ENTRADA 6a: ¿Qué técnicas estoy desarrollando para afrontar mi interacción con las personas y el medio en un contexto cultural que era desconocido para mi?

Estoy desarrollando en mis prácticas en el hospital no solo el idioma española y un conocimiento de la medicina introductorio, pero también técnicas interpersonales y como hablar, comunicar, y presentarme en el hospital, cual es un ambiente muy diferente que un hospital o residencia en los Estados Unidos. Me he dado cuenta de que hay muchas cosas a que se necesita adaptarse en un trabajo nuevo en otro país, más de estrictamente la información.

He aprendido mucho de la manera de comunicar en el trabajo, y no solo la comunicación hablada. Ahora sé que el espacio personal no es tan grande aquí en España como en los Estados Unidos—algo que me hacía una poca incómoda al principio. Entonces, he aprendido a estar más cómoda con otras personas en general. También he aprendido que hay menos tiempo generalmente para contestar a una pregunta—que me parece que las personas españolas no les gustan tener espacio entre las palabras-- muchas veces se llena una pausa con “eeehh..” o “errm…”. Por eso, he desarrollado unas técnicas para comunicar en la manera de los españoles, y una habilidad de reconocer la comunicación entera y efectiva para hacer que yo sea entendido y viceversa.

La técnica más importante para mí para acostumbrarme y entender es preguntar. Me considero una persona introvertida, y la necesidad de hablar y preguntar me ha ayudado mucho a desarrollar técnicas importantes de cualquier tipo de trabajo, clase, o situación social. Ahora, no me cuesta nada a hacer preguntas a cualquier persona, sin el temor de decir algo mal o incorrecto, porque he aprendido que es la única y más eficiente manera en que se puede conocerse una situación y descubrir nuevas cosas. 

Internship Entry 5 (English Translation): Evaluation of the first weeks/ theme of choice.

For this post, I'll write about something that has caught my interest, which will be a brief history of the Hospital de la Caridad in Seville. It is a very old building, unlike the nursing home where I worked last summer (though only in the activities department, not medicine).

I was in literature class when my teacher said something about Manara, the man who founded the hospital in the seventeenth century. In a poem by Antonio Machado, there is an allusion to Manara, and my teacher explained that he was very important to the history of Seville. Miguel Manara, who was born in Seville in 1627, lived in a very troubled time in Spain; there were many rich, but also several poor; natural disasters such as the drought of 1682 and the flood of 1683 caused tension and a weakening of the city, both in numbers and in spirit; and the plague of 1649 reflected the need to change and restart life.

The logo of the Santa Caridad: a heart and a cross. 

Manara was a nobleman who lived in a palace and had an extravagant education. However, after the death of his wife his way of life. An internal struggle caused him to give up all of his wealth to build a hospital to benefit the poor, the sick, the brothers of Seville.

Although Mañara died in 1679 , his work and mission continue even today. La Caridad, which also has a church, was intended to bury the bodies of the abandoned or killed, and help men without resources. Today, there are more than 80 men in the Casa- Hogar. Men are admitted based on their level of need, health, and loneliness. From my experience, it seems like a real botherhood, inspiration and hope for all who live in the Hospital - Residence.

Here is webpage for la Santa Caridad , for more information:
http://www.santa-caridad.es/

There is also a museum in the Hospital, which I haven't yet visited. When I go to see it, I will share!

Although there are many differences between the Charity Hospital and Wiley Christian Retirement Home, for example, the ages of the buildings (I still can't believe that the Hospital is older than my country ... ), there are many similarities, as well. The two work mainly via charity, donations from those who live nearby, many times the people who go to the respective churches. There are religious and humanitarian missions, to give to people in order to improve the lives of "brothers". There is an affiliated church in both.

I keep learning new things ...I can not believe it's already my fifth post in my blog ! As they say in Spanish, too: time flies, especially when you are enjoying what you're doing.

ENTRADA 5a: Primera valoración de las primeras semanas; Tema libre.

Para este post en mi blog, escribiré sobre algo que me ha interesado mucho, cual es la historia  breve del Hospital de la Caridad en Sevilla. Es un edificio muy antiguo, muy diferente de la residencia donde trabajé el verano pasado (aunque solo en el departamento de actividades, no la medicina).

