Reverse Shock and Thankyous

We are now all back in the States and all I can say is that I do miss Malaga a lot. My experience during the past 9 months has been purely amazing and unforgettable. However on the other hand, I have found myself to experience some type of “reverse culture shock” and it hasn’t been easy. The first week home has been a big blur, mostly to the fact that my sleeping cycle has been crazy and anything but “normal”. I no longer leave my house at 11pm to catch the bus to go downtown to meet people to go out on the town. I find myself missing the 11 and the N1 mostly for the fact that it was a route I knew quite well and had grown quite fond of.
I have to mention that Quinelle’s blog post brought tears to my eyes (no surprise) and I would also like to thank every single one of you for making this incredible journey even more unforgettable. I never would have imagined that nine months would change me for the better. So basically, what im trying to say is, thank you to all of you for the great memories shared with me in a foreign country. I hope to see you all together again back in Carlisle.
Hope all is well for everyone in their normal lives.

Why just a semester?

Chicos, many many thanks for all your contri- butions to this blog. You may recall that when we began this project I suggested it could be a useful forum for critical reflection. Congratulations: I have just been rereading your entries and find that, indeed, I encounter here a great deal of reflection based on keen observation. I've also noticed several expressions of gratitude for the opportunity you had this year. I can hardly imagine a healthier attitude. (And, in our case, this gratitude is quite "realistic", though that's not quite the word I'm looking for. Perhaps I'm referring to a degree of self-awareness regarding one's relatively privileged status in the world. To the extent that you acknowledge this status, you are being quite realistic...) Dickinson encourages us to, yes, engage the world. You have done so, and I believe all of you are quite aware of how this engagement is changing you. As you well know, so many people around the world can only dream of such an opportunity. I feel tremendously gratified in my confidence that you have all taken great advantage of this opportunity. For me this seminar has been a very positive and memorable experience, as has been the whole year. I feel grateful for having had the opportunity to work with you, to help you negotiate Málaga, and to accompany you in some of your adventures. I hope I've been able to teach you something; I've certainly learned a lot from all of you. The seminar is over, but I don't see why the blog should end. After all, you are going to have plenty to ponder as you get ready for your final year at Dickinson. Someone mentioned reverse culture shock. Why not write about it? Anyone want to suggest a new title for the blog? Or just leave it as is? So, I would be most happy to see this chain of reflection keep growing. I've grown quite fond of it. Un abrazo...

Malaga 2008-09

I just wanted to dedicate this last blog to the people that I´ve been able to experience Spain with over the course of nine months. The end has come and I can honestly say that this has been the best experience of my life. I remember asking some of the girls what has been the best thing that has stood out to them so far and noone could think of any ONE thing. To me, this is indicative of the many amazing, fascinating things that we have experienced here. From travelling across Spain, spending hours on a bus or mini-bus, visiting catedral after catedral, walking on the beach, having our routine escapades in El Centro, eating churros and paella and basically just having the time of our lives.

No one can deny that we have truly been blessed to have experienced this and it is something that would remain with us for the rest of our lives. I went for a run today wearing my Dickinson College T-shirt, and on my walk back, yes, walk, someone mentioned to me how great it must be to be a part of such a program. This was already evident when we sat down to have dinner with people like Pedro Aparicio, Antonio Soler, Juvenal Soto, Teodoro Leon Gross and Fernando Arcas, all celebrated names here in Malaga and throughout Spain, and all of whom came to our classroom to contribute to our learning experience. The fact that the program is indeed amazing, is not only evident in our interaction with these phenomenal people but also, among ourselves, how far we´ve come, how much we´ve learnt and how we all have fallen in love with this place that we called home for the past few months. When I first started out writing this I really wanted it to be nostagic and a great reminder of the things we´ve experienced. But since I´m still here in Malaga it´s a bit harder for me to face that it is really over and that someday I will have to return to the States and then Dickinson. For now, I just want to tell my fellow companions on this journey that you are all wonderful and that it has been a pleasure to have shared this with you.

Going back...

Today is the last day in Málaga for most of us, and since we have been here for so long it seems strange to return to the U.S. I have been thinking about what will happen once we are actually back home, living the lives we had before...but different. It is possible that we might experience "reverse culture shock" after being in Spain for 9 months, and I am interested to see what it is like. I'm also sure that the first phrase to come out of most of our friends' mouths will be, "How was Spain?" But to be honest, I have no idea how to answer that. There are so many experiences, moments, ideas, people, places, etc. that come to mind, that I feel that putting my reaction into a few sentences in English would never do Málaga justice.

The positive side to this, however, is that there are people who understand - we Dickinson students who have gone through all of it together, and will never forget the opportunities we had here. Now, we're ready to continue "engaging the world" with this experience under our belt, and hopefully return to Dickinson inspiring others to do the same.

Los Montes

To be honest, I was a little unsure what to think when the idea of making a paella in the Montes first came up. With final exams and essays right around the corner, it seemed like a stressful day to take an afternoon trip. I also had the question of how in the world we were going to make this paella in the middle of the mountains. Despite my hesistations, the day was a wonderful escape that showed us a new side of Málaga. We have driven through the mountains numerous times on our trips, but we’ve never stopped to enjoy the peacefulness there. Living here in Málaga, I am used to the busy city filled with lots of people shopping and eating, settled between the gorgeous views that we have of the Mediterranean and the mountains. The recreation area with all of its walking trails where we enjoyed our afternoon is another dimension of Málaga that I never knew existed. Being from a small town where we have lots of open land and woods along with tons of greens, spending the afternoon in the Monte was like a breath of fresh air to me and made me love Málaga even more than I already do.

Swine Flu

The momentary scare that the H1N1 virus caused was unbelievable. The images that made the front page of every newspaper and ridiculous statistical predictions of how the virus would spread globally were fuel for the widespread panic. Students in my group were receiving phone calls from home with detailed instructions for any and all scenarios, none of which were likely. It reminded me of the family meetings people have in Florida when there is a hurricane or tropical storm approaching. Should the kids stay at school? Should I pick them up or should you? Should we evacuate? All viable questions when there is a hurricane approaching, but flu plans? Never heard of it.
After the initial bout of sensational journalism, the media is now jumping on the fact that the World Health Organization may not have been justified in raising the alert that it did, and that that may have been the cause of the irrational fear that has resulted in discrimination. Some measures allegedly taken to avoid the spread of the virus are now being called xenophobic, like the quarantine of dozens of Mexican travelers in China when there was only one confirmed case of the virus. Pigs are also being discriminated against. Egypt made a decision early on to slaughter all of the pigs in the country to avoid a flu outbreak even though there wasn’t even one confirmed case in the entire country.
They say that more people die from the regular strains of the flu virus every year than have died from the H1N1 virus. So how did this cause so much panic? How did it shut down an entire country and turn innocent piggies into victims of unjustified persecution? One thing I can say for Spain, when faced with the danger of swine flu, the media hubbub did not stop the consumption of pork as usual.

