A Bear in Córdoba

18.12.08

Medina Al-Zahra

Two Fridays ago our program organized a small excursion to Medina Al-Zahra, the 12th-century (?) palace and political/economic center of Al-Andaluz (Andalusia today). Again, apologies for the links!

The palace was built into the side of the hill, for defence and cooling reasons.
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Another view out into the fields - you can see the early morning mist hasn't dissipated yet.
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Restoration work of the Salón de Ricos, thought to be a reception hall for foreign dignitaries and other Important People.
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Restoration in progress
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http://photos-g.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v1794/32/14/2104379/n2104379_31684206_9120.jpg

One last look...
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Sevilla, Milano, and Torino

26.11.08

I've been working on my photography project these past few weeks, and the results are on Flickr ("Opposites" set). I've always wanted to learn how to take advantage of my camera's features and not just use the "auto" setting, so this project gave me a chance to do just that. Now I need feedback on the pictures so I can improve composition, etc, so if you have a spare moment please click over and have a look! Thanks ^_^;

The "Sculpture" set is the second part of my project, we had to pick a work of art and document it with pictures. The other set, "Sketches", are what I draw when I seem to be paying attention in class - judging by the cropped-off notes, I doodle the most in Roman history. >_>;;

15.11.08

I'm (not) offended!

As an American college student, there are two words that are integral to almost any conversation with my friends: "awkward" and "sketchy". I'm referring to these as defined by Urban Dictionary, since the definitions there are far more relevant (and informal) than those in any self-respecting OED. "Awkward" is fairly self-explanatory, referring to a socially embarrassing or uncomfortable situation. (As someone who's still getting the hang of the "social graces" part of Growing Up, this happens more often than you'd think.) "Sketchy" is more complicated - "something that doesn't feel right", "something unsafe", "iffy, questionable", "creepy", and "shady" are just some of the definitions given - but I've yet to come across a coherent description of the all the uncomfortable and well, awkward nuances that the word conveys.

One thing that has always bothered me about the Spanish language, however, is that there is no direct translation for either of these words. The closest I've gotten to "awkward" is incómodo (uncomfortable), or socialmente torpe (socially clumsy), both of which capture some but not enough of the original meaning. "Sketchy" is even more difficult to translate, and I'm not sure cuestionable is even a real word. "Creepy" is equivalent to espeluznante (hair-raising, literally), which again, doesn't do justice to the original meaning. So, why doesn't Spanish have a translation for these versatile, descriptive, and highly useful adjectives?

After discussing the matter with K and M, I have come to the conclusion that it probably has a lot to do with the Spanish culture, not just the Spanish language. Spaniards in general are much more open about their feelings, and have much smaller personal boundaries. They're also less afraid of offending other people, and less easily offended. Therefore, awkward situations just don't come up as often, and if they do then Spaniards are more likely to point it out and resolve it on the spot, rather than stay quiet and try to be diplomatic and politically correct. The same goes for "sketchy" situations, for example if Stranger A asked for an American's number in a bar, the American would likely reply with an awkward "um, ah ... I don't have a cell phone/[other transparent excuse]", and later tell stories of the sketchy Stranger who asked for his/her phone number. A Spaniard's reaction would probably just be "no, I don't know you", and that would be that.

This frankness is also reflected in the Spanish media. Since there is essentially no censorship or regulations about what can or cannot be shown on TV or published, anything goes. For example, yesterday's lunchtime news wrapped up with a segment on the "World's Best Bottoms Award" in Paris, with footage of the bikini-clad models walking down the runway in the competition. (Keep in mind this is a national TV station, broadcasting during the prime lunchtime hour.) I found it hilarious and frankly refreshing, but my flatmate E is now even more convinced that the US is superior to Spain. Ah, well.

12.11.08

Wah!

Today was V's birthday, so we all went out for mediocre Chinese food to celebrate. I've missed Chinese food more than I can say; it was good to get my fill of MSG and fried bad-for-you food. The buffet had a decent selection of salads and marginally healthier things too, don't worry, I'm not keeling over any time soon. The oddest part was the dessert section, where there was a large bowl filled with ... colored marshmallows. I'm still not entirely sure why, but that didn't stop me from loading up on the gummy bears and the ice cream. Now to find an Asian market and satisfy those mochi cravings ...

After dinner, V took us to see a rope jungle gym that she and K had discovered earlier that week. This turned into a two-hour-long session of rope climbing, picture taking, general tomfoolery , and pretending that we were all of about ten years old, all of which felt fantastic. The night was chilly and silent, with occasional wisps of clouds lighting a feathery halo around the nearly full moon. Our laughter easily carried through the night, irrepressibly bubbling up at any inane, yet inexplicably hilarious comment. We had cake and playground games - Wah!, telephone, ZipZapZop, Boppity Boppity Bop - and laughed until our sides hurt, then laughed some more.

