Cruising in Cataluña

Ahhhh! My blogging game as been slacking lately!

Well here we go, a couple of weeks ago I went to Barcelona to visit some family friends. Since I do not have work on Fridays, I decided to take advantage of this three day weekend to see a different part of Spain.

Although my trip only lasted 3 days, Barcelona seems like an incredibly different city than Madrid. Firstly, every prefers to speak Catalan, not Spanish. If you walk into a restaurant and start speaking Spanish, the waiter immediately knows that you aren't from Barcelona. Of course they all speak Spanish, but it seems like they identify more with the Catalan language. In my experience, the people of Barcelona preferred to speak Catalan, English, then Spanish. I really had to force the issue when I wanted to speak Spanish. But alas, I still had a good time. There is so much to do in Barcelona so I simply didn't have time to do everything. But I sure tried.

I hit the ground running when I arrived Friday morning. I left Madrid at 5:30 am and took the high speed train which is called AVE. I arrived to Barcelona around 9 and since my family friends were all at work or school, I decided to talk a walk around the city. I saw the Arc de Triomf (below), Antoni Gaudi's La Catedral, and a whole bunch of signs in Catalan. After walking around Barcelona for a few hours, I had a very relaxed day just chatting with my family friends and eating some quality food.

Arc de Triomf in Barcelona 

 Saturday included more exploring and eating. I got a personal tour of all of Gaudi's famous architectural masterpieces (albeit I didn't have enough time to wait in line and buy tickets, so my tours were of the outside of the buildings). Nevertheless, the experience was pretty incredible. It was a great introduction for when I go back to Barcelona next year. I realized that even on a slow day Barcelona is jam packed with people. So you really need to spend time waiting in line in order to actually see the inside of these masterpieces.

The outside of the La Sagrada Familia

Finally on Sunday we went to the beach for a nice little boat ride and to have some amazing seafood. I had the mussels, just in case you were wondering. It was actually the first time I ever tried mussels, and I've gotta say they were quite tasty. However I am pretty sure butter and salt can make anything taste like Heaven.

Next blog topic? Andorra, details at 11.

Until next time you stay classy, blog readers.

Hala Madrid!

So I went to my very first Real Madrid game a few weeks ago. I must say, even though we were in the nosebleed seats, the view was incredible. It was a completely different than any soccer game I've been to in the United States. First of all, there are no food stands. No one is eating food or drinking beer while watching the game. What do they do instead? They smoke, eat sunflower seeds, and they watch the game. In addition to not letting food be a distraction during the event, no one leaves their seat while the ball is in play. What this results in is 80,000 people "oohing" and "ahhing" in absolute unison, almost as if there was a script. Plus, just like in tennis, when a player makes a great play everyone claps in unison. It doesn't matter if the person plays for the opposing team or not. Everyone was there to enjoy the game and it was the most fun I've had at a soccer game, even though it ended 0-0.

Outside of el Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

Not too shabby for the cheapest tickets possible

I have started school.... sort of

So I started going to my school last Tuesday. I intentionally did not say I started working, because quite frankly I have not started doing anything really. Let me clarify. The Spanish school system really embraces the "no pasa nada" lifestyle and everything is incredibly disorganized. For example, classes start September 15th, however teachers find out which classes and grades they are teaching on September 14th. Thus, they have no time to plan lessons or prepare for their classes before they actually step into the classroom. Additionally, it takes 1-2 weeks of actual school time to finalize these schedules. So during the first two weeks of school, teachers are still moving around and students do not know who their permanent teacher is until week 2 or 3 of school.

What does this mean for a teaching assistant? My schedule hasn't even been looked at yet. So when I arrive at the school, I go directly to the English department's lounge and I sit and wait. I sit and wait until someone decides that they want me to introduce myself to their class. But why would they want that if they have no clue if I will actually be their permanent teaching assistant? Simple. It buys them time to prepare their lesson plans. My "about me" presentation takes maybe 2-3 minutes, but students are capable of asking me questions for an entire hour. The questions I have been asked have a huge range. I have been asked whether or not I have a girlfriend and to give a quick synopsis of America's thoughts regarding George Bush and the War on Terror.

