So Why So Few Posts? Blogging in Hong Kong Vs. Spain

Now that summer has started and presumably I'm on holiday, the biggest question I think is "Why so few posts?" There are two major reasons for this.

1. Summer is the busiest time of year for an English tutor.

So, my official job is an English Tutor. Which means, I don't teach for an official school, but rather a center which sends me out to different places to teach. On the bright side, I get to see a lot of Hong Kong, but the downside means, when regular teachers are taking their holidays, I'm working non-stop! Many of my students are preparing for school entrance interviews and for the next school year. So I have a lot of summer students who want to improve their English. I've already said goodbye to one student who is moving to Beijing to attend the Beijing International School and another is leaving next week for Canada, where he'll attend high school. My schedule currently really is quite nuts, some days I teach 9 classes, and with travel can put me at over 12 hours of work. So, it doesn't leave a whole lot of time to do the things I need to do like grocery shopping, planning lessons, practicing voice, going to the gym and of course, blogging.

In Spain, the easiest time was summer. So I had a lot of time to blog and write about my experiences. But then again, life in Spain is just more relaxed than life in Hong Kong.


2. Separation of local vs. expat.

 When I lived in Spain, I lived with a local family and learned a lot about local customs and culture. I spoke the language, so I could go to local places and survive. Here in Hong Kong, I live in a flatshare with pretty much exclusively non-locals(one of my flatmates is from here but lived in Canada for many years so acts typically Western). I don't interact with locals outside of work(my students!). The most local places I go are places that still have menus in English, and all the bars I go to are fashioned after a Western pub. I don't speak any Cantonese, and any that I have tried to speak goes pretty much misunderstood. In short, I don't get a whole lot of exposure to local culture, so don't have as much insight as I did in Spain.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival

One of the most famous festivals in Hong Kong is the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. Like its name, it involves...buns. Most people believe that it is celebrating the buns, but the reality is that it isn't! I had to look into this festival before I went because it was the very first cultural thing I heard about when I arrived(after Chinese New Year).

It took me a while to find information on this festival, most of its roots has been lost to time, most of the religious aspects are largely forgotten. One origin story that I found was that the bun festival began in the 18th century after Cheung Chau had suffered a period of being pillage of pirates and sickness. An image of the god Pak Tai was brought to the island and subsequently drove away all the evil spirits and pirates. I can't really go into the traditional Chinese gods because I really don't know much about them, but this festival was a fun way to welcome summer! I am in no way disregarding the traditional or religious aspects of this festival, but this is a case of ignorance due to a cultural gap and being largely unable to really bridge this gap.

The Bun Festival itself lasts for several days, with displays of traditional Chinese culture such as the opera and lion dances. Unfortunately, the day I went there was a HUGE thunderstorm over the island. So, not much was going on in the way of activities but I did see part of a processional and a garbage bag covered lion dance. I didn't get to see the bun snatching competition(yes, its a strange thing), it wasn't happening the day I went but the following night at midnight. But I did get to see the famous bun towers outside the Pak Tai Temple, which is where most of the festivities take place.

A note about the buns: Why buns? I have no idea. The belief is that eating one will give you safety and good health. There were two kinds available: Red Bean Paste and Lotus Seed Paste. I tried the Red Bean Paste, which was very sweet and tasted like...well red bean! The bun itself is white with a red character stamped on the outside. Some of my research pulled up that the character stands for "safety" and "health". I hope so, since typhoon season is upon us!

A Yummy Bun!

The most exciting part of the festival, as you guessed it, is the bun snatching competition. This competition is as old as the festival itself, but hasn't been going on for quite some time. The villagers of Cheung Chau would make 60 feet tall towers made of bamboo. Attached to these would be...buns. Trust me, you think it sounds weird, it gets weirder(but in a wonderful way). There would be three of these towers, and young men would climb on to the top for a certain amount of time, trying to collect the "lucky" buns at the top of the tower. I put "lucky" in quotes because the higher the bun, the more fortune it would bring to the snatchers family.

This race was eventually banned in 1978 after a tower collapsed and injured over 100 people. Pak Tai must have been looking out for Cheung Chau's unique tradition because a single tower race was allowed to be built, with safety precautions. Women were also allowed to join the race. In 2007 the buns were replaced with plastic ones, with some backlash from the community as they were concerned that the traditional practices were becoming too commercialized.

Bun Tower

Cheung Chau itself is a beautiful island, and I did take some time to rent a bike and bike around the island. The streets are so narrow, and the forests surrounding the village are amazing. I was disappointed it was so rainy, or I would have explored more. As my friend describes this little town "A place that celebrates buns and the firetrucks are like little cartoons to navigate it!" It was a pretty apt description. Is the bun festival a strange custom? To me, it was. But, I can see the appeal to the Western eye and I will be back to explore the island on an "un-bun day"!

4 Months Later...

Wow! I can't believe its been four months since I've written!

These last 4 months have been absolutely crazy, and I've had little time to write. On the bright side, I've been able to do alot of the things on my bucketlist, which I'll talk about later. For now, a brief overview of what my life has been like here in Hong Kong!

First, I can say that it has been a difficult adjustment from Spain. The culture and life here is much different, its more fast paced and intense than in Spain. And there's nothing wrong with that but coming from a "Don't worry, Life goes slow" attitude to one of the busiest cities in the world was like jumping into a freezing lake for the first time. The social climate here is also very dicey for a woman like me, people are very focused on the materialistic and superficial aspects of someone. If you're not wearing the right clothes or have the right skin color(yes you read that right), its a difficult place to really enjoy. At a later date, I'll cover that(its in my drafts).


