The night I didn't meet my future husband...

So a lot of people know that the main reason I decided to study abroad in Spain was to meet my Spanish Flamenco-dancer husband.

Last week I finally got to work and went to a Flamenco Spectacular with my program. We had a lecture/ chat beforehand, and learned about the history of the dance. Flamenco has several cultural influences, and is a passionate dance often used as a form of social protest. There are several types of Flamenco and several dances with similar roots, such as "la Sevillana," the native dance of Sevilla, which is what I am learning in my dance class.

The show was absolutely incredible. While I had seen a male dancer at Lehigh, I had never seen a woman dance the Flamenco. I've never seen someone move her feet so rapidly; it was almost inhuman.

There were four people who performed that night. First, two men and a male guitarist. One man sang, and the two who weren't playing guitar performed "palmas" (claps) and "tacones" ("heels"- sounds made with the shoes) while seated. I couldn't understand a word of the song, but the rhythm was so energizing. Next, the woman danced as the three men played guitar, sang, and created the rhythm again with palmas and tacones. So elegant. Next the guitarist performed by himself. Finally, a man and the woman danced together. I wish I had words to describe the experience. So incredible.

Unfortunately, I did not meet any of them. I guess I'll just have to go back again! Oh darn.

Getting ready for the show, at la Casa de la Memoria



The one on the left sang, and the one on the right danced.





More casual dance after the show, since we couldn't take pictures during!

 

Flamenco was definitely one of the things I was looking forward to most about coming to Spain, and it has met all of my expectations. Definitely making another trip to Casa de la Memoria!


While I have been up to numerous exciting activities lately, such as this Flamenco Spectacular, this past week I really started to miss home. I guess I'm not in that honeymoon phase anymore. I am loving Sevilla, but I started to get slightly frustrated for the first time, which put me in a little bit of a rut. Trying to communicate with others, something that I take for granted in the United States, is sometimes an exhausting task here, especially with the Sevilliano accent-- they don't pronounce the ends of words many times and mumble a bit. Some very minor things kind of stuck out to me and left me feeling stupid and tired.

I am so glad that I got my package from home when I did. It was just what I needed for a little pick-me-up-- some of my favorite snacks and sweets. I had a movie night with some of my friends too, which made me feel a little more at home. Sometimes just a little reminder does the trick!

I am so grateful for my study abroad experience, and am enjoying all of the opportunities I've been given. However, I am so lucky to have the very best family and friends to go back to in the United States. The time will fly, I'm sure, so I definitely need to make sure that I make the most of my time here for the next two months.

I can't believe it... only two months left?!

Trip to Córdoba, First Fútbol Game, and Some Random Observations

Last weekend, my program had a mandatory trip to Córdoba, Spain. I am so glad that my program has these trips-- otherwise, I probably wouldn't have made the trip to these amazing places!

Córdoba is smaller than the cities I've visited so far. It reminded me of Granada a little, but, again, it wasn't as big. The architecture is similar and in both cities you can see the different cultural influences that have been in the area. For example, this BEAUTIFUL Muslim "mezquita" was taken over by the Christians, and converted to a cathedral, just like la Alhambra in Granada. What a beautiful building!

The details of the building are truly incredible.

In this picture I tried to show how tall the Mezquita-cathedral was.... reeeeeally tall...

We visited a synagogue, but only for about 5 minutes-- apparently we had a very short time limit. We also went to the "Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos"-- Palace of the Christian Kings. It had such pretty gardens!

That's me! It turned out to be a great day, weather-wise. Have you ever seen a bluer sky?

Some guys who definitely scared us the first time we walked by-- so funny.
Especially when we saw other people from our program walking up, about to be victimized.

All in all, it was a great day trip and I'm so glad I had the chance to go. And since there didn't seem to be much to do in the streets after our touristy visits, a day trip was a perfect amount of time.

What else? I went to a soccer game and had a total blast! As most people know, soccer, "fútbol," is the most popular sport of Spain. Seville has two different teams-- "Sevilla Futbol Club" and "Betis". After asking several sevillano people which team they prefer, I've come to the conclusion that everybody just has his or her own favorite team. Apparently, the Sevilla-Betis game is insane and impossible to get tickets for.

