THE “BEAUTIFUL SEA” AND A GRANADA IN GRANADA
With a second weekend down and another week of classes almost at an end, I have finally settled into somewhat of a schedule with classes, meals, Internet access and exploration of the city. It is so much easier to stay awake when I keep moving. I once again find the beauty of the15-minute power nap (which I adopted back in high school) even though siesta is two hours long here. Honestly, it is impossible to sleep after such a large lunch and of course, it is the best time of day to learn the crazy Spanish conjugations and conditional phrases I am assigned for homework. Why can’t Spanish teachers in the U.S. and professors here call verb tenses the same thing? Beats me! Still, I am learning despite the fact that Spanish grammar has been making my head spin this week!
I met Carmen’s grandsons last week over lunch. The older grandson (I believe his name is Pablo) was an art history major at the University of Granada who spent the last year studying in Florence. The other grandson is nine and prefers television to eating. Carmen picked up the spoon and put it in his mouth while his eyes were glued to the TV screen. She then threatened to turn off the “Simpsons” since he wouldn’t eat his bowl of a thick, white stew; he finally obeyed and lunch went on as usual. I did enjoy speaking to the older grandson because he spoke more slowly and clearly than Carmen. He probably knew what it was like to be constantly bombarded with a thick and quick accent after having studied abroad himself. When he visited again this Tuesday evening to take Carmen to a birthday party, we chatted for quite a bit while I ate my dinner.
Tonight (Wednesday), I finished working on a project due Thursday in my Spanish culture class. My partner and I are presenting one of the autonomous communities of Spain to the class. I spent a few hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in the library reading about Castilla-La Mancha, the land made famous by Cervantes and his beloved Don Quixote. There is quite a bit more to the region than windmills and the green plains known as “La Mancha.” For example, the region is famous for its cuisine, which is why we decided to buy “queso manchego” for the class to try during our presentation. Fortunately, we will be the first group to present and therefore will not have the project hanging over our heads for the rest of the first session.
Beyond classes, I have had the opportunity to walk around Granada with my friend Heather from sunny California who I met at the church. We spent an afternoon last week climbing hills and spotting incredible views of the city. We plan to take another walk soon; she will bring a canvas and pains while I will be less creative and bring my camera. Either way, we hope to capture the beauty of the landscape and architecture.
On Sunday, I took a crew of UD ladies on a trek to the Alhambra and up another hill to this spot we found last week. I realized as I was leading them that the route was a lot longer than I remembered, probably because Heather and I were chatting so much to pass the time. Nevertheless, when led the group up the cobblestone sidewalks, we came across the courtyard of a museum with a pomegranate tree. The Spanish word for pomegranate is “granada.” That’s right: the city was named after the fruit! We pulled two very small pomegranates from the tree and were finally able to say we ate a granada in Granada.
A BUS, A BEACH AND A BUSY WEEKEND
Last weekend, I did in fact make it to Marbella, a lovely beach city about three hours away from Granada. All fifteen of the UD crew took a bus Friday afternoon and arrived around 21:00 in the evening. We stayed in a pension (I believe it was one step up from a hostel) where we were fortunately able to lock our doors. Everyone went out together for a nice dinner and then returned to their rooms to get ready for an “exciting” evening. The guys led the group to an area by the port where all the night life was supposed to be located. There were plenty of places to go, but the average age of the population, comprised mostly of wealthy British and Australian tourists, was somewhere in the mid-forties to fifties. If that was not awkward enough, everyone’s definition of a “good time” was very different. All I will say is that I prefer to remember my evenings when I awake the next day. The other gals I was with generally felt the same way. I enjoyed my Coca-Cola and a little bit of dancing before I was all tuckered out.
The next morning—to make it easier for the folks who had a really, really “fun” time the night before—six of us girls walked to the bus station to buy the group’s tickets fro the trip home. We stopped in a lovely bread and pastry shop for breakfast and then headed to the beach! I must say, Marbella far surpasses Málaga in cleanliness and beauty. Some of the ladies, however, still managed to “forget” half of their swimwear. Spain appears to us Americans to be a very open country (case in point); however, out stereotypes of Spanish people and what I describe here is the direct result of the oppression under Franco until his death in 1975. Spain has gone from one extreme, where women had to wear dresses up to their necks, to the complete opposite, where one can go to any beach and see a lot more than a female’s neck! Oh, how human beings are creatures of extremes!
We returned safely on Saturday evening and about twelve of us decided to check out Granada’s annual rock concert located at the sports stadium. It was a long walk after such a busy day, but I got my second wind of energy just as we arrived and discovered the bands were between sets (a.k.a. no music was playing) and everyone else in the group was tired and ready to go. We walked (or dragged our heels) part of the way back before we hailed a taxi. I asked the taxi driver to call another driver so that all of us could get home. I tell you, speaking Spanish in Spain really is pretty convenient for negotiating rides! Pardon me for being facetious, but finally others have realized that if we speak to one another in English, the taxi drivers will rip us off (as one driver did in Marbella). Go figure!
The next morning, I went to church a little before 11:00 and didn’t return home until around 16:00. Some ladies made a marvelous lunch for the international students and I had the opportunity to speak with some of the students (in Spanish, of course) and with some of the members of the church. One young woman named April, who I originally thought was a Spaniard, is actually from California. She studied abroad here a few years ago and decided to return to Granada and teach English. I am amazed at how beautiful her Spanish is, and I can only hope to obtain the same level of proficiency. There are still three months yet, so I just need to be patient!
BACK TO THE BEACH AND AN ECOLOGICAL EXPEDITION
On Friday we do not have classes because Jorge is taking us all to the mountainous and coastal regions of Granada for a weekend excursion! From my understanding, we will be hiking and exploring on Friday and going to the beach on Saturday, all part of an ecological adventure. I will have my camera ready and a water bottle in hand for this exciting trip. Pictures will be posted early next week as soon as I am able.
AL FINAL
I just finished dinner (as always, delicious and very filling). The quantities are a bit more reasonable than they were before. I told Carmen on Monday how much I love everything she cooks—I used “me encanta mucho” to express that I do in fact enjoy her cooking—but that the portions are far too much for me. She told me not to worry, to take just what I wanted! Here, I thought I was being rude if I didn’t just eat everything she gave me! I can finally say that I don’t walk away from the table feeling like I want to double over. Still, I am developing what I like to call a “bread belly” from all the delicious bread, potatoes and rice I get at every meal. No wonder people in Spain are so happy and relaxed—they are so well fed!
Yes, the Spanish are so much more relaxed here. I MUST learn to walk more slowly and never again use my cell phone on the street. Basically that just screams “Hey, check me out—I’m American!” Although my one Spanish professor said I could pass for a Spaniard (thank you Cipriani Roman-nose and Stutzman olive-skin), I would prefer that my pace and actions follow suite as well.
I have found over the last few days that it seems people speak more slowly here than they did a week ago. To be honest, I doubt they have actually altered the speed of their tongues, but I believe I am finally getting the hang of what is said on the television, in the streets, and even in this very house! Carmen and I have had some really great conversations about religion, politics and money (all the things you’re not supposed to talk about). It is really quite fun to chatter away. I just need to be sure my ears are always as open as my mouth is.
Well, that is all for now—a whole week in review. If you want to hear more from me more often, drop me an e-mail. That is one means of communication that does not depend on time zones! I miss you all and hope that everyone is safe, happy and well-fed. If not, I could help you out a bit…
Love, the ever verbose Spanish student,
Diana
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