Les Falles

The girls and I went to visit Lucy in Valencia for an annual festival called Les Falles.  Beautiful large structures are designed, one for each neighborhood.  At the end of a week long celebration, the falles are burned in a spectacular fireworks show. 

We took the train into Valencia's city-centre on Thursday night. After dropping off our bags at Lucy's place, we set off for a pre-drink in a plaza and an outdoor disco. The first thing I notices was how relaxed all of the locals were. You have to understand that you cannot go more than five minutes without hearing someone setting off a firework.  To amplify the sound of the fireworks, kids will often put them in soda cans. In other words, these puppies are loud.  I found myself jumping at the sound, while everyone around me tranquilly sipped their cheap beers. 

The next day we set off early in the afternoon to see The Mascletà. Every day during the week of the festival, at 2pm, fireworks are put in the town square and basically blown up. I have never heard such a noise in my entire life. We were at least two blocks away, and I can't imagine being any closer. I'm assuming all Valencians have slight hearing loss. 

The Winner of this year's festival!

After the Mascletà, it was mini sandwiches and then an accidental viewing of a parade of local men and women. They were dressed in very beautiful traditional attire. The men and women are referred to as falleres(as).  Each woman carried a bouquet of flowers that was to be added to a large, two-story rendering of the Virgin Mary and Jesus (yes, made entirely of flowers).  It was absolutely marvelous.  The Virgin Mary is often portrayed in a very beautiful light, but this was just spectacular.  We basked in the sun and watched the parade as I sipped on my long awaited horchata (yummmm!).  The parade continued as we headed home. We later found out that the parade is a 2 day event! 

As we poked around Valencia, I was quite pleased at how much I remembered. I'm not exactly sure how I can remember parts of a city I have only visited 3 times, while Barcelona is still a mystery to me.  My only conclusion is that I lived there in a past life.

Friday night was "Nit del Foc", or The Night of the Fire. The four of us prepared a dinner at home before, touring the falles one last time.   They would be burned the following evening so we got all of our pictures in.  Mojitos and dancing followed and we sauntered in at around 4. Or was it 6?  All I know is that I am still recovering after nearly a week. 

Saturday started off with a bang (sorry, I had too).  A Mascletà took place right outside of Lucy's apartment! I was wrong before, this was the loudest sound I have ever heard.  The entire show lasted about 2 minutes with a grand finale that sent the man in charge running and all of us gasping in fear! Luckily he was okay, maybe it was part of the show. His friends did enthusiastically hug and congratulate him after the finale. Perhaps they were congratulating him on surviving yet another Mascletà.  Saturday was another day filled with tapas, long walks, and another parade. We made our last rounds of more falles and arrived just in time for the burning of one of the small falles.  I'll let the video speak for itself...

We completed the night with a bit of hookah and tea and a large falles. Our view wasn't as spectacular as the previous burning, but the crowd's energy made up for it. As mental as the Spanish are with their festivals, they never ever lack passion.  That was made evident by Valencians crying over the beauty of the falles, walking for 2 days in restraining traditional attire, and olé-ing over the falles' falling pieces.  Oh how I love Valencia!

Weekend excursions...

I went to a village called Sant Feliu de Codines this weekend with a friend from school. It's set on the rim of a canyon, overlooking some mountain ranges ( a bit like CO). The town is also no more than 45 minutes from Barcelona and the beach.  I do love Mediterranean ecosystems :-) The town was very beautiful, and since it was a Sunday in Spain, very quiet.  Below is a picture from the town's wikipedia page.  Here is a link to the English translation. For more picture's, go to the page in Catalan here. 

P.S. I just found out that my Grandma is going to be having surgery next week. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

LOVE!

meg

To run or not to run, that is the question

As you know, July is the month of The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona.

I have talked to a few people now about this experience, since many villages outside of Pamplona also have similar festivals.  Every Spaniard that I have asked has had the same response. It is so frightening! You could die! But you should do it. At least once. It seems that unless death is a possibility, festivals in Spain just wouldn't be worth going to.  From the human towers, to firework shows in the street, to being chased after by large 1,000lb mammals, Spain sure knows how to "walk the line".

I've been mulling over the idea of taking a trip to Pamplona. Part of me thinks I lack the common sense and wilderness smarts to outrun a 1 ton bull. The other part of me, however, wants to listen to this man. Listen to the first story of this podcast. It definitely makes you think about the beautiful things that come out of taking a risk...

http://www.mefeedia.com/watch/36024090


love you all!
meg

Defying (and proving) Spanish Stereotypes

Stereotype 1: Spanish laziness

Not true, at least at my school!!! The teachers here work long hours and have lots of responsibility. In preschool, the ratio is about 18:1. The school day is from 9:30-5:15 and although we have breaks throughout the day, it is exhausting. Teachers also have conferences with the parents of their students 3 TIMES a YEAR! That's about 60 conferences a year, much more than most American teachers I know. Sometimes the conferences are during lunchtime, or teachers have to stay after school. It is nice being in a school where communication between parents and teachers is a top priority. But wow, that's a lot of conferences.