The End of A Chapter

I can hardly believe it, the time has come to say goodbye to Malaga and slowly close this chapter of life. Life I’ve said in some of my previous blogs this experience has been purely unforgettable in every sense of the word. It´s funny that the day that I feared, and have also been waiting for, has finally come but in the end I am ready to go back home. There are going to be a lot of things that I will take home with me about my experience here in Malaga. Nine months have passed since I first arrived here and I could not have asked for a better experience and a better way to spend my junior year of college. I only hope that I will never forget the many things I learned and observed while being here during this long amount of time.
Looking back to when I first arrived in Malaga I can now remember and recognize some little amount of culture shock that I experienced. The hardest thing that I had to get used to was the time schedule of when things get done here but as time went on it became easier to adjust. People here are a lot more open then I expected them to be and I am grateful to them for it. Practica allowed me to see how the Spanish work environment is and I have to say that it is definitely one of my favorites, but I did learn some things that I will never forget.
My host family has also taught me a lot and helped me greatly to improve my Spanish skills. They welcomed me into their house with open arms and now treat me as an adopted daughter and I will miss them dearly when I leave. I only hope they will remember me after I get on the plain to go back home to my family and friends. I have been given this amazing opportunity to live in another country for a year and I am eternally grateful for it and I will never forget it.
I would definitely recommend Malaga as an abroad destination because there is no other place like it.

European Identity

Due to Spain´s growth and the European Union´s increase to 27 members, Spain will soon play a different role in the EU. This is because the country will stop receiving funds from the EU, and begin contributing money to the new eastern European members. In addition, this effect could be exaggerated in the future with the possible entrance of Turkey. After guest speaker and ex-mayor Pedro Aparicio spoke to us about the EU and the European identity in Spain, I started wondering how it could be affected by these changes.

Although I am speculating, it makes sense that Spaniards would be more inclined to follow Spain´s participation in the EU—and thus, strengthening their European identity— because of the fact that their tax money would be funding economic development in other countries. While this correlation is not certain to occur, and is actually contrasted by a few countries such as England (i.e. big contributor with low European identity), all other things being equal, it is a logical conclusion. At the same time however, it may also lead Spaniards to be less happy with their new role as contributors. In any case, we will soon get a better idea once Spaniards feel the effects of their new role.

Subjective Identity

For many the question of personal identity is not necessarily linked to where they were born, where they spent most of their life, or where they are right now. Sometimes it’s a mix of the three, sometimes it’s where you feel comfortable and at home. A fellow worker at the tourism office made this point clear to me. Unlike her, I have lived the majority of my life in the same place that I was born. She was born in Velez-Malaga, but has spent time in the Balearic Islands, Cordoba, and now feels at home in Malaga. Her husband is from Malaga and she has spent her recent years here working in the tourism office. She explained to me that her personal identity is not based on where she was born since her childhood was divided between various places. She says that she identifies personally with Malaga, and calls herself a malagueña. Her love for her new home has driven her to write a children’s book, which was recently published, about the culture, heritage, and identity of Malaga. She later asked me if I felt the personal connection to Malaga, and if I identified as a pseudo- malagueña. After giving it thought I understood how personal identity could vary from person to person. In a basic sense, if it’s possible to have a “multi-identity,” I do feel a similar connection to the city of Malaga after living her for eight months.

Addicted or Connected?

One of the major culture shocks at the beginning of my time in Spain was the smoking. It seemed like everyone smoked cigarettes everywhere they wanted to. I never really did get used to the fact that smoking is allowed in most establishments and that the separation of smoking and non-smoking in restaurants is just for show. Since then I’ve discovered another addiction that seems just as widespread. The use of the telephone. When my host-mother is home she carries the house phone and her cell phone with her at all times and it’s a rare occasion that she isn’t talking on one of them. Other students in the group have confirmed that it is the same in their houses. After reading in the book for our Seminar class that cell phone use in Spain is more expensive than anywhere else I was even more surprised by how much the Spanish use their cell phones. Everywhere I go it seems like people are talking on their phones. At the beach, on the bus, in the park, while driving, in restaurants, in bars, even in the theater. And if they aren’t talking on it, they are texting or listening to music. Are cell phones just as addictive as cigarettes? Or are the Spanish just better connected with their friends and loved ones?

Spanish

This summer I have the opportunity to go to Honduras and work with a medical group in the province of Santa Barbara. After two semesters in Malaga I feel more confident with my Spanish abilities, but at the same time still wonder if it will hold up in other countries. I have had multiple conversations in Spain about the subject of the Spanish language. I have talked with people here that tell me that the best Spanish is spoken in Bolivia and Colombia. At the same time there are people that tell me that the only correct Spanish is from Spain. In Spain I still have a lot of difficulty understanding people on the street or in Spanish films. Obviously I have made great leaps and bounds in my language comprehension since I arrived here, but I’m still not a fluent speaker.

Recently I saw a documentary about the drug war on the boarder between the United States and Mexico. Although it was done in English, there were many parts where they used subtitles. I was able to understand about 95 percent of what was being said. These small triumphs really help a person learning a language want to continue. I hope that wherever I end up using my Spanish it will be understandable and coherent. Although we might not be as fluent as we want the year or semester that we stayed in Malaga built a foundation in our comprehension of the Spanish language that we can only keep adding too as time goes on.

Xenophobia towards Moroccans

During the section on xenophobia in one of my seminars this past week, I posed the question to the class: what are some stereotypes that they have here in Spain for foreigners? Immediately the classroom came to life with the shouts of various stereotypes. Once the class settled down a bit, I called on a few of the more vocal students to hear their specific examples. The first and most consistent stereotype directly related to the topic of my final paper: Moroccan immigrants in Spain. “Moroccans are bad drivers,” said one of the boys, to which the entire class burst into a laughter of agreement. Another boy was quick to add that women are also bad drives – a common stereotype in the United States as well – and as if it was Math class, one of the quick-witted boys promptly reasoned that Moroccan women were then in fact the worst drivers of all. There were other negative stereotypes made such as Moroccans are poor, beggars, or robbers; one girl even went as far as to say “terrorists.”

We began talking about the dangers of stereotypes and when asked if they knew all the Moroccan immigrants in the world, let alone all the Moroccans in Spain, they collectively shook their heads. But the following comment took me by surprise. One boy said that it didn’t matter because “they are all the same.” A silence fell over the room and not a single one of his classmates said anything to deny such a bold statement.

I’m not sure if the discussion that followed helped to change or open the mindsets of these youth, but their comments had certainly left an impression on me. The Spaniards’ xenophobic attitude towards Moroccans has been passed on to the country’s future generations.

Smoking and diet in Spain

First of all, I am surprised that no one has written anything on this topic yet - probably because we have become accustomed to seeing about 30% of the population around us smoke. But I wanted to reflect on the issue of smoking for a minute, especially since it relates to my paper topic - kids and health.

Every day that I go to my internship, I pass by a "No Smoking" sign posted by the front gate of the school; five seconds later, I pass several students with their morning cigarette in hand. While it is a disturbing sight to see children puffing away, it bothers me even more that the school does nothing about it. "Why does it matter?" you might ask. "Even if the school designated its borders as a no-smoking zone, the kids would just find somewhere else to do it." This is probably true, but the bottom line is that the educational institution, as a center that works to improve the mental and physical well-being of its students, needs to send a message. By remaining silent on the issue, they reinforce rather than reject this unhealthy behavior. Furthermore, students as young as 6 have classes in the same building as the 18-year-olds; in other words, they see "the cool kids" smoking by the door when Mom or Dad drops them off at school.

