De madrid a cielo

So I wasn't so good at keeping a blog, did you really expect more of me? A quick and accurate fill-in of the unwritten memories would include me sitting at Retiro, obnoxiously singing and dancing while drunk, and getting my travel on. Just put that on repeat for about 8 months and you've got my routine down. And just when things are going so well, its time to pack up and move on. I've realized, either by nature of my youth or just nature of myself, that's what I do. I leave when I can still hold high esteems of my experiences, leave before I get bitter, before the air gets thick, leave before the experience becomes heavier than just that and becomes life itself. Because as of now, I leave Madrid as a city that will always be remembered for its lazy diversions, simple pleasures shared by all on the streets, on terrazas, in plazas, for playing the optimist (or at least temporarily forgiving and forgetting) the hardships of a crisis by doling out excuses to party and enjoy good company at any time of the day, any time of the week, any time of the year. Thank you Espana for being there and being so slow, for not hurrying me into careers or shaming me for taking prolonged siestas. The many personalities I met right on the calles or the other auxiliaries that I will keep in touch with hopefully the rest of my life, I owe it all to you Madrid!

And even when after I had been fraught with frustration over my job, the teachers, I have felt enormously blessed to have had such sweet students who made up for a lot of my shitty moments.Sometimes their silliness was met by me with beratings and exasperation, other times though, their lightheartedness and openness uplifted me. Whether or not you kids all threw those farewell parties for me out of real gratitude and love or out a cunning strategy to get out of doing classwork, I felt a weird closeness and nostalgia that I didn't think I would feel.

Overall, its a straight languorous ride, from Madrid a cielo. At least thats how it'll make you feel.

Cognates Incognito

I know I know I know, you ALLLLL have been dying to hear about the latest news from the illustrious life that is mine. Well, if you must know, I have been working like a dog, having recently picked up a dizzying amount of new classes. And aside from the self-pity that I instigate on my own (that's me, a self-starter!) for not having every hour to sit and relax, the new income will hopefully quiet my poor soul.

In the meantime, I have taken notice of some odd false cognates that are dangerously used in appropriate contexts. Here are a list of my faves so far:

1. Estoy constipado IS NOT I am constipated. 
I get it, its like a metaphor. There is mucus poo in your nose from which you find no relief. However, unless constipation season exists, I find it highly unlikely that so many students and teachers alike should be so blocked up at the same time. Actually, the thought of a constipation virus is frightening. So boys and girls, remember, estoy constipado= I have a cold.

2. El me molesta! IS NOT He is molesting me! 
This is actually a grave accusation to make against someone. Somebody who is molesting you ought to be sent to jail! issued a restraining order! called a perverted pig!  This is not to be taken lightly!But wait, what is that, ohhhh you mean he keeps taking your pencils? I guess that could be traumatizing. But when you say, el me molesta, you probably just want to keep it PG and say, he is bothering me.

3. Estoy embarazada IS NOT I am embarrassed.
So you're having a good time, making some jokes with some Spanish friends and then you pull out estoy embarazada all of a sudden and now its gotten all serious. Whats the big deal? Why do people look concerned and keep touching your belly? You just said you're pregnant. Ooops! Silly Americans! Abort wrong usage of the false cognate!

Til something interesting occurs, 'ta luego!

Feliz Navidad!

Christmas carols! Spanish style! Enjoy turrones and keep hopeful of the gordo!

Off to Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin to celebrate the holidays!

All Eyes on You America

It never quite hit me until recently that the US is really a superpower of the world. Brits, Aussies, Spaniards, Frenchies, etc all expressed deep concern over the fate of America during the course of the U.S. presidential elections. Like people who had a direct, invested lot in this affair, they'd ask me if I had voted, in more a tone that said, "You better have voted as the world's affairs lay in the count of your ballot". These foreigners would ask where they could watch the presidential debates and were updated on Romney and Obama's stances. Conversely, if you were to ask me about Spanish politics or any other countries government, I could vaguely tell you if they were a Communist country or not. Very sadly, I would obviously be no smarter than a third grader on these matters.

Naturally, Romney, for Europeans, is not even a competition to the beloved Obama. It's hard for them, (err, us) to even recognize Mitt Romney as a worthy opponent when he has little foreign policy knowledge (one of my teachers remarking that he probably doesn't even know where Spain is) let alone the finesse to manage delicate relations with other national leaders, favors capitalistic mollycoddling of the rich at the expense of social service programs for the middle and poor class, regressive commitment to negating the Affordable Health Care Act which we finallllllyyyy achieved, antiquated ideas that do not recognize human rights in the sphere of women, immigrants, and homosexuals, topped with a despicable smear campaign rested on falsities. So you can imagine all the "Congratulations, your country just barely missed running off a cliff and into the craphole of a mess." when we found out that Pres. Obama will take his rightful seat at the White House again for another 4 years. In one class, I had a teacher that joyously referred to the victory again and again throughout my lesson plan. As I taught the word "powerful" to my 11 year old students, she would add "like Obama!", at which the whole classroom would start to applause. And even if I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of being a walking liberal propaganda tool for such malleable, young minds, I have to say, I was very proud  we did not disappoint all of the world! Yay America!!