Stereotype 2: Catalan nationalism

Some people have the stereotype that Catalan people are very nationalistic about their culture.  They speak Catalan to piss of Spanish speakers, they are very pro-independence, they hate Madrid, etc. etc. But I've met an array of Catalan people with an array of opinions on the matter. Some would like independence, but do not consider Catalonia its own country. This is FC Barcelona's manager's point of view (I sense tongue and cheek). Some people in the region prefer to speak Castellano as, perhaps, their parents are from another part of Spain. In this case, some people who live here may not have much of a Catalan identity.  I have hear many different opinions on this topic, all very interesting and eye-opening. I look forward to learning more about Catalunya, and other regions of Spain.

Stereotype 3: Spanish food.

TRUE!!! I don't think I've had one bad meal here.  The food here is sensational.  I'm not always sure if I'm eating Spanish or Catalan cuisine, but if the food is prepared here its bound to be good.  Makes me wonder about SF food.  San Francisco is a big restaurant town, but man oh man I think Spain is just athat takes its food very seriously.  Here at school, a Catalan custom is to say "bon apetit" to everyone when you enter the lunch room. In Catalan its "ca profiti" or "bon profit". Everyone responds with "Gracias, igualmen".  I think this is a good indication that dining is a main part of life here. Just the way I like it!

FYI: Francisco Franco ruled Spain until his death in 1975.  During his reign, languages such as Basque, Catalan, and Gallego were supressed.  Film schools were banned, divorce, contraceptives and abortion were forbidden, and homosexuality was a criminal offense. While abortion was also illegal in the US, most of the laws in Spain were that of a dictatorship. Franco became slightly more liberal in the 1960s, but a liberal dictator is hardly liberal.  I'm reading more on the Civil War, so I'll add the new things I learn about this part of Spain's history.

ciao!
meg

An update...

    This semester has gotten off to a great start. The new girls are here and we are all moved in to a new apartment on campus.  I have had lots of fun showing them around school, introducing them to everyone, and going into town.  We had our first night in Barcelona last week, which resulted in getting a rose from a waiter, witnessing a bar fight, and having to run to catch the bus home.  I think it was the perfect way to introduce them to Barcelona :-)
    I had another great experience in Barcelona earlier last week. Christina Johnson was diverted here when her plans to go to Cairo were changed.  I met her and her friend for a nice stroll around Barri Gotic and tapas. I was so fun to see her in Barcelona! And Brittany is coming through France in a month.  Seeing both Johnson girls in one month, I hope I can be that lucky!

   Since my return from holiday, the teachers and staff have been wonderful .  I have gone to dinner and drinks with a few teachers over the past few weeks.  I have hung out with their friends, gone to their favorite places.  Those are always my favorite evenings ("When in Spain...").  I love being a part of a school community, a place where I know people are there to support me and make sure I'm okay.

    Speaking of, over the past few weeks I have started tutoring two little girls from our school. Every Tuesday and Thursday I go to their respective houses and even get a home cooked meal afterwards!  Tomorrow I will start tutoring another girl from Third grade. It's been a great way to keep up my planning and get to know a few families from the school.  They have been very sweet and welcoming. On Thursday I practiced my Spanish with them, and on Tuesday I will start a language exchange with a teacher from our school.  My Spanish is about as good as Schwarzenegger's English, so I gotta get crackin'!

It is now the time of year to think about jobs for the fall. I am in the process of sending a few emails to American schools in Barcelona, as well as submitting my resume to some placement companies for International Schools.  At this point I'm going to send my resume and see what comes back, I'll keep everyone updated!

Besos!

Meg

Go on a Walking Tour!

This is a plug that, no matter where you are living or travelling, a walking tour will bring you closer to the city you are in.  Last weekend I woke up early on a Saturday (8am people!) and headed into Barcelona for a free walking tour.  Aside from me, the tour consisted of travelers from all over, even a girl from Washington! We made our way through the Gothic Quarters of Barcelona, home to many beautiful alleyways and churches. We made our way through the old Jewish quarters, buildings that survived bombings during the Civil War, cathedrals, churches, and more.  I finally got to learn about the rich history
of the city and see new parts of the city. And because it was a gorgeous day, Barcelona's inhabitants took to the streets to play music, walk around, and bask in the sun.  It was absolutely wonderful.

I also got to meet some new people who, like me, are far away from home, and learning lots about themselves and other people. It was very refreshing to exchange stories with new people and hear about why they love Spain.  After the tour, I walked around for a few hours.  It dawned on me (a little late) that instead of starving myself from lunch until dinner, I was forgetting to eat tapas!  How embarrassing. Well I couldn't build up the courage to ask for a table for one during tapas hour, but a chocolate gelato was the perfect substitution.