During my research process, however, I have learned some interesting information regarding smoking and the Mediterranean diet. Despite the fact that so many people smoke in Spain, they have managed to avoid many health problems that Americans, who smoke less, currently suffer from. To me, this is especially significant, because when we consider that the Mediterranean diet is declining and that Spaniards continue to smoke, what will happen to their health? If people do not change their ways, one could foresee many health problems rapidly approaching for Spaniards.

New Perspectives

For me, one of the most interesting and eye-opening things this year has been hearing an outsider’s opinion of the United States. As we all experienced, everyone here was very interested in our election and the latest happenings in the campaigns always made the news here. I was constantly asked who I was voting for, which was often followed by a genuine desire to discuss our politics. Once Obama won, it made front page news here and was replayed all day on tv. Even now, when we tell someone that we are American, we often get a response including Obama. Through this and other discussions about the United States, I feel like I view the US more critically now than before coming here. Part of this is due to experiencing another culture and another way of doing things. With all the traveling that we have done this year and all that we have learned about Spain as well as Europe and the European Union. I think another reason is that I am outside the US instead of being surrounded by other Americans since it is often hard to critique something that you are a part of.

Bodegas Pérez Hidalgo

The effects of the global economic crisis are being felt by many Spanish companies, including the company where I am interning, Bodegas Pérez Hidalgo. At the beginning of the semester, things were moving along, albeit slowly, with respect to exporting wine to the United States. This was mainly due to the complicated regulations and paperwork that foreign companies often face when exporting alcoholic beverages. More recently, however, it seems that business operations have come to a standstill due to the economic crisis. According to the importer in the US who I have been in contact with, the problem is that there is an excess of wine sitting in distributers´ warehouses and consequently, they are reluctant to buy more foreign wine. Thus, Bodegas Pérez Hidalgo will need to wait until the US economy starts to recover and consumers begin to buy more wine. Economists´ forecasts for when this will happen are vague, however, and this has put the company in an uncertain position.

This does not indicate that the wine industry in the United States has collapsed— it has survived past recessions. It does indicate at the very least, however, that demand for Spanish wine (which is usually priced higher than domestic wine, due largely to expenses associated with exporting), has decreased. While the company has had success selling wine within Spain, I am uncertain how sales have been affected by the more potent economic crisis here. At any rate, as long as the company has adequate resources to make it through the crisis, I am sure that it will have the chance to prosper again in the future.

Ingles?

The use of English as a fall back language is almost completely the norm throughout many countries in Europe and the world. After almost a full year of travel I have realized the benefits of being a fluent English speaker. From Lisbon to Prague, English has served well and in many cases saved the day. The English speaking world seems to be expanding every year and not with just native born speakers but people that learn it as a second language. I have many friends where English is their second language, but what about the other languages in the world? In other countries throughout the world English has been giving special treatment. Such as in China where millions of students now take English and the use of it on street signs and public buildings in some cities has become the norm. In Spain the comprehension of English is low and I feel like half the words used aren’t even from their school but Hollywood. But at the same time many see the increase of English as a worldly language as just another ploy by the English speaking world “USA and UK” to have the most powerful language. English is expanding and there is no denying that, but other languages in the world are expanding as well. Spaniards are also convinced that their language is one of the most spoken in the world. Now if they agree that it’s spoken correctly in other Spanish speaking countries, well that’s another blog entry. As it stands now English is turning into an international language that is helping communication between many countries.

Salud vs. Jesus

In Spain a simple sneeze can reveal much about a person and about society. This bodily outburst will often speak volumes about the personal beliefs and values of a person. A sneeze at my house is always followed by a chorus of “Saluds.” However, if this same sneeze were to sound out in the tourism office, more likely than not, it would be followed by a “Jesus” or two. Unlike in the United States, there are two responses to a sneeze, one traditional and rooted in religion, and another which is more secular. This duality hints at the deeper divide in Spanish society, which can still be traced back to the Spanish Civil War. Two social groups emerged from this conflict, those in favor of a more traditional or religious set of values, and those in favor of a more secular society. I don’t mean to say that replying to a sneeze with a friendly “Jesus” makes you a Franquista, but the fact that two options do exit does point to a difference in values. But from my personal experience, when I hear “Salud” is often the reply I hear from my secular family, and “Jesus” from my religious coworker.

Education: The Universal Dialect

I am often asked which English accent is most difficult to understand for an American. Whether it is a thick Glaswegian accent, or a slow southern drawl, I wasn’t able to decide. The truth of the matter is that difficulty in understanding English speakers around the globe has less to do with accent and more to do with education level. I have had long friendly conversations with English speakers from all over the UK without any difficulty. There have also been time where the distinction is more pronounced, and we are reduced to a bizarre and frustrating form of pantomime. The root of our difficulty is rarely the accent, after a few minutes of careful listening it is easy to pick out the peculiarities of regional accents. The root of the problem is often education level. From my experience, I would argue that education level is directly related to ease of communication. With a lower level of education one is more prone to use poor grammar and colloquialisms. Use of colloquialisms does not indicate a lower level of education, but when a person is unable to find synonyms for these local sayings, it does implicate the education level. This is true for non native English speakers. Tourists from Germany and the Nordic countries often speak perfectly understandable English. Though there is usually a marked accent, the implied level of education necessary to speak another language helps them to be understood. Through my experience at the tourism office, I would say that understanding English speaking tourists depends largely on their level of education.

The "Ugly Everyone"

As a stereotype, the “Ugly American” has become famous. He’s easy to picture, with his shorts and pale legs, fanny pack, and overbearing attitude. Working in the Tourism Office of Malaga, I have discovered that the vast majority of tourists are “ugly,” not just the Americans. At this point it would be impossible to determine how many times an impatient tourist has asked me if I speak French, German, or Italian. Always baffled that their language isn’t spoken in a Spanish tourism office, they usually agree that this is impossible. I must have not heard them clearly. So they raise their voice and slowly spit back at me the same question. I am convinced that arrogance and closed minded tourists do not hail solely from the United States, they come from all over. My Spanish counterparts at the office seem to agree. In fact for the most part, American tourists are not loathed in the Tourism Office, no one group is singled out. We get good tourists and bad tourists, and this idea of the “Ugly American” is for the most part a stereotype. For a long time, Americans did more traveling and were more visible. This may not be true anymore with the influx of tourists using low cost airlines, but the idea of the “Ugly American” tourist has stuck. Though unfair, I take solace in the knowledge that it’s not the “Ugly American,” it’s the “Ugly Everyone.”

Identity: before and after

On the topic of change and identity, I too feel that I will leave Málaga a different person than when I arrived 9 months ago. I don't think that I have changed drastically, although some changes may not even be apparent until I return to the U.S. - they might be "subconscious," so to speak. But whether I have changed or not, I have learned a lot about myself more than anything.

I am reminded of a question posed in one of my education classes at Dickinson, when we were discussing the theme of identity. The professor asked us if we could only keep one part of who we are, what would we retain? Our gender, ethnicity, language, or socioeconomic class? Most of our class chose gender, because apparently being male or female was the component of ourselves we just couldn't give up. Being in Spain has challenged me to discover how much of my identity is tied to language, as I struggle to express myself accurately in a tongue that is not my native one. A tiny vocabulary in comparison to my mental English dictionary does not always lend itself well to sarcasm and lighthearted jokes, which are often misunderstood. Yet the situation works both ways - I have found expressions unique to Spanish which fill in the gaps left by English occasionally.