My job has been rocky, it was rough at first, getting used to my new boss and how things worked. Some days, I love my job, in fact most days I do, but there are a few days where I want to give someone a piece of my mind, or quit. The good thing for me is that both my bosses, have been very understanding and I know they are trying. My company is still in the start-up stages, which I didn't realize when I arrived, so it took me a while to understand that things are still up in the air. My co-workers are also pretty cool, I see them around town on occasion and text them regularly. We're a pretty small company, only 5 teachers, one of which is my boss.

There have been three things that have really been keeping me going. First was the constant support and contact with my family and friends. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have the support of my aunts, uncles, cousins, mom, dad, brother, and friends. :) They've always been supportive and kept me from just jumping on a plane and running. I recently helped my mom get Whatsapp, which has been fun to be able to text her whenever. Especially with my life, you never know what you'll see!





The second thing that's been keeping me going has been rugby. Obviously. I was out training the week I got here, and I haven't stopped. I've been able to attend a lot of events and meet so many great people. I'm excited for the new season, and I'll keep everyone updated on where I end up. Right now, its just alot of gym and training to get ready for the upcoming season. I go to the gym 4-6 days a week, depending on how my week goes.

The final thing was that I've started taking voice lessons again! I decided I wanted to expand my vocal abilities, and so I found a lovely teacher who specializes in more modern music( as opposed to someone who's been dead for 50 or so years). She is a sassy black woman from the US, and its been great to have a teacher who understands how difficult it is to be a minority in this city!





Well, that's all for now. Next week: The Cheung Chau Bun Festival!

Hong Kong Bucketlist

Since I had a bucket list for Spain, I figured it only made sense to have one to for Hong Kong as well.

1. Go to Cheng Chau for the bun festival.
2. Watch the light show in the harbor.
3. Go to TST.
4. Go to the 10 foot Buddah on Lantau Island.
5. Go to Sai Kung.
6. Play in the Hong Kong Beach 5's Rugby Tournament.
7. Go to the Hong Kong 7's Rugby Tournament.
8. Pick a rugby team to play with.
9. Play in a 10's rugby game.
10. Go to Ocean Park.
11. Go to Disneyland.
12. Go on the Star Ferry.
13. Go to Stanley on a double decker bus.
14. Go to Macau.
15. Gamble in Macau.
16. Visit the top of Victoria's Peak.

Welcome to Hong Kong...It's Nothing Like Barcelona!

Well I've been in Hong Kong for almost two weeks and haven't taken ANY pictures, been sightseeing, or updated this blog! I'm terrible. But seriously, I think the last two weeks have been almost like getting pushed into the deep end of a pool and not knowing how to swim.

Before my departure was my birthday and my final rugby match, in really quick succession. Both were enjoyable, and it was good to say goodbye to everyone. At my game, the girls brought me 2 cheesecakes with the candles saying "23" for my 23rd birthday the day before. It was very sweet and I know I will miss playing for them. Even though there were many struggles, I know I am a better player and person.

Saying Goodbye to CEU-L'Hospitalet Rugby Femini

I got to Hong Kong on a Wednesday afternoon, feeling really ill and wanting to just sleep for a week. My boss and his wife met me at the airport and we took a bus from the airport to the apartment(I am currently staying with them and another family member). I spent the entire time with my mouth opening and closing because of how different it was visually from Barcelona and trying not to throw up. I felt better immediately after we got off the bus and I really like the apartment and my new, even smaller room. I met another teacher that night and went out to a local place for dinner.

Here, when I refer to "local" I mean it is someplace that serves Chinese food and often will ONLY be in Chinese. It also refers to the people who are from Hong Kong.

The next couple days were spent trying to get acquainted with the city, which is hard when its so huge. There are two different bus systems and the MTR, which is like a metro system. I have the MTR system down but the bus is so unreliable it usually just causes me to want to tear my hair out.

Basic First Impression: Everything here is bigger and entirely different than Barcelona. Add Chinese and I felt pretty screwed.

Spanish Buckelist...Finale

After 9 months in Barcelona, I am finally getting ready to say goodbye and take a look at what I did. While I didn't mark everything off nor is everything I did on this list, it just means that another adventure in Spain is waiting for me!

1. Ride on the back of a Vespa/Scooter.
2. Drive a Vespa/Scooter.
3. Give money to Sagrada Familia.
4. Try Sangria. 
5. Try Paella.
6. Go to the Fountain Show on a date.
7. Buy a summer dress that looks fabulous.
8. Buy sandals that look fabulous. 
9. Buy a pair of high heels or wedges.
10. Learn to make Tortilla.
11. Go to the aquarium.
12. Go the Wax Museum.
13. Go to Sevilla.
14. Go to Madrid.
15. Go to San Fermines.
16. Go to an FC Barcelona game.
17. Go to Tibidabo.
18. Spend a night speaking only in Spanish.
19. Find a Spanish rugby team.
20. Play on a Spanish rugby team. 
21. Go bar hopping in El Born.
22. Buy a winter coat.
23. Buy a pair of jeans from Caipira.
24. Buy a pair of boots.
25. See Les Mis in an English cinema.

New Year, New Adventure!

Well I'm back from India! It was an interesting experience, but I was happy to be home(Spain).

And when I got back, it was Epiphany, or the Coming of the Three Kings. We had a parade the night I got back. The family walked down there to watch the parade and I went as well, but unfortunately they were so darn late that I had to leave before the parade! I was meeting a friend later in the evening and had to walk home and get ready. But A took pictures and videos so I got to see what it was. He said it was pretty disappointing for a 45 minute late parade.

