tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46749501213720312212024-03-12T22:27:41.936-07:00The Bear in Spain-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-39679818951833132522011-06-22T10:46:00.000-07:002011-06-22T10:46:23.448-07:00Semester in Review: How to Talk to a Language Learner<div>Learning a language is humbling. Some days are good, but on others, it feels as though my language ability has been reduced to that of a four-year-old. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Teaching a language is equally humbling. It becomes obvious that any skill with language that I might claim is largely due to the fact that I'm a native speaker. When I have to sit down and think about what I say so that my students can understand, breaking it down into small bites, I realize how unconscious our usage is (and how convoluted English can be). Even with great effort, I've created more than a few failures. </div><div><br />
</div><div>What's so hard about it, you ask? Yes, yes good question, I'm glad you asked. Here are some major points to bear in mind:</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><ol><li><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Speak slowly, but naturally. </b> We can't distinguish words when they're rushed together, even if they are familiar vocabulary for us. Plus, we're processing a million things a minute - retrieving vocabulary, categorizing verb tenses, re-directing direct objects, ordering events and information, capturing the overall main idea, and on top of it all, wondering how in the world we're going to respond... so give us time.</div></div></li>
<li><b>We're not deaf, so please don't yell.</b> It's embarrassing, and we're already self-conscious enough. However, if you don't speak loudly enough for me to hear you with ease, I won't even try to understand, but you will be none the wiser. We're very good at noncommittal body language responses, you see.</li>
<li><b>It is never, EVER funny</b> when you try to dance circles around us with your words, no matter how much you enjoy it. We will shut down and stare at you blankly, and the joke will be lost, and you will look like a big fat arrogant g<i>ilipolla</i>.</li>
<li><b>Your goal is to facilitate communication. </b> Think of it as marking a route on a map. Highlight the most important places, and we'll eventually get there, even if it is by a less direct route. What this means: we rely heavily on inference, so especially enunciate question words and the subject; provide a definition (sandwiched within the sentence) after a less common word; and don't start your stories (or sentences) in the middle of the action and then backtrack. Beginning-middle-end; subject-verb-object... at least at first.</li>
<li><b>Slurred slang is hard to decipher, much less understand.</b> For example, <i>gonna, wanna, 'sta luo.</i></li>
<li><b>Be especially conscious of your time-order words.</b> Repeat and rephrase them to make sure we follow what you're saying. And be sure to clarify when you're listening to us... verb tenses are one of the worst parts of learning languages.</li>
<li><b>Multiple pronouns and indirect objects are confusing, </b>especially if they are of the same gender ('he said he didn't'... or 'Mark said Antonio didn't'...) or group size (they and they). If you change the person/subject of your story, make sure we catch it. </li>
<li><b>Don't assume we understood the first time,</b> regardless of the fact that we're nodding. <b>Summarize</b> every now and then, and we'll both be happier.</li>
<li><b>Eyebrows knitted together is a sure sign of problems. </b> </li>
<li>When you're listening to us talk, <b>be a creative listener</b> as you try to understand. Remember, we haven't developed the rigid set of connotations you have, and we might cross my words a bit. Think poetry :)</li>
<li><b>When we consistently make the same mistake, please, please, please correct it.</b> Several times. It won't hurt our pride; we'll be grateful. I promise. And also, when you respond, it's helpful if you restate part of what I said correctly, modeling proper usage for us. We notice and learn.</li>
<li><b>Be curious about and interested in our lives</b>. Asking us questions about ourselves affirms our value and tells us that we're not defined by our lack of language skills. </li>
<ol><li>If you need somewhere to start, consider: family, food, entertainment, school and education, celebrities, music, significant others, other travels, best experiences so far, biggest surprises so far, native scenery, religion, politics, holidays and festivals, sports, history, cultural identity, cultural differences, time differences, future plans, legends and folk tales and why they came to be ...to name a few. </li>
<li>Please note that you may have to provide us with some basic vocabulary if you ask a very technical, specific question.</li>
<li>Be careful when asking about homesickness. It may put us in an awkward situation, depending on our experiences so far.</li>
</ol><li>Finally - and this is possibly the most important of all - <b>If you use an idiom</b><b> while giving me important information (directions, etc), I will personally see to it that your children and grandchildren learn every curse word in three languages. </b> Thank you, and have a nice day.</li>
</ol></span></b></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-41746549387802553152011-06-16T10:12:00.000-07:002011-06-19T13:23:18.292-07:00A Day in the Life: ChurchOne of the biggest blessings of my semester here... Mountainview International Church. I have never been in a more welcoming, excited, passionate community before. I will miss you, dear friends.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/24803201?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/24803201">Madrid, Spain - Mountainview Church</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2136838">Christian Associates</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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-- EDIT --<br />
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Today was a baptism Sunday. Four of my friends were baptized, either for the first time or as a renewal. A father baptized his son with contagious<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WyA9n9TWmT0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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joy. Despite having been raised in the whole church scene, I've somehow missed the sheer joy of what baptisms can be. Obviously, the symbolic weight of the moment is quite important, but how often do we, Americans, get to see the pastor slide down the ramp into the pool, not knowing how deep it gets, while another guy paddles out a ways on his back and splashes him playfully, all laughing at the utter absurdity of it all. And make no mistake, it is absurd, from any way you look at it... which is what the sermon (1 Cor 1) was about. Christianity doesn't make much sense from the front. But there was so much joy in the moment, celebrating together - the whole congregation trooping out the door over to the swimming pool, donning blue surgical shoes and crowding around to watch, laughing at the spectacle. I think this is probably what it looked like at the Jordan. You know, baptismals are convenient, but I think we miss a lot because the rest of us become passive observers clapping politely, and it becomes a ceremony rather than a celebration. We are a comfortable Church, but it's worth wondering how appropriate 'comfortable' is in the context of the Church. In any case, the Family grew a bit today : )<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard, Tori, Daniel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard, Isaac, Larry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvt3LvkuiYfEZhwIeORQcRfv625QC06_5rHd1a6Lxs_gTRRv2wZCF9lY5C71Rs3r8etcoqmoL0vL1mWYGoMWfQatNrObdBTBH1Gg_0yoocM-ws7zc1cxZF8_AEe3TN4m9B_BiIvIlSePp/s1600/IMG_2155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-17814238514777037262011-06-09T12:33:00.000-07:002011-06-09T12:53:40.023-07:00Familiar Things<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“Experiences are only as good as their catalogue and analysis.” - Mars Chapman</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve had a lot of experiences. I’m rotten at sharing them. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For example, the other day I went to Retiro to soak up the Spanish sun and awoke to find a group of guys kicking the soccer ball around in a circle. This would be no big deal, of course, and hardly worth sharing... except that not one of them had any pants on! That’s right, they were playing soccer bare-chested and in their underwear - a wide array of underwear, might I add. And they were having the time of their lives, delighted with their present circumstances and location. This is Spain.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Every week, I meet some new, interesting person. There’s an African guy a few feet up the hill from my apartment who stands outside the Dia grocery store everyday holding newspapers and opening doors for old women. The other day, I finally stopped to ask what he’s about. As it turns out, he’s from Nigeria, and he’s working here to earn money. He can’t return because of pending paperwork, but he says he doesn’t really want to anyway. “Africa is rich,” he said. “But the people are poor. We don’t have even basic infrastructure - water, electricity, hospitals. You learn that money isn’t important. You can live without money, but you cannot get ahead without infrastructure.” There’s an Iraqi man at church here, Mustafa, who has some incredible perspectives on The State of Things. My German roommate, Florian, is a wealth of information and precision. People are fascinating, and most of them are really, really terrific at sharing their experiences. It’s easy to find them here.