Overall, battling the language barrier has strengthened my identity, because learning Spanish continues to improve my English as well. And as I continue to study Spanish, the fraction of my identity that I can fully express increases, until (hopefully, one day) there is virtually no distinction between "me, in English" and "me, in Spanish."

Life Changes For A Reason

In these past 9 months in Malaga my life has changed greatly. I would have never thought that spending a year abroad would have changed me this much. Now looking back to that first day in Malaga and remembering the amount of initial difficulty I had when I first arrived here, it is almost unbelievable that nine months have passed since then. It is easy to only say that my Spanish has improved greatly but it is not so easy to admit that life abroad has changed as a person. The classes that I have taken here have made me see a lot of different things that I would not have been able to see other wise and the people that I have met have taught me many things both about Spain and about myself in general. As we slowly reach the end of this adventure I find myself realizing that I will miss Malaga greatly. Not only for the great memories that I will leave here with but also with the knowledge of having had the opportunity to grow and mature in the best possible way.
My host family was everything I could ask for and more. They welcomed me with open arms and were not afraid to correct my Spanish when I did make mistakes. As time went on I started to miss home more and more but my Malaguenan host-family slowly became an extension of my real family. The friendships that I have made while being here in Malaga are friendships that I hope will last forever. The constant support I have received will never be forgotten and will be forever in my heart. Even if the time left in Malaga is a short one, I really do hope to enjoy the rest of it to the fullest. I hope that each and every one of my fellow peers will do the same, even in hard times. These next few weeks will go by really fast but I do hope that I will leave here with a new-found attitude regarding life in general.
As for right now, all I do is thank everyone that made this unforgettable experience possible.

Handicapped

Before my internship, I did not have much experience working with anyone that was handicapped. One of the girls at the daycare is blind in one eye. The first few times that she was there on the same days that I was, she cried a lot. She was unsure of many of her surroundings and was often uncomfortable playing with the other children. It seemed to me as though her balance was off as a result of only being able to see with one eye. She didn’t walk as well as many of the other children her age. Wanting to help her, I tried to spend time playing with her and making her more comfortable. If she was sitting in my lap, she seemed to feel more secure and would calm down. I found that she liked the game “peek-a-boo,” and she would often laugh when I played it with her. Over time, she seems to have gained confidence, plays more with the others, and walks better. Now she often gives me hugs and kisses. Through the short relationship that we have had, I hope that I have been able to help her.

Generally Speaking

In my internship with the Movement against Intolerance, part of their activism is trying to break down prejudices and stereotypes toward immigrants, homosexuals and other races. We live in a society that is constantly bombarded by statistics that we take as facts, not knowing where or how they come about. These statistics have allowed us to place numbers to justify generalizations or maybe even creating them. Generalizations, stereotypes, however you want to call them are dangerous and here in Spain there is definitely no exception.

While taking a walk with a friend of mine in Mijas, we came across a police car questioning three gypsy women. My friend explains that the gypsy women go to the communities made up of foreigners and rob their houses. Foreigners normally feel safe enough to leave their doors open or one of them would lure them out their house peddling products, while the others would enter and steal. As my friend tells me this, I say, so if he sees a gypsy in the area, you immediately think they're here to rob? He does not hesitate to say yes. We get into an argument. I cannot win. Gypsies here in Spain, are nothing more than scoundrels, thieves, lazy bums who are not considered Spaniards. They are responsible for the majority of under handedness and lawlessness that happens in Spain. I am not convinced. This sounds all too familiar. Hmmm, Blacks in America maybe? Blacks only listen to rap, eat fried chicken and watermelon, and then of course, they are responsible for the majority of crime that takes place in American society, according to statistics of the number of blacks that fill up the jails etc. Riiiiiight. We’ve managed to break through many of these stereotypes as more and more blacks gain power and social mobility. Obama. But, who is the voice of the gypsies besides those that sing flamenco, which is also another stereotype. Days later, I would be talking to my friend’s mom and she said that in Mijas around the time we were there, a house was robbed by some gypsies. How can I disprove something that is proven when things like this happen? We love to speak in general based on our few encounters and never really take the time to dig deeper. We look on the outside and take what we see as is, and where does our information come from? The media? Our own observations?

In Spain, in Malaga, ideas, beliefs, prejudices against the gypsies and other “inferior” races will continue to pervade for now, this is clear while listening to what the youth has to say about them. That sucks, generally speaking of course.

Obesity in Spain

Among adults, the obesity rate in Spain, according to the OECD, has increased from 6.8% in 1987 to 14.9% in 2006. And among Spanish children, the obesity rate is well over double the rate of adults, according to Spanish Health Minister Elena Salgado. Although it has risen notably, Spain is far behind the United States (and other highly obese countries), whose obesity rate stood at 34.3% in the same year. The globalization of American fast food chains such as McDonald´s, KFC, and Burger King, and greater consumption of softdrinks have probably contributed to this. In addition, the rise in the number of families with two working parents, leaving them with less time to cook and more extra cash, may also be turning to fast food for its convenience.

This is disappointing because the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which consists largely of fish, olive oil, vegetables, etc., have increasingly been recognized by health experts. With the inevitable rise in health complications arising from obesity, the Spanish government will also need to spend more and more on public health.

Due to the likely causes of the change in diet, the fight against obesity will not be easy. Already, the Spanish government has gone to great lengths to regulate the amount of fat in fast food and promote healthy eating. The preferences of today´s youth, however, do not bode a healthy future.

Positive and Friendly

Recently I have found myself reading a lot of articles regarding characteristics of southern Spaniards and it was no surprise that the most mentioned ones was their friendliness and their positive attitude. I have noticed, from personal experience that these two characteristics are quite true. I find myself meeting ‘random’ Spanish people, mostly on the bus, mostly because it is obvious that I am not Malaguena, let alone Spanish. People are very interested in finding out where I’m from and why I am in Malaga and—I have to admit—it’s quite a positive feeling that people do acknowledge that I am not from Malaga but they continue speaking to me in Spanish nonetheless. Most of the time, if I find myself alone going somewhere, I do not start talking to people I do not know but I have noticed more and more that Spanish people, especially Malaguenos, have no problem smiling, let alone, talking to a stranger (even if it is just small talk).
I also notice that, most of the time, they have a smile on their faces, which is quite contagious. They love conversing, meeting new people and even telling their whole life story even if they had just met you or bumped into you on the street. I have a feeling that I will miss a lot this positive attitude to strangers once I go back home, since Washington DC is not quite known for its warm people and smiling-to-strangers business.

Remembering An Old Piece Of Advice

We I first arrived in Malaga I distinctly remember being given advice regarding culture shock and the great differences there are between the American and Spanish culture. However, I never really believed that these two cultures would somehow mix with each other to such point that I would find myself smack dab in the middle of both while I try to pick which of the two is more “like me”. Sure American culture is great but so is the Spanish and that is why it has become difficult for me to pick one over another. I can barely believe that the school year is almost over and I will soon have to leave Malaga to go back home. Malaga and Spain in general has allowed me to see many things that I would not have seen or learned other wise. Hopefully, sometime in the future, I will have the great opportunity and luck to come back to Malaga and visit the places that I have called “home” for these past months. As time in Spain is slowly passing, I have realized that this experience is one of the best experiences of my life. Not only has it helped me greatly improve my Spanish skills but it also opened my eyes to a whole other world and culture.