Then that morning we woke up to a lovely scene of balloons and gifts. The girls were very excited and I liked it alot as well! I've never celebrated ephiphany before, and there were even a few gifts from the Kings for me! Well, really it is A and E. The Kings brought me a scarf, a puzzle set, and a calendar of firemen of Barcelona. A said it was to "remind me of the men of Barcelona". I told him I ought to burn more stuff. E got one as well, but with A's face photoshopped onto every picture!

My gifts

But the Kings didn't bring me one thing: My next job! In February, I will be moving to Hong Kong to teach!

Taking Another Holiday!

Now that Christmas is officially upon us, it's time for me to take another holiday!

I will be spending Christmas and New Years with my family in India.

Be back in January! Just in time for the arrival of the Three Kings.

Christmas in a Spanish Home

Well, it's a week til Christmas! Life here as been pretty hectic getting ready. My family has been busy putting up decorations and preparing for different parts of the day. Our kitchen currently reeks of fish because my host dad is attempting new recipes for Christmas Day. I won't be here, but its been interesting to see the cultural aspect of a Spanish Christmas.

Decorations around Barcelona went up around Thanksgiving here, including a huge snowflake display at our local Cortes Ingles(think Macy's circa 1950) and Christmas trees up and down Aviguda Diagonal. They've even set up two different ice skating rinks near my house. I won't go, but its pretty cool to see them when I'm walking around.

Our Christmas Tree

Holly and Snowmen up the Stairs

Our house is pretty simply decorated. We have a Christmas tree(but its fake) and some things hanging up around the house. People don't do much here, but the holiday season lasts for quite some time. The day of Christmas, they open gifts from the Tió de Nadal. This is one of the strangest holiday traditions I have ever heard of, and its only celebrated in Catalunya. It is similar to a yule log(closest thing I could think of).

The Tió is basically a log with face and a little red hat with legs. He sits under our Christmas tree, and has a little plate of food in front of him. Beginning after December 8th(The Immaculate Conception), we feed him every day. The food "disappears" and we continue to bring him new food. So far, we've given him cookies and crackers.

Our Tio

Normally, he is supposed to sit by a fireplace, but since we don't have one...the Christmas tree. He also is covered with a little blanket to keep him warm. I honestly have no idea where the tradition came from, but my host dad told me that while no actual date is known for his existence, he is a log because fire is considered so precious. His sole goal is to give presents! So, the family will take care of him from the Immaculate Conception until Christmas. Then, they place him on a table(still covered with the blanket, and...well, they beat him with a stick and sing a song. This is a version of the song I found: 

Caga tió,

caga torró,
avellanes i mato,
si no cagues bé
et daré un cop de bastó.
caga tió!

The entire family participates in this, A said they have about 30 people come, which is alot in our tiny apartment. After they've sung the song, the family lifts the blanket and under the table, he has left a present! Yes, the Tió literally...uh...defecates...out a present. When I first heard this, I thought the person telling me was kidding. Nope, home I went to confirm it. Turns out it was true and now I'm witnessing the part before they beat the Tió. They do this for a while and when he is finished giving presents, the Tió will leave a roll of toilet paper under the table.

Nativity

Another popular tradition is to have a nativity. Here, it's a huge deal, unlike in the States, where it is simply a religious thing, EVERYONE does it here. They have a fair at Sagrada Familia dedicated to just getting different pieces of the Nativity. I don't just mean the traditional characters, but the stable, the different animals and things to make a village as well. We have one set up in the corner, A's aunt M came and set it up with the girls. 

After Christmas, they look forward to the arrival of the Three Kings, which is January 6th. Stayed tuned for that! I'm sorry to be missing the tradition of the Tió, because seeing is believing! 

My Spanish Bucketlist...Revisited

Well it's December and I'm going through my 7th month of living in Spain. So, I thought I'd have a look at the bucket list I made. Here's what I've accomplished(and added)!

1. Ride on the back of a Vespa/Scooter.
2. Drive a Vespa/Scooter.
3. Give money to Sagrada Familia.
4. Try Sangria. 
5. Try Paella.
6. Go to the Fountain Show on a date.
7. Buy a summer dress that looks fabulous.
8. Buy sandals that look fabulous. 
9. Buy a pair of high heels or wedges.
10. Learn to make Tortilla.
11. Go to the aquarium.
12. Go the Wax Museum.
13. Go to Sevilla.
14. Go to Madrid.
15. Go to San Fermines.
16. Go to an FC Barcelona game.
17. Go to Tibidabo.
18. Spend a night speaking only in Spanish.
19. Find a Spanish rugby team.
20. Play on a Spanish rugby team. 
21. Go bar hopping in El Born.
22. Buy a winter coat.
23. Buy a pair of jeans from Caipira.
24. Buy a pair of boots.
25. See Les Mis in an English cinema.

Fast Forward: La Huelga, Spanish Halloween, and Spanish Thanksgiving

Oh my gosh! I am so sorry that is has been so long!

Another short update on my life: I'm working 5 days a week now, first in the mornings and afternoons as an English teacher and then at night I'm with my family. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have rugby practice, with games on Saturdays and Sundays. On Saturdays I also have Gaelic Football, which is proving to be MUCH more difficult than I had originally thought. I'm slowly getting better, but I'm proving to be much better(and COMFORTABLE) on the rugby pitch. Busy busy.

Catalan Rugby Socks

So what's been happening in Barcelona since you've last heard from me? Well, alot actually. Apart from the normal day to day life of running around the city, life here doesn't ever seem to take a moment, except on some sleepy Sunday mornings...if you make it out before everyone else does. That's my favorite part of the week, the quiet that falls over a city that never seems to slow down or sleep. You become incredibly aware of the city itself, not just the people or whatever is going on. It will always amaze me how much of a mess we create.

