoot me an email: wilkc@rhodes.edu.

¡Besitos!
Kristin

PS. Katy, Carly and I keep joking about how “type A” we are; however, after four months here, that may change…hence the title.

It's time...

Today was pretty relaxing. I went to lunch at my favorite place in Houston, Café Brasil, with my mother. They have the most divine salad – the House Salad. I order it every single time. Then I went to get a pedicure and picked out this lovely red-purple-I’m-an-aspiring-world-traveler color for my toes. For dinner, Mom cooked one of my favorites, stirfry. Afterwards, Stephanie (my sister) and I went to pick out a movie. We grabbed two: the Informant and Me and Orson Welles. Thankfully, my friend, Beth, called while we were still at the beginning of the Informant. She informed me that it was one of the worst movies she has ever seen (no offense to anyone who likes it). We switched to the second movie.

…which didn’t matter considering. Dad went to bed twenty minutes into it and my mother and sister soon after that. I am now sitting in the dark, watching the movie by myself, with a little bit of packing left – just a little! I must admit, I do feel a little proud over my packing skills. I have one large bag and a second that I’m taking as a carry on. It’s not easy to pack for four months and drastic degrees of weather.

My flight is sometime in the afternoon tomorrow. There are two other people flying out of Houston. I imagine I’ll meet them at the airport. We actually don’t go straight to Spain but visit London for two days, as a sort of orientation. As silly as this is, I have been looking forward to studying abroad ever since I visited Stephanie while she was abroad – nearly three years ago; and it is finally here.

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

Five days and counting...

I just got back from New York and have roughly a week until I leave for Spain. How do I pack for four months with different seasons? I began “sorting” through winter clothes, setting anything aside that I might want to bring. I have also prepared my massive list for Target – I’m going to be broke before I even get over there!

When I arrived home, there was a large packet from my program waiting for me. Inside, it has my tickets and medical card, itinerary, and list of all the participants. In total, there are thirty-seven of us, the majority girls, big surprise. I feel like it’s freshman year all over again. Not knowing anyone, being excited and nervous all at the same time. Only now it’s amplified: I’m heading to a foreign country where I know no one.

They don’t tell you about your living situation until you arrive. All I know is that I will be living with a family. When I filled out the rooming survey, I said “no preference” regarding a roommate. They said most people do have roommates, so I figured it wouldn’t matter. I guess I’ll get pack to my lists!

P.S. For those of you from Rice reading this, you’ll be happy to know while I was in New York, I had a dream that I couldn’t decide what to bake for Friday. I was panicking because I wanted to bake cupcakes, but had already made those a couple times and felt I needed to try something new. Ridiculous, I know!