THE INVISIBLE MALAGA (PART 2)

Spain is faced with serious issues concerning immigration and unemployment due to the economic crisis. These issues combined have created negative effects throughout Spain in regards to racism and xenophobia. The African immigrants that we encounter on a daily basis are usually vending cultural artifacts; jewelry, handbags, shoes and then the ones that sell you knockoffs of watches, sunglasses etc. Many of them pass through cafes and restaurants hoping to find a sale from tourists, but in my experience they are often ignored.

To give an idea of the proximity from Spain to Morrocco at the risk of sounding like Sarah Pailin, you can see the borders of Morrocco from the shores of a beach, like Tarifa for example. Morrocconas risk their lives to reach theses shore, piled atop each other on makeshift rowboats, some waking up to find others dead at their side. Women usually spend months exchanging sexual favors in exchange for help in securing their journey, these exchanges normally are very abusive, some having unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Somehow, ironically, they come here only to perform the same types of favors, as alot of the women become prostitutes, beggars, often suffering tremendous abuse in which they cannot seek basic help for fear that they will be deported. There is also a preponderance of immigrants that trek from the sub-saharan of Africa such as Mali, Gambia, Green Cape, Bissau Guinea, Conakry Guinea and Niger, where we know exists some of the most poverty-stricken, AIDS affected, war inflicted parts of the world.

For these very reasons, the Spaniards fear that this race of immigrants only bring deliquency, violence and diseases into their country causing general rejection and ignorance. Spanish television programs such as Callejeros have given us small glimpes into the lives of these immigrants, where they have to run from the police on the streets, police abuse, discrimination and the general stuggles to exist in a new country where you stand out so profoundly while having to remain somewhat invisible.

This type of illegal immigration in Spain though, is a fairly recent issue from the mid-90s and since then steadily increasing. There have been shocking accounts of hate-crimes against immigrants as well as the existence of extremist groups who make appearances at football matches and use violent scare tactics, the lesser of their tactics that we have all witnessed are the grafitti markings all around us. So far, I have seen writings such as DEATH TO MOROS, MOROS=DEATH, MOROS OUT, IMMIGRANTS NO, NAZIS+FASCISM=DEATH TO IMMIGRANTS and many more. The Spanish government has adjusted their immigration policy in terms of the provisions for obtaining legal residency, papers etc. Also they have adopted Plan Africa which involves sending Spanish diplomats to targetted African countries in an attempt to stop the numbers of immigrants arriving in Spain on small precarious boats. However, the numbers continue to increase at an allarming rate and other issues that need to be addressed are those surrounding tolerance and overall awareness concerning immigration.

Domestic Violence

Currently at my internship, I am working on compiling and translating all of incident reports of hate crimes for the ODIHR’s (Organization of Democratic Institution for Human Rights) 2008 summary. During my work with these reports, I have noticed a high number of domestic violence cases, whether it be spousal abuse or other female victims from male aggressors. Quite frankly, the number is astonishing. Likewise, in my household here, we watch the Telecinco news at 9:00p.m., and while I’ve been told it has sensationalist news coverage, almost every night there is a story of how a woman fell victim to her husband, boyfriend, ex-lover, etc.

This theme is not just a story on the news, but it is ingrained into the everyday lives of the Spanish. For example, our housekeeper’s boyfriend stops by the house every day just before lunch, and will jokingly pretend to beat up our housekeeper so that my almost three-year-old “nephew” comes running into the kitchen with a stick in her defense. Though they are only joking, they make quite a production between her screams and the loud slapping sounds. While it is obvious to anyone other than a three year old that they are just kidding, nevertheless it shows how strongly this topic is woven into the fabric of Spain’s society.

I think much of the violence today in Spain is rooted in the mentality that women were men’s property under Franco’s rule. With Zapatero’s gender equality legislation, Spain is certainly in the process of changing this. However, I read an article from December 2008 that said some 400,000 women currently suffer from domestic violence in Spain, and that 1.5 million women have been the victims of domestic violence at least once in their lives. Needless to say, I imagine that this will be a slow change for Spain.

Reflections Inspired by the Holy Week

In the United States, Easter is one of the most celebrated holidays. When I think of Easter I think of colorfully dyed hard-boiled eggs and the corresponding egg hunts, baskets overflowing with fake grass, little girls in pastel dresses that will only be worn once, big chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps, robin egg candies, jelly beans and various other sweets. This time of year also means the official end of winter, spring vacations from school, warmer weather and longer days. Because I grew up in a non-religious family, for me this holiday had nothing to do with the last week of Jesus Christ’s earthly life and his resurrection but was more of a hybrid Christian-Hallmark holiday. I think that it is this way for a lot of families in the United States; even though some stress the religious importance of the holiday it is not publicly presented that way.

Before the Holy Week here in Malaga even began I knew that it would be completely different than anything I had experienced before. After the first few days of processions I can say that I was right. It was a bit of a shock and quite confusing when I found myself squeezed in with a throng of people while a trono of a Virgin led by dozens of nazarenos approached amidst applause, shouts of “guapa” from young people and tears from some elderly women.

I find myself asking, how are these two extremely different experiences celebrations of the same holiday? What does a marshmallow peep have to do with Christ’s resurrection? Spain is officially non-denominational, just like the United States, yet it doesn’t try to disguise the religious roots of this holiday with secular pastel eggs, secular egg-hiding rabbits and secular marshmallow peeps. I guess to be fair, there are some Holy Week treats for sale here in Malaga; I saw candy nazarenos in a shop yesterday and even though I want to be open minded, the image still reminds me too much of the Ku Klux Klan for me to find it appetizing. I think I’ll stick to the chocolate bunnies.

Religion or Identity

The Semana Santa in Malaga is one of the biggest yearly celebrations and attracts massive crowds from all over the country and world. After standing on Alameda Principal and Avenida de Andalucía, shoulder to shoulder with other people, the question popped into my head. “Why are there so many people in what seems to be a religious celebration”? During the past academic year I had learned that the Catholic Church had lost a considerable amount of worshipers since the dissipation of Franco’s dictatorship. I have seen charts measuring the massive drops in attendance and how many Spaniards have a distrust and dislike of the Church. With all of this in mind I arrive to a Malaga in Semana Santa with the streets full and thrones passing bye with the Virgin or Christ aloft. I here stories of women weeping and men yelling out “guapa, guapa” to these religious figures. Although a religious celebration the Spanish seem to have found a reason to make it into a street party as well. The street is full of youth and adults alike, many holding little plastic cups of mixed drinks or cans of Cruzcampo beer. For many of these people who slowly but surly become intoxicated over the course of the night it is hard to say they are here for purely religious reasons. For Malagueños Semana Santa signifies not only the religious devotion they feel towards Christ or the Virgin, but the pride of their city. The incredible amount of decoration and the extravagance of these processions are unmatched in almost all the other cities of Spain (Sevilla possibly being the only exception). This is a time when Malaga and Andalucía become the center of attention in Spain. The religious theme has remained at the center, but at the same time the processions have transformed into a celebration of Malaga and its people.