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So a lot of things have been charming. A lot of things, though, have been grueling. Hunting for an apartment was awful. I saw some strange apartments, and some even stranger people. Deal after deal fell through right before the closing date. Living with a family an hour away from everything, this was a frustrating investment of time, as you can imagine.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Becoming familiar with the Spanish education system has been equally taxing, especially as an assistant coming from a full-blown teaching position. As it turns out, a Fulbright ETA grant is, paradoxically, a sort of demotion. While it translates to a low level of responsibility, it also means less power, control, and efficacy. Hammering out an actual job description and personal mission for myself (because it was never given to me) relieved but did not console me. I love my co-workers and I feel I can learn a lot from them. There are just days that it seems a little futile. (Please note - that’s an American measuring self-worth in productivity, right there. Run and hide.)</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Moreover, leaving a perfect life at home with truly wonderful friends, family, co-workers, a beautiful relationship, and a job I truly loved has been borderline tragedy. If you feel you have not heard from me often enough, this is why, for I refuse to write when I am grumpy, irritated, angry, cynical, or just plain homesick. It’s much more efficient to put on a brave face and rent a stupid car in Italy and have an adventure of sorts. There are 15 days until I come home; I know this without having counted.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And yet, faced with the prospect of leaving, I'm realizing that over six months I have, in fact, carved out quite a life for myself. I have friends from all walks of life and a multitude of countries (though admittedly, it's often difficult to escape the American expat community), and we meet up for tapas and savor the Spanish evening at a sidewalk cafe eating olives and p</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">atatas bravas </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">with</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Tinto de Verano. </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I only just located Golden Crisps at the Hiper [mercado] down the street, thanks to a friend's recommendation. The annual Bollywood Festival last weekend breathed out colorful dances and delicious food. Who knows what this weekend holds! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The prospect of packing all of that up into two suitcases and leaving with little more than a truncated </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">'sta-lo</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> is daunting and, if I'm honest with myself, borderline tragic. To use the words of Prince Caspian, I've spent a lot of time missing what was taken from me.. but... luckily, I definitely haven't squandered what was given: experiences, experiences, experiences. Memories, friends, food... that is my catalogue - the very beginning of it. I am so thankful, and so, so blessed. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-38735038210335558712011-06-09T06:40:00.000-07:002011-06-09T09:43:53.499-07:00Cultural Differences: Respect<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUgzutcQIEoL5NuzGuWpIbO225P6BQG1MMA6D8zobcveoHfw75S188QagCZ3HHguoDcbJqvaEYBjVQmFLQRSwenFfzXpiKiw-OYlG8KT13ZjYhV8vYOq5xoCbrvQcKnlHld_988Gac6-i/s1600/Photo+on+2011-06-09+at+14.52+%25234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUgzutcQIEoL5NuzGuWpIbO225P6BQG1MMA6D8zobcveoHfw75S188QagCZ3HHguoDcbJqvaEYBjVQmFLQRSwenFfzXpiKiw-OYlG8KT13ZjYhV8vYOq5xoCbrvQcKnlHld_988Gac6-i/s320/Photo+on+2011-06-09+at+14.52+%25234.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">From </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">El Pais</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">, 11 May 2011 - "La Madre" by Elvira Lindo</span></div></td></tr>
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One of Spain's leading newspapers, <i>El Pais,</i> usually has an editorial or two on the last page which examine some aspect of Spanish life or special interest. A recent article specifically noted Spanish and American cultural differences when it comes to public figures and privacy, with specific reference to Barack Obama's mother.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>The text, loosely translated, follows:</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>"Sometimes cultural differences are so obvious that we cannot reconcile them. </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Two Sundays ago</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">The New York Times</span> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>featured a</b></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>front page</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>photo</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>a </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>young woman kneeling</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>in the</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>grass,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> holding on her </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>hip</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> a</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>black</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>boy</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>about </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>three years old,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> who was </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>dressed</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>as a pirate:</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>eye patch</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>, earrings</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> a </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>skull</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>on his</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>hat</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>and a bad guy </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>mustache</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>The girl</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>could</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>have passed</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>for a</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>teenager,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>but</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>no,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>it was</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Ann</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Dunham</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>mother of</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>that</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>child</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>, Barry</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Barack</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Obama</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><br />
</i></b> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>"I read four </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>painstaking</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>pages</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>devoted to this</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>strange</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>woman</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>who</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>had two racial </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>marriages</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>-</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>an</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>African</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>first</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>an</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Indonesian</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>after</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>-</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>in an era</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>in</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>which </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>having</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>mixed children</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>presented</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>a</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>social</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>challenge</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>The report</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>tried</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>to find</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the reasons</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>why</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>that</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> white A</i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>merican</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>girl</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>picked