Transcontinental Hobbies. Who Would've Guessed It?

LA CASA DE GARCÍA LORCA
On Friday morning, Jorge took us to the summer home of Frederico García Lorca, a famous twentieth century author, poet and playwright who lived and worked in Granada. His house is a three-minute walk from my apartment, in the same park I mentioned numerous times before. The tour of the house, while lovely, lasted all of thirty minutes, and afterwards, Jorge took us to a little yellow trolley-car cafeteria for some coffee and tea. He spent some time explaining the life and death of this somewhat peculiar artist, including his family connections, political views and lifestyle that contributed to his assignation during the Civil War in Spain in the 1930s. His works are written in sophisticated Castillian Spanish, with vocabulary I have to work at in order to understand. Someday, I will delve more into his plays and poems; but for now I am content reading my favorite novels in their Spanish translations.

LA LIBRERÍA, MI PEOR ENEMIGO
Some folks struggle with the need to buy something when they walk into a shoe store. Others are tempted by deserts or candy in the shops along the main roads. I, on the other hand, am fighting a battle against the bookstores tucked along the side streets of Granada. On Friday, after our “excursion” of sorts and lesson about García Lorca, I decided to stroll through the city a bit. The weather was splendid and the streets were not too crowded. After window shopping (and even a bit of scarf shopping), I began my journey home for lunch. Along the way I spotted a shop for used books, and, being a weakling, I entered. I don’t know how much time I spent looking at the different titles, but I was like a kid in a candy store! I didn’t have long to explore everything, lest I miss lunch with Carmen, but I walked out of the bookstore with A Christmas Carol and The Wizard of Oz in Spanish for a grand total of 6€!

I returned on Monday after class and after looking at various titles for over a half an hour, I purchased The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and another collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde, A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain, and from another bookstore I bought The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I am now on the lookout for Anne of Green Gables, which one shop owner told me was “caput,” all gone. Anyway, I am excited to have started my own book collection for a “Spanish library” of sorts. I will be quite entertained throughout Winter Session, I expect, with this mountain of books to read. The only downside: I have to ship them all to the States or I will surely abuse the weight limit in the airport on my trip home!

A WALK TO THE MARKET AND A COOKING LESSON
On Saturday morning, with a solid 4 hours of sleep I went once again to the flea market! I was out dancing with some folks on Friday night and learned a very little bit of break dancing from my Dutch friend and her two Spanish dance partners. The next day, despite my fatigue, I remembered how to take ALL the back streets to the market! I led two friends safely to the endless rows of stands and tables. I found some great deals, including a corduroy skirt and blazer each for 4€ and eight small balls of yarn (oh the possibilities!) for 4€.

On the walk home, the three of us (I regret to say), were speaking in English and a vibrant older women in her mid-sixties or early seventies approached us and asked us where we were from. She told us she had lived in New York many years ago and proceeded to strike up a conversation with us in Spanish as we continued along the sidewalk. When one of my friends admitted to the woman that she had never tried paella, the lady was astonished! She asked if we could spare five minutes while she explained the recipe, right there in the middle of the street. A half hour later, I had learned how to make the perfect pot of paella and also a Spanish tortilla. She was a talker, but she had a heart of gold. After our impromptu cooking lesson, I was quite hungry and scurried home to eat lunch with Carmen. What a morning!

A LITTLE BIT OF “FAMILIA” TIME
When I emerged from my room on Sunday morning, Carmen was in the kitchen making churros since her daughter and grandson were coming over for breakfast. I eagerly watched as she mixed the batter and hoped to learn how to make a third Spanish dish in one weekend. Essentially, churros are like funnel cake, of which I am not an enormous fan. Nevertheless, the fact that they are a Spanish treat made it alright. The four of chatted about a little bit of everything, from where I can buy my beloved Moroccan tea to the tremendous cold that is expected to hit Granada in the next week or two.

Before I tell you what happened next, I must backtrack a few days. One day last week while we were sitting in her living room reading, I asked Carmen if she was enjoying her book. She, unfortunately, was not and asked me how I liked Pride and Prejudice. Well, of course I could only sing its praises! She said she would like to read it when I was done and I readily agreed. By Friday, she asked once again how far along I was, and much to her dismay, I was nowhere near finished. I decided it would be better for me to just let her read the book now rather than wait for me to make it through a 500-page book in Spanish. On Sunday morning, I placed the book on the table just before her daughter and grandson came over for breakfast.