Semana Santa

Arriving in Málaga on Wednesday during Semana Santa, I was unsure what to expect. Semana Santa is the Holy Week before Easter that is celebrated with parades and a break from school and work. In previous weeks, I had heard a lot about Semana Santa from various people, most of which were very excited that I would be here to experience part of it. Many said that there would be so many people in the center that you would not be able to walk. On the other hand, several told me that although Semana Santa is of great importance here, that they usually only go to several parades and that in general, it “pesada” (a heavy atmosphere). I had a glimpse of what was to come after seeing the tranferring of thrones in previous weeks. After hearing so much about it, I was excited to return from my trip and experience this religious celebration for myself. Upon arriving in the center, it was obvious that normal life in Málaga had changed, as even the bus lines were different because the parades passed through the Alameda Principal. There were many carnaval style stands with an array of candy, small donuts, and cotton candy and other people dressed up giving out ballons. Lining the path where the parades would pass were many chairs that could be bought to sit in to view the parades. Because of this, people were forced to stand behind all this, and crowd into the tiny streets branching off of Calle Larios, making it hard to see the parades in some locations. The parades are very slow moving and even completely stop at some points. As many people remark, the disguises look like those of the KKK. The biggest part of these parades are the thrones carrying the Virgin. Overall, I am still undecided what I think of Semana Santa. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to see it since it has such an important value to many Spaniards. Despite this, I don’t think it is the type of parades that I could sit and watch for long periods of time.

Act your age! Or not...

While living in Málaga, I have developed somewhat of a hypothesis on age and maturity in Spain. My American background, of course, has greatly influenced my viewpoint and serves as a point of reference for this observation, but it is something I've noticed nonetheless.

It seems that no matter where I go, I see Spaniards acting younger than their physical age. Maybe it's a result of the easygoing lifestyle here, where in comparison to their American counterparts, the Spanish aren't so focused on getting things done as quickly as possible. While 5 or 6 p.m. in New York City may mean sitting in traffic during rush hour, stressing out about what you couldn't manage to check off your "To-Do" list that day, that same time frame in Spain signifies meeting up with a friend or a few family members to have coffee and relax a bit.

Theoretically, this idea makes sense when we take into account the existence of the Mediterranean diet, and the fact that Spaniards simply live longer than us. According to the CIA World Factbook, their 2009 estimated life expectancy is just over 80 years old (averaged between men and women, the latter of whom live longer in the majority of countries), whereas people in the United States are expected to live to an average of 78 years. It's not a huge difference, but neither is the gap between "American behavior" and "Spanish behavior."

In the U.S., we have all known what we call "a mama's boy," but that idea is even more widespread here, with most "kids" living at home until they are married. It is also noticeable here how a fully grown man will refer to himself as a "chico" [boy]. So it appears that children are treated as younger than they actually are, and subsequently act that way as they grow older. In schools, I (and several of my classmates) have seen how students do not seem to display the academic skills we normally associate with students of their level, and going to the University of Málaga felt like attending a giant high school. On the other end of the spectrum, it was surprising for many of us to see seniors my grandparents' age listening to their own iPods on the bus...and to see them on the bus in the first place! Although I live in a city in the U.S., I feel like I don't see the elderly "out and about" as much as I do here, but it's great that they are active and not sitting at home.

Beyond these observations, I am not exactly sure where to go with this idea. But I suppose that in one way, it is inspiring, because by coming here I have been able to witness how one does not have to be restricted by a number - you can stay younger, longer, and enjoy life to the fullest without worrying so much about whether it is "age-appropriate."

How do you reach today's youth?

Part of my role at my internship, Movement against Intolerance, is going to various middle and high schools in Málaga and giving presentations on the various forms of intolerance with corresponding workshops on specific types of intolerance, such as racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, etc. After visiting various types of school and working with all ages of students, I have noticed a trend with the attention span and participation of the students in regard to these presentations. At my internship we often think about this topic, but I am not sure we have found the best answers.

I am sure that this is an area in which most teachers in countries all over the world struggle. I feel that if we cannot properly reach the students, then the presentations are useless. My supervisors and I talk to the students, show video clips, utilize PowerPoint presentations, pose controversial questions to spark class discussion, and hand out flyers and stickers, among other in-class resources. However even with all of these resources, I feel that we are not truly reaching the students. Though in theory they should have more maturity than their younger counterparts, I feel it is the older students that are not fully involved in these seminars. I think back to my high school experience and wonder how my teachers managed to hold the attention of the class. While I’m sure those majoring in education would have a better idea of this, I truly wonder… how do you reach today’s youth?

Empty Nest Syndrome

According to Psychology Today’s diagnosis dictionary, Empty Nest Syndrome “refers to the feelings of depression, sadness and/or grief experienced by parents and caregivers after children come of age and leave their childhood homes.” Luckily, Spanish parents have discovered an effective antidote to this horrible affliction: keep the nest full as long as possible.

One cultural difference between the United States and Spain that continues to surprise me is the average age that young people leave home. Through conversation with my classmates I discovered that many of our host-families have “grown” children living at home. (I use the word “grown” loosely because I know that maturity and independence cannot be accurately measured in years, but once a person reaches 30, I believe it is safe to say that he/she is grown.) There are many theories as to why young Spaniards tend to stay at home longer than Americans. One theory is that the Spanish have stronger family bonds and values—I can only guess the nationality of this theorist. Another is that housing in Spain (and Europe) is more expensive than in the United States so it makes economic sense for young people to live at home until they are financially secure—logical. A third possibility is that the American higher education system encourages independence more so than the Spanish system because a significant amount of American students live either on campus or in an apartment during college and then on their own post-graduation. Meanwhile, many Spanish students attend a university close enough to their home that they can continue living at home during and after college. It is hard to say whether these systems are the source or product of the different cultural norms surrounding the moving-out process, but regarding the age cut-off there does seem to be an unspoken agreement in the United States while in Spain it is much more dependent on the individual. But as we know, even if some need more time, eventually all of the little birds leave the nest.

Public Transportation

During our stay in Malaga, I have become greatly appreciative of the facility with which we travel. Here, we can take a train to Madrid or even outside the country, a bus to class or a nearby city, and sometime in the near future people will be able to travel by metro. The benefits of this system are immeasurable: fewer traffic jams, less pollution, fewer people traveling by foot, inreased efficiency, and the list goes on. As we all know, the public transportation system in the United States leaves something to be desired. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I´ve traveled by train and bus combined. Though, to be fair, most large US cities do have highly developed systems of public transportation. With that said, however, we still lack modern rail systems between large cities, and furthermore, have developed most medium sized cities in such a way that makes walking anywhere impossible. As you may have guessed, I love the high-speed rail system in Europe and believe that if such a system were developed in the US, the tremendous cost of building it would soon be justified by the benefits.

Why do the Spanish respond in English?