up</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>her</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>six-</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>year-old son</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>and</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>went to </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Indonesia</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>for</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>a</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>such a long</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>period of</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>his life</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>The</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>journalist</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>followed the steps of </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Ann Durham</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>40</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>years</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>later</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>when</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>almost</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>all</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>traces</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of their passage</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>had been erased</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>but</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>nevertheless, she had</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>gathered</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>enough</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>pieces</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the puzzle to conclude</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>that</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>this</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>mother -</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>fearless, ahead of her time,</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> and</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>wrapped</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>in</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>a mess of a life - </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>had</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>influenced</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>spirit</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of the</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>president</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><br />
<span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><br class="" title="Click for alternate translations" /></i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>"I read it</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>as if</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>reading</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>journalism</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>What's more</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>it </i></b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>was</b></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>journalism</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>but then suddenly</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>I </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>wondered what</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>would happen</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>if</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>our</b></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>paper</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>devoted</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>its cover</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>to</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the mother</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of Zapatero</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>or</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Rajoy</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>And not</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>a</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>flattering</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>story</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>but</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> one attentive to </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>shadows that all mothers</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>hide, although to our memories they</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>always</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>appear</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> perfect</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>I do not think</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>we would be able to</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> wrap our heads around it, and </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>no</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>journalist</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>would take the story</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>, for it would be</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>considered an</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>unacceptable intrusion into</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>privacy</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>And maybe</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>all</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>this</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>is true</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>.</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>However</i></b></span></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>,</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>after</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>reading such</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>portraits,</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> we learn</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> something </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>of </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>the human journey:</i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> respect </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>and</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>insight</i></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i> </i></b></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>are not </i></b></span></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>incompatible."</i></b></span></span></div><div><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This, of course, makes for some cognitive displacement on my part. The Spaniards I know are unafraid to cross what Americans perceive as definite personal boundaries in day-to-day life. However, when it comes to public figures, they back off completely. (This may be why no one seems to know where various political parties' funding goes.) In America, the situations are reversed: personal boundaries are carefully respected and evaluated for political correctness while public figures are subject to an informational free-for-all. Why? </span></span>How did we arrive to these points? Which is more valuable? As the writer concluded, "respect and insight are not incompatible." Perhaps there is room for improvement on both ends.</div><div><br />
</div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-13427904206542668882011-06-01T07:34:00.000-07:002011-06-01T07:34:20.396-07:00The Political Climate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spanish required to appreciate the following; no Spanish required </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to infer that Spaniards are not very happy right now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The Indignados have been camped out in La Puerta del Sol (the center of the city) for several weeks now and don't show any signs of leaving.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And did you know... both political parties in Spain are funded by..... duh duhh duhhhhn.... THE GOVERNMENT??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-61176099065074427922011-05-19T06:34:00.000-07:002011-05-19T06:44:58.004-07:00English ClassI work with several sections of students, one of which is the bilingual section. Most of these bilingual section students have had English class since primary school and now attend every class in English except for math and language. In class, they speak English. Occasionally during recess they speak English. They still make mistakes, of course, but it's really quite impressive to watch these 12-year-olds in action.<br />
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Generally, my job is to go over the speaking and listening exercises in their textbooks, helping them with pronunciation and providing them with a native accent to emulate. Occasionally I teach an actual grammar lesson, but the teacher is much better at it, so I usually defer to her so I can watch and learn.<br />