Carmen’s daughter spotted the book on the table and exclaimed that she owned the movie. She then asked if I would be interested in borrowing it. Although I am not the greatest fan of the new version (with Keira Knightly), I was not about to pass up an opportunity to se a film in Spanish. I excitedly said “yes,” before saying my goodbyes and scurrying off to church.

That evening, after returning from a lovely afternoon eating and chatting with my friends from the church, Carmen was still out getting coffee with a friend. I decided to pass the time before dinner watching the old black and white version of the movie “Sabrina” with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. What a splendid way to spend an evening! Carmen returned with enough time for us to see the romantic conclusion, although she proclaimed she liked the newer version with Harrison Ford better. Anyway, Carmen had a little surprise in hand—the version of “Pride and Prejudice” from her daughter!

Carmen said I could watch it whenever I wanted, but after I ate my dinner, she wanted to know if we could watch it together that evening. Because Carmen does not a DVD player, I ran to my room, grabbed my computer and set it up on her living room table, right in front of her chair and the couch. We huddled in front of the screen and listened intently since the volume was not very loud. Nevertheless, the two of us spent our Sunday evening together watching “Pride and Prejudice,” with our feet under the coffee table where a portable heater kept our toes nice and toasty. She enjoyed it and laughed several times. On Monday morning, she began reading the book; when I peered over her shoulder that evening, she was already on page 46. Oh, to think I introduced yet another soul to the delightfully witty world of Jane Austen!

CAN YOU CROCHET IN SPANISH?
The aforementioned yarn I bought at the market was purchased with the intention of keeping my hands busy while watching television with Carmen. On Monday after class, I bought my crochet hook and I set to work that same afternoon. As I was crocheting watching two episodes of JAG, the news and the show “Mira Quién Baile” (the Spanish Dancing With the Stars), I had a thought: I constantly read and write in Spanish, speak in Spanish, listen in Spanish, eat in Spanish (it is possible when you live with Carmen) and practically dream in Spanish; but in what language does a person crochet? Do our hands have a language and if so, was I working in English or Spanish? I finally concluded, after much consideration, that I was crocheting in Spanglish. To count rows and such, I was able to “think” in my Spanish numbers. However, my vocabulary lacks some of the words necessary to complete say as “loop,” “hook” and “row.” My goal by the end of the trip: to be able to both knit and crochet in Spanish!

THE WEEK AHEAD
On Wednesday night, I plan to get together a group of girls to see “High School Musical 3” at the movie theatre. Not only are the tickets half price on Wednesdays, but how many people get to say they saw the last installment of the cheesy musical Disney trilogy in Spanish (minus people who already speak the language and don’t find it as exciting as I do)?! Besides, I believe it would be unnatural for me not to spearhead an excursion like this. I have a reputation to uphold!

On Friday night, I will be heading off to a youth retreat with the church somewhere in Málaga. From my understanding, about 70 people are expected to attend and it should be a very exciting weekend. So, while I missed a wonderful IV Fall Retreat, God still provides! I plan to bundle up, learn a lot, and take plenty of photos.

A little FYI: the clocks here in Spain “fell back” this past Sunday. Therefore, for the next week, there is only a FIVE-HOUR DIFFERENCE between everyone in the States and Granada. Take advantage of that, if you will!

Your shamelessly “old-lady-like” student abroad,
Diane

The United Kingdom, via Planes, Trains, Taxis, Subways, Buses and Walking Shoes

Last week, from the 10th of October until the 18th, I was on the road, exploring the land where English is spoken aplenty—the United Kingdom. Throughout my travels, I am convinced I utilized every means of transportation imaginable: airplanes from Granada to London, Edinburgh to Dublin, and Dublin to Málaga; trains between the cities and towns in England and Scotland; taxis to and from our hotels and the airport; buses through the streets of London and Oxford; and my God-given mode of transportation—my feet—for roads, hills, mountains, museums, and everything else in between. Needless to say, Rebecca and I were on the move constantly and had nary a moment to sit and relax except for meals. Of course we were unable to see everything, but we managed to take in quite a bit during our short time up north. Indeed, we were immensely satisfied with what we did see.