With some of the experiences I have had since studying in Spain, I have started to notice a pattern in the relationship between the Spaniards and the tourists or foreigners. Whenever I start up a conversation in Spanish, the Spaniards decide to respond in English. Even when I try to continue the conversation in Spanish, they carry on in English. My question is why. Is it to make it more convenient for the non-Spanish speakers? Is it because they want to practice their English? Do they believe that their English is better than my Spanish? It is a question that still goes unanswered. The irony of it all is that most foreigners came here for vacations or to study. Some people come here for the sole purpose of improving or practicing their Spanish. I find it something rather frustrating to deal with. I am actually more offended by it. Although I appreciate the effort put forth by the Spaniards, I find it more difficult to understand them when they speak English.

This is not an occurrence that only exists in cosmopolitan cities, like Madrid or Barcelona. Although it is more common in these cities, speaking English has also come about in small touristy cities, like Málaga. English has become the language most commonly exchanged in conversation between a Spaniard and a tourist or a foreigner. Is there any way to escape English?

New Appreciation

Continuing with the thought that Kennon brought up, our recent trip to Barcelona made me think about the variety of study abroad programs that exist. I knew that Barcelona was a popular destination for American students wishing to study in Spain, and rightfully so as it is a beautiful city. Despite this, I never realized the extent to which English is spoken in Barcelona which is seemingly more than Spanish and Catalan combined. Many of the friends that we met up with were amazed at the intensity of our program and the fact that we had even signed a contract promising to only speak in Spanish. While many of these students are in Barcelona with the goal to learn Spanish and improve upon their current level, their classes do not facilitate the same level of learning that ours do and their programs are much less language-intensive. After seeing these differences, it gave me a new appreciation for our program here in Málaga because we benefit greatly from being in a city that almost exclusively speaks Spanish.

Study Abroad Barcelona

In our last trip sponsored by Dickinson College we traveled to Valencia and Barcelona, the third and second biggest cities in Spain. More so in Barcelona than in Valencia we encountered an incredible amount of American students. Understandably we met up with multiple friends whom are studying abroad. As we would walk down La Rambla at night I could not ignore that fact that English seemed more predominant on the street than Spanish or Catalan. We would continuously encounter Americans in bars, restaurants and on almost every street corner. I could not but help ask our program director Mark Aldrich, why it was that there were so many American students here. He replied that after the 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona a lot of study abroad programs began to focus in on the Catalonian city. Over time the amount of study abroad programs increased and began to accommodate more and more students. Some companies such as CEA or IES bring thousands of students every year to Barcelona. Someone in the group also commented about the success of the Woody Allen movie Vicky Christina Barcelona and how that could have made an impression on some Americans who wanted to study abroad this past year. After only spending a little time in Barcelona I understand why so many people would want to visit, it has something for everyone. Be it the reputation of the city or films made about it, Barcelona will continue to be one of the most visited cities in the world by American students.

Beach Therapy

The proximity to the beach has served me well over these past 5 to 6 months mostly due to the fact that it has given me a place to go when I just wanted to get out of my house and have some alone time. The beach is a great companion because it allows you to think and be alone with yourself to reflect or just relax. Before coming to Malaga I would often usually daydream about what it would be like to live near the beach and have the luxury to enjoy it anytime I want. Now that I have this great opportunity to not only be in a foreign country to experience and learn culture but I can also take advantage of the beach and all it has to offer. I remember the first time I ever went to the beach in Malaga, the one in El Palo, to be exact, it was the first day I arrived in the city and had a great desire to explore my surroundings. When I first saw it, it gave me relaxation right way. It was as if all my worries were lifted away from me and I was left there to enjoy the beauty I had in front of me. The ocean breeze is one of my favorite things and it has always brought me a great deal of peace and serenity.

In the USA, I do not have the opportunity to enjoy the beach anytime I want and so being in Malaga has given me yet another gift. The beach not only has had and continues to have an affect on me, it also effects the Malaguenan people. It is often said that southern Spaniards are more open and friendly and now I can clearly say that this generalization, almost stereotype, is a correct observation of the people. The close proximity to the beach allows people to relax and open up more easily compared to people that live in places inland. Not only has the beach served as a type of therapy but it also has turned into an anti-stress remedy for life.

I hope that I fully take advantage of the not ever 2 months I have left in Malaga and fully take in as much as I possibly can. The beach, in my opinion, is a big part of this Spain experience because without it I would not have been able to learn and observe a lot of little things that have made my stay in Malaga that much better.

Spain’s focus on specialization

During my time abroad, I have noticed an interesting characteristic of Spanish society. I am honestly not completely sure how to refer to it, but I suppose the word closest in meaning would be specialization. What do I mean by this?

In Spain, it is much more common to see stores that concentrate on a specific product or service, rather than larger stores such as Wal-Mart or Target. I have contemplated the benefits of this system, the most obvious being an increase in efficiency and the mobility of individuals; on the other hand, a disadvantage includes the inability to visit one place for many of your needs. Theoretically, the quality of the bread at the panadería around the corner from my apartment is higher than the quality of baked goods at Alcampo, the closest thing I’ve found to Wal-Mart in Spain. So overall, perhaps a belief in quality over quantity is valued more than it is in the United States. I’m sure that one could hypothesize many more insinuations of this particular method.

However, the reason specialization caught my interest was that it appears to extend beyond the shops and stores that line the streets. People are included in this observation, specifically in terms of students. Not only do students have to choose a career track while in school, as their American counterparts do; they are pushed to make that decision at a younger age. While we are encouraged to explore our options in college (at 18-20 years) and take a variety of courses until we find what appeals to us most, Spaniards must decide at 15 or 16 which career track serves them best. Furthermore, once their future has been defined, it is even more difficult to change their decision. This is only what I have observed, and I do not claim to know whether or not Spanish students approve of this system, but it would be interesting to find out.

Mood Determined By the Weather

Looking out my window today I cannot help smile, mostly because it is sunny and relatively warm outside. It is hard to not notice the amazing fact that when the weather changes so does the people’s attitudes. For example, 2 weeks ago I found myself at the beach with a couple of friends while having a drink and we were not the only ones to have this brilliant idea since it seems like every Malageno wanted to enjoy the nice weather at the beach. People were laughing, enjoying themselves outside and were just happy to not be stuck inside the house anymore. Not only are young people out and about but also older crowds accompanied by a lot of children who are eager to play in the sand with their friends.
Normally when it rains in Malaga, everything in the city slows down and gets more gloomy. Especially the transportation system, mostly because they are not very used to driving in the rain, the bus usually arrives 20 to 25 minutes after the intended time. Once on the bus, the mood seems to be a homogeneous type of sadness and fatigue almost caused by the weather that surrounds them. Some people love rain and gray weather while others love the sun and the warmth of the sun. both of which are quite justified in their preference regarding the weather. This distinction of weather preference does not seem to exist in Malaga. The attitudes are either black or white and there are usually no shades of gray to express the feeling.
Hopefully the sun will keep on shining on Malaga and the people keep enjoying their beautiful city and take advantage of everything that surrounds them.