At the stadium

While the game was a little slow, at the very end, Sevilla came in for a goal and won, 2-1. So exciting!

This adorable little boy who was sitting in front of me had a lot to say about the players.
 

Even though I know pretty much nothing about soccer / sports in general, I loved the atmosphere. all the people sang Sevilla fight songs-- I was wishing I knew the words. I bought a scarf to hold up, too. I'm already looking into tickets for another game.

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Other random observations...


1. The keys throw me off here-- the teeth are face-up instead of face-down.

2. You may or may not have to pay to use bathrooms in stores, etc... And sometimes (for example in the center) you can't flush toilet paper--weird/ kinda skeevy.

3. Water a lot of times costs more than alcohol. I think it has something to do with the water regulation, since whenever I order water it usually comes bottled. And you can literally walk into a convenience store and buy a bottle of wine or a six-pack for under one euro.

4. There are ham and cheese flavored potato chips. "Jamón" (ham) is very popular in Andalucía.

5. Most of the music I've heard is American, in English. Although a little behind-- a handful of people have asked me about Frank Sinatra. The impact we have on other countries is much greater than I had realized-- from holidays (US bringing Halloween to Europe, for example) to music, we're everywhere.

6. Nobody walks and eats at the same time, except the tourists.

7. My pillowcases are open on both sides, instead of one. So when I make my bed my pillow usually falls out to the floor- ha!

8. It seems like all the young people use apps (WhatsApp) instead of actual texting.

9. There are lots of what I think are stray dogs, but I can't always tell because people don't really leash their dogs.

10. Chips and French fries are called by the same name, "patatas fritas," literally "fried potatoes", which makes for confusion for a junkie like me.

 

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Well folks, that's all for now. Hasta pronto, amigos!

ENTRADA 3a: Las relaciones interpersonales entre los trabajadores/ companeros/ jefe

A mí me parecen muy similares las relaciones interpersonales entre los trabajadores, compañeros, y jefe en el Hospital de la Caridad y mis trabajos pasados de los Estados Unidos. Aunque a veces todavía no sé cuando usar tú o usted en el trabajo, el prenombre oficial correcto para usar en cada situación, las interacciones no son muy diferentes.

Todas las personas en el hospital han hecho que siento bienvenida en el trabajo. Aunque no siempre puedo entender la conversación personal en el rato libre, siempre me invitan a sentarme y me incluyen en cualquier cosa. Los médicos me dicen chistes y Rafa siempre me pregunta sobre mi fin de semana, clases, y mis amigas aquí. Entonces, entre los trabajadores y compañeros, la relación normal me parece casual e informal. Similarmente, en los Estados Unidos, aunque mi jefe puede tener muchos más años de yo, siempre le refiero con su nombre y no el apellido, cual es más formal—no hay dos palabras para “tú”/ “usted” en inglés, pero usar el nombre en vez de “señor” o “señora,” “profesor,” o “Doctor” y el apellido se considera mucho más informal.

Solo he conocido a la jefa del hospital una vez, pero la relación entre ella y los trabajadores me parece un poco más formal, pero no mucho. Creo que hoy en día, en los dos países, los jefes quieren tener relaciones interpersonales más personal y amable con los trabajadores en vez de muy formal como en el pasado. Por ejemplo, creo que cuando fui con Rafa para hablar con ella, los dos usaban “tú” en vez de “usted,” que me sorprendió al principio (mis profesores en los Estados Unidos siempre me dice que debo usar usted salvo con amigos, pero aquí, no he oído la palabra formal). Voy a observar un poco más de la relación entre la jefa y la manera en que ella habla y actúa con los trabajadores, y viceversa.

Algo que también me sorprendió es que los médicos casi siempre refieren a los pacientes como “usted”—es uno de las únicas veces que he oído la palabra aquí. ¡Espero que antes de que yo me vaya a los Estados Unidos, puedo distinguir un poco mejor las situaciones en que se usa “tú” y en que se dice “usted”!

Pretty much the best thing that happens when you're away from home...