ENGLAND
Kings, palaces, red coats, poets, monuments, double-decker city buses, cathedrals, countryside, gardens, universities: the diversity of England is really quite extraordinary. On Friday night, we flew out of Granada to London-Stansted airport, where we waited in the customs line for a good 45 minutes. After the 300 EU arrivals had made it through their line, the customs officials decided to help us foreigners and allow us into the country. Fortunately, we were able to make the last train of the night into the city of London. On Saturday morning, with a solid four hours of sleep, we work up, ate our breakfast and went out to see all that we could see. We walked to Buckingham Palace, around St. James’ Park, back to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards (for which we waited nearly an hour and a half), took some pictures in a big red telephone booth, toured Westminster Abbey, and spotted Big Ben and Parliament, all before lunch time. After a long-awaited afternoon meal, we decided to head to the British History Museum and afterwards, we went to the theatre to see the musical “Zorro.”

The next day, we were planning to go to Stonehenge, but realized we would be rushing around too much. Instead, on Sunday morning, we took a bus to the “home” of the two famous bachelors of Baker Street—Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. After a tour of the nineteenth-century flat and museum, complete with artifacts and wax depictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters, we headed to Paddington Station where we would take the next rain to Exeter, where I would reunite with my friend Amy who attends university there.

Rebecca and I waited for the train for over a half an hour; that was still better than the several hours others had waited that day. Apparently, there was a “fatality” on the tracks and the train had been stopped all day. Thus, the train that finally arrived to take us to Exeter was filled four times over, and not everyone had a seat. Somehow, Rebecca and I managed to get a seat in FIRST CLASS without having to pay extra because we found a seat before everyone boarded, and the conductor declared that no seats would be assigned that afternoon. Talk about traveling in style! We arrived in Exeter and were greeted by Amy, who spent the evening showing us around the center of town and making sure we were well fed. Furthermore, she helped us with our travel plans for the following day—a layover in Oxford before heading to Edinburgh.

On Monday morning, Amy showed us around the beautiful campus of Exeter University and saw us off on our journey. I hated saying goodbye, but hopefully it will just be “until the next time” I make my way to England. After we arrived in Oxford, with the desire to see the prestigious college town, we spent a good deal of time walking around with our very heavy backpacks. I must say, we were a little hungry and irritable, but as soon as we found the Thornton’s Chocolate Shop, which according to Amy makes some of the best chocolate in England, we felt much better. The city of Oxford was beautiful, with its stone buildings and deeply-rooted academic traditions; however, Rebecca and I both agreed that the country-style charm of Exeter was more to our liking. With aching backs and feet, the two of us headed back to the train station and made our way to Edinburgh.

SCOTLAND
All it took was a few words from the train conductor in a thick Scottish accent and I was hooked! We arrived in Edinburgh around 10:30 on Monday evening after quite a busy day of walking and hopping on and off of trains. As soon as I set my eyes on the stone castle and other building in the center of town, I was enamored by the city on a hill. Early the next morning, we set out on our adventure, which we supposed after the fact was the longest day of our trip. Without exaggeration, we walked every part of the Edinburgh except for the west side of the city. First, we hiked up and around a very large hill known as Arthur’s Seat. We proceeded to visit the sites of Hollyrood Castle and the Parliament building, ruins on yet another hill, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the shopping district on Prince Street and to other streets and roads I cannot even recall. The weather was frigid in Edinburgh, much cooler than England and we treated ourselves to Scottish Tartan scarves to keep the chill away.

The following day, we took a trip to the post office to ship some “souvenirs” and other purchases home (they would have put our backpacks over the 10 kg limit in the airport), and we visited Edinburgh Castle. We walked along the Royal Mile and then some to the Edinburgh Playhouse, where we purchased tickets to see “Mary Poppins!” Alack and alas, every adventure must come to and end, and after the show, we returned to our guest house, picked up our luggage and headed to the airport. We were off to Dublin!

IRELAND
Our flight to Dublin was delayed, but I passed the time by reading some more Pride and Prejudice in Spanish, as I had been occupying myself on every aforementioned plane, train and bus ride. Sometime after midnight and a very expensive cab ride, Rebecca and I made it to our guest house and slept quite soundly. Bright and early on Thursday morning, we ate breakfast and began to explore the city. Our first stop was Mercy International Center, were where we saw the red door on Baggot Street and Catherine McAuley’s House of Mercy—oh how it brought back memories from my day at Merion Mercy Academy! We did not take the complete tour, but a lovely Sister of Mercy showed us around a good part of the building. Rebecca and I then walked to see the statue of Oscar Wilde, the Book of Kells and Trinity College, and up the famous (and touristy) O’Connell Street. We walked around the Temple Bar area and found the statue of Molly Malone. We walked through a park, visited the Guinness Factory, saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral and then returned to get ready for dinner. That evening, we had our traditional Irish stews for dinner and later went to a pub to hear live music.