Yo estaba en la clase de literatura cuando mi profesora dijo algo de Mañara, el hombre quien fundó el hospital en el siglo XVII. En un poema de Antonio Machado, hay una alusión a Mañara, y mi profesora explicó que él fue muy importante para la historia de Sevilla. Miguel Mañara, quien nació en Sevilla en el año 1627, vivía en un tiempo muy inquieta de España; había muchos ricos, pero también mucha pobreza; desastres naturales como la sequía de 1682 y la inundación de 1683 causaron tensión y una debilitación de la ciudad, en números y en espíritu; y la plaga de 1649 reflejó la necesidad de cambiar y recomenzar la vida.

El logo de la Santa Caridad: una corazon y una cruz.

Mañara era un hombre noble—vivía en un palacio con mucha riqueza y una educación extravagante. Sin embargo, después de la muerte de su esposa él reevaluó su manera de vivir. Una lucha interna le causó a dar toda su riqueza a crear un hospital para beneficiar a los pobres, los enfermos, los hermanos de Sevilla.

Aunque Mañara murió en el año 1679, su trabajo y misión continúan todavía hoy en día. La Caridad, que también tiene una iglesia, tenía la intención de enterrar los cuerpos de los abandonados o matados, y ayudar los hombres sin recursos. Hoy en día, hay más de 80 hombres, en la Casa-Hogar de la Caridad. Se admiten a los hombres después de analizar su nivel de necesidad, salud, y soledad. De mi experiencia, me parece como una fraternidad real, inspiradora y con una esperanza para todos los que viven en el Hospital- residencia.

Aquí está el sitio de La Santa Caridad, para más información:

http://www.santa-caridad.es/

También hay un museo en el Hospital, que todavía no he visitado. Cuando voy para verlo, voy a describir lo que yo vea.

Aunque hay muchas diferencias entre el Hospital de la Caridad y Wiley Christian Retirement Home, como las edades de los edificios (todavía no puedo creer que el Hospital es más antiguo que mi país…), hay muchas semejanzas, también. Los dos funcionan por la mayoría por caridad, donaciones de otros de las ciudades, muchas veces las personas que van a las respectivas iglesias. Hay misiones religiosas y humanitarias, de dar a la gente para mejorar las vidas de “hermanos”. Hay una iglesia afiliada en los dos.

Sigo aprendiendo cosas nuevas… ¡no puedo creer que ya es mi quinto post de mi blog! Como se dice en ingles, también: el tiempo vuela, especialmente cuando se disfrute lo que se haga. 

Being a long-term tourist

Just a post about some things that have surprised me, that I found interesting, and I have wanted to share...

*         *        *

One thing that I don't always understand is the way people approach me: people who speak English always start talking to me in English before Spanish. I assume that they are being polite, by not making me have to say or feel embarrassed that I don't speak Spanish, but at the same time, I want to speak Spanish with the people I meet-- I'm here to learn and like to take every opportunity to practice! Of course, if I start talking in Spanish, they follow, but it's something to get used to. (I think part of it may be that they want to practice their English?) Also, something that surprised me is that I am called "rubia"... all the time, which means blonde. It's not an insult, but I guess I'm paler than the majority of Spaniards. Oh well!

I also am loving the Spanish/European money. It's so much more fun than the American kind! Much more colorful. I think it makes so much sense to use one standard currency, as well-- Europe has it going on in that respect.

What also interests me is that the 1€ and 2€ amounts are in coins. Be careful folks, when dollars are only coins, they seem more like spare change than a dollar. Beware also of the exchange rate-- that'll get cha, too. Note: in the restaurants and such of Seville, people don't tip, either. 

I've been learning to better understand the Andalusian accent-- one that is very unique. People say that if you can understand the Spanish here, you can understand it anywhere! People native to this area "eat" a lot of their letters, aka, don't pronounce them, making them more difficult to understand than someone from, say, northern Spain, like my host mother. She is from Salamanca and hence speaks much more clearly than a lot of Sevillanos. Something that I am definitely grateful for.

Just as in the United States, there are stereotypes about each part of Spain, which seem to me to be at least partly true. For example, they say that those from the north are more blunt, hard-working, and thrifty, while the people from southern Spain are more  fun-loving but generous. Sarah, my host mother, says that the climate has a lot to do with these stereotypes, which she also notices. Southern Spain has better weather-- much sunnier and warmer-- meaning the people spend more free time outside. She says the climate also affects the people's attitudes; the sun brings the happiness and light-heartedness characteristic of "el sur"-- the south.