Catalan Men's Rugby Game

One of the biggest events was La Huelga. It was a nation wide strike, so people were encouraged to not go to work. These strikes are a vicious cycle, and frankly, I disagree with the way Spain and Catalunya handles it. Every couple weeks, the bus and metro will stop running, leaving hundreds of people unable to take public transportation other than taxis or walking. For me and many others who can't afford to drive(or in some cases, take a taxi) we are forced to call in and not work. I haven't called in to say I'm not coming yet, but I do have to let my students know that I will be late. The people here just carry on, there's nothing much else to do. But the strikes really don't affect the people who are making the rules or the pay. Those people get to take private cars. So in reality, it's the normal people who suffer.

La Huelga was no exception. Many businesses shut down. But unlike the other strike days, the city was out en masse. Everyone was walking everywhere, though there was few taxis to be found. At Passeig de Gracia, which I have to walk near to get to work most days, there was slowly brewing a storm. I went by there very early in the morning, where police and protesters were starting to gather. This is where it got bad for me. A police officer stopped me and asked me to show my ID. Here, that is perfectly legal and you can get arrested for refusing to show an ID. I gave him my driver's license since I don't carry my passport around. Unfortunately for me, he didn't believe it was a real ID(our entire conversation was in Spanish), so I got to sit on the ground with my hands behind my head while he conferred with other cops. I was eventually let go, but it was a pretty unpleasant experience.

Manifestacion

On my way home, the protests were in full swing. Yelling, waving flags, cannons going off(I think they were cannons...). I went home and stayed there. Nothing was making me go out! I later found out that many stores got looted and at the Arc De Triumph, there was some shooting by the police(rubber bullets) and things got pretty bad. Luckily I don't live in that area, so I avoided any real violence.

Halloween treats for the girls

Ironically, Halloween wasn't too far after this. Here, they don't really celebrate Halloween, but I wanted to because it was my favorite holiday. The weekend before, I went to a party at a bar to celebrate. I had a good time meeting new people and catching up with old friends. I went in a group with the Joker, Beauty(from Beauty and the Beast), a cowgirl, the Phantom of the Opera, a child killer(not my favorite costume idea...) and a guy in a cape. I dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood this year. I wanted to be Captain America, but there wasn't a costume that would have fit a woman, only a little boy. Plus, the Little Red costume covered everything...in the front. The back...had something to be desired. But hey, what do you expect from a woman's Halloween costume?

Little Red Riding Hood

On the actual day of Halloween, a friend of mine and I went to another party, which was a lot of fun, if not a little too crazy for us. She handed out candy to people, which got funnier the longer the night went on. We met some interesting people!

Thanksgiving here was pretty nonexistent, but I got to talk to my family, which was nice. It made me miss home! But...I still have my passport, so I'm still going to teach and travel!

La Mercè: Goodbye Summer!

Another festival here in Barcelona! This time, it is to celebrate the end of summer. Similar to Sant Joan, where we celebrated the beginning of summer and the saint of the same name(or the summer solstice), La Mercè is the festival to celebrate the end of summer and the Mare de Déu de la Mercè or the Virgin of Grace. She is the patron saint of the Barcelona district.

Historically, the festival has been celebrated since 1678 to give thanks to the Virgin after they prayed to her to rid them of locusts. It has been an official holiday since 1871 and takes place for the entire weekend of September 24th. So, we had La Diada and then the next weekend, a three day weekend of
La Mercè. In 1902, many of the most popular aspects of the festival were introduced. These were the gegants i capgrossos or giants(similar to those in Pamplona), the first Castell competition, and the Sardana which at the time was becoming very popular(it is now considered the official dance of Catalunya).

Los Gigantes

Catalan King and Queen

So what did I do? Inevitably I ran into the problem of having too many things I wanted to see and didn't get to see. Since the Sardana and Castells are relatively easy to see here, I didn't see them. I did LOOK for a Castell but I always got there during the breaks or they were done.

My first night I met up with some friends and we walked around just seeing what was going on. There was a concert but it wasn't music we terribly enjoyed. So off I went to Sagrada Familia to meet another friend. We happened to meet up right at the same time the most amazing light show started. It was a surprise for sure! I was happy to just stand and watch it, since I got lost and had to run around the entire cathedral before I was able to find my friend. It was on the Nativity Facade side, and it was really centered around nature. I think Gaudi would have been proud of it.

Sagrada Familia at Night

The next day was pretty hectic for me. Class, Practice, THEN some La Mercè fun. My friend and I wandered around El Born and found several really nice places though everything was mostly closed because of the holiday weekend. We went to the Arc de Triomf, which is very similar to the French Arc Du Triomphe where there was a wine tasting. We got a wine glass and got to try a lot of different wines and had a great time! Another friend came and joined us and we ended up going back to the Sagrada Familia for the light show again. This time it was really, really crazy. We couldn't move, the crowd was so huge. People were pushing and shoving, I got my legs rammed over and over again by a lady with a baby carriage. I turned around and yelled at her because seriously? Who brings an infant into this kind of crowd? The baby wasn't even in the carriage. And it HURT. Ramming it into me wasn't going to make me move, or anyone else in front of me. My friend got an elbow to the back multiple times and had a pretty large bruise there the next day. Our other friend had to leave, it freaked her out too much. We ended up seeking refuge in a KFC, which was absolutely chaotic. It was terrible. The show was worth it though. It was just as beautiful the night before.

The next day we went back to the wine tasting and had a snack of chocolate crackers, cheese, and a bottle of red wine. Another group near us shared their cava, or sparkling wine with us as well. Overall, the weekend was really relaxing, and a great way to end the summer.

Wine Tasting at the Arc de Triomf

Though I don't think Barcelona got the message because it's still warm enough to go to the beach.

Where Did September Go?