Both Rebecca and I wanted to see the Irish countryside before we departed, so we booked a bus tour to Wicklow County just southwest of the city of Dublin. From lakes to mountains and sheep to millennia-old monasteries, the emerald country of Ireland was exactly what I imagined. We stopped off for a few hours at the monastery of St. Kevin and also at the Avoca Handweavers Mill, Ireland’s oldest mill. We made it home around 5:00pm and spent some time trying to register Rebecca for her Winter Session classes, but to no avail. That night, we relaxed over dinner and a live show of Irish dancers and a band. That was the end of our adventure, and as much as I loved every part of the trip, I was ready to return “home” to my own bed in Granada.

We flew out of Dublin on Saturday morning, on yet another delayed flight, and arrived in Málaga. From there we took a bus back to Granada. Oh, it was sickeningly warm in Spain compared to the weather in UK. Not only did I have to adjust to the change in weather and driving on the right (and correct) side of the road, but I had to jump right back into speaking Spanish 24/7. It seems I am constantly transitioning from one way of life to another!

NAVIGATION TRAINING 101
Now, I know my family and friends always joke about my navigation skills. I will have EVERYONE know, however, that I was the official navigator of our trip! I carried the maps, found the train and bus routes and generally led the way during our walking tours. We made it through, and I was not half bad at playing the tour guide. At times, we did have to turn ourselves around, but generally that was because street signs in the UK are on the side of buildings, unlike the big green signs with large letters in the United States. Furthermore, some of the bus schedules clearly lied in London, and our stops were overlooked despite clear markings on the map and schedule. To throw another monkey-wrench into the mix, motorists drive on the opposite side of the street everywhere in the UK. Rebecca had to grab my arm several times to remind me not to cross the street at particularly busy intersections. It was a challenge to adjust to some of their signs and traffic patterns, but it made for a more interesting journey on foot.

I also concluded from the journey that I prefer trains to any other mode of transportation! Rebecca and I were able to hop on whatever train we desired with our BritRail passes and go wherever; plus, we were provided the opportunity to see an excellent view from the window. In contrast, with every flight, we constantly dreaded the check-in and weigh-in of our bags and the security and customs stops. We were denied a view from our seats in the sky. Some day, I would be game to take just a rail tour of Europe and enjoy all there is to see!

A WALK IN THE PARK
In every city or town we visited, Rebecca and I managed to find a park or two, perfect for strolling and seeing the lovely landscape. In London, Exeter, Edinburgh and Dublin we wandered around looking at trees, ponds and wildlife (including some very bold squirrels and friendly ducks). There was something about being in the great outdoors that spurred us on, despite out aching feet and backs (when we had to carry out backpacks around before catching the bus or train or whatever mode of transportation was next on the agenda).

HILLS AND MORE HILLS
Edinburgh was built on a hill, nay, a mountain. I cannot stress the height of the city enough, as I want you to understand just how much we walked, climbed and hiked up, down and around. We climbed up to Arthur’s seat, the site of a dormant volcano, which was approximately 250.5 m high. Then once we hit sea level again, we decided to hike up yet another hill to see some monuments and ruins. My pictures, unfortunately, cannot demonstrate the beauty of the Scottish terrain, but they can at least give you a taste for the natural beauty that is Edinburgh, with all its luscious shades of green.

OH, IT’S A LOVELY HOLIDAY WITH MARY, ZORRO AND MOLLY MALONE
In each of the three major cities, London, Edinburgh and Dublin, Rebecca and I had the pleasure of seeing a musical or a musical performance. When we were riding the bus in London towards the British History Museum, we saw a sign for the musical “Zorro” playing on the West End (London’s equivalent of Broadway). On the spur of the moment, we decided we would purchase tickets and enjoy an evening at the theatre! The show was spectacular, and despite our distance from Spain, we gravitated towards a show filled with flamenco dancing and music, and quite a bit of Spanish-speaking and singing. What a delight!