I got a surprise care package today from my Aunt Amy, Uncle Jim, Mom, Dad, and sister Steph. Just what I needed (not only for a little bit of home, but because I left a few important things in the USA, too...).

Package included: Baked goods (homemade AND tastykakes),
peanut butter (very hard to come by over here), candy, nail polish, those cool new hairties
that everyone seems to have, clothes I forgot, a gift for my host family, and my favorite fall jacket :)  

I think it's safe to say that 1. That so-called Sevilla diet that I had talked about before is out the window; that 2. I'm totally fine with it; and that 3. It's gonna be a great week.

I offered some cookies to my host parents Sarah and Pedro. It's so funny that they are unfamiliar with peanut butter-- my mom made peanut butter kiss cookies and they were very confused when they saw them.

Aunt Amy-- if you read this-- you are the best! Love ya.

Mi Intercambio, Maria and Spanish Dining Culture

I can't believe I forgot to mention that I've started meeting with my intercambio, Maria. She is great! My study abroad program assigns each student a Spanish "speaking partner" to meet with, preferably once a week. Maria is practicing her English, and I am working on my Spanish, so it's great to have someone not only in the same situation language-wise, but also a friend who is a local. Maria is 26 and is looking for work in Sevilla. She is a lot of fun to hang out with and tells me about all the hot spots in the city, for example, Cien Montaditos...

This is a picture I found on the internet, but I promise the real deal is just as appetizing, if not more.

Please note the dessert sandwiches as well, with chocolate bread,
whipped cream or chocolate icing, and candy inside.

 

A "montadito" is a small sandwich. Cien Montaditos ("one hundred sandwiches") is a chain of restaurants with 100 types of sandwiches on the menu. Every Sunday and every Wednesday, everything on the menu is just one euro. My intercambio and I are going to make a habit of having our weekly meeting there-- great food, potato chips included, even drinks are just one euro. Definitely worth the (super-long-on-Spanish-time) wait for your food.

Maria also has a German roommate. Whenever we go somewhere, there is a group of international students who come along- Spain, Germany, Peru, you name it. I love meeting all the young people from here and from all over Europe and the world.

Well, now all I want is a sandwich.

While I enjoy several of the customs here, one thing that is hard to get used to is customer service. While in the United States the customer is always right, here, is it very possible for one to be wrong. I was a little stunned at first when the wait just came up to the table and asked "What do you want?" without introducing himself or faking a smile. While it is just considered blunt here, it takes some getting used to for an average American Joe. Another example, in Granada, you receive free tapas with every drink you order. (Awesome, right?! Doesn't that seem backwards to you-- free food with drinks instead of the other way around? Not complaining, just interesting...) If you don't finish your tapa, the waiter will ask what was wrong with it. If you say you didn't like one of its ingredients, ham for example, he or she may tell you that you should have told her your preference ahead of time-- now the food will have to be thrown out and wasted. I can see this attitude as being practical, but I must say, I do miss the customer service and small talk of the US. And I am definitely looking forward to mom's cooking again!

On the topic of food, I am surprised by the diet here in Spain. I was told before coming by several sources that the Spanish eat very healthily and that most countries hold the stereotype that the United States' people either eat unhealthily or overeat-- that fast food and the whole "supersize idea" are strictly American and looked down on by other countries and cultures. While there are definitely aspects to the Spanish diet that seem to be a healthier alternative to the American, such as the fruit or yogurt as dessert-- instead of chocolate and sweets, there are others that seem to me surprisingly unhealthy. Most of the meals I eat here use heavy amounts of salt and oil-- practices which Americans, I would say, generally view as unhealthy (cholesterol, blood pressure reasons). I have eaten several fried foods and meals such as pizza, which we also sometimes/ often view as junk food in the United States. Moreover, there is white bread at every meal. While I do not see as grave a problem with it as several of my peers ("like omg I'm gonna gain 400 pounds from all the white bread it's sooo bad for you"),  because starchy carbs such as those in white bread are better many times than sugars and also lack fat, I do find the excess white bread surprisingly and slightly unhealthy. I must say though, I don't know how but the Spanish people are all very thin and supposedly healthy-- Spain has one of the top longest life expectancies in the world despite not only the eating habits, but the regular (but not binge) drinking and smoking by most of the adult population. Maybe it's because they never eat snacks between meals? It doesn't add up to me, but I guess the Spanish must be doing something right!!