 A chart from the perspective of a global participation in American elections. 
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/10/23/163473712/if-the-world-picked-u-s-president-obama-would-win-by-a-landslide

The best laid schemes of mice and men

My aunt from NY is visiting me which means I get to use this as my excuse to do all the touristy things. We went to the Prado Museum, the Sofia Reina Museum, Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and we had planned on going to Granada exceeepppptt.....after MY WALLET WAS STOLEN on my way home after having been paid in cash for my academy work teaching English (almost 200 Euros), it was a little difficult to book/reserve anything online.Naturally I cried and hated Spain for the next week. The offense feels so personal, thinking about how a month's worth of work (although not much) was taken from me in a chance moment. My mood wasn't bettered when the next day I accidentally locked myself out of the house and then after a party, lost my public transportation card. Awesome. But I can't complain. Because who cares about a card and some cash when my woes are drowned out by the distress of the whole NYC that's been flooded out.

So instead of Granada and taking full advantage of this 4 day weekend, my aunt and I just took some day trips to Toledo and Segovia. Toledo used to be the capital of Spain and is famous for their multifaith culture where Islam, Christianity and Judaism all used to peacefully coexist. It has a whole bunch of medieval architecture.

All you need to know about Segovia is suckling pig. Delicious. Well aside from watching little oven-baked Babe being chopped into dinner parts, you should also know that Segovia is home to the Alcazar, rumored to be the inspiration for the Walt Disney's Cinderalla Castle, and a Roman aqueduct that welcomes you into the town center. Also, I felt like freaking Sherlock Holmes when I realized that the word "Alcazar" comes from the Arabic word "Al quasr" and that they both sound a lot like the English word "castle". This fascinated me for the entire day.

Huelga

POLITICAL SCIENCE LESSON!
When its not the teacher's strike, its the student's strike, when its not the student's strike, its the parent's strike. And so goes it. At least for all the other schools. My kids have to be so darn motivated and responsible enough to have planned their demonstration for the afternoon so that they can still go to class while protesting the 20% budget cuts to education. The current party in power, PP (the Popular Party, which acts as the conservative voice here in opposition against the other major political faction, the Social Party) is being heavily assailed. The budget cut will mean that teachers work more for less pay and 25% tuition hikes for university students. (They would probably pass out if Spanish students ever got to see the tuition bills that we Americans rack up). Other auxiliaries have had all their classes canceled. In my case, at least more than half the class always ends up showing up so class proceeds. As such, in my segundo social science classes, I got to sit down and listen to all the kids talk to me about the Spanish government which is all very interesting (with the needed sensationalist flavor of scandals to make it material worth learning about).

HISTORY LESSON!
Spain is a constitutional monarchy after having been a republic, and then oppressed under Franco's dictatorship. And while Franco set up a king in order to succeed him in his fascist rule, the king actually decided to institute democracy instead. Thankful, the people of Spain have always admired the royal family and let them take half the government's money even though the family doesn't really do anything, because I guess transitioning the country from dictatorship to democracy without bloodshed is a pretty big deal. However, now the prodigal descendants of the king are tarnishing the family's reputation and actually lighting the ire of many who would like to see the whole monarchical system completely done away with. Extortion and an elephant hunting trip in the safari by the king, who also happened to sit on the board of WWF with whispered rumors of mistresses are all a fun part of the titillating story.

Tips to Remember

-Do not wait until you have eaten every, single item possible in your fridge because when it is Sunday and all the mercados are closed, you will starve.

-Do not trust the Ministry of Education. They will lie and/or be confused and in turn make you lie and/or be confused.

-Do not dwell too much on what exactly fuet is. It is delicious it is delicious itisdelciciousitisdelicious.

-Hang em tight! Use 4-8 clothespins or your clothes WILL fly away and land awkwardly at the window of your neighbor

-Jazz is cool for 1 hour, after which you begin to start tesselating your tapas for entertainment

-Be prepared to see old and young alike with full lips and tongue engaged IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET or casually, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE METRO. Also, couples will almost always massage each other's butts while publicly unveiling their inner porn star.



I have been trying to get ready for grad school so I've been in my room. So, there's my update.