Las Cosas Pequeñas

This week, I don't have a lot to report. Life has been great, and day-to-day existence in Spain is definitely fun.

I started spending more time with some of the other Wesleyan kids, and I've loved getting to know them better. I played soccer in a park for much of Saturday afternoon with some friends. A group of us also went to hear Emily, my roommate, play guitar at an open mic night in an international bar last night. She was great, and it was one of the most fun evenings we've had in Madrid.

Class continues to go well. On Tuesday, we took a school trip to the Prado. Although we didn't see it all, since it would have taken days, we did see a good bit of the art of Velazquez, Goya, and El Greco. A lot of the artwork I'd seen in history textbooks was there on the walls, and it was spectacular.

We spent some time focusing on Catalan culture in class this week, because next Tuesday begins our six-day trip to Barcelona. Cataluña, or Catalonia, is one of the autonomous regions in Spain that is pushing for independence. With a different language and a strong pull toward Mediterranean culture, the Catalan state certainly has its differences with Spain. Throughout its history, especially during times of repression under Franco, this aggression was focused into its futbol teams, and an enormous rivalry has developed between Real Madrid and Barca, Madrid and Barcelona's clubs. I can't wait to spend some time in what looks like a beautiful coastal city, full of culture, architecture, and art.

Right now, Madrid is seeing quite a bit of rain and snow. It's definitely perfect weather for some "chocolate y churros," one of my new favorite treats. (The hot chocolate here is ridiculously thick... think pudding heated up.) The snowflakes are enormous and beautiful, but it's warmer here, so nothing really sticks. It's still enough, however, to cause plenty of excitement and chaos to the Madrileños, who aren't quite used to what I would actually call winter. Little things like this are what keep reminding me of our cultural differences. Another example came today during lunch. Emily and I spent over half an hour trying to explain Groundhog's Day to Isabel. Not only did we start out not knowing the word for groundhog, but once we established this vital information, she still couldn't understand why we would have a tradition celebrating "marmotas." Then again, I guess I can't argue there, it doesn't make much sense to me either. But it was fun to try to explain it in a different language...

So overall, these little incidents keep daily life interesting. Between the great friends I'm making, the wonderful food I'm trying, the moments when I see similarities and differences between my two cultures, and the times when I just enjoy the little things, life is wonderful.