Wow, I can't believe its already October. I'm not really sure what happened to September, but there you go.

Lots has been happening, and since the girls started school, my life got crazy busy. I will continue to update, I have several posts in drafts that need to be finished.

But a quick update: I am still living with my family. A is currently in South America for 3 weeks on business so its been just myself, E and the girls at home. I got a job working for a company, they contract me out to different houses and I go there and teach. I only have 2 jobs with them now, but I also have one private student. So, not much work. It's incredibly difficult to find work here without working papers, but that's the reality for most Americans. I'm working on getting them, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through.

I also have been finding new friends. Many of them are in a much older age range than I am, but I find that it's been better for me. Like in college there is a lot pressure to drink and party, which is something I can't do because of my job. It's easier to find people who enjoy a glass of wine, tapas, and chatting over getting wild all night.

And lastly, I've been enjoying a little more of what Barcelona has to offer. I like to watch the football(FCB) games with my host father or with friends, and enjoy the odd festivals that happen around her. For example, last weekend was a Renaissance Fair. Catalan Renaissance is interesting, to say the least. I also have joined a Gaelic Football team, which has a mixture of Irishwomen/men and Catalans. I'm one of 2 Americans, which is cool.

And my favorite activity, I joined a Catalan Rugby Team. When I first came here I thought there wasn't any teams for women, but there turns out to be a school for rugby here. it's geared mostly towards young boys and men but there is a women's team. There used to be two but since there wasn't enough women to play on both teams, they've combined to form one super women's rugby team. The language barrier has been interesting but I've been enjoying playing with a new team and new women. The language is different but the game is the same. I'm the only American.

La Diada Nacional de Catalunya

So I know I don't usually update more than once a week, but today is a special day here in the area I live in: Catalunya! In honor of this, I thought I'd post some facts about Catalunya(Catalonia in English).

Today is the day that commemorates when Catalan troops surrendered to Felipe V(the recognized king of Spain) in 1714. Though Catalunya is a part of Spain, it is very independent from it, much like Basque Country in the north of Spain. I compare it to Basque Country because both areas of Spain have a very distinct sense of pride in their region, and a language that is different from that of the rest of Spain. Catalunya is governed by the Generalitat de Catalunya, which has been around since Medieval times. It has been abolished and reinstated twice. The second time is notable because it was abolished by the Franco dictatorship. Catalunya is also defined as a "nationality" of Spain, it is one of three areas(the others being Basque Country and Galicia) to hold this definition in the Spanish constitution. This gives it the right to autonomy, though it is always first under the rule of Spain. Since 1979, Spain has increased Catalunya's automony, the Generalitat holds jurisdiction in the areas of culture, environment, communications, transportation, commerce, public safety and local government. Spain shares jurisdiction over education, healthcare, and the justice system. Now, and especially on La Diada, there are groups of Catalans who believe that Catalunya should be independent. On September 11 in particular, there are many demonstrations held.

Below is the flag that those in support of an independent Catalunya fly. It's pretty common here, I've seen it about as much as I have seen the regular flag(I talk about it below). It bears a striking resemblence to the Cuban flag. It was designed in 1904 and was briefly used during Catalunya's independence in 1931. The flag itself is called L'Estelada. 

L'Estelada

Catalunya is the most Northwestern area of Spain, it stretches along Andorra and France(separated by the Pyrenees Mountains), and along the Mediterranean Sea. It is comprised of four provinces: Barelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona(can you guess which one I live in?). Barcelona is the capital of the region. The name Catalunya is theorized to be from the word "Land of Castles" or "castlà".

The language of Catalunya, or "català", is a Romance based language. I've mentioned before how difficult it is to learn, and I'm still serious about that. It sounds a little like French and Spanish. Linguists have traced it back to the Middle Ages. Unlike Basque, where nobody is really sure where it came from, Catalan has distinct origins. It is one of the official languages of Catalunya, and the only language of Andorra, which borders the region. During the Franco Dictatorship, Catalan was banned, and only Spanish was allowed. Once the dictatorship had fallen, Catalan came back strongly(I highly doubt anyone actually really followed the ban). Everything here is in Catalan, with a few exceptions for things in English and Spanish. Schools are taught in Catalan as well.

One very very famous Catalan? Salvador Dali.
  
The flag used today is called Senyera, which is roughly translated into "signal flag" from Catalan. It is one of the oldest flags in Europe. You can see where(obviously) L'Estelada derives from this flag.

Senyera, the official flag of Catalunya

The legend behind it is one of my favorite stories to tell people. Though I had originally heard it without any historical fact from A, I went online and did a little research. The legend originates in the 1300s, but is set in the 800s. Two kings were fighting to keep their kingdoms from the Moors, Wildred I the Hairy and King Charles the Bald. Wilfred I(who I have found was a count not a king), was wounded during battle. As he lay dying, the other king came to his side. Wildred I lamented that there was not flag for Catalunya. He begged King Charles the Bald to create a flag, as his dying wish. King Charles the Bald took his golden shield(or a piece of cloth depending on the version) and with the dying king's blood, drew his hand down the shield. This is why there are four red stripes, one for each bloodied finger.

I don't know how true it is, but it's rather romantic isn't it?

Mistakes We Make Learning English

My first post in September!

For those following to see what my life is like here, it's been pretty relaxed, not anything special since my trip. The girls start school next week, so we have been hanging out at home. I've also been on the job hunt for a second job and had some job interviews but that's another post.

Today's post focuses on the mistakes(the funniest ones) that I have experienced thus far.