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Today, however, she was called out of class and asked me to teach Reported Speech. What Speech, you say? Yes, that's what I said last week. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdZ-bNLCluraSkjoX2g9_S8pU4MnPr-qciAvYlaZx6i5OAaK1g-syRiKWN96OxCn8yKHp1R2rH-V1jN6oHy1Cv17nYhyphenhyphenehXToPEqs5lUP3mBmFI_H86lh7hLV-Fvk4oNsL0itWeQJWv1G/s1600/Photo+on+2011-05-19+at+15.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdZ-bNLCluraSkjoX2g9_S8pU4MnPr-qciAvYlaZx6i5OAaK1g-syRiKWN96OxCn8yKHp1R2rH-V1jN6oHy1Cv17nYhyphenhyphenehXToPEqs5lUP3mBmFI_H86lh7hLV-Fvk4oNsL0itWeQJWv1G/s320/Photo+on+2011-05-19+at+15.39.jpg" width="320" /></a>Take a moment to note the differences between these two dialogues:<br />
- "Are you happy?" she asked him.<br />
- She asked him if he was happy.<br />
<br />
The second is an example of reported speech. It probably seems like a no-brainer to flip the two, doesn't it? But I would like to point out that the verb tense of the question changes, as well as the word order... and it is no longer a question. And you use a different order for a question such as, "Where are you going?" Additionally, 'may' changes to 'might,' 'can' changes to 'could,' etc. Complicated stuff.<br />
<br />
Luckily, I had introduced the concept with an activity on Tuesday, so I was familiar with the nuances. Taking a deep breath, I started in. It actually went quite well, and the students quickly picked up on the differences between reporting statements and questions, etc. By the time we got to reporting orders and commands, the teacher was back and I handed it over. She is really fantastic about asking students to apply the information immediately with verbal question-and-response, and after teaching about reporting commands, she began to go around the room, practicing. <br />
<br />
The results were comical.<br />
<br />
She began with Raul, who was looking at the examples in the book. "Raul," she said evenly. "Don't look at me like that!"<br />
<br />
Raul's head snapped up and he looked around in utter confusion. "But I..."<br />
<br />
"No, begin, 'Pilar told me....'" Pilar corrected.<br />
<br />
Slowly, understanding began to brighten his face as he realized what was going on. "Ah! Pilar told me not to look at her like that!"<br />
<br />
A murmur arose from the class, who had been equally confused. They seemed relieved.<br />
<br />
Pilar moved on to Javi, a round, sweet boy in the back who is enthusiastic to learn and content to be himself. <br />
<br />
"Javi," she asked. "Will you marry me?"<br />
<br />
The class erupted, and Javi's face instantly changed colors. It was clear he was trying to construct a diplomatic response and having enormous difficulty; meanwhile, the whole class was urging him to say yes. "Dude, Javi, she wants to marry you!!"<br />
<br />
Pilar, not anticipating this response, finally stopped laughing herself. "Pilar asked..." she crowed.<br />
<br />
Relief swept over Javi's face as he burst into giggles. "Oh! Pilar asked if I will marry her."<br />
<br />
"Would marry, Javi. Would marry, not will." <br />
<br />
"Pilar asked if I would marry her," Javi repeated.<br />
<br />
Several students repeated this under their breaths, trying it out. Angel, a brilliant bundle of constant energy and disruption, rattled off a few jokes in Spanish at Javi's expense. Pilar silenced him with a look and continued practicing the language with other students. Despite seeing their classmates' repeated confusion, thinking Pilar was really asking them questions, most of the class mistook the exercise and tried to respond to her statements rather than reporting them, and then they bashfully corrected themselves. And as it characteristic, Angel's silence didn't last long, and he was soon back to joking.<br />
<br />
"Angel," Pilar cried severely. "Shut up!"<br />
<br />
He paused in his conversation, thought for half a moment, and flashed a quick smile. "Pilar said... no, Pilar <i>told me </i>that I must shut up!" he replied, triumphant.<br />
<br />
Again caught off guard, Pilar recovered quickly and laughed in spite of herself. "Pilar told me<i> to shut </i>up," she corrected. "You must use the infinitive, remember. But this is real life. Be quiet."<br />
<br />
"Pilar said that this was real life," Angel reported dutifully.<br />
<br />
Alberto was listening attentively. "Angel said that Pilar said that this wss real life," he muttered, half to himself.<br />
<br />
Jose heard it and grinned. "Alberto said that Angel said that Pilar said that this was real life," he called out.<br />
<br />
Rafa picked it up. "Jose said that..."<br />
<br />
And it was downhill from there.<br />
<br />
Now then, after all this, <i>I </i>am happy to report that the 1D students can successfully report what happened today.<br />
<br />
Mission accomplished.-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-42365955803095222352011-05-15T06:37:00.000-07:002011-05-15T06:37:14.068-07:00Accidental Mantra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKwP5BpJZdvia3kfD3p1BwDUllUXJvw-u1_XwVj1NH9MHL31aUi0O4gRfAE-xa5ECcE19iv2yVbTK3nfw4URKLdxj4PFkauQlwX9RtTtnPpCOO1Z1aL-SG3DGBQbC8WnFsJGQchwugtdw/s1600/IMG_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKwP5BpJZdvia3kfD3p1BwDUllUXJvw-u1_XwVj1NH9MHL31aUi0O4gRfAE-xa5ECcE19iv2yVbTK3nfw4URKLdxj4PFkauQlwX9RtTtnPpCOO1Z1aL-SG3DGBQbC8WnFsJGQchwugtdw/s640/IMG_1920.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-54651773129960866762011-05-14T03:17:00.000-07:002011-05-14T06:59:34.557-07:00Driving in ItalyIt's been awhile since I've posted about everyday life... I'll get back to it soon, I promise. Humor me once more.<br />
<br />
So, last weekend I returned to Italy, not because I loved visiting so much over Easter, but because way back in February, I bought a ticket to Milan - a springing off point to visit Verona (to gather Romeo and Juliet material) and Cremona (the birthplace of the Stradivarius). To do all this traveling, I decided to rent a car, rather than strap myself to the mass transportation schedules. Plus, I felt that this was the cherry on the top of a sweet, sweet life in Europe. As it turned out, it was possibly the best experience of the whole saga. That is to say...<br />
<br />
Italy be damned... I just enjoyed driving!<br />
<br />
However, you need to know several things before reading the rest of this post.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrT8anRsUZVpAAHYs_v3COJbpat1B-NGs-ZZkSOt92Z-LvYmH0d8ahE29Ca5HifCYdgEBWMpu6Z1qNcEusi0-H_AoxsZ4Ekz0wGgxYrbtJzLKdlQh4IqBmmhQN45Lnq2jKOfpmeRRYCNU/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrT8anRsUZVpAAHYs_v3COJbpat1B-NGs-ZZkSOt92Z-LvYmH0d8ahE29Ca5HifCYdgEBWMpu6Z1qNcEusi0-H_AoxsZ4Ekz0wGgxYrbtJzLKdlQh4IqBmmhQN45Lnq2jKOfpmeRRYCNU/s200/IMG_1711.JPG" width="200" /></a>First, almost all European cars have a manual transmission.<br />
Second, I have driven a stick shift all of... oh, three times in my life. <br />
Third, my adventures usually involve very great amounts of good luck... or very great amounts of bad luck. Or blessing. Or grace. Or whatever you want to call it.<br />
<br />
Please take a moment to pause and ponder this seeming difficulty. Also note: if you've never had to learn how to drive a stick shift before, you might not fully appreciate the following account, but perhaps you will be better advised for having read it.<br />
<br />
My adventures began in the Milan airport, searching for my rental car agency. I knew ahead of time that I'd have to call them upon arrival because they were not located on-site... but I'd lost my cell phone the week before... and the pay phone wasn't working... and I was short on change anyway. Luckily, I had no plans for the day. Arrive, get situated, see what the day holds - that was my game plan. At last, another rental car agency directed me to a different terminal where I found a working phone. The Advantage lady told me to meet her at Exit 7.<br />
<br />
There are 12 exits. <br />
<br />
If anyone had been watching, they would have seen a starry-eyed female of dubious nationality (people mistake my nationality on a regular basis) and a black backpack wandering up and down the rows or doors. Finally, I located the numbers, and off we went. <br />
<br />
As we pulled up, there was a yellow Fiat Panda sitting in the parking lot. It was the funnest car I've seen in ages. I froze in sudden meditation. <i>Please let that be my car, please let that be my car, please let that be my car!!!!! </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2IeAMOdS25eJSBnBSZ7vLjWrw0w3NieEBx9Kh7ewv4teHVqlhA4b32RozVpc6aCRasSSgUPqduxR2Wcacxjz_e1ebHy37rTOlK9OACJLOIb2550BgYLUSFlSOPiNFRnCJPZPS4Xn87MM/s1600/IMG_1922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2IeAMOdS25eJSBnBSZ7vLjWrw0w3NieEBx9Kh7ewv4teHVqlhA4b32RozVpc6aCRasSSgUPqduxR2Wcacxjz_e1ebHy37rTOlK9OACJLOIb2550BgYLUSFlSOPiNFRnCJPZPS4Xn87MM/s400/IMG_1922.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Oh yes.<br />
<br />
It was my car. I got in the driver's seat and let out a whoop. <i>This is going to be fun,</i> I thought... <i>now then, how do you get it into reverse??</i> Five minutes later, the girl came out and laughed as she showed me the trick. "These are different from American automatics, aren't they?" Yessss......<br />
<br />
I won't bore you with the awful details of those following few minutes. As it turns out, the emergency brake is another addition Americans don't usually think about. Safe to say, I was relieved to get on the highway and be at a constant speed. After a few kilometers of highway driving, my window was down, the music was up, and I was rocking it.<br />
<br />
It was a toll road.<br />
<br />
And you know what that means.<br />
<br />
Six cars deep, start-and-stop, inch-your-way-up traffic.<br />
<br />
