GRA-THI-AH

That is the correct way to pronounce ´thank you here in Spain. Yup, add a lisp, swallow the S, and there you have it! Pretty crazy, and difficult to understand when words like és become ehhh. Or phrases like ´mas o menos´ become mao meno. But hopefully it will come to me...hopefully.

Well, I am once again tapping away in an internet cafe, and actually, I am slowly getting over my fear of speaking Spanish, by accepting the reality that I kind of suck. My conversations with my host family, which actually consisted of my host mom talking to me and me saying ´sí´ every once in a while, were relatively successful. We talked about the environment and global warming, the Basque terrorist cell, and even, yes, even Julianne Moore´s massive amount of freckles...hehe. I think, now, with everything settling into place, I am really, really really begining to miss everyone. Its still hard to be so far, and still, I have always been weird, so people don´t really get me here just yet, hopefully, they will? Its okay, I mean, I will survive, but now, four months is becoming solid and intimidating.

Language wise, I understand what is happening. The thing is that I think it was just about understanding the gist, not every words. And I did manage to make a few reasonable sentences.The thing I forgot about languages though, is that it may be difficult for me to understand my host family, it even more difficult for them to understand me. I try to string sentences, and use the accent, but they strain to understand me. I think the lisp is the hardest, because there are very strict rules, lisp Zs and Cs only if before E and I. My natural desire to lisp the S just makes me have an actual lisp, which is not okay. I guess time will tell if I pick up the lisp, or drop attempts at it all together!

Today, actually, was a fun and intense trek up the Sierra Nevadas and through the Alhambra. It took about six hours to see everything, the intricately decorated walls of the castle to the older soldiers quarters to the beautiful but boring gardens of the Generalife. Did I mention it was hot? And sunny? And I am now burned in a very weird way? Outside of that, it was amazing, the walls of the castle were unreal, and seeing them in real life, and not in a text book, was just beyond words. I tried to take pictures, but honestly, sometimes, it just ruins it. The only flaw: NO LION FOUNTAIN!!! It´s under renovation for now, but I do hope that at least part of it will return before I leave the place. A funny tidbit: our tour was in Spanish, and at different points, Spanish people joined in and walked around with us. It was pretty funny because we are all still pretty clearly American.

I guess thats all for now! Adio!

My New Home, The Immediate Aftermath!

I just moved into my new host families apartment, and I was dropped off at the internet cafe, until lunch, as far as I could tell. So, yeah, I am here, and I´m not exactly sure how to pay, but I will figure that out as soon as I am able. Hrm....


Anyways, the immediate wrap up? My host mom goes by Lola, which is similar to what my dad calls my mom, and my host dad has a moustache! Awesome! He´s not very talkative, she is, I´m a little, okay, a lot nervous. First off, she talks really fast, but I don´t want to slow her down, because, I´m scared to. I should though. I will, if I get really confused. There is also some sort of son, but he is on vacation and does not stay there that often because I think he works out of town. I think that´s what my host mom said. Uff. I don´t even really know.

Oh man, now I am growing more nervous, and also, I am sleepy. hehe. I don´t know why.
Okay, more on the new living arrangements, I live far from school-downtown Granada, but where I live is nice and residential, the apartment is really nice, actually, and bigger than I imagined. My room in my apartment in Urbana was definitely smaller. There are internet cafes and a huge supermarket and everything I need to survive.

Now, though, I think the reality is hitting me. I am living here for four months, this is how I am going to speak, and sleep, and walk, and eat, and everything. Also, now that all the other students are gone, I am really alone in Spain, really truly alone. Part of me is extremly excited, and part, is unbelievably scared. Like this stupid internet cafe, how the crap do I pay?!? Seriously, I am too scared to ask the guy, when I came in he just pointed me to a computer(I did tell him I just needed a computer...so, I mean, I spoke to him already), and there is some sort of ticker but ... how do I pay!? Its all those little things which suddenly become big things. I secretly don´t want anyone to know I am not from around here, but then again, it is blatantly obvious (although I am trying to look Euro, here everyone looks like they´re from Florida, I´ll get to fashion after my personal crisis part!) In the end, I have to accept that I will be scraping by and this is what will help me learn and grow and all that good stuff.