Pyrotechnics: a Family Affair

Cultural identity takes many forms, and for Valencianos of all ages, that form is the petardo (firecracker). Valencia’s love for all things that go boom culminates every year in a week long celebration called Las Fallas. During this celebration there are fireworks, flaming wooden structures in intersections, and daily explosions called Mascletas- picture the Fourth of July on anabolic steroids. Writing it off as yet another ridiculous celebration, of which Spain boasts quite a few, the true importance of Las Fallas was unclear to me. For the Valencianos however, this is a matter of deep cultural pride. The first thing that surprised me was the level of participation from all age groups. Watching the many spontaneous parades, I saw the elderly, the middle aged, and most surprisingly the adolescents, all happily marching in traditional garb. There was no embittered look of angst on the faces of the teenagers, only pride and a sense of identity. Mothers pushing infants in strollers clogged the tiny winding streets of the city, a sign that the spirit of Las Fallas is taught at a young age. At the risk of sounding culturally intolerant, I must say that Fallas fever may be blinding the judgment of some Valencianos. Toddlers ran about, seemingly unsupervised, with slowly burning wicks and pockets full of explosives. I soon discovered, to my shock, that in nearly every case, the toddler was indeed being supervised, or rather encouraged to take part in the pyromania. This early exposure to explosives, fireworks, and massive bonfires all leave their mark on the Valenciano. Not just synchronized semi controlled insanity, not just another unique celebration; Las Fallas has transformed the cultural identity of the Valenciano.

I just want to say that I really like Zapatero: Some Spaniards will disagree

It might just be his vibrant baby blue eyes or his deep dimples that gives him an innocent (I can do no harm) appearance, but I get really excited every time Zapatero comes on the television. The last time I watched him on television, he was answering questions from a selected audience, kind of like a town hall meeting, but with an elected Prime Minister. He was talking one on one with his citizens answering their concerns, in what appeared to be straightforward without a sneaky political agenda. I admired the intimacy of his contact with the citizens and more so the questions being asked were real concerns that are affecting the Spanish people. The economy is a given, and he obviously has a hard time convincing the people that they can make it out of the crisis when the level of unemployment in Spain is the highest in Europe and steadily increasing. There were of course other issues on the table, one of which is where a priest vigorously demanded to know if Zapatero really thought a fetus was not a baby and if he thought it was right to kill it. He was of course referring to the changes being made toward the legality of abortion, where the government wants to make more provisions and access to abortion. Aside from this, the Zapatero government (PSOE) has pushed to legalize gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, reduce the role of religion in schools, grant more political power to Spain’s provinces and better integrate immigrants since the election in 2004 preceded by the more conservative Partido Popular( PP). These social changes have been for the most part well applauded, but now with the economic crisis, it begs the question of whether this Socialist government is equipped to handle the challenges that it is being faced with.

Ive had one too many debates over the subject of Socialism vs Capitalism with one too many Spaniards. In the end, I never know why I always defend capitalism when although its claim to fame is democracy and rights for all, the most capitalist country in the world, still has yet to give gays equal rights passing laws like Proposition 8 in California to restrict same-sex marriage. They both have their upsides, and I think we waste so much time and bickering pondering on which one works better, when the our concerns should be whether or not the laws of a country is working for the good of ALL its citizens …obviously we don’t live in a perfect world and this would never happen. But, let’s think for a moment about Spain who just 40 years ago was once in a conservative dictatorship and have made these progressions in such a short amount of time, aiming to eradicate religious conservatism and sexual inequality. Obviously these are ideas much more complicated than Im making it, but does it really have to be?

Something to call their own: Flamenco

It is not uncommon to see a group of youngsters walking by in Malaga, vigorously clapping their hands to a beat and shouting “Olé” at various intervals. Flamenco, here in Spain has evolved over the years and today the more popular among the younger generation is the fusion of Flamenco with other types of music, particularly rock. However, Camaron de la Isla will forever remain the legend of flamenco. I witnessed my first flamenco performance last semester at ‘a whole in the wall’ en El Centro. At many moments, I sat in awe of what I was witnessing, an immense amount of passion and talent, something that came from the heart and was sent straight to yours. My favorite part of Flamenco is seeing the woman dance, her body in unison with the music while she makes the most inexplicably expressive faces I have ever seen in my life. I am not ashamed to say that I was left in tears after the performance, very emotional from the profoundness at what I saw.


Needless to say flamenco remains the heart and soul of Andalucía, something that defines them distinctly from the rest of Spain and the rest of the world. When we think of American music, we know that there is a wide range; from hip-hop to country music, being derived from various subcultures. The music that America is mostly known for outside of America is pop music, where the likes of Britney Spears, Madonna, Beyonce etc can be worshipped around the world. I don´t think that this is music that all Americans are particularly proud of mainly because it is so mainstream and can be reproduced by anyone who has access to a camera and can post a Youtube video of them imitating their favorite artist or the latest overplayed song of the moment. Right now Single Ladies by Beyonce comes to mind. In this aspect however, there is no one genre of music that can define Americans or its culture. Flamenco however, is a culture on its own, something that defines Spanish culture, particularly Andalucía, something to call their own.

My Conversation With Carlos

My conversation with Carlos came about after my host mom asked if I would be willing to speak in English to a friend of hers, so he could practice before his exam. I agreed, and the next day Carlos and I went to a tapas bar in Pedregalejo for a beer. He was curious about Dickinson and the study abroad program and the cities we had visited. And after hearing the long list, he admitted that I had seen more of Spain in five months than he had seen in his entire life. At first, this came as a surprise, but later I realized that our group has probably seen more of Spain than a very large majority of Spaniards.

From that point on, the majority of the conversation turned to topics concerning the United States. Inevitably, he told me he wanted to visit California and New York, but was disappointed after hearing that the United States doesn’t have the high speed rail system like those in Europe. Though, I was caught off guard when he brought up the NBA (about which I know next to nothing) and started throwing out names of players and teams. It was also interesting to hear that he loved big, gas-guzzling American cars. After we had finished talking, we got up and he insisted on paying for my beer because I was in his country. I think that encounters like these are important because, despite the usual negative feedback we receive, they show you that there are many things people like about the United States.

Is the Mediterranean diet in danger?

Save your money, expand your waistline

For our intercultural seminar's final project, I am hoping to investigate the topic of health as it relates to children and schools. This is something I find extremely interesting, as we have discussed the effects of globalization and the U.S. many times in class. The link between Spain and our homeland is easily visible and seldom forgotten, as we are reminded of America every time we pass McDonald's or are served french fries for lunch. While many families succeed in preserving the traditional healthy Mediterranean diet, others succumb to busy schedules and picky eaters, following the example of their American counterparts. The question is, is the Mediterranean diet really in danger of extinction? And if so, what can we do about it?

Recent studies and statistics that I have found point to the tendency of children to follow the Americanized diet, shunning the Spanish trend of high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables; moderate consumption of dairy products, fish, and wine; and low consumption of meat. Instead, they reach for sugary drinks, snacks with a higher fat and calorie content, and processed foods. I know that in my own household, I was surprised at the amount of hot dogs, hamburger, french fries, and fried food in general that my host mother offers her children. Additionally, more and more children and adults in Spain are becoming obese or overweight, thanks to the acceptance of an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Sound familiar?

A model of the new food pyramid, which includes exercise as a key component

To me, it seems obvious that if measures are not taken to reassert the Spanish culinary identity, the Mediterranean diet may become a thing of the past. Although we have heard from our professors here that places like McDonald's are "for kids" and that in general Spaniards don't take such companies seriously (that is, as an actual component of Spanish food culture), who do you think is going to form the next generation and be responsible for feeding their own children? That's right - those teenagers you see chowing down on Whoppers at Burger King across the street.