Practical Skillz...

Do you like our outfits? Haha. This picture was taken last week, with all the house girls, except Kaiti, who left a few days before. :( We were painting, and these were the nasty clothes we dug out of the missionary barrel. For the past couple weeks, we've been preparing frantically for the campaign, which starts today. I'm not completely sure what all that entails house-wise, but I do know that it's about to get pretty crowded in here. We're picking up a big group today, coming in from another area of Spain. 13 girls, one bathroom? Sign me up, please! :) Haha. I'm sure that it will be challenging, but that it will also be fun. As long as we all strive to communicate and behave unselfishly, we should be okay. But if you think of us, pray for us. :) I'm not sure how much I'll be able to blog in these next two weeks...but I will do my best. We'll see how the schedule goes.

Somehow, Steve Urkel speaking Spanish seems...wrong.

Yes, you read that right. This morning, I encountered a pleasant surprise on the television (or as my Brit roomate would say, the telly. heehee.): A nineties flashback...Spanish style. Full House and Family Matters in Spanish. I could only watch a few minutes of each...it was ruining the pleasant childhood memories I have of those shows. For heaven's sake, in Spanish, Steve Urkel's voice is a girl! And Carl just sounds downright creepy.

It was a good reminder for me that every person on this earth is culturally conditioned. I may have an idea in my head of what a nerdy voice or a creepy voice sounds like, but the Spanish obviously have a different idea. It also was a brief lesson about myself...what brings back pleasant memories? Why am I so resistant to change those memory triggers? I guess it's just a reaffirmation of what I have already learned about myself this summer...I value the familiar, and change is hard for me. Steve Urkel and Uncle Jesse remind me of pleasant 4th grade days...coming home from school by 4 pm sharp every day so that I don't miss my favorite programs. I would kiss my baby brother Colin (wow, that was a long time ago..haha), and plop down with him to watch tv. So yes, when I see those beloved shows in a whole new culture and language...seen through completely new cultural eyes, my mind is a little resistant.

That's how I've felt throughout this entire summer...resistant. Even restistance against resistance. Though Spanish culture is still Western (and not TOO different from ours), I have definitely gone through culture shock. They say that culture shock lasts 2 years, and the first 6 months are the worst. It's so easy to compare everything to how your people do it in YOUR country. It's far too easy to talk more about your country than ask questions about your host culture. I've found that my mind and body are resistant to the changes here, especially since we have an international team, and EVERYONE communicates differently. But then I also encounter another resistant feeling, that of rebuke to my initial resistance. I WANT my body and mind to be fully adaptable to all these new things. I really do want to be super cross cultural woman. But I must confess that this time in Spain has taught me that...I'm definitely NOT that woman. I have a lot more growing to do in the area of cross cultural communication. At least now I realize just how inculturatedly American I am.

Flamenco dancers and bullfights...staying up till all hours?

I beg to differ. Okay, my dear American culturally minded friends. What do you think of when you think of Spain? What have you heard? Do you think of flamenco dancers and bull fighting? Salsa dancing and tapas? How about bar hopping and staying up till 2 am? Friendly, open people who touch you and kiss you to the point of American discomfort?

Since I've been here...what? 8 weeks? I feel that I can now safely share some Spanish cultural aspects that I've learned. The biggest thing that I've learned is that you just CAN'T stick all of Spain in one mold. Did you know that Spain is divided into 50 provinces and 17 regions? And did you also know that most of the Spanish steriotypes are nearly ALL contained in ONE region? The flamenco dancing, bull fighting, staying out till 3 am people are in Andalucia. These people are known for being the most open, and very free in all they do. These are the people who hop from bar to bar, eating tapas and cat calling the ladies. Now mind you, these cultural aspects DO occur in other parts of Spain as well...but as far as being a part of the daily life of the Spaniard...Andalucia's about it. And coincidentially, this is a very touristy area. Sevilla, anyone? :)

Here's a news flash: the large majority of Spaniards are NOT Latin in ANY way. I have talked with numerous Latin American immigrants here, who complain that the Spaniards are cold and individual. I didn't think so...but then again, I'm from the midwestern USA. We're not the warmest either. But I can see how it would be challenging to come from a Latino culture to this one. There really are a lot of similarities to how Americans behave compared to the majority of Spaniards. Because we're all Western. And except for the kissing on both cheeks greeting custom, people don't touch you a lot here.

Duh...Spaniards love soccer. Oops, sorry...football. It's a BIG deal. They love their teams to death. When one of their players is fouled, they hurt for him. When a bad call is made, they scream at the television. When they win, grown men become three years old all over again. Wait...this sounds like my country.

In Spain...at least where I have traveled, bars are family friendly. Most people don't go to bars to get drunk and party...they go to have one or two drinks and fellowship with each other. And you don't even have to drink anything alcoholic. All the bars make cafe con leche and have all kinds of juices too. Needless to say, we've frequented bars. There's one right next door to the church...and we go pretty often. The workers know us now...and give us free food! Hooray for tuna empanadas! Kidding. They're not that great.

The Spanish are straight forward. What may seem rude to a North American isn't rude here. We might say, "please pass the bread." They'll say, "give me the bread." We'd say, "I'd like that please." They say, "I want that." I don't really mind. It saves time. You express a need, your need is fulfilled. :)

The Spanish are WELL DRESSED. Let me tell you. They spare nearly no expense or body pain to LOOK GOOD. In my best clothes, I look pathetic next to a woman who just threw something on. They got it goin' on. Even the little old ladies are stylin'. The downside of this is...the Spanish are bold, and try styles shamelessly. Sometimes they pull it off amazingly...and sometimes...well...not so much. Like this one lady at church who has these BRIGHT orange wedge heels. The roman soldier style that tie up your leg. Yes, the straps are orange too. And she wears them EVERY Sunday. Honey...please burn those. You can't pull that off unless you're Lady Gaga.

