It’s taken me this long but I finally feel like I am part of my family, like a real member. I like seeing my Spanish almost magically evolve before my eyes. I can’t wait to be fluent and actually be able to crack jokes, participate, and contribute to intelligent conversations; maybe even dare I say it… START a conversation?? My Spanish lesson for this week? How to see a doctor. That was quite an experience. My host mom took me to a “Doctors-on-Duty” type of clinic and told them that I was with the UC program. Apparently they know and have worked with UC students before. Luckily, what I thought was bronchitis actually turned out to be a respiratory infection (what a relief). I didn’t think it was humanly possible to produce this much mucus. It is horribly un-attractive. Necesito un Netty Pot ASAP.
I think it was the combination of the drastic changes in temperature, the weird sleep patterns, and all of the cigarette smoke in this country. Interestingly enough, Spain just recently (recently as in January 2nd – and there are a lot of furioso Spaniards http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/02/spain-enacts-tough-antism_n_803…) passed a law prohibiting smoking in enclosed spaces. Boy did I get lucky. I think my lungs would have been crying if that hadn’t happened.
Being sick in a different country is nothing like being sick at home. There’s no tomato soup and Hoarders and Family Guy marathons to watch here (although I have been getting into the Simpsons, but again I miss most of it because it’s in Spanish). Thankfully my host mom has been making lots of soup. My eating habits are totally out of whack. Spaniards basically eat one meal a day. By the time I come home from school I’m starving, and I can still almost eat all of what she serves me. My host sisters are so skinny (and Spanish women just in general are really, really ridiculously good looking) and I’ve seen most dudes eat the same amount if not less than what they eat. It’s awesome. I’m going to be an eating machine when I get back, (Note to boyfriend: might not be as cheap of a date anymore…) minus the bread and soda, neither of which I partake in at home really.
When I get home I think I’m going to eat raw vegetables and chips and salsa for the first month, just because I can’t get ANY fresh veggies here! Salad consists of lettuce with olive oil, sometimes with some chopped tomatoes if mi madre is feeling festive. I think they consider patatas fritas (homemade French fries fried in olive oil) a vegetable. Oy vey!
On Friday, we went to the ruins of Medina Azahara, a location just outside of town that was once home to a self claimed religious leader/representative of God on Earth who decided to build himself a nice pad (when I say pad I mean small city). In return it only lasted for about 80 years. It was cool to see the artifacts in the museum and what still remained of the architecture, but when you can’t tell where the bathroom is from an important gathering place, it kind of loses its historic magic.
Believe it or not, I am loving school. Studying Spanish history has given me a much different perspective in how world civilization came to be (not to mention getting back to some of my Basque heritage, whom by the way are badass) and I am enjoying looking at Spanish literature and film. I, being the film nerd that I am, am pumped to watch Spanish movies and analyze them. Even though I missed the Superbowl (GO PACKERS!) and the Oscars (now dying even more to see The King’s Speech), watching the Goyas (the Spanish equivalent to the Oscars) with my host mom made up for it a little bit. I am anticipating our field trip/weekend excursion to Granada at the end of the week, but in the meantime I’m keeping track of antibiotics and getting as much sleep as possible.
Speaking of that, it’s siesta time. Buenos Sueños!