But after I give my little spiel, I return to the English Department and wait like the last kid picked for baseball, hoping someone will pick me to enter a classroom and interact with students.

I should say that its not all bad. The teachers are incredibly kind and really do care about their students. It's just a disorganized system.

Other than "teaching," I have been able to have fun. I usually go out with a couple Fulbrighters on the weekends and hang out with them every now and then during the week. Of course I have joined a gym and am a frequent visitor. This week I am going out to other intercambios and meeting native Spaniards, hopefully it goes well. I am starting to really settle into Madrid and I am still incredibly excited to explore the city more and more.

In fact, this weekend I am going to my first soccer game in Madrid and in a couple of weeks I will be taking a weekend trip to Barcelona.

Until next time, you stay classy blog readers.

Orientation with a Side of Exploration

So this past week was incredibly hectic. Monday-Thursday I had orientation with all of the other Fulbright teaching assistants and researchers. Overall it was a blast! I got to meet a lot of really interesting people with different academic backgrounds. However it wasn't all fun and games. From 9 am to 9 pm we were listening to presentations about how to be an effective teaching assistant, how to help prepare students for the Model UN competition*, how to apply for residency in Spain, plus so much more. The information was incredibly helpful but I am glad I have a chance to just relax before classes start on Tuesday.

The break between orientation and classes has given me a chance to investigate different intercambio programs and my neighborhood. Intercambio "programs" are more like language groups where you can talk to native Spanish speakers in a cafe or bar instead of a classroom. The incentive for native Spanish speakers to come help those who want to learn Spanish is the fact that we help them with their English. It's a great way to practice speaking Spanish, to meet local Spaniards, and get out of the Fulbright bubble. 

I haven't really completed a deep search of my neighborhood yet. I have mostly just been walking around and seeing what is actually available. There are so many cafes, bars, fruit stands, and supermarkets its hard to pick one! Hopefully I am able to find a cafe and fruit stand that I continually go to in order to develop a more personal relationship.

Finally, while exploring the neighborhood of Salamanca in Madrid, I came across this gem and just had to snap a photo.
                                                        

Isn't it beautiful?? It was so cool to see my name all over cafes and restaurants, especially because it is not a common name in America. In fact, there is a town in Northern Spain called "Ayala" that is slightly south of Bilbao. Since that is where my family is originally from, I have to visit! My dad wasn't able to visit the town when he came to Spain, so I may be the first one in my family to see the town in a few generations. So obviously I have to go visit! 

Until then I will continue to relax and read in Retiro Park while watching magic shows and drinking cafe con leche. Life is so hard....

*This is a huge part of my grant and I am require to prepare students for a model UN conference that includes schools from all over Spain. The winning school gets to compete in an international competition in New York. Trust me, more to come on this topic. 

Hakuna Matata

Well, I have completed my first 4 days in Madrid. However because so much has happened it has felt like 3 weeks. I have walked around 50 miles, taken the metro (subway) about 100 times, bought a Spanish phone plan, set up a Spanish bank account, and I just signed a lease for an apartment. As you can imagine, I am absolutely exhausted. The housing search has been exceptionally exhausting and stressful because I did not reserve an Airbnb after the Fulbright orientation. So I would have been homeless as the 10th without this lease. Luckily the process is over and I can finally relax a little. 

However even in all of the chaos, I have noticed small differences between American and Spanish culture. For example, they primarily speak Spanish here. Like, all the time. It's almost like its their primary language. It has definitely showed me that my conversational Spanish is rusty. Thankfully I brought a Spanish textbook from Oxy to help refresh my memory regarding grammar. In addition to the textbook, my future housemate/flatmate says she will help me with my Spanish as long as I help her with my English. Seems like a fair trade to me!