Okay, now the fashion report. Maybe because it is about 90 degrees or more everyday, people here a dressed significantly differently from those of people I saw in France, or I see on British television. People here dress more like hippies, with loose fitting clothes, and lots of tank, its a bohemian-beach vibe, and lots of shorts. Men here are more Italian then French, way more. The guys around my age are often dressed pretty funny, with like really tight shirts, and very styled hair(more guido than indie...way more). Lots of a very short men, which is still pretty impressive when you see it in such mass. I am so tall here! Okay, not tall, but taller! You do see some guys who are dressed nicely, but not too many. Also, now that I think about it, I have not seen a single vest! oh no!! What is a girl to do!? My whole style, if I could even call it one, is still more like, British, or something(if I had to go with a european country, not that I think I am that well dressed, but I am trying to impersonate a Brit, I guess), because I am definitely not fooling anyone with my look today (lavender v-neck, scarf, cuffed jeans).

Oh well. I guess thats about all. I should get going and rejoin my new parents! haha. And then maybe I´ll return to you oh wonderful computer, because, I don´t really know what else I have to do.

Adios!

A More InDepth Analysis

Okay, I am now a little less frazzled by everything and can finally talk more clearly about Granada without having to freak out about how everything is so beautiful.

Yesterday was out first day of real orientation, so along with a session on our class stuff, we all went on a basic walk through of the down town ish area. After that, I went with a few people up into like, the mountainy region, near the Alhambra. Our plan was to walk up into the old Muslim quarters and watch the sunset. However, the swirly whirly mountain roads pretty much meant that we got lost going up and down a hill, on tiny, narrow cobblestone streets. It was really amazing walking through these old streets, and I was wearing flats so I could feel the curves of the ancient roads beneath me. All the walls were whitewashed, and we ended up seeing the sunset as we tried to make it to our final destination. Then, we finally made it, and it was AMAZING: you could see all the lights of Granada, and the Alhambra lit in the night sky. The weather here is intense, its about 90 to 100 degrees in the day, and about 70 at night (no humidity though!). A group of Gypsys were playing guitars and dancing, and helped us open a bottle of wine, while we saw around, inhaling the old Spanish air. Of course there were tourists, but there were just Spanish couples and families, friendly spanish dogs, and us. Eating wise, well, I ate a peach, wine, and two cookies, so I guess not the dinner of champions, it was however, delicious and fun- just experiencing something that I know I wouldn´t in America.


Today, I finally got a phone! Don´t worry, I´ll send out the number, and that way you can call me, because its FREE (for me!) Also, I realized that people here are really short, which may be why I AM not very intimidated. As I walked down the street I noticed that many men were shorter than me! Um, I guess that´s all so far.

Okay, a lil parte deux-

The spanish lisp is not as difficult as I feared, the spanish language, however, is a whole other story.


Everyone is tan, probably because we are in the Southern part of Spain only a little bit from the coast, but I am EVEN pastier here than in the US.


The midday siesta is cool, but surprisingly long. The fun is lessened by the fact that its about 95 degrees outside. Taking a nap ROCKS though.

Wearing tight pants and trying to climb up rocky walkways in the hot hot sun (like my How Bizarre reference?) is pretty intense.


There is no such thing as too large of a water bottle.

Spanish food is good, free tapas with every drink are better.

......

Alright, thats all for now! Running low on computer time! I meet my host family tomorrow!! CrAzY!!!

Whhattt!! I´m actually in Spain!

There is a whole line of people behind me waiting for the computer, so I´ll be quick-ish. Which is surprisingly difficult because the keyboard is slightly different here, with new letters! (ñç)!

So far, Granada is just pretty. I haven´t had enough time to hate it, or grow lonely. We´re staying at hostels for the first few days until we move into our host families, and its really like, in the center of town, and all nice and lively. the whole siesta thing is really confusing the crap out of me, I mean, taking a three hour break in the middle of the day in NICE, but everyone takes that break, so its so weird.

We walked around briefly last night, at like 11pm, which is totally normal there, and there were all these cobblestoned streets, and a man playing the accordian infront of the cathedral where Ferdinand and Isabel are bureid. SO CRAZY!!! All the while, I devoured some delicous passion fruit ice cream.