--

I really do need to figure out how to describe Wah! to unsuspecting bystanders. My half-assed explanation left us playing somewhere between a two-beat and a three-beat game of Wah!, I can only hope to teach everyone the proper rules and rhythm (like so). Here is a detailed (and coherent!) description of Wah!, courtesy of sk8ngli on the xkcd fora:

Everyone stands in a circle. One person will start by raising their arms above their head with their hands clasped. They will point at another person in the circle while yelling Wah!. The person pointed at will then raise their arms and yell Wah!. The two people immediately to their left and right will then chop sideways and yell Wah!... I was taught to think of it as chopping down a tree. You yell Wah! with your hands going up (becoming a tree) and the people to your sides will chop you down by yelling Wah!. After being chopped down, you have to send your Wah! to someone else in the circle. Thus the game repeats in rhythms of three Wah!'s.

--

V turned 21 today. I suppose this is where I'm supposed to muse on being 20, no longer a teenager and soon heading out into the Real World. But the fact is, I don't feel like an adult, I don't feel capable of handling Life as a college graduate, and the thought of no longer being able to laugh like a ten-year-old kid while climbing around on a jungle gym fucking terrifies me. I've spent a good 7/10ths of my time on Earth so far as a student, completely sheltered from reality. In less than two years I'm going to be kicked out of academia (good riddance) and set out to Find My Path, Fulfill My Purpose, Make Enough Money To Eat and Donate The Rest To My College. And there it'll go - jobs, paycheck, mortgage, loans, retirement funds - and before long I'll be the one complaining about young hoodlums laughing their fool heads off at midnight on the jungle gym when they're clearly old enough to know better. They say that college years are the best years of your life ... I just wish I could save a couple minutes from each day so I could relive them when I'm older.

--

To get a head start on the Growing Up, I'm starting my spring semester apartment search soon. Students who stay the entire year have a choice of staying with our host families, or moving into a student dorm, or finding our own apartment in the city. I'm going to try to stay close to campus (two thirty-minute one-way hikes to Arabic each week is more than enough, thank you!) and out of the way of any sketchiness. I'm probably going to end up sharing an apartment with several other Spanish students, but have my own room and access to the kitchen/laundry/facilities/internet/etc. Hopefully, I'll get them to play Wah!, too ...

4.11.08

Please, for the love of all that is holy ...

!!! STOP READING AND GO VOTE !!!

Seriously, I'll wait. And if you can't vote for whatever reason, get out there and remind someone who can to go cast their vote.

Back already? Okay, then. On with my ramblings ...

So as you know, today's the big day for everyone in the US. My study abroad program is having an election night party at a local bar where the TV will be turned to CNN in English. I have a feeling I'll be glued to the polls and the websites until the last votes are tallied, even if it means staying up all night. I sent in my absentee ballot weeks ago, even though my (presidential) vote isn't likely to matter. I'm more concerned about two propositions on the state ballot: 8, which states that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid in the state; and 4, which prohibits abortions on minors until 48 hours after parental notification. I'm really worried about both of these, because polls have shown that the margins on both these propositions are incredibly slim.

Being outside of the US has really given me a different perspective on the elections and how they impact other countries. Spain (as from discussions with people studying abroad in other countries, most of Europe) is extremely pro-Obama. Most Europeans have become very disappointed in Bush over the past eight years, and consider his policies responsible for the current worldwide economic crisis. They see McCain's election as just a continuation of that, despite all the "maverick" talk. Few people take Sarah Palin's nomination as VP seriously, because she is seen as inexperienced and unqualified for the position. On the other hand, Obama is seen as a welcome change from the last eight years. Spaniards are encouraged by the fact that he seems much more open to working closely with foreign leaders, and that he's more sensitive to the issues that arise from leading a diverse country. His recent Spanish ad directed at the Latino community has been played over and over during news reports, but McCain's campaign (as far as my limited Spanish can tell) hasn't gotten nearly as much coverage.

I'd also like to express my condolences to Obama and his family for the passing of his grandmother. She raised her grandson well; may she rest in peace.

3.11.08

Two months.

As of today, I've been in Spain for two months. Adapting to life here has definitely been one of the most challenging times of my life, but also the most rewarding. I've become much more comfortable with using Spanish in my daily life, and with playing impromptu rounds of Charades when I don't know a certain word. Every day I learn something new about Spain, or at least another vocabulary word. (Today I learned that the word for pomegranate is granada, and the symbol of Granada is the pomegranate - handy! Also that the chains, or cadenas, represent Aragon on the Spanish coat of arms.) The other students in the program are great to hang out with as well; the consortium is made up of six small, northeastern, private, liberal arts colleges so everybody comes from a similar academic background. My classes are going fairly well, although there are several assignments coming up. Arabic class in particular is a lot of fun; the past few classes have all been dry, boring grammar but last class we read self-introduction dialogues and it felt really rewarding to finally put all the grammar to use. Two months is generally the time it takes for me to get really accustomed to a place, so I hope that it'll be smooth sailing from here on out ...