Moment #1: The difference between Beer, Bear, and Beard
This happened when I had been here for about 2 weeks, I may have mentioned it in my post about Port Adventura. I was standing in the line for a ride with A and JC, A's brother in law. JC had never spoken English with someone who spoke it as a first language, so he was having difficulty understanding "my accent". This was my first experience with someone calling the way I speak an accent, having lived on the West Coast my whole life, I never thought that I was the one with an accent.

Anyway, JC had been asking a number of questions of how to say certain words, what the difference between the words and the funniest one was this(it has become a bit of a joke): What is the difference between beer, bear, and beard. Now the way he said the words, it all sounded the same. So, I used hand motions and put stress on the parts of the words that make them different. You can see them below, and the captions represent the part of the word I stressed.

bEER

bEAR

beaRD

We still make jokes about it, and I have since made a tongue twister with the words to help them practice, and to give to JC the next it we see him. I also added the word "Bird" as per the request of A and E.

"The bearded bear drank beer with a bird". Say that five times fast!

Moment #2: Misunderstanding one word changes the meaning.

Recently, I've been looking at a pharmacy for a certain kind of medication I take. Since it doesn't exist in the same brand, I had to go and ask. On my way out, I let A know where I was going and what I needed to get. He looked generally concerned.

Turns out he misheard me and thought I had said "I'm pregnant and need to go the pharmacy." He later told me his first thought was "Who's gonna tell Lisa's Mom?"

It was funny, if not a little embarrassing. But on the bright side, I found exactly what I needed! And it is much cheaper here than in the States. My Spanish was a little wonky, but the lady knew what I needed by the package I handed her.

Moment #3: Mixing Up Words

One of the things I do is help set the table for dinner every night. One evening, we were doing business as usual and A asked me to go get the "Kidnappers". What he meant was the "napkins". I explained to him what a "kidnapper" is in English. 

Mixing up words is actually pretty common for people learning English, and the "nap" is in both sentences, with the a vowel being the same for both words. This is probably the second most common error that gets made when using conversational English. The first is pronunciation.  

 

5 Major Culture Shock Moments

Now that I've been living here for 3 months, I can confidently say that I have adjusted to life here almost completely. There will always be things that confuse me. For example, just today, I learned that the word "magnum" means not only an ice cream brand, but a type of bottle of wine. "Magnum" means something large. This differs from the U.S. by the sole fact that "Magnum" is a very specific, well known condom brand. And, as my Mom as told me, a gun brand. That is all. I only associated it with the condom brand.

So what are 5 things(not including the one from today) that really shocked me?

5. Everything is smaller.
Seriously. Everything. The buildings aren't as tall, the cars aren't SUV or Hummer type cars. Even food portions and Spanish people are smaller than in the U.S. There aren't as many fat people here. My room is tiny, it would be considered a closet at home(it is the perfect size for me).  There aren't any Walmarts or Costcos. The cloth sizes are smaller. I wear a LARGE or an X-LARGE now. The skinny jeans don't fit at. All. Despite all this, I love that things are smaller. But it took a lot to get used to.

4. Children. Are. Everywhere. 

This one was hard for me at first. I'm not used to children just being everywhere, all the time. I'd go to a bar, and there'd be kids. Kids at fancy restaurants. Kids running you over with their soccer ball as you sit in the park. But no matter what, kids here are incredibly well behaved. Though I've seen a ton of kids in places I never thought I would, they were always quiet and polite. 

3. Dryers don't exist. And laundry takes FOREVER.

This one was tricky for me. Laundry is surprisingly complex here. My normal routine in the US- Separate by color, delicacy, and water temperature. Pop into the washing machine for 30 minutes and add detergent before starting. Pop into dryer for 60 minutes. Fold and put away. 

 My routine for Spain? Separate by color, delicacy, and water temperature. Pop into washing machine and add detergent, water softener, and fabric softener. Wait for 45 minutes-1 hr. 35 minutes.  Remove from washer and hang outside to dry. Pray it doesn't rain. Fold and put away when dry. It's an all day activity!

2. Milk and eggs don't need to be refrigerated. 

This one actually really freaked me out when I first saw E put milk in the cupboard. The same happened when I went to the market and the eggs were on a regular shelf next to the baked goods. I'm not sure what is so different that it doesn't need to be refrigerated and it still squicks me out when I see the eggs at the market and the milk in the cupboard. 

1. Racism doesn't exist.   

This one isn't particularly clear, so let me clarify. Racism DOES exist here, but it takes a different form that what I'm used to at home. Everyone here pretty much looks the same. The only exception is tourist, the expatriates who live and work here, and the immigrants. Let me be clear about my situation and an immigrant: I have no intention of staying. They do. 

 It is abundantly clear that Spanish people, for the most part, don't like immigrants. They are not called xxxxx-spanish as we do in the US. They are "foreigners" or "extranjeros". They are not considered Spanish. They probably never will be. But Spanish people don't go out of their way to show their distaste. They just don't like them. 

Then there is the question of just plain "ignorance" or what I view as such. My first experience was when one of my girls began to slant her eyes at me. Now, I wasn't particularly offended; she's young and hasn't experienced many Asian people. But when I explained to her why we don't do that, she looked at me and said "Why not? That's what they look like." I had no answer. She had a point. 

My next experience was watching a home video that the family had made. Now, these videos were hilarious and completely in jest. Then we got to the gospel one. Where they all wore afros and had painted black makeup on their face. 

I was appalled. Partly because I was raised that this was NOT OKAY. But yet again, "that's just what they look like". I have seen very few black people here. 

Well, there you have it. Five things that majorly shocked me. Some of them are funny, and some not so much.

  

Recap Of My Trip

Finally back from my holiday! And boy do I still wish I was where it was cooler...I'm melting here in the flat. I think I'm drinking water as fast as I'm sweating it out.