Walking both alone and with others reminded me of the things I love about cities.  In a small space you can see people from many different walks of life, coming together to celebrate a culture simply by living it.  Maybe I'll put in for a teaching job there next year. It might be nice to live in the city, and do some more living of my own. Until then, trips to Barca every weekend will be more than enough adventure :-)

Hasta luego,

meg xoxo

Road Trip cont.: Eating in 'America', the Hoover Dam, and AZ

Once we arrived in Vegas, it was becoming more and more clear to me that I was to exhausted to go out that night. I know, sooo not 'Vegas' of me. But I saved up my energy for the next day, our only full day in Vegas. With a shot to the face of Absolut, the boys were off to walk the strip, and I was off to bed.

I'm glad I rested that night, because in Las Vegas fashion, Hunter, Nico, and Dave, were out til 5am. We woke up around 1pm in search for brunch and settled on "America". That's right, we ate at an "American-themed" restaurant aptly-named "America".  The restaurant even had an obnoxiously sized 3D map of America sticking out of the wall. Each state had figures coming out at you like a real life pop-up book.  Oil rigs for Texas, lobsters for Maine, you get the idea.  I didn't even have a hangover and that thing was making me woozy.

Dave went to get us tickets for Criss Angel while Hunter, Nico, and I hit the slots. Nico and I are still mourning the loss of our collective 30$.  I think I understand where those Ocean's guys got their motivation.  After losing dollar after dollar at the Sex and the City slot machine, and a bit of a run at roulette (9 dollars!), we headed to the show.  It was a pretty good show (the double jack and coke helped), with some impressive stunts.

Next was a gay bar off the strip, where Hunter taught me some tips on billiards. Then an after-hours bar where we stayed for the rest of the evening. If you are going to Vegas, stop by Drai's. It is awesome. That's all I'll say on the matter, you have to see it for yourself.

We dragged ourselves home as the sun was rising, and got a few hours of sleep until we were up again dragging ourselves to brunch.  On the road at 2pm, we made a wonderful stop at the Hoover Dam, and the new Memorial Bridge that is built above. It was an incredible sight, so much more beautiful than I would have imagined.  An hour in awe and we were crossing state borders, on the way to Phoenix.

We got home in time to see Lee (yay!) and get a tour of the house, and then it was a movie and lights out. The next morning we arose to go to one of my favorite spots in the world, Sedona.  It is a place known for its beautiful red rocks and healing positive energy. And it was just the way I remembered it. I felt instantly happy when we were there.  We even had time for a spontaneous wine tasting. Who knew Arizona had such tasty wine?!


Later that night was a beautiful family dinner at Davey's house. Parents, aunts, uncles, and friends all came. Aside from Hunter and Nico's inappropriate jokes, it was perfect :-)


Nico left the next day, and Tracy, or should I say Theresa, sophmore Business Major at ASU, came to take his place :-) We had a blast going out on the town Pho-town style, and even hit up some ASU bars. A great end to an amazing road trip. Thank you to my spectacular friends. Three months gone and it didn't feel like any time had passed. xoxo

Long overdue: Seal Beach, SF, and roadtrip

A long over due post.  Because of visa issues, I traveled back home for a month. From less than desirable circumstances came a wonderful opportunity to see friends and family, relax, and madly driving all over LA County (thanks mom and dad!) to get my visa sorted.

First stop was Seal Beach, home sweet home.  I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, swimming with mom, and some quality driving time with dad too.

Next, it was off to San Francisco. Home sweet home again. I was just in time for our friends' Holiday Christmas Party.  The theme (it's San Francisco, of course there was a theme) was Disco Odyssey.  We drank, ate, and were very merry indeed. We even sung along to Mariah Carey and filmed it for one Katie Newman. We miss you Katie! 

I was wonderful being back in SF again. My city. It made me remember why I love it so much, and also, why I left (at least for now). I saw as many friends as I could, went to a lovely albeit belated Thanksgiving feast, and did a little improv too. I was a perfect visit, and I'm excited for the next time I'm back.

At the last minute I decided to surprise some friends and tag along for a road trip of the Great Southwest.  It was Dave, Hunter, Nico, and I. Lord help us. 

We by driving through Nico's hometown of Manteca. We saw the beautiful crops, mountains, and dismantled, rusty pipes left over from the water park. Oh such sites! It actually was a really pretty place.  On this trip, the boys and I realized that we all represent such different places. Hunter is from tranquil, mountainous Vermont. Dave is from the desertous, beautiful Phoenix. Nico, from the aforementioned Manteca.  And me, from the beachy, quaint Seal Beach.

We continued on past the breathtaking Caliente, California, and a town that  Dave refers to as Chahapapachi ( I can't for the life of me remember the actual name).  Both reminded me of why California is the best state in America.  Arizona gave it a run for its money, but we'll get to that later.  Across the border we went to another state, Nevada to be precise. And before we knew it, the bright lights of Vegas welcomed us with its opened, tacky, and bedazzled arms...