28.10.08

Three kilograms of clementines, or, supporting the Spanish economy.

The interstice between autumn and winter is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. Maple trees in New England suddenly transform into brilliant, leafy rainbows; mornings dawn crisp, cool, and wispy with fog; bright, sunny afternoons entice the most reclusive computer lab hermits to take a walk around the lake; nighttime breezes with just a hint of chill are the perfect excuse to linger in the company of good friends and good tea. And the best part of it all is the arrival in the produce aisle of tiny, fresh, juicy, golden-orange orbs of pure deliciousness - it's clementine season.

Those of you who know me, are probably aware of my passion for - nay, obsession with - clementines. There's something very satisfying about digging my thumbnail into the rind of a new, unbroken fruit, and carefully peeling open the sphere in half. Each new orange represents a small challenge of manual dexterity, that requires a combination of luck, precision, timing, and carefully applied force to extract the wedges undamaged. Of course, the reward is there no matter how much I botch up the opening - one bite and each vesicle yields up its juicy droplet of sweet-yet-tart clementine. Mmm.

So this weekend I went shopping for clementines, and came home with an enormous three kilogram bag. I've never seen this many clementines at once, apart from the produce section in supermarkets - I wasn't sure that I could even finish all of them! But three days later I've devoured all but two, and I'm already budgeting clementine purchases for the next week. I've been rationalizing it as extra doses of vitamin C to keep from catching everyone else's colds (doesn't seem to have worked, unfortunately) and as a healthier snack than popcorn or Nutella (Nocillo in Spain). I was also told in Japan that eating too many oranges would turn one's hands yellow, but it hasn't happened so far - knock on wood.

Side note - the clementine excursion was the second time I've been propositioned this year. I had intended to buy from a small business as opposed to a supermarket chain, so first I tried a small fruit stand on a side street near my apartment. There was a man sitting on a stool in front of the stand, so I assumed that he was the owner of the store. While I had my back to him and was looking at the fruit and inspecting the prices and the quality, he made a "tsk" noise at me. When I turned around, I realized that he couldn't talk - he had a hole in his trachea. He pointed at the clementines and showed me five fingers, which confused me because the sign clearly said "1,39 euro/kg". But when I turned back to the fruit, he "tsk"ed at me again. This time he showed the five fingers again, and then closed his fist and brought down to his groin, then pointed up the alley away from the main street. That's when I realized that he had been mouthing "minutos" - five minutes. Needless to say, I was incredibly skeeved out and left immediately.

I bought my clementines from the supermarket this time ... but the "Origen: España" sticker on the bag makes me feel slightly better.

22.10.08

Today's post is brought to you by the letter J

I learned the first part of the Arabic alphabet in class today! It's been a long time since I've had to learn a completely different writing system. This'll take some getting used to, especially since Arabic writing goes from right to left. The letters are written a little differently depending on whether they are a single letter (isolated form), or in the beginning, middle, or end of a word. Some letters can only connect to other letters on the right side, so letters that come after have to use the initial or the isolated form. Wikipedia has a chart that does a much better job of explaining it.

One of the letters in the alphabet is pronounced zai and written like so:

ﺯ

Looks a lot like the letter j in the romance language alphabet, doesn't it? Maybe this is stretching it, but I think the pronounciations are pretty similar too. This is why I love learning languages!

19.10.08

Lagos, Portugal

October 10th to 13th was a long weekend, so a big group of us went to a beautiful beach town on the southern tip of Portugal. The trip got off to a fairly bad start, as I missed my train from Córdoba to Sevilla and had to buy another ticket for a later train. I'd also been fighting sniffles all week, resulting in a visit to just about every single pharmacy in Córdoba to look for zinc supplements. Happily, zinc + 2 lemons a day + eight oranges over the weekend = not sick! And the horrible 6-hour bus ride from Sevilla to Lagos turned out to be totally worth it.

The boardwalk on the way to the cliffs:

Gorgeous beaches surrounded by rocks:

Stairs built into/cut out of the cliffs:

Weird, beautiful landscapes:

Rockslides and earthquakes:

A lonely-looking tree at the top of the hill:

A resort/restaurant on the side of the cliffs:

I also went kayaking for the first time:

And nearly got seasick (it's a bad idea to throw up while you're on the boat - better to hop off, throw up, then get back on), but my stomach settled while we stopped at a lovely beach on the way back:

The water was freezing cold, but we still played in the waves:

We stayed at the Monkey House, a hostel located in the historic part of town:

More pictures are available here and here.

We ended up staying one more night than we had planned, because the bus that we had planned to take back to Sevilla was already full by the time we got to the bus station, and the next one left at 6:30 the next morning. Lesson learned - always have a backup mode of transportation.

All in all, it was an incredible trip and I can't wait to go back!