Not exactly...

While in the car today with one of the teachers from the school where I teach, I was asked what the American view of Spain is. Well, that made me think of some pretty funny things I have heard from people in the past. Between studying abroad here and living here, I have received many comments from my friends in the United States about the country THEY THINK I live in. I will not name names, but I will write about the comments because I think they are hilarious.

1.) Spain is a part of Europe. Do not ask me how the tacos and quesadillas are here because unless I go to one of the very few Mexican restaurants they have here, I will not know. We eat foods that are a lot more spicy in the United States than they do here in Spain. You have a better chance of getting authentic Mexican food in the United States than I do here in Spain.

2.) I never see men in sombreros or young girls going to quinceañera parties.

3.) If you ask me about dancing, I can tell you all about Flamenco. I cannot, however, tell you about the Cha Cha, the Rumba or the Tango.

4.) So what city are you living in, Madrid or Barcelona? People, people, PEOPLE! There is a whole region in the south of Spain...it's called Andalucía. And I just so happen to live in the capital, Sevilla. Ever heard of it? It would be like saying where do you live in the United States, New York or LA? But I swear everytime I tell someone I live in Spain, there is always that one person that asks me if I live in one of the two cities mentioned above. Well...not exactly.


Just thought I'd share for those of you reading! Because maybe the image you have in your head of this country and this city is part of one of the above categories...well...not exactly!

The good, the bad and the ugly

I should be planning for class...but some things just came to mind.

I think I've learned more about loss, love, ups, downs, money (or lack there of), people, languages, cultures...life. It hasn't by any means been easy living here. People always say, "You live in Europe! How tough can life actually be?" Exactly. I LIVE in Europe. The vision that everyone has in their heads are the images of vacationing and studying in Europe. LIVING is different.

Nothing surprises me anymore. And as the saying goes Stuff Happens. Stuff happens all of the time.

I am living in Europe during a brutal financial crisis. The unemployment rate in Andalucia has reached about 30%. And it's scary. I walked into school today and I was told there was a possibility I might not receive money for my work in December until sometime in January because the public schools in the area just don't have money from the government to pay us. It has gotten to the point where the American embassy in Madrid has had to intervene. That's not something anyone wants to here. But it's another step...another obstacle.

It is times like this when I ask myself, why did I do this? It's just so absolutely frustrating at times. Why couldn't I just be normal and stay at home and find a job somewhere in Philly, live in the comfort of my own home, speak the language I do not have to struggle to speak, use dollars instead of euros, know where to go when I need something...food, clothes, medicine, etc.

Then it hit me. I'm 22 years old. It's a time to take chances. I look at all of my fellow auxiliares here and see how everyone struggles with their own problems. But we've all managed to get through it. We see how happy and grateful the Spanish people are for our help with their English. We walk by ancient buildings and monuments every day. We experience culture that is different and older than anything in the United States. We are learning a second language and how to live in this country submersed in that language.

Is it okay that the government decides whoops we hired you without having the money to pay you? Absoultely freakin not. But it is how you handle these types of experiences that make you stronger.

From the beginning I said I would report on everything in this blog...the good, the bad and the ugly. This is happening along with the up and coming air strikes right around the time when we are all flying home for Christmas and let me tell you it's frustrating. But it could be worse...a lot worse. And as Christmas draws near and I will be arriving home in 10 days, I look back on the past 4 months and wonder where they went. I also look back on everything that has happened. Part of me is saying jeez I can't believe I have 5 months left...whereas another part of me is saying jeeeezzzzzzz how do I only have 5 months left. It needs to slow down!

But when all is said and done, I would recommend the experience to anyone. It sounds crazy but I learned more here than I have ever learned in a classroom. I went through 4 years of college and thought I was learning about myself and others and how to work and live. And then I had this experience. And to be honest, if I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't change my decision...not for anything in this world. Life is about living. Not playing it safe.

People

La gente, gens, leute, people. No matter how you say it, we are all people. And sometimes, we are more similar than we think. Yes we have different customs. We might like different foods. We might have different beliefs. We might speak different languages. But isn't that what makes the world go 'round? If there is anything I have learned in my time both studying and living abroad, it is that YES people are different but those differences are beautiful! How boring would it be if you constantly spent your life surrounded by people who were the same as you.

As for the language, many people use the phrase "language barrier" as a negative term. I couldn't speak to him because of the "language barrier." Well, I felt uncomfortable approaching that group because my Spanish is not that great. If it wasn't for the "language barrier...." My opinion...how about we all forget about the "language barrier" and look at it in the sense that language should never be a BARRIER to keep you from getting to know someone. We might have limited vocabulary when we speak. We might not be "gramatically correct." But who cares?

About a week ago, I went to an "intercambio" party where people go to learn language. At one point, my roommate Carolyn and I were engaged in a conversation with five other people. It was not until the end of the conversation that Carolyn brought up the fact that it was true we were speaking with five other people in Spanish but only one of them was from Spain. Yes, there was a guy from Spain, a girl from France, a girl from the Czech Republic, a girl from Greece and a girl from the UK. I just thought it was absolutely amazing that I was speaking to so many people in one language but that language (Spanish) was the native language of only one person in the group.

Then we decided to have a party on Tuesday night and who showed up? Spaniards, Germans, Americans even our friend Anna from Latvia. There was German and English and Spanish being thrown around the apartment in various conversations at the same time and I found myself speaking Spanglish. Sounds complicated, right? Nope. It was the most fun I have had at a party in a while. Just to see people around the apartment communicating in so many different languages is something I will never forget and it is times like these that seem so insignificant at the time, but when I look back, I think that this is such an amazing opportunity. There is never a dull moment here.

So I'll end this blog with this:

If you think about anyone who is fluent in a language, they often times use that fluency to start arguements, curse people off, get into fights, put people down, gossip, etc. But when you are learning language, no one ever teaches you how to get into an arguement. You rarely learn the bad words until you seek them out. So maybe it is best if you meet people who do not speak your native language. You speak about intelligent topics and you learn about cultures and customs. You learn to listen and accept people for who they are. And that is what I think is the most amazing thing about language. I feel like I have had better and more wholesome conversations with people here who do not speak my native language than with people who do. But when all is said and done, I think language is more of a pathway to meeting new people and it only becomes a barrier when you let it. I try to keep that in mind when I meet new people and I think everyone should too. And the next time you meet someone who does not speak the same native language, forget about that "barrier" and use it as an opportunity. You would be surprised with what you learn.