I put my hazard lights on, said a little prayer - okay, a big prayer - and began to move up. VROOOOM... screech! VRROOOOM! *engine dies* VROOOM.... screech! *engine dies* Thank God I had enormous sunglasses on. At last, I got up to the toll window with, well, exceptional power, and the woman just looked at me and shook here head. "Dios mio....string of Italian...." I just looked at her as pathetically as possible and said, "I know." And I went on my merry way.<br />
<br />
Oh, did I mention that I didn't have a map of Milan?<br />
<br />
I had written down instructions on how to get to the hostel, but apparently in Italy, street names change every block, and within two minutes I was hopelessly lost. Always the optimist, however, I decided to follow the signs toward the Center, where there were bound to be tourist maps and such.<br />
<br />
The thing about having a car, though, is that you have to leave it somewhere (as opposed to simply walking around). And the thing about driving in Europe is that there isn't any parking. Anywhere.<br />
<br />
...unless you find a parking garage!!<br />
<br />
And you know what that means.<br />
<br />
Hills. <br />
<br />
For those of you who are unfamiliar with stick shift cars... you have to take your foot off the brake in order to accelerate while holding down the clutch, and in the space of time it takes you to move your foot, the car begins to roll backward.<br />
<br />
It is a really good thing that:<br />
1. No one was in the car with me.<br />
2. No one was behind me.<br />
3. No one was coming down the garage ramp.<br />
<br />
I turbo'd that thing up as fast as I possibly could. It probably took a major campaign from Heaven to ensure that I did not, in fact, go barreling through a wall... but I arrived in one piece and packed my smart little car into a smart little parking place, dusted off my coat tails, and proceeded to find a map.<br />
<br />
As you can probably imagine, the adrenaline was coursing through my body at 800 times the recommended quantities. It was time for lunch. After cheap pizza, I was still at 600 times, which can only mean one thing: sightseeing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfsYkao5am9CnCC_KmzsHEN_bg5R8U39A_oY8YK_yypdhKRPARbt6ZsJvBkOSAAt3PTkRGlD3XDihbibdRS87XjE2zzGtzgn59O_Z6xl7yqmzNxpWuMTsC0GRTBJNXGzZDIku0l1w5-zC/s1600/IMG_1686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfsYkao5am9CnCC_KmzsHEN_bg5R8U39A_oY8YK_yypdhKRPARbt6ZsJvBkOSAAt3PTkRGlD3XDihbibdRS87XjE2zzGtzgn59O_Z6xl7yqmzNxpWuMTsC0GRTBJNXGzZDIku0l1w5-zC/s320/IMG_1686.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmXGP07ajBb57JafbiZ610cRDokdgILKVPteNk6ZhjdLp2m9bVBDBE6FuBDKa4K7r5qMaWNpiMWI2mvu3wHDMYftLpAt_IzAJdDv23i8WYmsYAejjf_xkfv-UbNeilVFvX3txvwYmHuxy/s1600/IMG_1683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmXGP07ajBb57JafbiZ610cRDokdgILKVPteNk6ZhjdLp2m9bVBDBE6FuBDKa4K7r5qMaWNpiMWI2mvu3wHDMYftLpAt_IzAJdDv23i8WYmsYAejjf_xkfv-UbNeilVFvX3txvwYmHuxy/s320/IMG_1683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdiYay2Qfy6yTq61iWfcNfby3oYfjFM_0nwEaLC29ANcZ1xzWyHyp8XT1wTFCAYrRu0BaKraUsZEL-eiI7jUqk4RXznjBhJx1Y9d33ILC7Tms4VzAgcN2nnMmRZrvpN5CcPdkBOG30yb2/s1600/IMG_1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdiYay2Qfy6yTq61iWfcNfby3oYfjFM_0nwEaLC29ANcZ1xzWyHyp8XT1wTFCAYrRu0BaKraUsZEL-eiI7jUqk4RXznjBhJx1Y9d33ILC7Tms4VzAgcN2nnMmRZrvpN5CcPdkBOG30yb2/s320/IMG_1699.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Afterwards, having procured a map and ready to get back on the horse but not yet ready to brave the rest of Milan, I decided to go to Verona for the afternoon. Highway driving for a couple of hours... yes, it sounded nice. I drove down the ramp (at a much slower speed) and stopped to get directions from the attendant on duty, an older gentleman.<br />
<br />
He took one look at my car (perfectly intact, of course) and smiled wryly. "So you're the one.... trying to be like Alonso in Formula 1, huh?"<br />
<br />
I just looked at him as pathetically as possible and said, "I know..." and fled.<br />
<br />
The trip to Verona was successful, and it should be noted that Italian countryside actually resembles that of Oklahoma (except for the random vineyards and Italian architecture...). Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on your humor, on the way back, I encountered even worse toll booth woes. At first, I was concerned because it seemed like I was practically living on the clutch, but I recalled driving Patrick's green Mustang around Edmond this fall (that was my second time driving a manual... I still can't believe you let me do that, Sweetums...) which had a killer clutch, and he mentioned that driving in city traffic was always painful, so I took this as a good sign.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Csh7jtgI8Dnz2ZLFw64hJPy3pWHV67FrvHmDeBxmw3u1ScHrvJIyWpXUgkTfkgUkhavHQphi8HYzd5VIyXW7A5DrrCHub-1ChRoz334b8Eod6anxJ-eldUDwvK0OPdhuSSYcjjkzxuW/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Csh7jtgI8Dnz2ZLFw64hJPy3pWHV67FrvHmDeBxmw3u1ScHrvJIyWpXUgkTfkgUkhavHQphi8HYzd5VIyXW7A5DrrCHub-1ChRoz334b8Eod6anxJ-eldUDwvK0OPdhuSSYcjjkzxuW/s400/IMG_1828.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Unfortunately, it was dark when I got into Milan... and I might have gotten hopelessly lost. So much so, a kind stranger explained, that I wasn't even on the map. <br />
<br />
Sigh. <br />
<br />
Saturday's journey to Cremona was even more successful, and I returned to Milan feeling like quite the expert.... if I could have driven into Milan waving at the crowds like Kate Middleton, I would have, for it was certainly merited : )<br />
<br />
It was a good experience. I got some cool pictures and some even cooler stories. The end.<br />
<br />
P.S. KMAC, I still hate conclusions. Sorry. In this case, I call it Writers' Prerogative... or personal laziness... either / or.-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-89417386979761308222011-05-03T08:49:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:52:25.678-07:00Semana Santa: Rome<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“Every one soon or late comes round by Rome.”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - Robert Browning</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XLyyvAjqvv_SPooIGnEe-VKwhmUg7801DMH3ahZ901fi3ccYEz-4fFcAwva5T3HlA3rFvoqoT22r-JuTK2XEcqzXI_DkQDcvBoA-uItA45KUODBOHcbVIYeVvBtsXSHr_u8BClCvapqQ/s1600/IMG_1277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XLyyvAjqvv_SPooIGnEe-VKwhmUg7801DMH3ahZ901fi3ccYEz-4fFcAwva5T3HlA3rFvoqoT22r-JuTK2XEcqzXI_DkQDcvBoA-uItA45KUODBOHcbVIYeVvBtsXSHr_u8BClCvapqQ/s320/IMG_1277.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">And that is precisely why I didn't want to got to Rome. A petty case of social rebellion, I admit it. But... to be in Rome over Easter... that might be worthwhile, I reasoned, and besides, not as many people can boast about that.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">And off I went. </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let me tell you, you should go to Rome. Going at Easter is pretty swell, but Rome deserves it of its own merit. </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I arrived in style - and by that I mean with unwashed hair, saggy jeans, and day-old socks. Checking baggage costs extra money, you see. My backpack and I were on pretty intimate terms by the end of it. </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApvXUY5nvsHhehvWZ_BqBQZ3ArDKM6rPwpZiwtN6ICBZQcyTnH2e1b3eic0haj5lfd2N4-Jhtp89llrFwjor6Y3_FvJANwGoTRnd_fkM5AXrBzGJIIoZ9hw2LB-b8IvBPUf3L7z8BQ2ja/s1600/IMG_1428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApvXUY5nvsHhehvWZ_BqBQZ3ArDKM6rPwpZiwtN6ICBZQcyTnH2e1b3eic0haj5lfd2N4-Jhtp89llrFwjor6Y3_FvJANwGoTRnd_fkM5AXrBzGJIIoZ9hw2LB-b8IvBPUf3L7z8BQ2ja/s320/IMG_1428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For the first few moments, Rome seemed like all the other European cities I've stumbled across. Ditching my backpack, I checked into the hostel, ripped a map off the big stack at the front desk, and began my wanderings. It should be noted that, although I still probably qualify as spatially challenged, my map-guessing skills have improved remarkably since Lisbon. Going in the general direction rather than street-by-street is much more efficient, it seems. Columbus has got nothing on me.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I started out west, in the general direction of the Spanish Steps. On the way, I found myself in the Piazza della Rebpulica, which is, in fact, somewhat in the right direction! There was a large unsightly church there, and usually I skip large unsightly churches having overdosed in Spain, but I went in anyway.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyK-DAKPO7NWnFpn7SbGqOb_4MvpoACisHoyVb8x9zF0UibdsSrxtDhD6ko9bPZj0m42pUjFOnyq1eBPe6N9iOV5VdFvHbpADKTB1LbjfJHxyNxh21yzXRj1tJ6HOt-mJMt9XyQvRSuQ4/s1600/STA_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyK-DAKPO7NWnFpn7SbGqOb_4MvpoACisHoyVb8x9zF0UibdsSrxtDhD6ko9bPZj0m42pUjFOnyq1eBPe6N9iOV5VdFvHbpADKTB1LbjfJHxyNxh21yzXRj1tJ6HOt-mJMt9XyQvRSuQ4/s320/STA_1245.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It changed my standard for beauty. Permanently.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As it turned out, this particular church was one of Michaelangelo's last projects (a fact I found out after being totally awed). Perfect colors, spacious and well-proportioned, I made several circuits, looking up open-mouthed. Breathtaking moment number one.</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyK-DAKPO7NWnFpn7SbGqOb_4MvpoACisHoyVb8x9zF0UibdsSrxtDhD6ko9bPZj0m42pUjFOnyq1eBPe6N9iOV5VdFvHbpADKTB1LbjfJHxyNxh21yzXRj1tJ6HOt-mJMt9XyQvRSuQ4/s1600/STA_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7ABx2oGX0Bwx5xKVBkl8YJIyh6f1RuCQTXdObg40JM_BcrL4ub-A3m0NeK4iEcBy3sO9g_x4SzbsxTf6LUhOitNmAZuv23TH73O00HalLJ9XAEFloJuJVt6u8oZvbuiNNC_hvxJN0hjk/s1600/IMG_1268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7ABx2oGX0Bwx5xKVBkl8YJIyh6f1RuCQTXdObg40JM_BcrL4ub-A3m0NeK4iEcBy3sO9g_x4SzbsxTf6LUhOitNmAZuv23TH73O00HalLJ9XAEFloJuJVt6u8oZvbuiNNC_hvxJN0hjk/s320/IMG_1268.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Continuing on, I eventually found myself at the Fountain of Trevi... breathtaking moment number two. It is easily my favorite place in the city. Something about the juxtaposition of massive, intricate sculptures and enormous, rugged rocks with falling water... hard to beat. Plus, it was mobbed. The energy bouncing around was nearly tangible as tourists jostled around for pictures and swung under rails in order to get closer to the water (regardless of age!). This was also my first experience with gelatto... sublime.</span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