I had my first sip of cafe con leche today, and it was amazing.

I´m okay emotionally because right now, its just an amazing vacation! Wow, how many times can I say amazing.

Silly me.

Alright, I guess thats about it. Hopefully my next entry will be a little more exiciting...and less shallow.

A Lot and A Little

After soaking in the glorious distraction of non-stop NBC Olympic coverage, rooting for America, or, some sort of underdog team, or just Walter Dix's awesome hair, I have suddenly come to the realization that I will be leaving VERY VERY SOON!

Yes. And I have done close to nothing about it. I have said "Adios" to my friends, skimmed a few old Spanish notes, sat in my room glaring at the mass of old and new clothes adorning in the floor in a tauntingly catastrophic heap, and yet, I feel I am completely no where near where I am supposed to be in relation to where I actually am in life, in packing, in emotion, etc.

I've talked with a few friends who are away from me, who I said physical goodbyes to months ago, but who now exist as voices coming out of my cell phone. And they, they seem more prepared for my voyage than I. Calling, asking "so, aren't you excited? nervous? packed? what are your plans?!?" And I respond....with a mumble of fear mingling with excitement, a nervous reply riddled with fear and did I mention, fear? Yes. I am scared, very scared. Soon all my friends and family will turn into photos, voices, and typed words, their physical entity so far from me that I will be entirely alone on many levels. I know they will not disappear, but their presence will transform from solid mass to airy essence. Smiles will becomes words. Hugs will become whispers. Faces will become still photographs. It will be difficult for me, a person who considers strong emotional connections with the few she loves near and dear, arguably the most important element of her young life, to deal without what has almost entirely defined me.


I realized while driving with my mother that my fears are not those of horrible catastrophic events, although the SpanAir accident a week before I am set to board a SpanAir plane was a bit unsettling. Instead my fears stem from my own vanity.

I am scared to look to stupid, to look weird, to be foreign, to look unlike myself and be constantly misunderstood, both lingually and philosophically. I am scared to look dumber, fatter, uglier, and duller than I am in American. Don't get me wrong, I do not consider myself a beauty, I am definitely not thin, or particularly exciting or smart, but in a new context, all of my characteristics will be lessened. Like a new lens altering every aspect of an image, the new culture will change my own self-definition, by changing how everyone around me sees me. It has taken a lot of time for me to really, at least minimally, get myself, to at least moderately feel comfortable with my nerdy personality, but in a new context, it will be a new struggle for self definition. And really, a struggle with my own vanity.

Nueva York

Yeah. So I'm went to Brooklyn...and also, I did a lil' Manhattan trip.

So what have I done with my sisters and mother, beyond a LOT of eating? Some walkin' and then, well, some more eating.

It all began innocently enough, with a two day, 800 mile road trip through the Eastern Portion of our nation, skimming quickly through Indiana, resting in Ohio, and then galavanting through Pennsylvania, all while mocking New Jersey. Upon our arrival in Brooklyn, I was excited to see Park Slope's european-style grocery stores and little shops, and to see homes that reminded me of Lincoln Park-- Oh, yeah, seeing my sister for the first time in a long time was cool too.

Well, Brooklyn was a steaming pot of music, food, and people. Apparently its the time to Celebrate Brooklyn, so while walking through Prospect Park we stumbled upon a dance performance, and a whole group of real Brooklyners, although not a single celebrity. I have never walked upon a street that was both well dressed and not intimidating. People here try more, but not in an annoying/scary way. There are lots of people on skateboards, lots of people wearing skinny jeans and big Nikes, lots of people wearing mom jeans in a cool way, but also lots of people wearing mom jeans in a bad way. I think, the thing here, is that there is everything, be it racially diverse and integrated (especially in comparison to Chicago) to stylistically diverse. Some people are dreadfully outdated, and some people are dressed like they walked straight out of a Nylon magazine. Also, some people are doing both simultaneously, but thats a whole other story. All in all, its pretty awesome. And there was ice cream, the classic ice cream man serving soft serve from the corner, parked so oddly in front of a hospital, waiting the arrival of not only children, but adults of all ages and sizes, to offer a soft, creamy escape from the city sun.

