Home Is Where You Eat, Sleep and Watch Telenovelas

One week down and another fourteen to go! I can hardly believe I have been across the great Atlantic and in the land of bulls and castanets for eight days. I believe I am finally caught up on sleep and I am fueled, ready to go wherever the rest of the semester takes me. Honestly, I do not even know what I am doing this weekend, but I have heard the word “beach” thrown around by several people, so we will see if I will be lucky enough to get some sand in my shoes in a few days.

GRANADA 101
Granada is a beautiful city and is considered the cultural capital of Andalucía, one of the 17 autonomous communities in Spain. It was the last city to be reconquered by “los Reys Católicos” (the Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel) in 1492, the same year Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Granada is famous for La Alhambra, a Muslim palace with impressive gardens, intricate architecture and interesting culture. I saw it once two years ago, but I can hardly wait to see it again this semester with my art history class and also (possibly) with the Centro de Lenguas Modernas (my campus at the Universidad de Granada). Granada is a university city with five different campuses serving nearly 100,000 students from all around the city, country and even the world. Classes at the main campus do not begin until October, so things are still relatively slow and will pick up in the next three weeks. The city has no industry except for the university, so it is home to many banks, bars and shops targeting the college community. In addition, Granada showcases the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the horizon. It seems as though I am in a pretty perfect place to study and also soak up the culture surrounding southern Spain. It is quite different from Barcelona, a fast-paced “European” city. Granada, according to one of my professors, is more of an African city in its style and customs.

AM I STILL IN DELAWARE?
No matter where you go or what you see, I realize that we do live in a small world, just with a lot of time zones. Language, attire and customs are different here, of course, but essentially life goes on the same for folks here as it does in the United States. Over the last few days, I saw this over and over again.

For starters, it rained Wednesday morning in Granada. It NEVER rains, or should I say rarely, and unfortunately not often enough for the people who live here. I felt like I was back in Newark jumping puddles just without my blue-flowered rain boots. Furthermore, the slippery red-brick sidewalks at UD are comparable to the tile and slate sidewalks that make a rainy day a bit of a risk factor. Fortunately for me, Carmen told me to go back to my room and change my shoes from flip-flops to sneakers. I listened to my mom and the result was better traction!

Walking in the area around the Centro de Lenguas Modernas, I have run into quite a bit of construction. Here I thought I was safe from the renovations surrounding the Harrington Beach (or Turf) area and the construction on every other area of the UD campus. Ha! I think scaffolding and dusty pot holes follow me wherever I go, and I have to take a detour to school to avoid hopping the fence put up by the construction workers.

In addition, I think I hear just as much English as I do Spanish. We have not yet transitioned into 100 percent “Spanish” mode, but hopefully we will get there VERY soon. I want to practice so badly, but it is hard when we go to class, speak to the teacher in Spanish and then walk right out the door speaking once again as Americans do. We shall see, but I am eager for this change to occur sooner rather than later.
On Tuesday evening, I was watching the news (before setting down to watch other night-time dramas with Carmen), and I found it quite interesting that parents here were complaining that the backpacks their children carry are overloaded with school books. This is the SAME exact argument I constantly heard (and experienced) in elementary school and high school. Obviously spinal health is a transnational issue (or at least parents have the same concerns and desires for their children’s safety).

I also went to a group prayer meeting on Wednesday evening at the church. We sang, prayed and heard a short message from the pastor. While the world may change around me, there is one thing I know for sure: my God is constant and unchanging. His people everywhere have the same prayers of thanksgiving and suffering, and the same desire to serve Him. How awesome is that!

LESSONS FROM “LA PRIMERA SEMANA”
1. Waterproof watches are remarkable timekeeping devices. After one day in Barcelona, my watch from home died because water crept into the face of the watch after I washed my hands one too many times. I invested in a cheap watch for 8€ which met the same fate in even less time. That was two watches in three days! After I settled in Granada, I went to “El Corte Inglés,” the store that has everything from shampoo and eggs to Tommy Hilfiger clothing and purses. They also carry watches, believe it or not, and I asked the clerk to help me find something cheap or waterproof. She responded that she had something both cheap AND waterproof! Well, I bought a relatively inexpensive SWATCH watch with a one year guarantee. So, I will be coming home with a working watch.

2. Everything hangs on the line to dry. You worry about someone seeing your laundry and taking it out of the washer before you get to it when you do your wash at school, but how about putting it outside in the courtyard for all the neighbors to see? It is really not as bad as it sounds, and I am all for conserving the electricity that the dryer would use. However, it was a bit of a surprise when I pulled open my curtain last night and saw my jeans, shirts and other “undergarments.” Talk about a room with a view!

3. Never say no to more bread. I love bread, I really do, but eating about a half a loaf a day is a bit much for me. Carmen cuts three large slices of bread for me at every meal and it is quite filling. I was full after the lunch she fed me on Monday and didn’t even touch the bread basket. Nope. She insisted, even after I said it was “sufficiente.” Ergo, I take just one slice now at each sitting in order to avoid a forced feeding.

4. Don’t try walking around during siesta. I thought that I would pass the time after lunch on Tuesday by walking around el Parque de Frederico García Lorca. The park is beautiful, with various paths surrounding roses, trees and benches. The problem with siesta time is that it is very hot outside. Really, there is not much to do except read, nap, watch TV or do homework (when there is actually homework to do) between the hours of 13:00 and 17:00. Passing the time on a walk might get better in October when the weather cools down a bit, but for now, I plan to take it easy.

¡QUÉ SERÁ, SERÁ!
The first time I heard this phrase, I was listening to Doris Day sing in Alfred Hitchcock’s mystery thriller “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” But “qué sera, será” is exactly how I feel about this semester—“what will be, will be.” My schedule is pretty open and I can decide from day to day what I intend to do. Some people in my group have found the free time boring and wish they had a roommate. I have truly enjoyed finding things to do to occupy myself. I enjoy talking to Carmen and asking her random questions about politics, music and whether or not it is better to say “papa” or “patata.” I have also taken to watching “la tele” with Carmen to improve my comprehension. I can’t say I have gotten very far yet, but I imaging after seeing and listening to a few more Spanish soap operas, I will have a much better grasp on the different accents and colloquialisms. On Wednesday, I also went to the library at school and took out “Leyendas” by Gustavo Aldolfo Béquer. I read some of his work in my Spanish literature class last semester, so I am looking forward to sitting down with a good book (and a dictionary) and passing the time.

The next four weeks of classes before my fall break, will probably pass by rather quickly. My SPAN 406 (grammar) and SPAN 308 (culture) classes are very basic and I do not think I will have any problems. I will do my work, attend class and try to work at improving my Spanish and seeing all that I can see in the off hours. It all just takes initiative, and I am really trying to take it all in. I plan to look into Flamenco lessons (dancing and possibly guitar for beginners). It may all sound very ambitious, but it is always better to aim high and see where that takes you, right?

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I have enjoyed hearing from some of you, on Skype, G-Mail chat, AIM, Facebook, and of course, comments left on the BLOG. I have free internet access every day between your 4:30 AM and 6:15 AM if you are ever awake! Otherwise, I can plan to go to the cybercafé if you tell me ahead of time when you are free.

Until next time, I remain yours truly,
Diana