So my brother came two weeks ago to visit me in Barcelona. For 2 days, we swept through Barcelona, seeing as much of the city(that would interest him) as we could. It was pretty exhausting, but we made it through the sticky Spanish heat.

We then jetted off to Vienna, Austria. Where we stuffed ourselves silly with pastries, and I enjoyed the music scene. We went to the Haus der Musik, the Naschtmarket(my brother loved this), and the graves of many famous Austrian composers including Strauss, Beethoven and Schubert. We also went to the Astronomical Clock(or their version of it) to watch a parade of famous people. Things were a bit expensive, but not terrible compared to Barcelona. While I liked the city, it seemed stuck in the 1700's, probably because of the huge influence that Mozart had over the city. There wasn't a whole lot of night life. Unless you count the strip clubs that we had no interest in.

After a relatively short(5 hours) bus trip to Prague, Czech Republic we got in in the evening and hit the ground running. We got a great free tour from the hostel and walked around the city, and also went on another free ghost and legends tour. Prague was a great city, cheap(not on the Euro system), friendly people and absolutely beautiful. We were able to do so much because it was so affordable and we even could afford to do a Pub Crawl with a company. Our hostel could not have been friendlier or more helpful. It was our favorite city by far.

Then came the huge bus trip. A 15 hour bus ride to Amsterdam. Which, was really quite nice. The bus company that we used was really good, it was comfortable, there was entertainment and complimentary drinks. As my brother put it: "It was an airplane that didn't fly". Amsterdam itself was a bit of a letdown. The food was bad and expensive. The museums had no student discount for my brother and were horribly expensive. The Rijksmuseum was mostly closed for renovation, and only select works were on display. We did enjoy the Anne Frank house a lot though. But we quickly ran out of things to do. All the things we had planned to do took only half of the full day we had. There wasn't any nightlife either. Other than the red light district, which I had no interest in going to with my baby brother, and my baby brother had no interest in going to period.

Overall, the trip with my brother was great! And he then took a plane home and I went on the Ediburgh, Schotland.

And oh how I loved it! The Fringe, the biggest comedy festival in the world, was going on. So I went to a number of shows including Anthony Rapp's Without You. Oh and I met him! Pretty embarrassing experience, but now I know how I am when I see a celebrity...I did go to the Castle and managed to cram in seeing other sites. I met some pretty awesome people too, including an Olympic participant from France.

From there, I took the train back to London, England. Here, I met more awesome people, met back with the people I had met in Edinburgh and went to shows and the London Eye. I saw Rock of Ages(my first time) and Les Miserables(second time). Les Miserables had Sierra Boggess, who I had seen before in The Little Mermaid. She was amazing!

I'm now home and exhausted. Tonight A and the girls will come home and we will go to the FCB v. RM game tonight at Camp Nou.

Vacation Until August 21

The month of August is a month of vacation for the people of Spain. As per the custom, I will be traveling until the 21st. I will be in:

Vienna, Austria
Prague, Czech Republic
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Edinburgh, Scotland
London, England

See you later! When I return: Montserrat and Figueres.

San Fermines: Part Four: What Else to Do during San Fermines

So, what else is there to do at San Fermines beside the typical "Get wasted and run"?

As it turned out, there's a lot you can do. I'm going to write about some of the highlights we saw. First though: Pamplona is a terrible place to see during San Fermines. There's trash everywhere from old bottles of alcohol to food wrappers and a constant smell of spilt alcohol, vomit and urine. Dumpsters became urinals. The city sprayed the streets with water every day, but it didn't really do anything. There are people passed out in the street or a field and other stumbling around or sitting with their head in their hands. We saw a guy who was just lying next to a bench, like he couldn't have made it on the bench. We were actually concerned he was dead. I was really glad to get back to Barcelona, it seemed like Heaven.

R took us to the ancient city wall, which overlooks another portion of the city. It was really beautiful and one of the few places that was "San Fermines" free. Which makes sense- if you were drunk and came here, you'd fall off the wall and die. It was a pretty long drop. We didn't take the elevator but we did walk along it until we came to the pen where the bulls were kept. We also went to a beautiful park(don't know the name)where the citadel was. Now, it's used to house deer and an assortment of birds. We saw a chicken that looked like David Bowie, it was incredibly bizarre.

I wanted to see some of the churches so we went to one that was the oldest church in Pamplona. I was a little appalled when two members of our group fell asleep in the pew, and that other tourists were talking pretty loudly during mass. There weren't many church goers, but it still made me a little sad. The church was really interesting, and we also saw a San Sebastian pilgrim. The other church was more interesting to me because it had one of the few statues of San Fermines. R told me that they think San Fermines was possibly Moorish because he has black skin(the statue does). But they couldn't be sure because it could have been the smoke from the candles.

San Fermines

San Fermines is a saint who was killed by being beheaded. He is one of the co-saints of Navarre. In Pamplona, it's also popular to say he was beheaded and dragged through the streets by bulls, hence why people run with the bulls. R told me that the bull running is actually just because that's how they used to get the bulls to the arena, and people just started running with them. I think I learned that tradition doesn't always have the easiest explanation. Or you have to find the right person to get the real reason.

Every night during San Fermines, there is a spectacular fireworks show. We went twice, which I really enjoyed both nights. One of R's roommates informed us that every night, the fireworks are from a different country. The first night, we didn't know but the second night was from Denmark.