The rest of the day proceeded in a similar fashion, though nothing could quite compare to my first two experiences. After Athens' dismal countenance, wandering around in utter beauty and charm was a welcome relief. Every corner had a new surprise or scene. One street was full of bohemian art galleries... also a favorite! And so the day progressed.</span></div></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFcd23ETvIxQRrJoTbYAhNj_46Fur8ZwTfGS5VFbe3daa-ScIHqI135z_Icxl1j42ZXqg9WjujeSbl0cOLJYkvxPYX8hXBlU66X2ewq0Q-RByLMww75FYVngKxi32xp3GekZe7J0rITCJ/s1600/IMG_1300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFcd23ETvIxQRrJoTbYAhNj_46Fur8ZwTfGS5VFbe3daa-ScIHqI135z_Icxl1j42ZXqg9WjujeSbl0cOLJYkvxPYX8hXBlU66X2ewq0Q-RByLMww75FYVngKxi32xp3GekZe7J0rITCJ/s320/IMG_1300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My fellow travelers arrived that evening after an unfortunate 10 hour siesta in the Sofia airport. Getting pizza to go, we arrived at the Colosseum just as the Pope began his Good Friday address. The square was packed, and a cross of candles stood above the crowds, its flames flickering in time with the liturgies. Some of the crowd were just interested tourists (that would be us) while others were deeply involved Italians, reciting the lines by memory. Above it all was a strange oscillating metallic object in a tree, carefully concealed behind the leaves. Hmmm.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu89NtoLzJSRsqPXOH4xxogPb211a1bzECFfERVeDGhR_j7qQEnsXMpNlvuY5hyNNg9JidCrsiIKIruO5UXVI5T5M4NdU_m9GM0pBVWD-eMgnK9tOZHJi_pV4CE2JMnllwaVIObRtc9yJI/s1600/IMG_1317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu89NtoLzJSRsqPXOH4xxogPb211a1bzECFfERVeDGhR_j7qQEnsXMpNlvuY5hyNNg9JidCrsiIKIruO5UXVI5T5M4NdU_m9GM0pBVWD-eMgnK9tOZHJi_pV4CE2JMnllwaVIObRtc9yJI/s320/IMG_1317.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The next day, Will and I, who had never been to Rome before, went hard-core sightseeing. Let me tell you, tours are the way to go. We lucked out on the guides... each one could have been a sitcom character that just happened to know the last 2500 years of Roman history. Everything was crowded, of course, but the strange thing about Rome is that the people kind of fade in relation to what you're looking at. The crowds also preclude all efforts to preserve Japanese trademarks from tourists' cameras... i.e. the Sistine Chapel. People unabashedly ignored all requests to put away the cameras. Really, from the guards' point of view, it must have been a hopeless circumstance. The Chapel packed to capacity and the Pope delivering universal pardon in less than 24 hours... there was no winning.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> As for that Pope and Easter Sunday, I went not knowing what to expect. I imagined that St. Peter's Square would be mobbed. In fact, it wasn't. And the line to enter (airport-style security)... well, it's amazing how short it can be if you start in the right place. As I said, universal pardon.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B4BkMDcvPV5PnxXq9o-8-ojqXGW2GiHPIEwD0KPiENNjEPa_FEe7vt_r5zMwTGCmPxkDneXNIpjgTfFX7BT8cTz-accCohpkG1dVm2_6X1wE5RHRd6srThR4KEYSlywsspzlzlU6w6cb/s1600/IMG_1458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B4BkMDcvPV5PnxXq9o-8-ojqXGW2GiHPIEwD0KPiENNjEPa_FEe7vt_r5zMwTGCmPxkDneXNIpjgTfFX7BT8cTz-accCohpkG1dVm2_6X1wE5RHRd6srThR4KEYSlywsspzlzlU6w6cb/s320/IMG_1458.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLwgN1oi7fKYq5PytRBwVGSE-6NsXjp1Ux9915RRUdLBhDKPEyLpTlJLBwF4zlObye6UXhViJ3f4xxkKcmpR_0Ks-bWKW2odKCtwfViEkHYh_-eBa3U9W3QlKmcwKvkiHfo2NjoVBbkGW/s1600/IMG_1444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLwgN1oi7fKYq5PytRBwVGSE-6NsXjp1Ux9915RRUdLBhDKPEyLpTlJLBwF4zlObye6UXhViJ3f4xxkKcmpR_0Ks-bWKW2odKCtwfViEkHYh_-eBa3U9W3QlKmcwKvkiHfo2NjoVBbkGW/s320/IMG_1444.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now then, a note on the Colosseum. It's cool, first of all. (Dad, I took particular notes for you :D) But let's talk about this Christian martyr business. The Church officially took back its accusations of killing Christians there in the 50s. Only one emperor did this, and it failed. Why? Let's think about this logically. Gladiators and prisoners walk out of the Door of Death into the ring, desperately hoping to live and prepared for a valiant struggle. This makes for a good show, and it furthers the Roman propaganda that no matter how vicious it gets, everything can be conquered / controlled by Caesar. </span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDjBDos0zMo8hClpXSDC_1vb4ufIUfVGqrsDhIrOyWtYVZ8qI4Ym5e683hloJRJG2CWU1iV45bkGc8oIGSmADQCB4KWFB9zcw1_JdGLiVgIZmNhsdzHDnLM1fQ2z7_hVHfbqJr1s3CoBG/s1600/IMG_1500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Christians, on the other hand, aren't so concerned about living, are they? Do they fight hard and/or beg for their lives? Not really. To live is Christ and to die is gain. And if they're not afraid of death but Caesar is, who is greater? So, politically and socially, would it really be a good move for Caesar to use them for entertainment? Not really. End of note.</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 26px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Go to Rome. It's worth it.</span></span><br />
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</span>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-73285856862749779372011-04-29T18:52:00.000-07:002011-05-01T10:11:17.887-07:00Semana Santa: Istanbul<b>Istanbul. Once the heart of the worlds most imposing empire and now the world's second largest city. </b><br />
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Originally, it didn't seem like Istanbul could hold a straw to Rome. Although it was incredible in its own rite, Rome is... well, the Eternal City. But looking back on the trip as a whole, I think my perspective has changed. While I visited Rome, I <i>experienced </i>Istanbul. If you merely visit Istanbul, it will be worthwhile. If you experience it, you'll never forget it.<br />
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<b>The Hostel: Mavi Guesthouse</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaEXFnGgrvAfvRYVXyN0lc12V0Ny7SrJYiZF0cqF0GAyjEriRX2JZrHznrxJfLmfSkB_lezZFagT8x378rC3NwPH4FAUg_4TzpfreFqzvM8UUNI-9DWeuCmKqES1_kUleObNp0a7zimXN/s1600/IMG_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaEXFnGgrvAfvRYVXyN0lc12V0Ny7SrJYiZF0cqF0GAyjEriRX2JZrHznrxJfLmfSkB_lezZFagT8x378rC3NwPH4FAUg_4TzpfreFqzvM8UUNI-9DWeuCmKqES1_kUleObNp0a7zimXN/s200/IMG_1040.JPG" width="200" /></a>Mavi was one of my favorite memories. When Kelly and I realized that our original reservations didn't go through a few days before arriving, Mavi was the next best thing... staying in a 22-person room on the roof. The roof, it turned out, was an opaque tarp. Admittedly, the first night was a bit rough, not to mention cold. Kelly said at one point she awoke and looked over to find me completely submerged under three enormous blankets, head and all. However, waking up to see and hear birds feet on the tarp above me magically erased the previous night, and the trip really began.<br />
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Breakfast everyday consisted of slices of tomato and cucumber, a hard boiled egg, cream cheese and jelly, and an endless supply of sliced bread with coffee and apple tea (a Turkish staple!). One of my bunk buddies was an enormous bald Turkish guy who worked at the hostel, and after a few days, he had our eating preferences down and brought our food immediately with a smile. Ali, the hostel owner, was an endless fount of information and advice, as well as an offbeat sense of humor that continually caught me by surprise. <br />
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<b>The Blue Mosque</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7LyJ6UOwIrE8SMmuriPxRV5fiHd9lv1hu4nDea0xJBLo9PxcRceJ7sMqO5SkPJnnhbH7M3WqPktQAKNyRdAGi_WV6Yzdt16Kv6DuCkBYCJHnKblEz9jyvy0i7s2NlY1xX5uH4YKO5E5L/s1600/IMG_0877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7LyJ6UOwIrE8SMmuriPxRV5fiHd9lv1hu4nDea0xJBLo9PxcRceJ7sMqO5SkPJnnhbH7M3WqPktQAKNyRdAGi_WV6Yzdt16Kv6DuCkBYCJHnKblEz9jyvy0i7s2NlY1xX5uH4YKO5E5L/s200/IMG_0877.jpg" width="150" /></a>Our hostel was literally right around the corner from two of Istanbul's most famous sights. The Blue Mosque is an impressive structure, but as Mars, a new acquaintance who happened to be attending OU, pointed out, it appeared to be in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscape. Kelly and I stopped by right before the evening call to prayers. To enter, we first had to remove our shoes and cover our heads. Habitually at a loss for all fashion tricks, the scarf wasn't working for me, so I turned to a Muslim woman who was also removing her shoes and asked for help. With a quick flip of the scarf and whipping out a pin from her own covering, mine was perfect! <br />