While Rebecca and I were inside one of the buildings at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh (we wanted to escape from the frigid air), we saw a rack of brochures for sites in the city. We beheld a flier for the Edinburgh Playhouse that pleased us both tremendously—the traveling production of “Mary Poppins” had a matinee performance the following day! On Wednesday, we went to the theatre and using our charms and good looks (plus our student I.D. cards), we obtained decent seats for half the price. The music was incredible, as anyone who ever saw the movie would understand, and we were surrounded by jolly little children, laughing in their bright Scottish-English accents. The only thing that could have made the show better would have been to see Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke themselves performing on stage.

Now, in Dublin, we did not go to the theatre per say. We did, however, enjoy our last night in the city seeing a performance by a live band and a team of Irish dancers after a very filling dinner. Essentially, it was akin to a dinner theatre performance. The band played and sang the infamous “Molly Malone” song along with several other Irish ballads. The dancers who followed demonstrated the spectacular skill and sport of Irish dancing. It was a marvelous way to close our busy week of traveling.

A COMFY BED TO REST MY HEAD
In each of the major cities, Rebecca and I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast guest house. In London, we were only a ten to fifteen minute walk from Buckingham Palace and all of the major center city attractions. The accommodations were decent, but the location was the key. In Edinburgh, the quality of the accommodations increased tremendously. Once again, we were only a fifteen minute walk from Edinburgh Castle and only a bit farther to the hills we elected to climb. However, the accommodations in Dublin were superior to both guest houses in London and Edinburgh. I never once felt unsafe in any of the cities (of this my parents will be quite relieved to hear) and I thankfully had a warm and comfortable bed at the end of every day.

I cannot, however, neglect to add that Rebecca and I spent a night in Exeter with Amy, who graciously gave up her own bed for the two of us! Of all the places we stayed, the hospitality in Amy’s home was the best. I give the management a full 5-stars! It was so wonderful to see her, to sit and chat, if only for a few hours. Unfortunately, we only spent one night there; that only means I will have to return someday to visit Amy and enjoy her company once again!

TWO FOR TEA AND FINDING FOOD
Breakfast was taken care of each morning thanks to our wise decision to stay in a Bed and Breakfast guest houses. Finding lunch and dinner, however, proved a bit more challenging at times. We relied a great deal on sandwiches purchased at local grocery stores and also bread with peanut butter or bread with marmalade pilfered from the breakfast table of the B&B. We did not go hungry, but sometimes we were bit irritable because places were not open as late as they are in Spain—the transition was a bit tough, I must say. On Saturday night in London, we resorted to eating prepared salads from a grocery store in the train station terminal because all of the restaurants had closed. On Tuesday night in Edinburgh, we struggled to find an inexpensive meal and thus opted to eat take-out Chinese food. We did get to eat some fish and chips in Edinburgh (on the steps outside of the Playhouse) and our hearty stews in Dublin. Generally, we gravitated to park benches, train stations and other rest areas to consume our piecemeal sandwiches, but the most exciting dining spot of them all was a cliff in Edinburgh where we had out peanut butter sandwiches and apples (also carried away from the B&B table that morning).

Both Rebecca and I took advantage of the amble quantities of tea in the UK. When in doubt, we took some tea. We forgot, however, to try some scones and Irish soda bread before we left. Hopefully we can remedy that error someday.

SCHOOL IN SPAIN: TAKE TWO!
The second session of classes just started on Monday, and I can already tell that I will enjoy them tremendously. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I have “Problems in Western European Politics” and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have “History of Contemporary Spain” and “Art History of Spain.” My professors seem quite agreeable and the themes are exactly what I enjoy learning most. My art history professor, and eccentric older gentleman, sings and jokes in class while my political science and history professors are both young and enthusiastic. There will be papers and a bit more work in the second half, but I think I can manage!

I apologize for the abundance of details from my “holiday,” but I wanted satisfy everyone with a sufficient account of my week-long adventure in the United Kingdom. Now that I am back and settled in Spain, I am up to receiving phone calls and e-mails or chatting on Skype or AIM. Just give me a heads up! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers while I was traveling!

Con amor,
Diana

Los exámanes y un viaje al norte

HELP ME RONDA, GET HER OUT OF MY HEART!
Never did I consider that Ronda, a city of which I knew little up until the day before my excursion, would be so beautiful! Beyond the typical Aldalucian architecture, Ronda had a certain charm thanks to its mountains, valleys and precious terrain. We saw the plaza de toros, where the bull fights take place, as well as a Catholic church, built over the site of a former mosque, dedicated to Mary and her sorrows. During our free time, we took a trail from the top of the bridge down to the river where we saw a most spectacular view of a waterfall and old ruins. The weather, too, was just continuing to cool down and the breeze indicated that fall, in all its glory, was here to stay.

