Carnaval!

Hi friends! So Carnaval is going on right now, which is basically where people get all crazy, drunk and dress up in costumes before Lent starts and they have to give up everything (which no one really does anymore). But this past Saturday I went to Ciudad Rodrigo, about an hour south of me. There were tons of people there celebrating and wearing costumes. Kids being chased by men in horse costumes, a man dressed up as the Duquesa del Alba in a wheelchair, and groups of teens with matching sweatsuit outfits with their names printed on their pants. Strange. I really need to put up the photos, but there was a running of bulls through the streets! I was not in these said streets of course, but I was sitting in the stadium set up in the Plaza Mayor where I watched boys being macho and “brave” with the bull. They were smacking its butt and then running away or taunting it with their jacket and then running to jump up and cling to the wall. Later on, I heard one guy got gored/injured because he was being stupid. Frankly, I was cheering for the bull. It was a beautiful day. The only bad thing was that there were a ton of Americans there since Ciudad Rodrigo and Cadiz celebrate Carnaval the most. One Spanish guy teased my friends and I by saying “Oh my god, oh my god” because I guess that’s what they hear American girls saying in exaggerated voices. The other annoying part was the bus ride home in the evening because there were drunk Americans, and one guy in particular was talking loudly and obnoxiously in a terrible Spanish accent. Some girls on my program who went stayed the night and caught the 9 am bus, but they were pretty much dead the next day.

I also wanted to write about my Valentine’s weekend, but I’ve told a lot of you about what happened, so you can skip this paragraph. I just went out with Emily and Andrea to dance, and we dressed up really nicely since it was V-Day (bad idea - should have known). After bar hopping and discovering discotecas of old people, we ended up at the Irish Rover with American music. I can’t tell you how many times I was grabbed, jabbed, and touched. Disgusting. One boy asked Emily what my problem was because I didn’t want to talk to him. We left around 4 am because of the sheer sexual harassment. I didn’t think it’d be so ridiculous, but you can tell that women were inferior for a really long time in Spain during Franco repression because women are treated like shit sometimes, like pieces of meat really, and it’s no wonder my gender teacher is really passionate about the subject. Because it is blatantly relevant to this country still. Good luck to the girls in Argentina! I hope you don’t get inappropriately touched like I am. On a happier note, I gave a Valentine to my host mom and she asked me, “V-Day isn’t just for couples?” I said no, and she gave me kisses for my card and told me to start using “tu” with her (the informal you). Jenny: 1 point.

Andrea and I went out with this French dude I met one day this past weekend as well. We went salsa dancing, which was fun. And it was relaxing to just sit and chat with him. I think he wants to be more than friends and thus has not called me back after my “I’m still in love with someone” revelation, but whatever. I’m trying to be open about meeting people and dancing, but my Intercambio Sara told me that when you meet boys out, it’s only because they want to “ligar” (flirt) and pick you up. So at this point, I’m hoping on becoming good friends with my Intercambios (which are both girls) and making friends this way.

What else have I been doing? I have a lot of free time and have been walking around a lot (trying to burn off all the cookies I eat). I’m also reading a huge biography of Franco for my IES class, and it’s pretty interesting. It’s strange to think that the Dictatorship just ended like 33 years ago. Yesterday was the anniversary of an “intento de golpe de estado” or coup of the government. The (current) king wanted to transition into democracy and some of the old Franco/military cronies were not having it. So they took the Congress hostage 28 years ago (23 Feb 1981), but failed. Some military officers supported it and others no - the ones in favor kept telling other generals that this is what the king wanted for Spain, but as the confusion cleared and Rey Juan Carlos made his television appearance, things became more apparent. As I keep learning about Spain’s history, I just discover how many chances they had to develop and be progressive, but instead, chose to go backwards. Luckily, democracy has been going on for the past 27 years or so. What’s even weirder is that the newer generation (mine really) of Spaniards have no idea about the dictatorship. I’d say I know probably more than some, but maybe then they’d understand why Spain is the way it is today (at least women’s issues!). I can’t wait till the Spanish government says “Forget you!” to the Catholic church once and for all, but that won’t be for a long time I’m guessing. Maybe I’ll enlighten you with some actual factual history next time, instead of just ranting. Anyway.

Observations that you will love (maybe):
1) Waxing or “depilation” is real big here for women to do. Andrea and I are thinking that when it is warm out, we’ll go get our legs, armpits and bikini areas waxed for only 10 euro! What do you think?
2) Pets here are never on their leashes. They just obediently follow their owners. The funny thing is that it is against the law to have your pet off of its leash, but I’ve noticed many Spaniards don’t tend to follow rules. My host mom doesn’t like pets and even complained to me about how owners never clean up after their pets. A valid complaint.
3) Not that this should interest you, but I have the worst dry skin ever in my life here. Because it’s DESERT weather! It’s cold in the mornings (sun rises late) and the evenings (like see your breath cold) and then sunny and warm in the afternoon. It’s just so DRY.
4) Storks are everywhere here. You know, the baby-carrying birds. They live in trees and churches around here and make loud, clicking noises with their beaks. I love them.
5) Don’t know if you guys have heard of Bolonia, but it’s a proposal in the UE of standardizing education in Europe, making it easier for students to get jobs in other countries. Spanish students hate it because not only would it change standards for them (more school for more classes), but it’s like the US system of school in that students have homework expected of them everyday. My grammar teacher says Spanish students are lazy and like their free time. I’m thinking it would make sense to want Bolonia, but I can understand the strain it puts on students to adjust immediately. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with it. But there is graffiti in lots of buildings giving times and places for future protests against it in Salamanca.
6) The crisis (pronounced “cree-sees” in Spanish). It is everywhere, and I feel bad that Spain has such a high rate of unemployment. It has always been an issue here like I’ve maybe said before, but imagine this: In the US, a 7% unemployment rate is crazy. Well, here’s it’s about 14% and may climb to 20%. Enough said.