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Inside was spacious and colorful... in a subdued sort of way. Women already praying lined the walls while tourists flashed their pictures. An unfortunate [ugly] American girl seemed to have forgotten to take her shoes off and got into an embarrassingly loud argument with one of the mosque men who was quietly asking her to leave. A few minutes later, that same man returned and herded us all out as quickly as possible right before the call to prayer thundered from the minarets. The whole city echoed with the various mosques' calls as the sun began to set. It was beautiful.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbm123-N1KiNphKxht6YK9t-4nkQt6YDqtltSlHBqtsism77_jPXGdLfnXY7_a2NVb6bkzYLjLt1CphuHlqVRE0i1l7sNcIYSKPmMHrlH4WM0Rr9Swl5jr-iDdmkF77PNQXNz6FZVCGdCw/s1600/IMG_0894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbm123-N1KiNphKxht6YK9t-4nkQt6YDqtltSlHBqtsism77_jPXGdLfnXY7_a2NVb6bkzYLjLt1CphuHlqVRE0i1l7sNcIYSKPmMHrlH4WM0Rr9Swl5jr-iDdmkF77PNQXNz6FZVCGdCw/s320/IMG_0894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>The Hagia Sophia</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBC9uSQ9r_76SH6mMqO8o2CebOkfVZd7xi8AZugDd-O6s6Y05hHsyvAs6Arne8gPRcFrfNbHak7umQYf3Rk7bHVaGQhEcLKF5GwlTSNoNEexw5G6oAEQNkjtwuG9G3MG10QtPtnw_w8XkJ/s1600/IMG_1018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBC9uSQ9r_76SH6mMqO8o2CebOkfVZd7xi8AZugDd-O6s6Y05hHsyvAs6Arne8gPRcFrfNbHak7umQYf3Rk7bHVaGQhEcLKF5GwlTSNoNEexw5G6oAEQNkjtwuG9G3MG10QtPtnw_w8XkJ/s200/IMG_1018.jpg" width="150" /></a>Right across the street, the Hagia Sophia kept a watchful eye on the Blue Mosque. Originally a Byzantine cathedral, it was much more imposing than the Mosque. However, when the Ottoman Turks invaded, they converted it to another mosque and plastered over many of the Christian paintings and mosaics. Kelly and I, becoming adept at eavesdropping on others' tours, learned that the plaster had begun to chip away in spots, allowing some of the original work to show through. There were also several beautiful golden mosaics of Mary, Christ, and a few other saints that had survived. My main lament on this trip was not having brushed up on my ancient history more thoroughly. 10th grade was a long time ago. Still, the tours we pirated were quite helpful :)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBT6Bjci8PsuLAmOImyzUsyBAo4PZP-ZLqtCxrOSK7VGZCAy7KV8GBcQilCqjCtcmx8wOilmlh7vWNN9b2x9j74vikzNWcZ_tLXr34-DQAr8UQxG9yH9m0bbbyBwbwTS22vn1SlbMxquD/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBT6Bjci8PsuLAmOImyzUsyBAo4PZP-ZLqtCxrOSK7VGZCAy7KV8GBcQilCqjCtcmx8wOilmlh7vWNN9b2x9j74vikzNWcZ_tLXr34-DQAr8UQxG9yH9m0bbbyBwbwTS22vn1SlbMxquD/s320/IMG_1016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b>Meat House</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllv9JC2qKQCkVraSB7_jjlyn_c4fIQcQ3wQ6Wm_jgaT3-FrbDulbznou8pV55wK4cmZIWL1KgexdgXav_FpJRKknkv4PseO6cDl97eJygaFFz0vSGidB3sy8rtmn287Dxb6JToy6NJVnx/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllv9JC2qKQCkVraSB7_jjlyn_c4fIQcQ3wQ6Wm_jgaT3-FrbDulbznou8pV55wK4cmZIWL1KgexdgXav_FpJRKknkv4PseO6cDl97eJygaFFz0vSGidB3sy8rtmn287Dxb6JToy6NJVnx/s200/IMG_1075.JPG" width="200" /></a>On our first night, we arrived famished. Ali recommended a restaurant down the street, Meat House. We were skeptical until, at that very moment, his to-go order arrived. One look at the dishes and we were convinced. Dinner began with the best yogurt I have ever tasted and the most enormous puff of pita bread, fresh from the oven.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRyjJGHYVu-T7QGW1KQSSDmfychAMhVHHiAhFsX9NghfmdlZsG02k8pzQY8BHxJL1p9DUZQNbmoQPUw4ouX-ZPfuIwgYsNAgNw8sVQ9kZMgT9yJ-BmXKPiD48AUGlwRQbaJkWIIc2QMSl/s1600/IMG_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivRyjJGHYVu-T7QGW1KQSSDmfychAMhVHHiAhFsX9NghfmdlZsG02k8pzQY8BHxJL1p9DUZQNbmoQPUw4ouX-ZPfuIwgYsNAgNw8sVQ9kZMgT9yJ-BmXKPiD48AUGlwRQbaJkWIIc2QMSl/s200/IMG_1076.JPG" width="200" /></a> The next dish, a combo platter, was equally as delicious, and our server watched attentively and answered all our questions. When we were finished, he begged us to stay for a cup of apple tea on the house. This was to become a custom no matter where we went. Turkish people are, above all, hospitable!<br />
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<b>Jimmy and the Asian Side</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5k9BKEuDtBr10ILOoTj3vWzlA6eBErcUxqLOcXeq4VVv0CPmlS7LUXaySjryG-_bTmH6pSYG0io2FunYMmSg0O5eH31qRCpYnl79P1_-7-362eLHInzCk1T4Ec-PMnEhZMSE6yxDCMBZ/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5k9BKEuDtBr10ILOoTj3vWzlA6eBErcUxqLOcXeq4VVv0CPmlS7LUXaySjryG-_bTmH6pSYG0io2FunYMmSg0O5eH31qRCpYnl79P1_-7-362eLHInzCk1T4Ec-PMnEhZMSE6yxDCMBZ/s320/IMG_0970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Let's be honest: crossing into whole other continent for the price of a 2 Turkish Lira ferry ticket is pretty incredible. The city didn't change at all, but I did get to add another checkmark to my To-Do List for Life! We went without a clear agenda, and after wandering around, we decided to find the TV tower hill for a 360 of the city. The only thing was, we had no idea where it was. An older gentleman just happened to overhear us wondering out loud and offered to show us the way. As it turned out, he (Jimmy) was an ex-journalist and diplomat, and he resurrected 25-year-old English with little difficulty. <br />
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The hill entailed a bus ride and a sharp walk upward. Jimmy accompanied us the whole way and was an endless source of knowledge and conversation. While some of us were worried he'd turn around and demand millions of dollars at any moment, the rest of us enjoyed a lively conversation. He seemed to take a balanced perspective on most things, whether the Kurds, or gypsies, or censorship, or Turkey's pending admittance to the EU. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_rjX8X8q1gFIWB5-8eG3SyZt-W4XC2DFW0wu6fvAIXtyw-zNC5wo_Nmswv9SDObPlmkM1xEn-ktR3Z17uX6-pJH8mR27f1ujVljQtUPq8w2IcRWGsiSuTMmMXSw1hM8l8iSkbkYTTPuy/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_rjX8X8q1gFIWB5-8eG3SyZt-W4XC2DFW0wu6fvAIXtyw-zNC5wo_Nmswv9SDObPlmkM1xEn-ktR3Z17uX6-pJH8mR27f1ujVljQtUPq8w2IcRWGsiSuTMmMXSw1hM8l8iSkbkYTTPuy/s320/IMG_0976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>At the top, we stopped for Turkish coffee and dessert. I'm not typically a fan of chocolate lava cakes, but whatever we ate blew that away. It was delicious. Afterwards, Jimmy explained their tradition of reading fortunes from the coffee grounds left in the bottom of the coffee cups. The descriptions were humorous, at best, but it should be noted that Will's involved an Evil Eye (common in Turkey), and less than 24 hours later he had a whopper of an eye infection. When he mustered enough strength to find a pharmacy, people would stop him on the street: "My friend, my friend! Your eye is going to explode!"<br />
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<b>The Whirling Dervishes</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3syOc2BisdheQ0G5gV60EYF06GDTnFK6ziY7h-YWqteAzZDeanySwjefZCKstMFEcsz9Kvz_lSsvIBchMmksLlM_rQPBR8pKzDlfZo4nBrjeFc0mMu4UbL7pLNB1DYORDOpaFLoA6BFug/s1600/IMG_1056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3syOc2BisdheQ0G5gV60EYF06GDTnFK6ziY7h-YWqteAzZDeanySwjefZCKstMFEcsz9Kvz_lSsvIBchMmksLlM_rQPBR8pKzDlfZo4nBrjeFc0mMu4UbL7pLNB1DYORDOpaFLoA6BFug/s200/IMG_1056.jpg" width="150" /></a>In college, Dr. Spencer's classes nearly killed me. British Literature Since 1800 and Ancient World Literature. Even the memories make me shudder involuntarily. My biggest problem with world literature was that most of it was so foreign that, despite having traveled, I had little experience to which I could connect my readings. Nevertheless, I did emerge with some favorites, one of which was Rumi, the Sufi Islam mystic.<br />
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While waiting in line to see the Hagia Sophia, someone gave us a flyer to a whirling dervish performance that evening. Dervishes, as you may know, are the mystic clerics in Sufism, and they dance in circles in a set ceremony as a spiritual practice and entrance into meditation. Intrigued and wishing I'd brought my Rumi book of poems (which actually did make it to Spain!), I put it on my If-We-Have-Time-and-Money-I'd-Really-Like-to-Go list. The timing worked perfectly, though it meant we had to scarf down the world's greatest kebab en route. (I kid you not, most kebabs are pretty similar. This one was divine.) The performance itself was cool, but it was definitely helpful to have an explanation of the ceremony in front of us!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA4EJ0FB-0MBhOREfAKDGkH38tcBpmYIYF3Fp4WPe2WJ88RCqFx347e59Pu3btQ7zpYd2bfDyPuHnqkjn9m1yX6z1XT__7WsgzYO7mQoGr1uM5lWfpMWmoF7HjGQbELEqRGxxz6jaezv2/s1600/IMG_1057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA4EJ0FB-0MBhOREfAKDGkH38tcBpmYIYF3Fp4WPe2WJ88RCqFx347e59Pu3btQ7zpYd2bfDyPuHnqkjn9m1yX6z1XT__7WsgzYO7mQoGr1uM5lWfpMWmoF7HjGQbELEqRGxxz6jaezv2/s320/IMG_1057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Turkish Baths</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju8vz44xgKBWAkJPz0EfqVkfZy4jIWBotSaTLCaaTskmYM6LKsI5K0CiAwwiggpOG0w6r888S4k6kTiqQkS-F6kHnxMw2If6C6zPQJ2zaMJOVVU_rULF-53C8rNLhfHQWDR3ty7ADVr8C/s1600/IMG_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju8vz44xgKBWAkJPz0EfqVkfZy4jIWBotSaTLCaaTskmYM6LKsI5K0CiAwwiggpOG0w6r888S4k6kTiqQkS-F6kHnxMw2If6C6zPQJ2zaMJOVVU_rULF-53C8rNLhfHQWDR3ty7ADVr8C/s200/IMG_1070.JPG" width="200" /></a>I'm currently debating how much to explain about Turkish baths. It is easily one of my favorite memories. However, on the off-chance that some of you mystery readers will make it over, I think you should just experience it. Let's just say, it's not a Roman sauna experience by any stretch of the imagination, though it begins like that. Red-checkered towels, steamy stone rooms, vigorous exfoliation and olive oil soap suds... yes, it's better to just experience it.<br />