EN HABLAR CON MI SEÑORA
Over the last week, I have had several wonderful conversations with Carmen. On Friday night, while she was making me dinner, we were talking about practicing Spanish. In the middle of a sentence, my cell phone rang and my friend Nathalie was on the other end. I answered with the common Spanish phrase “díme,” which means “talk to me,” (or as English speakers more politely say “hello,”) and we proceeded to make plans for the evening. At the same time, Carmen was laughing in the background while I arranged to meet Nathalie to watch a movie. After I hung up the phone, Carmen explained that I reminded her of a British student she hosted many years ago who would speak nothing but Spanish, and she said she was proud of me. Carmen also seems to think my Spanish is much better than it really is. When I asked her if she would correct my grammar, said she doesn’t need to and that I can hold my own. Lies, I tell you, lies! But at least she thinks I have improved since I arrived, which makes me feel better.

On Sunday morning, I woke up much later than I normally do on a school day, so Carmen and I ate breakfast together. She asked me it I was content living with her, and of course I said “yes!” She said she enjoyed having me live with her and that I could tell my parents that “Carmen is happy with me.” Carmen then explained that she gets along well with young people, and I had to laugh because I absolutely love working with older people! She enjoyed hearing about my summer work experience and I realized I must be living with Carmen for a reason.

Over our toast, tea and café, Carmen commented to me that she was glad I met some “good” people here in Spain and she doesn’t have to worry about me being with strange Spaniards. She is glad I know a lot of people in the church and through the CLM. She also added that she finds the church and the people, according to my explanations, quite different from the type of church she is used to here in Spain; she says we spend time together outside of services and genuinely care for one another—she had never heard of anything like it! We proceeded to talk about religion, faith and society here in Spain and before I knew it I had to hurry up and run to the Iglesia Bautista lest I be late for Sunday school.

BON JOUR! ¿QUÉ TAL? ¿Y TU FAMILIA?
On Sunday evening, I was finishing up my dinner and getting ready to begin studying for my exams. Carmen was headed out for her weekly outing to meet friends or “to go out to the street,” as we say when we leave the house. Finally, I was left home alone! Now, if you leave some kids home alone, they invite their crazy friends over and make a mess. If you leave me in an apartment all by myself, I have a tendency to kick back, relax and find a movie to watch in Spanish! ¡Qué divertido! Carmen closed the door behind her and no sooner than hearing the lock click did I clear off the dinner table, put some leftover chicken in the refrigerator and scurry over to the television to peruse her collection of videos. I was thrilled by the possibilities for the evening: old movies like “Sabrina,” “Charade” and “Operation Petticoat” or Disney classics like “Robin Hood,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Alice in Wonderland.” I was at the moment of making my final decision, with Belle falling for the Beast in my left hand and Audrey Hepburn falling for Humphrey Bogart in my right hand. Obviously, there was far too my falling happening because my eyes suddenly fell upon a little red light blinking on the VCR—the REC light. Carmen was recording some program off the television, and my movie night would just have to wait. Really, I needed to continue reading about bull fights, unemployment, tomato-throwing fiestas and gypsies for my exam.

On Tuesday night, Carmen went out to dinner with her daughter and a friend and my wish finally came true! I pulled out “Beauty and the Beast” and listened intently while Spaniards imitated French accents and alternately switched from the French phrases in the film to Spanish. My favorite part was one of the lines in the opening song, “Bon jour! Good day! How is your family?” that obviously needed to be changed to “Bon jour! ¿Qué tal? ¿Y tu familia?” Oh languages! When Carmen came home, we watched the last fifteen minutes together and sighed like silly school girls. Disney romances are just as powerful in Spanish, I must say.

LOS EXÁMENES—COMPLETADOS. ¡AL NORTE!
As I write at this moment, my final exams are complete! I think I studied (just maybe) a little too much for my Spanish culture exam, but I am thrilled that I survived my grammar exam as well. Pretty soon I will be heading home to my apartment to pack for a week-long vacation with Rebecca to England, Scotland and Ireland! I honestly cannot wait to meet the queen, see some castles and pet some sheep in the countryside. No, really, I plan to see everything I can while I am there! It should be a lovely trip and on top of all of that, I will get to visit my friend Amy Hunt who lives in England and studies in Exeter! Please say a prayer for our travels, for steady exchange rates and for some sunshine (although the last one is a bit more of a challenge in the UK).