One month down, folks... Weekend trip to Malaga and Granada

Wow, that's scary. I've been here more than a month at this point. I never believe people when they tell me, but time really does fly. It's making me really nervous-- I feel like I still have so much to do here!

Where to even begin? I am definitely one who likes to keep busy-- lots to talk about in this post.

Last weekend, I went to Malaga and Granada with a small group of friends. To say the least, it was an adventure. The weather was less than desirable and we all weren't feeling too hot, but really now, how can you not enjoy yourself with a view like this?!

 

That's a picture of the beach in Malaga, our first city of the weekend. The day got off to a rough start. We all stayed out just a wee bit past our bedtimes the night before our 7 or so AM train. Hence our friend Sally Anne missing it. What a fiasco- entertaining at the very least. Once Sally Anne made it to Malaga, after relaxing in a café for a while (which was named "Plan B"... I really am confused by that, but anyway...) and headed to the beach. I loved the perfectly clear water and the shark/fish/? tooth that I found, despite my method of finding it, which was stepping on it.

We also went to the Picasso museum while in Malaga, also-- I didn't know until I was in Malaga that it is the city where Picasso was born. What a great surprise. Also a great surprise-- that we just so happened to be in Malaga for Tourism day, and we got a free tour. What luck!

 

 

I am always happy at the beach. That night, I stayed in a hostel for the first time. What a great experience! While they are often stereotyped as dangerous and dirty, both of the hostels we stayed in that weekend were inviting, clean, and full of other young people in similar situations and programs. The sketchiness, though there was little, was thrilling, as seen in the below photo:

 

 

The next day, we went to Granada, an absolutely beautiful city. We took a walking tour and visited La Alhambra, a city and palace built by the Muslims but later taken over by the Christians. It was so interesting to see the mix of different cultural influences on the area.

 

 

What a great trip. I am truly blessed.

 

 

 

 

 

2a ENTRADA: Mis responsibilidades, ¿en qué consiste mi trabajo?

Después de dos semanas en mi práctica, tengo una mejor idea de mis responsabilidades en el Hospital de la Caridad y en qué consiste mi tiempo allá.

 Llego al hospital a las diez y cuarto los lunes y miércoles, y a las diez los viernes. Generalmente, por las mañanas, hay una especialista diferente que viene cada día de la semana—por ejemplo, los lunes por la mañana, viene el oftalmólogo. Cuando están los médicos, tengo la oportunidad para observar y preguntar sobre enfermedades que pertenecen a cada especialidad. Me explican que ocurre en la situación del paciente, y como lo van a dar tratamiento.

 Antes del almuerzo, ayudo a Rafa, el enfermero con que trabajo, a distribuir las pastillas a cada residente. Al principio, me sorprendió mucho que yo pudiera ayudar tanto; en los Estados Unidos, no puedo distribuir medicaciones de ningún tipo hasta que yo fuera licenciada en enfermería o medicina. Por eso, puedo ver a mi mismo como una médica por primera vez—en los Estados Unidos, todavía me parece muy distante el pensamiento de poder practicar la medicina y recetar medicinas, dar inyecciones—es muy extraño, pero emocionante, también, ¡a empezar con las experiencias reales de medicina! Más, doy inyecciones de insulina a los diabéticos antes de la comida, que me daba miedo al principio, pero que puedo hacer bien ahora.  

 En la oficina, he empezado a ayudar a limpiar los instrumentos en el esterilizador. En el rato libre, Rafa me enseña palabras técnicas, y como tomar la tensión correctamente. Cada miércoles, hay un control de tensión para cada residente—este miércoles, tomé la tensión de muchas residentes, para que el médico las examine después.
 
Poco a poco, crece mi vocabulario, mi conocimiento de las enfermedades y las responsabilidades de especialistas diferentes, y mi habilidad a ver y hablar con los residentes sin ponerme nerviosa.