The Showdown: Culés vs. Meringues

I have failed to post about a serious issue that divides the entire country of Spain. During my stay I have encountered this division first hand. This division is the ultimate choice that every Spaniard must make: FC Barcelona or Real Madrid. I'm talking about fútbol, of course.

I don't know the history of the rivalry between Madrid and Barça, but the feud runs deep. Maybe they are just the biggest teams in Spain. Maybe these teams are the two best in all of Spain. All I know is that even people who know nothing about the sport still know about Ronaldo and Messi.


Like most people who aren't partial about sports in general (or just because I'm a girl,) my decision was destined to be based on something arbitrary (Cristiano Ronaldo is hot, Barca colors resemble the American flag, etc.) But I was determined to stay neutral for the sake of my students (and my own personal safety.) This was successful until my trip to Barcelona, when I absolutely fell in love with the city. The weather, the architecture, the Mediterranean, the vibe.. It was all me. So that's when I sealed my fate and bought my first Messi #10 FCB jersey.

The Real Madrid fans are known as "meringues" because of their pure white jerseys. FCB fans are called "culés" (asses) because in one of the club's first stadiums, fans sat on the outermost wall, lending a view of all their butts to passers-by.

Little did I know that my village was strongly in favor of white, as I began walking around in red and blue. Needless to say, the first time I wore my jersey in public, during the last week of school, I felt the wrath of the Real Madrid majority in CRA Pinar Grande. Whoa. Not a joke, let me tell you.

BARCAAAAA!

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye is widely known as one of the hardest thing that needs to be done in this life. I just said hello for the first time and now, so soon, it's time for the goodbyes. The children don't really understand the concept; I'm here, I'm a teacher, I'm part of their lives and they have seen me every day for 3 months.. of course I'll be back after semana santa (holy week/Easter break.) Unfortunately, Europe is kicking me out promptly at the 90 day mark. So I have been spending as much time encouraging them, laughing with them, hugging and squeezing them as I can. This week is my last week, only one Monday, one Tuesday and one Wednesday left.

Sandra, Me & Our Class

As of now, everything has become routine and normal, but I know I will miss every little thing that I have come to take for granted... breathing the fresh air from the pinos, walking everywhere, seeing my students in the street every day, eating lunch with all the awesome teachers, munching on dirt cheap fresh bread, learning something new every day...

Some of my students have already begun to plan my return (I have 30 little travel agents.) According to them, I will come back next summer so we can go swimming (remember that big pool I mentioned earlier?) and of course I must bring Sean (they have recorded several videos and written several messages to him.) Then, of course, they are planning a big trip to Florida so they can see the alligators (strange cocodrilos that live there) and manatees. The older students have followed me around for the past week asking, "Tienes Tuenti, o Facebook?" and "Can I have your phone number please?"

Carnaval con Infantil

I will be lucky if I ever find a boss like this again

Every student in my 1st and 2nd grade class gives me a hug and kiss whenever they run into me now. Some of my 5th grade students showed up at my house last week with a poster and a bag of candy to tell me how much they will miss me. A 6th grade girl drew me a picture and wrote, "Don't forget us, we won't forget you." The Infantil classes are drawing pictures of me in an airplane and draw the sun with sunglasses just like I showed them. There is even a rumor of a special choreographed dance that will be performed for me before I leave.. It's taking a lot to not burst out into tears at any given moment.



Navaleno is small and cold, and many Spaniards laugh when I tell them it's my home, but the people and experiences I have had here make this place warmer than Florida has ever been.

Dave Takes Spain

Green house in El Retiro

Dave decided to make an appearance in Spain, so he hopped on a plane and arrived on Wednesday -- good thing, too, because the general huelga began on Thursday and the entire city of Madrid shut down in protest. Naturally, Mr. B was happy to be part of a history and thoroughly enjoyed the city. I was not so sure about letting him make his own way to Navaleno alone, so I met him at the statue of King Carlos III on Friday night.

Strike

Our hotel, Jardin de Recoletos, was hidden away on a side street but was perfectly beautiful, complete with gardens in the back, marble staircase and chandelier in the front. (I'll take credit for that, thank you very much.) We had the most delightful meal in a back alley street at a locals-only restaurant called Cinco Jotas. Steak, Rioja, 2 chocolate desserts.. hands down the best meal I've had in Spain. But since sleep doesn't come easy when I have access to wifi and I awoke Saturday morning with a wicked sore throat, we decided to leisurely stroll through the city and enjoy the perfect spring time weather. This included a full tour of El Parque del Buen Retiro (El Retiro for short) and a tulip-filled stroll at Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (botanical gardens.) Quite a lovely way to spend the last weekend in Spain.

Hey look, it's Carlos! Again! On a Horse! Again!

Spring has sprung!

Girls Weekend: Valladolid & Salamanca

La Ciudad Dorado

I made a last minute decision to go to Valladolid to stay with Jen, an American girl in the auxiliary program teaching in Spain. Brittany came along and we decided to have a less-than-educational fiesta weekend in Valla and Salamanca. The weekend is certainly worth mentioning but there isn't much to tell... see for yourself.

Americanas

Black vodka .. can't beat it

Black tongues + speaker dancing. Notice the flag ... Camelot, claro

The Adventures of Hugo and Carla

Three of my students are the Munera Gonzalez family: Maria, and her twins Carla and Hugo. They are 4, turning 5 next week, and they just happen to be the cutest children on the face of the planet. I love the whole family if we're being honest here..

Maria was so kind as to show me a bit of the sites close to Navaleno before I leave next week. On the way we passed some really quaint refugios and a river named Mojabragas (wet panties.) We went to three places: La Playa Pita (Pita Beach,) Cabeza Alta (vista point,) and this little natural spring well that is famous for its agua hierro (iron water.) We had merendola on a park bench in a little playground (ham sandwiches, naturally.) On the way we ran into a herd of sheep of about 600 strong (I met a real shepherd, yes they exist.) I was forced to sit in the back between two car seats by a very bossy infant. And I read aloud an oral tradition dating back many years. Here is my Thursday in pictures.

la playa Pita

600 + sheep

Real life shepherd + staff

Cabeza Alta + huge statue carved out of a single tree trunk
Here you can see Pico Urbion, the tallest mountain in this region (2,229 m.) This mountain is the birthplace of the Duero River.

Oral tradition
Spain is a beautiful country, no?

Los Animales del Bosque

Sheep crossing.
Cow crossing.

In Florida, whatever walks into the road is deemed "roadkill" and can easily be decimated by a vehicle. In Spain, this is not the case. If you happen to hit/run over any animals that wander into the road, you've got yourself a totaled car and an annoyed piece of beef.

The Unintentionally Erotic Series: Salchichas Edition

Let me begin by making something clear. In Navaleno, we don't have much. But what we do have is the biggest pool in all of Soria (take that) and the best sausages (salchichas) this side of the Duero. Navaleno boasts it's delicious and plentiful supply of mushrooms, most notably, the coveted truffle (trufa.) So what better way to celebrate Spanish culture than to put something you take pride in (truffles) and add it to something that all Spaniards already love (meat products.) The product of this heavenly union is Navaleno's prize salchichas. What started out as an innocent desire for said sausages turned into a white trash bachelorette party really fast. Despite their less-than-enticing appearance, these sausages were the best I've ever had. Yeah, you can quote me on that.