Love and prayers from your ever-excited traveler,
Diana

¿Confundida? Ya no.

UNA CUEVA, UN MERCADILLO Y UN PISO
Friday was the beginning of a wonderful weekend and another week to follow. On Friday night, I was with some friends at the Iglesia Bautista until around midnight and then I met up with the UD crew to go to a club in the caves of Granada. It was crowded, but it was neat hearing people speaking in so many different languages. I enjoyed some dancing before returning home around 5:00 in the morning. Now, one would imagine that I would sleep until noon after being out so late. How does 8:30 sound to you? I woke up, showered, ate my breakfast before Carmen was even awake and headed out to the flee market with my friend Yelena from Minnesota and Raquel from Brazil. We walked to the market, found some delightful bargains and returned home in time for me to enjoy lunch with Carmen. I did appreciate taking my siesta on Saturday afternoon!

That evening, I joined the youth group for the Saturday meeting and afterwards, we went out together for pizza. I spent a good part of the evening talking with Nathalie, from Holland, while we chowed down our food in the pizzeria. I met several other people that evening from the United States, Brazil and other parts of Spain—so many folks and so many names to remember! The next morning included Sunday school, church and lunch with Carmen. After siesta, I took a walk to see the Fiesta de La Virgen de Granada, María de Angustias who is the patron saint of Granada. Because of the rain on Sunday, however, the festivities were not as grand as they typically are on this feast day. The festival, included a small parade, fruit and food vendors as well as sweet treats like “torta,” a sweet bread with apple filling and a layer of sugar to die for (Carmen gave me some torta for lunch on Saturday and for breakfast on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings, so I am speaking from first-hand experience).

On Sunday night, I met up with Yelena, Nathalie and others at the piso (apartment) of April, one of the young women from the church. April, who is from California, studied in Granada for a year, and after being home for a time decided to return here to live and teach English. I was there until 00:30 in the morning chatting, in Spanish of course. She was so encouraging to us “extranjeras” and it was wonderful hearing about her experience in Granada studying Spanish. After talking with her, I made an executive decision: I will speak only in Spanish until the end of my trip in December. I want to learn and I will learn, and that takes practice, regardless if anyone thinks I am an overachiever or a geek for not speaking English!

The cool part has been that since Monday morning, I have been speaking nothing but Spanish, even with the folks from UD. Now, whenever I am around, the girls talk to me in Spanish and they have even begun to speak more in Spanish amongst themselves. All it took was a little courage and boom! A revolution among the “guiris” from UD! Here is a bit of a side note: “guiri” is the colloquial term for a silly “extranjero” or foreigner. When tourists first started coming from Britain in the 1970s asking “where is” this or “where is” that, it sounded like “guir ees” to the Spaniards who can’t pronounce the letter “w.” So, I am a “guiri” merely because I am and American. Oh well!

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS “LAURA SCHMIDT.” MY TAILOR IS RICH.
This moron Thursday morning in grammar class, Manolo—the 40-year-old bald professor who “enlightened” us on correct pronoun usage last week—was trying to tell the UD students they speak too much English and need to practice more Spanish. Seriously, in week four of classes, he will ask a question (in Spanish) and my classmates will respond in English (in a 400-level Spanish grammar class). Anyhow, he told us how students 50 years ago used to learn English through repetition of short phrases. They included expressions such as “good morning,” “my name is…” and “my tailor is rich,” which is not a very functional, but a product of the days when clothing was very expensive in Spain. People from Spain would arrive at an airport in Britain, proud of their language skills and be shocked to find out that “Good morning, my name is Pablo and my tailor is rich” didn’t get them very far. The point of all this was to stress the importance of practicing the verbal part of the Spanish language. Reading, writing and listening is not all there is to a language. I second that motion! All those in favor say “sí.”

But why is my name Laura Schmidt? Well, on Tuesday, one of my classmates Laura was feeling sick, still recovering from a head cold. She along with several others from UD were planning on going on an excursion sponsored by the Centro de Lenguas Modernas that included trekking up mountains and later relaxing in the Arab baths. She decided not to go and would lose her 23€ as a result. That same morning, I was lamenting that I had forgotten to sign up for the excursion before all the spaces filled up. Well, I put two and two together and what did I get—an alias. I took her ticket and I was Laura Schmidt for the evening (and when the guide asked for my name, of course I responded with the pseudonym).