In all seriousness, there are many cultural differences* but I will only really talk about a couple that are the most interesting thus far. Firstly, smoking is incredibly common in Spain. From teenagers to grandmas, most people seem to smoke. It is so common that at some cafes, you are given a plate, utensils, and a cigarette lighter. This is so interesting to me because it goes against my preconceptions that Spaniards are more health conscious than Americans. Granted I only had this image of Spaniards because of the Mediterranean diet, but it is still an interesting discovery. 

Secondly, the Spanish subway is always full of people. No matter the time. Morning, afternoon, night, and in the wee hours of the morning every day of the week. It really makes you wonder, what do Spaniards do during the day? While I was in the taxi going from the airport to my Airbnb, the taxi driver and I were discussing the differences between American and Spanish culture. According to him, in Spain, working 9-5 isn’t very common. People take breaks, they come into work a little later and still make enough money to live. So has the taxi driver put it, it seems like there is one major difference between Americans and Spaniards which is this: Spaniards live day to day and Americans plan ahead. As he put it “you could be dead on Wednesday, so why worry about Thursday?” 

I am not sure if when I am going to really embrace this mentality. However after the MCAT and 18 years of school, I think I can get used to this “no pasa nada” lifestyle. 

*Note: I do not believe either culture is better or worse than the other, they are just different. This was also emphasized by the taxi driver. 

Kevin Durant

So I am walking around Parque del Retiro, minding my own business when I see these very tall men riding bicycles. I see one of them and think "Wow that looks like Kevin Durant" but didn't think much of it because they were going by super quickly and I only saw his profile for a half second. Also, who expects Kevin Durant to be in Madrid? 

Thirty minutes later I am walking to my apartment and guess who is hosting a street basketball game 2 blocks from my apartment? Kevin Durant. 

I feel like an idiot. Why? Because for 3 days I have seen this basketball court being set up for something with a huge poster of Kevin Durant on the sidelines and all around the walls. Clearly I didn't put two and two together. 

I could have taken Snapchats with Kevin Durant in Madrid...

“It's a magical world, Hobbes, ol' buddy...Let's go exploring!" Calvin

Since taking the MCAT in July I have thoroughly enjoyed my last month in the United States. I was able to travel to Boston, Maine, Mammoth Lakes, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. During these visits, I was able to say my last goodbyes to most of my friends and family and enjoy a few laughs while doing so.

Of course during my visits, people always wondering if I am more excited than I am nervous. Obviously, I am very excited. Am I nervous? A little bit, but I always have the Fulbright safety net. I have a huge network of other people going through the same thing. But I am way more excited than I am nervous. However what I am most excited for may surprise a few. Yes, my conversational Spanish will improve exponentially. Yes, there are countless historical landmarks to see (I mean, there are real freaking castles there!!!). And yes, the food will be world-class. Of course, girlfriend would question my sanity if I told her there is more to the world than good food, but I am most excited to just live as a Spaniard and blend in with the Spanish culture. I look forward to discovering the idiosyncrasies that make the Spanish culture so unique. It’s really going to be the adventure of a lifetime. 

On a different note, I know this is year is supposed to be a huge break from schoolwork and studying. However what I really want to investigate is how the Spanish view food. As many Americans know, the Mediterranean diet is a common option for those looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle. However since fast food options have become more prevalent in Spain, have they started to veer away from their traditional diet to a more “Americanized” diet? I plan to investigate this in a more relaxed way than a traditional scientific study.

Firstly, I plan to research treads regarding obesity, caloric intake, nutrient intake, and physical activity rates within the country. After researching this, I plan to interview chefs, personal trainers, nutritionists, doctors, nurses, and anyone else willing to sit down with me and discuss nutrition, physical activity, and the overall health of Spain. I do not know what I will discover, but I am sure it will help contribute my deeper understanding of the Spanish thought process. Who knows, maybe I will make a few friends who can accompany me on my adventure.