L-R: America, Africa, Asia, Europe

One of most interesting things we did was go to the parade of gigantes and cabezudos. This was more of a family event, and it was so much fun! There are 8 gigantes which are large statues made of wood and plaster. They are lifted up by one dancer, who walks with it and eventually dances to traditional Basque music, which was mostly drums and flutes. It was really cute, watching the pairs dance with each other. Each pair represents a different continent: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North/South America. We had trouble identifying each one, the picture should give you an idea why.  The 11 cabezudos represent people from the town, like the mayor. They were smaller, just heads that people would wear. There was a pair of Japanese people(they looked Chinese) but we weren't sure why there were there. They carried whips with foam on the end(it used to be a pig bladder) that they would hit children and adults on the head with. I got hit a couple times but it was fun. We tried to get pictures with the most famous one, who we didn't know his name, but he wasn't standing still for anyone!

The best thing we did was running from the Toro del Fuego, or Fire Bull. We had no idea what to expect with this one, so we youtubed it! From what we saw, it was a metal frame of a bull strapped with fireworks that was put on a bike wheel and sent down the street. Okkkayyy...cool I guess.

Toro Del Fuego

It wasn't like that at all! We got there, ready to have some fun and run from the "bull". Turns out, it's NOT a bike and it's NOT just shot down the street. It's a man carrying it, and he chases you! We had a lot of fun running, and I got a little burned. Note: When running from a bull that shoots fireworks pretty low to the ground, where a long sleeve, high necked shirt. Sparks went down my shirt, and it hurt a bit. But, at least I can say I ran from something!

San Fermines: Part Three: The Running of the Bulls

Disclaimer: I want to point out that while I do talk a lot about drinking, I did not go overboard or lose control. For many tourists, the point of San Fermines is to drink and get smashed, but in my case, I didn't do that because I was in a city where I wasn't very familiar with the layout or the language.  I did feel safe drinking because I was with my friends, but none of us went overboard.

After our lovely, LONG nap, dinner, picking up C, and a little bit of pregaming, we went back out around midnight to party and stay up all night until the bull running at 8:00 am. We opted to do this because everything opens later in Spain, and since things don't close until 6:00 am it made more sense.

We started with the walk to the main city square and then on to where we had been earlier in the day. There, K and C went to grab something else to drink, and A made a new friend, a guy from France. I think he was really just messing with him, but I digress, it was funny. K and C came back with a group of guys they had made friends with and we all went to a bar that seemed to also be a club. We ended up staying there the entire night, I had a lot of fun and made some new friends, 2 French guys and one Spanish girl. R and I occasionally went out to the square to get some air, where in general, things were pretty crazy.

Finally it was time to go to the running. We originally tried to go to the fences where the bulls actually run but was unable to. There were so. Many. People. One of the French guys came with us, and we ended up at the arena where the running ends.

The actual running is dangerous. Everyone knows this. But it isn't just running from the bulls that's dangerous, it's also the people that are dangerous. R said that people don't realize that the Pamplonans train all year. The key is to run in a pack, not by yourself. There hasn't been a death since the 1970s, and most of them have been from being gored by bulls. The exception has been a case of a man who suffocated while trying to get in the doors of the arena. It gets really packed in the doors because they aren't very big and people must get in them before the bulls.

We found really great seats and waited for about an hour. My friends were dozing off and I had completely lost my voice. There was a band playing in the center of the ring while we waited.

Band!

 

 Finally, it started!We watched the actual running from a screen that was right across from us. People were cheering and shouting, and it was really cool to watch. They signal the race by a series of rockets, which we couldn't hear but we found out later. We didn't see anything unusual, it really just looked like people were running with bulls. And it seemed to go really slowly. In reality, it didn't take long before people began pouring into the arena, and the bulls soon followed. It must be an entirely different experience running as opposed to watching. We later found out there were several injuries, mostly just bruises and sprained bones, but one 73 year old man did get gored by a bull. He was from Pamplona, so it was unlikely that this was his first time running, or even getting gored. It happened at the very beginning of the race, which is why we didn't see it.

Watching the running

Releasing the bull into the ring.

Afterwards, when all the bulls had run through the arena, they locked the people in the arena and would push them back in if they tried to get out(or in if they hadn't run). Then, they released six other bulls one at a time and people tried to touch them or get them to charge. These bulls were not the ones that ran, they were actually younger bulls. These 6 bulls were supposed to be showcased for when they were older and would be entering the arena for a bullfight. The ones that had run would be killed later in the day at the bullfight. But the 6 that went in were young, with padded horns(so nobody really got all that hurt).

This part was my favorite part to watch. It was interesting to see how each bull was. Some were pretty docile and others were charging and jumping. One bull jumped clear over the people who were waiting at the gate for it, and then picked someone and charged. Another picked a guy up onto its horns and ran with him. Other people in the arena ended up taking him off to the side for a breather before he ran back out. One guy had a pink and yellow cape that he was waving around, but none of the bulls really went for it. I think he was a tourist. :)

It was particularly interesting to see how the bull got out of the arena. The bull handlers(men with long poles) would bring out an absolutely massive older bull. We never did figure out if it was a female or male, as this species has horns for both genders. But as soon as this bull was seen by the younger one, it immediately became docile and went to its side. We figured out it was most likely the head of the herd, and was quite old. Some people tried to get the older bull to engage, but it didn't. I don't know why they would have wanted it to. Even from as far as we were, we could see how huge it was. It looked like a giant compared to any of the others we had seen. One guy thought it was a good idea to continue to try and engage the younger bull(one of the more aggressive ones) after it had fallen in line with the older one. It was really obvious he was pulling the poor bulls tail, I could see him leaning back with the tail in his hands.

The bull handlers stepped in and began hitting him with the big poles they carried. When he let go and fell on the ground, they kept hitting him, and I think they might have kicked him as well. They dragged him over to the side of the ring and he was dragged out by the police. I didn't really feel all that bad for him.

After it was over, we went back to the flat and took a much needed sleep. It was a pretty crazy experience!