I'll let this be the last cultural aspect for now...the Spanish standard of modesty is NOT the same as American standards. The pastor's daughter here wears daisy duke length shorts...to church...and it's totally fine. Ladies go topless on the beach...discreetly, but they do. And nobody looks. Except for me of course...the conservative shocked American. Haha. :) There's cleavage on the news. People with professional careers wear jeans to work. And it's all totally fine. So I'm embracing it. Jeans every day!!! Wait...I already do that. ;)

My foot hates me.

Screw you, Jillian Michaels. Screw you and your 30 Day Shred. I've been with you for a month and I'm not seeing the shredding. And yes, MOM, I've been avoiding the cookies. It's not hard to do here in Spain, because they're gross. My point is, Jillian, I felt more of a difference after one day of backpacking than I did after a week of your video. Forget this 30 day crap. Backpack for a WEEK and you'll be shredded. My butt was firm after a day. Too much information? Sorry. I had to get it out. But seriously. I'd like to see that skinny lady do what my friends just did.

Yes, I said "my friends." I made it for 2 1/2 days...because my infamous foot injury flared up like crazy in the middle of the 3rd day. So I had to swallow the pride and call for a rescue. Oh well. It was really fun while it lasted. Well, mostly fun. My Greek roomate didn't really train beforehand...so she had to rest a lot more throughout the journey than I really wanted to. But I suppose that that was a good lesson in patience.

After 6 days total, our friends returned...all buff and tan. I was jealous...but I also couldn't really walk...so...

Ganamos!!!!!

Spain wins! Spain wins! Okay, who am I kidding. You all know that I couldn't care less about soccer. Points for trying? Well, though soccer isn't a big deal in the mind of this little blonde American, it's a HUGE deal here. And in most of the world. Plus my boyfriend loves it. So I'm trying, okay? For the sake of cultural immersion and brownie points. ;)

My roomates and I always said that if Spain made it to the final game, we'd go to the Plaza de Espana in Ferrol to watch it on the big screen. So last night, I found myself in a sea of underage beer drinking smokers, hating one team and desperately loving another. It was a taste of home...haha...I guess Ohioans do the same thing, huh? Except Galicians don't set things on fire, like OSU fans do. :)

Well...it was fun. I enjoyed it, I guess. :) I would have preferred watching it at home, where I could actually see the screen...and actually breathe (everyone smokes!!)...but I was glad to have the opportunity to be with the community when their beloved team won. :)

Oh, and ps...the picture above is of my roomate Kathy from Greece. She borrowed some kid's flag and scarf and asked him to take a picture. The kid and his friends really got a kick out of it. :) And check out this kid...I don't think she likes the fan gear.

A bit into the mind...

Of Spaniards. We learned quite a few Spanish quick witted replies/idioms this week...so now I feel a little better equipped to be sassier in this culture...haha. :) Here's a few:

Contigo el pan y la ceboya (May bread and onions be with you). This is what the Galician Spanish say to a newly married couple. It's true...even if you have no food, you usually have a bread product of some kind, and an onion or two. This is the Gallego way of saying, "we know you're so ridiculously happy that you don't even realize how little you have."

Porque sera? (Why will that happen?). Gallegos say this when the obvious is stated. It's like saying sarcastically, "oh reeeeeally? Why is that?"

Con pan y vino, andamos el camino (with bread and wine, we go our way). This is their way of saying, "we can make it through life with the basics."

El fuego del leon no es como lo pintan (the fire of the lion isn't what they paint him as). It's the Spanish equivelent of "his bark is worse than his bite."

And THIS is the best one....
Me voy a ver Chicago (I'm going to go see Chicago). Hilariously, this means, "I'm going to the bathroom." I thought that was just great. Haha. :)

Also, we're headed out on a 5 day hike to Santiago de Compostela tomorrow. We'll get back Friday afternoon...where hopefully I'll be alive enough to tell you guys all about it! If you want information on it, just google "Camino Ingles." Yes, we're walking that 110 kilometers!!! Yeah, let's DO it!!

Random things I failed to mention.

Our last day in Madrid, Lydia and I went to the Reina Sofia, the renowned modern art museum. The picture above is an original Picasso that I saw. Strangely, you're allowed to take pictures in that museum. I discovered a new found freedom in that...and I confess, I went a little picture crazy in the museum. I've never been allowed to take pictures in a museum in my life!

This hand is better...but since that day of benedryl (which my body does NOT respond well to...don't ever give me that), my other hand swelled, as did my face and part of my leg...all sequentially. Not all in the same day. I don't know what it is with the mosquitos here (or as my new found British friend in Madrid would say, the mozzies. haha.). I get bitten a lot in the States too, but they don't swell like this. I have since purchased a bug spray for my skin, a bug spray for the house, and another bug-repelling plug for our room. And just yesterday, I found a dead mosquito under it. I admit that it gave me great pleasure to see him die. I really don't understand why God created them. What purpose do they serve? Spiders I don't like...but I can understand their function in creation. Snakes I don't like...but I can understand that too. But mosquitos? Why, Lord?

THIS is the Starbucks display in Madrid. Seriously, USA....get it together!!! These desserts looked amazing. I did not partake...but I enjoyed looking at them.

Anyway. There's a smattering of subjects. Next time I'll talk about idioms I've learned here in Galicia...it gives you an insight into how they think. :)