Something that caught me off-guard the other day: my host father using the word "inválido" to describe someone in a wheelchair. While it's completely normal and the appropriate word to use in Spain, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable about it's meaning-- that the person is invalid and not of use to society. Moreover, that Spain seems to be very tolerant of people with any kind of other needs, and yet still uses the word as inoffensive. It goes to show that we develop blind habits and don't always think about what we say before we say it. It got me thinking about words we use in English that may have the same kind of effect-- I will definitely think more before I say anything at all. While it's easy to see when I am objectively learning a language, it's different when it's your native one. It's interesting to see how the words different societies use show their cultural differences and views of anything and everything about life.

*         *        *

This weekend I ventured with my roommate to "Las Setas," (literally "mushrooms") which is a large, modern creation taking the shape of, well, mushrooms. For just a euro and change, you can climb to the top and have a beautiful view of the entire city. So neat! It was a bit controversial, and still is, because they were built on top of Roman ruins and clash a bit with the more antiquated style of the rest of the city, but the ruins are preserved and can be seen from the ground floor. 

Las Setas!

Isn't Sevilla so beautiful??

From the top of Las Setas

What a view!

Roman ruins, under Las Setas

A beautiful building I passed while on a stroll

Flowers near the Nervion Plaza, a mall I also went to with my roommate this weekend

Which reminds me of something else which really confused me at first... the first floor of a building here-- "planta 1"-- is the first floor from the ground floor, which is "0". So, the first floor here is like a second floor in the US. Basements are often labeled in elevators as "-1". Still gets me sometimes!

ENTRADA 4a: ¿Qué estoy aprendiendo? ¿Qué habilidades estoy desarrollando?

Voy aprendiendo, poco a poco, en el Hospital de la Caridad. Y me gusta que tengo la oportunidad de aprender un poco de muchas cosas diferente que incluye la medicina: palabras técnicas y informales, enfermedades y sus causas, y sobre el sistema de salud en España.

Para mí, lo más importante que estoy desarrollando es hablar con pacientes, y tener la experiencia de observar y acostumbrarme a situaciones que son, a veces, incómodas. Por ejemplo, me he preocupado mucho sobre ser médica, porque no me gusta ver la sangre ni las inyecciones mucho. Pero en el hospital, tengo la oportunidad para acostumbrarme a ver cosas en una manera que es solo para la medicina. Por ejemplo, ahora, puedo dar las inyecciones de insulina a las pacientes ahora, y no me cuesta nada. Me da confianza en saber que ser médica no es una opción mala para mí mismo. Es algo que no podría saber en los Estados Unidos hasta el comienzo de la escuela de medicina.

También, estoy aprendiendo un vocabulario completamente nuevo, y muy útil para mi trabajo en el futuro. Quiero poder a ayudar a todas las personas que necesiten asistencia sanitaria cuando yo sea médica, y sé que esta práctica me ayudaré mucho en eso—espero que puedo ayudar la gente que habla español. Aunque el vocabulario es nuevo, muchas palabras técnicas de la medicina son muy parecidas en inglés y en español.  Entonces, también estoy desarrollando un vocabulario no solo de español, sino de medicina más universal. El vocabulario va a ayudarme en aprender las palabras técnicas ingleses en el futuro.

Finalmente, estoy desarrollando una vista de la medicina más global. Puedo ver las diferencias entre el sistema sanitario de España y de los Estados Unidos, y lo bueno y lo malo de los dos. Por ejemplo, en el hospital, a veces hay especialistas diferentes que hablan juntos sobre el tratamiento de un paciente—algo que no creo que pase mucho en el sistema sanitario privado de los Estados Unidos (especialistas casi siempre tienen sus propios edificios, y funcionan completamente solas). También, de que entiendo de mi clase de vocabulario de los médicos, los centros de salud tiene casi todo, en vez de tener un sitio distinto para cada necesidad sanitaria. Siempre me ha gustado la idea de una vista de medicina y salud más holística, algo que veo aquí.

La corrida de toros-- What it's like to see a bullfight

La corrida de toros is a centuries-old tradition of Spain. While it is viewed by the Spaniards as an art form, many Americans, including the students in my program, have mixed feelings about the bullfights for whatever reason-- animal rights, the unnecessary violence, etc.

I am definitely one of those people. I had, and still do, have very mixed feelings about las corridas. I decided, though, that I couldn't leave Spain without seeing one, and wanted to form an informed opinion about the corridas. I went with a group of 7 other girls from my program to La Plaza de Toros right here in Sevilla. I didn't know it until I arrived, but it was a corrida for charity (the Red Cross and Food Bank, in particular), which made me feel better about going.