Then we went to Manhattan. A previously scheduled meeting at the NYU School of Art Conservation went well, although it ended up being mildly redundant. A scamper from 78th Street and Park Avenue, led us all the way down to 35th Street, right near Penn Station. The day started beautiful and cool, a crispy morning that turned into a soggy afternoon. The rain piled on us around 56rd and didn't stop until 40th or so. We went to a few shops, looked into the windows of many a bakery, and visited the Frick Gallery(earlier in the day, its on 7oth or so), which had a small but very strong collection. The highlight was three Vermeers, but I also liked the Goyas, three in total, spanning his earlier works of royalty and his later works of regular Spanish life (my FAVORITES! I just love the brutal paint handling, the nervously taught forms, the use of such murky grays and desperate crimsons!).

Picking up another sister on 53rd, we meandered through a surpsrisingly large amount of bead stores and finally found ourselves in a bar of a hotel watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Although impressed with China's massive amount of people, at around eleven o'clock we managed a stumble back to Brooklyn (not drunk at all, but very tired). The next day would be all about our newest favorite Borough.

Waking early in the morning, my mom and I walked over to a bakery and bought some fresh baked croissants and empanadas (ah, the culture blending of America, oh so gracefully done by New York!) and then over to an Italian grocery runs by Spanish speaking men selling fresh bread and French Goat Cheese. After a hearty breakfast, we walked, and oh did we walk, all up 7th Avenue, perusing small boutiques, stumbling upon a flea market and eating some shaved ice Real shaved ice, a man with a huge brick of ice literally scrapped away for each of our dollar servings. We had coconut flavored and mysterious-orange-colored-tastes-kind-of-
like-dulce-de-leche-although-the-guy-selling-it-called-it-vanilla-flavored ice. It was great.

Then we went to the Brooklyn Museum, and something terrible happened. Although known for its collection of Japanese prints, particularly the fact that they have ALL 100 of Hiroshige's One Hundred Views of Edo, nothing was on display. NOTHING! The book was for sale in the gift shop, but the prints? No where to be seen! One, non-Edo Hiroshige print could be found in a corner of the museum, but in the context of American Japonisme, and without the infamous coloring of Hiroshige's work! Oh the TORTURE! I guess I am still recovering. The did have Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party, that is a bit to Feminist for me, but still pretty impressive to see in real life.

More wandering followed, and a stop at a coffee shop/wine bar/chocolate store followed. Whoever came up with this combination was a true genius, just for clarification. A dinner of delicious Indian curries and veggies followed, and a long food induced coma/sleep came next.

BK

As I look at our PT Cruiser, still filled with my stuff, a full two days after my move, I realize that soon I will be hittin' up Brooklyn. After I unpack of course, and then re-pack.

Although my sister lives in what appears to be a tree-lined, almost suburban part of Brooklyn, the borough still has a rough and tumble definition in my mind. While I have been to New York City many times, I really have only walked the streets of Mid Town Manhattan. That, I am sure, would make any New Yorker grimace, because, as everyone knows, New York City is much more than it's most famous square and way (Times and Broad). I am excited to explore not a only a new part of New York but a whole new borough, one that's history is filled with almost as much art, music, celebrity, movement, dazzle, and cultural fusion as that of the main Island borough (sorry, Bronx, but let's be honest now).

Brooklyn, as I do my research, offers everything that Manhattan does, world class museums, urban feel, cultural neighborhoods, stylish dwellers, music, art, and culinary adventures. See, at least to my outside perspective, Manhattan is still the modern America, refined to a T, the ideal American city of class and control. Brooklyn still seems more of a hearty stew rather than a sleek, temperature controlled melting pot. And I like me some stew.

See, the thing with Manhattan is that it is so refined now a days, so clean and really, simply so wealthy, that the average person is quite intimidated by the whole thing. Brooklyn, on the other hand, is still slightly (although price-wise VERY SLIGHTLY) more attainable. Maybe, at least in my mind, its just less pretentious, a little less haughty, a little less, well, clean. And I think there is something more exciting about that.