We went trekking for about two hours up and around the hills of Granada. While I was on the excursion, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with María, a girl from Connecticut who is here studying Spanish for the year. María has actually been learning Italian since she was eight-years-old and now she speaks both Italian and Spanish beautifully (since the languages are so similar). I enjoyed so much getting to know her and speaking with her during the hike and while relaxing in the Arab baths.

Now I must explain the beauty of the baths. Essentially, there are three pools of water: cold, hot and lukewarm. One only needs to sit in one of the pools for a few minutes before moving to another for a short time. Even better than the pools of water was the mint tea, the best tea of any sort I have ever tasted in my entire life! I was in my own little heaven; then, it was time for my massage! Oh my, I was quite content with the evening! I was glad to have been so relaxed, because afterwards, we went a Middle Eastern restaurant and were quite frustrated by the service (or lack thereof). There were only two servers for the entire restaurant and in an hour and a half, all that managed to make it to our table was my cup of tea and some platters of hummus we never even ordered. I was just hungry, but others were very hungry and angry (not a fun combination). Thus, I was commissioned to go talk to the waiter and get our food! Ultimately, I told him we were planning to leave, and eventually we did even though only two of us received our dinner. I returned home (my dinner was one of the dishes that eventually arrived) and some of the others went to find some more food. I am convinced that the problem in Spain is not unemployment due to lack of jobs but rather to stubborn managers who refuse to hire and pay a sufficient number of workers. But I am not here to fix Spanish social woes.

“WACHU, WACHU, WACHU” AND DUNKIN COFFEE
The rest of the week has been marvelous. Classes have been going well, although I am now focusing on studying for my finals next Thursday. Throughout the semester, we have seen some very humorous videos on YouTube all relating to Spanish culture. One video has to do with the manner in which Spaniards speak using gestures rather than words. I enjoy this one tremendously, because if I don’t know how to say something, I just use my hands—how perfect! Another video pokes fun at how people fight over the check when they go out to dinner. One person always insists on paying and then the other insists; essentially, the server just stands there until they are done “discussing” who will pay. The clip shows two men being held up by a robber, and imitates how they would fight for the check as they argue over who will give the gunman his money. Another video clip has to do with the sounds of different languages, the tones and pitches. Catherine Tate, a British comedian imitates the sounds of seven different languages around the world (quite terribly, but humorously). Our culture professor showed us this clip after she explained that Americans sound like, “WACHU, WACHU, WACHU,” when they speak to one another in English. If you want a good laugh, try watching one or all of these YouTube clips.

1. SPLUNGE “GESTOS” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEGamVBeeOc
2. SPLUNGE “ESTA LA PAGO YO” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZUqNinCyto
3. THE CATHERINE TATE SHOW “TRANSLATOR” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdf2eLeCLHI

Amidst all of this Spanish culture, I can’t help but laugh at the American invasion. A “DUNKIN COFFEE” (Spain’s chain of “DUNKIN DONUTS”) just opened around the corner from my apartment. You wouldn’t believe how long the lines are inside at all hours of the day! You would think that wonderful treats like torta or anything in one of the delicious pastry shops would be satisfying enough! No. They have to convert to American doughnuts. Well, I will be sure to enjoy my Spanish desserts while I am here. I have yet to be disappointed.

EAT, SLEEP AND DREAM IN SPANISH
I must admit how hard it is getting for me to speak and write in English. I forget words sometimes (like when I was talking to Faith on Skype this week and I told her we must “reunirnos” instead of “meet one another” again next week). I am also beginning to think in Spanish a little more. It only gets to be more challenging when I don’t know how to say a word in Spanish—that is when my thoughts “stop” for a moment and I start thinking in Spanglish. Oh my! I have yet to have a full-fledged Spanish dream; right now, I am limited dreaming with some Spanish conversations intermingled with whatever is happening. How strange! From day to day, I also forget whether I had a conversation with someone in English or Spanish. I think this is a good problem to have and we’ll see how much longer it will be before I am completely confused…or fluent…I believe they are synonyms.

Tomorrow, we will be traveling with Jorge to Ronda, a city about two hours away, near Málaga. I do not know what the day trip will entail, except that Carmen needs to pack me a bagged lunch and I will be viewing some lovely scenery. I will give you the details upon my return!

Thanks for all the e-mails, notes and prayers! I love hearing from you folks in the States!

Con amor,
Diana