An overview of vocabulary for las corridas de toros...

toro: bull. There are, in a standard bullfight, 6 bulls total.
matador / torero: bullfighter; "matador" literally translates as "killer"
picador: man on horseback, who spears the bull initially
banderillero: men who spear the bull with a pair of "banderillas"
pañuelo: hankerchief; all people wave white pañuelos when a torero put on an exceptionally good show or fought well

Picture I got from the internet, a standard banderillero.

There are three distinct sections to each corrida. And each corrida de toros includes three different toreros and six bulls. First, all members walk into the plaza together. And, as to not be graphic, I will recap very briefly. First comes the picador, who spears the bull. The idea is to tire the bull, because otherwise, it would be too powerful to fight. Next come the banderilleros, usually about 3 per bull, who do a little jump and stick the bull with banderillas, again provoking the bull. Finally, the torero is left alone in the ring with the bull, and the fight ends with the death of the bull and the bull being escorted out by a small group of horses.

If the torero was exceptionally talented, the people wave their pañuelos, and the torero receives an ear of the bull. Even better, then both ears, and the best toreros get both ears and the tail.

The audience waving their pañuelos

The bullfight I went to was a little out of the norm. There were several different toreros, and seven bulls, because it was a charity event. The toreros didn't wear the traditional colorful suits, either, but instead traditional short jackets and fitted pants in grays and dark colors. Have to say, I love how people dress here-- not just for la corrida, but in general, they dress up more. You'll never catch someone running errands in athletic wear, except the tourists. (I'm not sure whether it's because they don't really view exercise the same way as we do in the US, but that's another topic completely...I feel that since people live more active lifestyles here, walking everywhere, etc, they tend to not set aside a time dedicated strictly to exercise, a gym, etc. Although, of course, there are most definitely a number of runners out in the streets at night! I'll have to observe a little more about that.)

One thing that surprised me was that the horses were completely blinded and drugged for the corrida. They also wore protective gear over their bodies. Otherwise, they would most definitely be spooked/ harmed. It makes sense, but completely caught me off guard and made me a little uncomfortable at first.

What also surprised me was how people reacted to the fight. While they were cheering on the torero, the crowd also seemed to feel for the bull. There were claps, but no whistles or happy cheering. To me, it seemed more of a serious acknowledgement. It was almost as if the people felt torn about the fight, wishing that both the torero and the toro could be victorious.

The third part of the corrida, the torero and the toro. Note the non-colorful suit, and the difference
between that of the torero below (picture from the internet please don't sue me...):

I learned from watching that bulls are not naturally aggressive animals. While they can certainly harm someone easily solely due to their mass, I would not at all consider them aggressive. Thus, they have to provoke the bull in the first two sections in order to make a fight and conquering possible. To me, it seemed that the bulls only ran out of confusion-- I don't think that they felt severe pain from the banderillas, for example, but were confused and startled by the happening. The capes aid in the confusion, as well-- since I believe they are colorblind, the red color enraging them is a myth. There were several instances throughout the corrida when the bull was just standing alone, not even walking. It rarely spontaneously started running towards a person in the ring. The bull had to be provoked, which was the saddest part of the fight for me. That the bull didn't want to fight back, and it never did from the start. That, and watching it slowly go down on four knees and surrender. It happened the same way every time.

That being said, I can also see the artistic parts to the corridas. The better toreros are easier to watch, for the bull's sake. A cleaner and faster kill, and a more artisitc, dance-like process, instead of the mere death that occurs when a newer, less-experienced torero fights. I left knowing which were better-- you honestly can tell just from watching one fight. The better toreros are braver, as well, and will have more confidence when it comes to getting close to the bull and standing his ground-- one even stood eye to eye with one while in the ring.

What also made me feel better about the bullfight is that they live better lives than any other bulls do-- they are fed and groomed and bred for the corridas and treated as kings up until that moment. Additionally, every part of the bull is used after its death-- it's not killed simply to be killed. Someone explained it to me as the bull being celebrated, living a wonderful life and then fighting an honorable fight to the end of its life. I also got the feeling that the toreros had a connection with the toros, something hard to explain in a blog post.

So, how do I feel about la corrida de toros? Conflicted. I am glad I went and got to experience something so engraved in the culture of Spain, yet at the same time, I doubt I'll go to another. I must, say, I feel that I understand the corrida de toros more now that I have went to see one in person.

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.

*       *       *

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.

 

*       *       *

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.