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<b>The Grand Bazaar</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOdEYJxmrPOH16rWhrJ6fnSuhe3kcF-JXJEy7AG4E9iLnjvvsxqPk3M-MyI5J7bVq-2a43AcKrGiadRCb_YgBMtdTsQb_78evtqESfOVfpyboq0szynsBNSjlgfKYPrOiL1dvmNcmnIIl/s1600/IMG_0907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOdEYJxmrPOH16rWhrJ6fnSuhe3kcF-JXJEy7AG4E9iLnjvvsxqPk3M-MyI5J7bVq-2a43AcKrGiadRCb_YgBMtdTsQb_78evtqESfOVfpyboq0szynsBNSjlgfKYPrOiL1dvmNcmnIIl/s320/IMG_0907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The Grand Bazaar is an enormous market in a catacomb-like building that stretched on and on and sold everything from soap to leather and Persian rugs to jewels. It really puts Disney to shame... it was like Aladdin on steroids. So many people, so many products, everyone shouting and vying for attention, some of the vendors genuinely interested and others 100% sleazy. It was fun to see the sights and haggle over a few things, but it was exhausting. There is a pretty good chance that the lamp I bought didn't make it to Athens and Rome and Madrid completely intact. I still haven't opened the bad to see. Yikes. Superglue maybe?<br />
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<b>Most Unexpected Moment</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyYv6Zk4UauChYCi4lHSbpStEBxmg6ksvUMFC-62Iaz0Sw0KaPm7R49NwyMtSEUvA3BM0sn2bev2kJyC4KI5Fa_u8xtg5gR-p4V1DZ6MisZOmN858Xi60H-3-ASwxalzCmkpGpMDXP1hN/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyYv6Zk4UauChYCi4lHSbpStEBxmg6ksvUMFC-62Iaz0Sw0KaPm7R49NwyMtSEUvA3BM0sn2bev2kJyC4KI5Fa_u8xtg5gR-p4V1DZ6MisZOmN858Xi60H-3-ASwxalzCmkpGpMDXP1hN/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
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<b>Favorite Second-Hand Story</b><br />
(told without permission... sorry Kelly!)<br />
One of the nights, most of our group opted to go to Taksim, the nightlife hub of Istanbul. Ready to call it a day, I declined but wished them a good time. Off they went. They arrived at a huge club, only to find that it was mostly deserted except for the fourth floor. The bouncer, however, was not very understanding and flatly refused to admit them. Kelly and Tina watched from a distance as the Wills tried to argue (sweet-talk) their way in. Defeated, they returned to the girls with the bad news. It was a no go. Not ready to give in, Kelly spoke up. "Step aside, Will, let me handle this." <br />
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Now, you need to know that Kelly is a few inches shorter than me, has beautiful eyes, and is altogether gorgeous. In fact, as Evil Eye Will put it, "You just so adorable, it's disgusting!" So Kelly walks up to the bouncer and smiles sweetly. "Is there any way we could go up to the fourth floor, please?" she asks.<br />
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"For you," the big man grinned, "no problem. Open sesame!" And that was that. The boys followed in silence :)-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-48911506822421880062011-04-29T12:41:00.000-07:002011-04-29T12:51:38.566-07:00Istanbul to Athens InterludeAllow me to make a few seemingly innocent and unconnected observations:<br />
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1. Istanbul is the world's second largest city.<br />
2. Istanbul has two airports. One is in Asia, the other is in Europe. They're 86 km apart.<br />
3. Olympic Air was voted Europe's Best Airline last year. Unlike budget-airlines, it waits for passengers.<br />
4. If, in the event that you go to the wrong airport, there is a 5% chance you will have enough time to get to the other...<br />
5. ...Unless your bus is involved in a traffic accident.<br />
<br />
Note to Self: next time flag down a motorcycle and bribe them to cut traffic. Not kidding.-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-80725573696344147462011-04-29T09:52:00.000-07:002011-04-29T09:52:11.756-07:00Semana Santa: Athens<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-Wtca6XlQavz9TkcMhkpHz11bQc-IhDO8MvHwrYdPMw4gAl-Z894ogJPzdfFUoUjb9x7TdS8opB3BMrrPwSeLiq4kK1-6CeQrtNlTuDS_3bwqeswnUOb4PpzGyGbQRPmSCQakkH76ARC/s1600/IMG_1121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-Wtca6XlQavz9TkcMhkpHz11bQc-IhDO8MvHwrYdPMw4gAl-Z894ogJPzdfFUoUjb9x7TdS8opB3BMrrPwSeLiq4kK1-6CeQrtNlTuDS_3bwqeswnUOb4PpzGyGbQRPmSCQakkH76ARC/s200/IMG_1121.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Athens is worth going to in order to take pictures. It's not worth much else though, so they'll have to speak for themselves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3YIQ8DDUWSftqxlF1hb0-6HB_yRhesu2TV_rabHPHFIiLxsr9PaL9-YeaCtZ-x-dCFHPfmz_3HuWpflKteXLTAMkegqhmV1cTvQ8i9xcosfR2tyPlLNQ-75hLdVhF4ya_iqjf3M6T2j0/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3YIQ8DDUWSftqxlF1hb0-6HB_yRhesu2TV_rabHPHFIiLxsr9PaL9-YeaCtZ-x-dCFHPfmz_3HuWpflKteXLTAMkegqhmV1cTvQ8i9xcosfR2tyPlLNQ-75hLdVhF4ya_iqjf3M6T2j0/s200/IMG_1140.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>That said, I came to realize what an entitled traveler I am in Athens. Until now, I'd been able to rely on either English or Spanish (or worst case scenario, pointing) to make myself understood. A surprising number of people in Istanbul spoke English. <br />
<br />
And then I was hungry in Greece.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYAGrYUyZ1piEnjx_nzq6NcY-ohLCC9qqbN-viubWFl3ehJr6yeY2QtnzWgILlWs1l_KHEws7FNoWCnQbXrkHOuu7mosfmiGHR2U8mLscoiajshaykBNoMv3QMk83MRUBGR8dOVwQ1knR/s1600/IMG_1198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDYAGrYUyZ1piEnjx_nzq6NcY-ohLCC9qqbN-viubWFl3ehJr6yeY2QtnzWgILlWs1l_KHEws7FNoWCnQbXrkHOuu7mosfmiGHR2U8mLscoiajshaykBNoMv3QMk83MRUBGR8dOVwQ1knR/s200/IMG_1198.JPG" width="200" /></a>On my way to take more pictures, I passed a roadside sesame bagel stand and noticed one bagel seemed to have some sort of filling. Intrigued, I pointed to it and asked if it were salty or sweet. "Salt, no," the man told me. But sweet? I asked. Fruit? He didn't understand and spat out a string of Greek. I smiled sweetly and tried again. Same response. How much? I asked, making a sign for money. He replied in equally unintelligible Greek. One? I asked. At this point, he threw up his hands with an unpleasant sound and picked up his newspaper again, right in front of my face. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmoRgs8U51hk9wxz9TFt7tWxVZew_XSr6XA2QQFlLARVawV8e6aA0JbHHYWVj0Ui4KtX55usGVpFmPaYDR9EMzy5QVD6jC68mHA_lkZUX9mC4MF9KEaos1xH4QnYOYD25mf7N_8A4-JbS/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmoRgs8U51hk9wxz9TFt7tWxVZew_XSr6XA2QQFlLARVawV8e6aA0JbHHYWVj0Ui4KtX55usGVpFmPaYDR9EMzy5QVD6jC68mHA_lkZUX9mC4MF9KEaos1xH4QnYOYD25mf7N_8A4-JbS/s200/IMG_1147.JPG" width="200" /></a>Well, EXCUUUUUUSE ME!!! Sorry I asked one too many questions!!! The American in me was mildly appalled and reasoned that, with the Greek economy in crisis, my business should be welcome regardless of my language. I guess not! And then the traveler in me rushed in and patted my head with a gentle "There, there, Natalie, it's different here" coo. So, I guess I'm not as un-Americanized as I thought. </div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I bought the bagel anyway. It was okay.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznUfOdgfB7YX_acrHs4iEaGDcqNB6nqmImsqRisRansC_PO7kRcGcnXKA7K_87YXBiF3OubaphsUkHHxSNMyRqcCxMpOqSUCx9V9WGLk5AaHU65N68jB-chObllDzFeN7GHTPT69e9Ohz/s1600/IMG_1159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfSBhHO9Ipyp3-3TxavyVm23H3Bwu2wVRkD9VJmpQNTpSyabVJMmrI5AjdOjiu1nYkMVBYPS_mHBLtPo5io-DrJFjoz5ijQaeVfBUViGRhezxyQEG8IHlpME7vLbptWZrDXcqKaURqZit/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfSBhHO9Ipyp3-3TxavyVm23H3Bwu2wVRkD9VJmpQNTpSyabVJMmrI5AjdOjiu1nYkMVBYPS_mHBLtPo5io-DrJFjoz5ijQaeVfBUViGRhezxyQEG8IHlpME7vLbptWZrDXcqKaURqZit/s200/IMG_1164.JPG" width="200" /></a>But, in the same vein, few of my experiences were phenomenal. Even a visit to the Poet-Sandalmaker was disappointing.</div></div><div><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznUfOdgfB7YX_acrHs4iEaGDcqNB6nqmImsqRisRansC_PO7kRcGcnXKA7K_87YXBiF3OubaphsUkHHxSNMyRqcCxMpOqSUCx9V9WGLk5AaHU65N68jB-chObllDzFeN7GHTPT69e9Ohz/s1600/IMG_1159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznUfOdgfB7YX_acrHs4iEaGDcqNB6nqmImsqRisRansC_PO7kRcGcnXKA7K_87YXBiF3OubaphsUkHHxSNMyRqcCxMpOqSUCx9V9WGLk5AaHU65N68jB-chObllDzFeN7GHTPT69e9Ohz/s200/IMG_1159.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">By the last day, I needed a change and decided to hunt up the coast. Little did I know that the bus I chose would take me two hours away! Getting to see the Greek countryside soothed all the chafing Athens had caused. It was rugged and beautiful. Suddenly, I had a new respect for Odysseus. In fact, it made me <i>want </i>to pick up his story again. Note: this is new and unusual due to overexposure at a very early age... occupational hazards of having English professors as grandparents! That said, I would have liked to visit Athens with Grandaddy to hear his perspective and learn the literary facets!</div><div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3hnroFXGrLwJgILaD_-85piODh4usAr1JviTIkSm1cwjNlmDzTdlj08MmarU5DJInmMYq7R2wNxoG5V-k6tU71esIJEdGFvjS6uzlOot3id0tUVZr1-ZOxLD-bkikXbcnYTY4BIIaZPy/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3hnroFXGrLwJgILaD_-85piODh4usAr1JviTIkSm1cwjNlmDzTdlj08MmarU5DJInmMYq7R2wNxoG5V-k6tU71esIJEdGFvjS6uzlOot3id0tUVZr1-ZOxLD-bkikXbcnYTY4BIIaZPy/s200/IMG_1183.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIXXD3iocybCvpdvzv4F8QbcHdRqfMLfBm1qS4bRufVBx8sDT5-sHp6fffUiKTVGMoV1Zetcku4cQexZnHQJZOE30wLCugVwV98HaLGVwm2QJgETrcc1-zYjf3tUUpqgTn-tIeCgE8l3d/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIXXD3iocybCvpdvzv4F8QbcHdRqfMLfBm1qS4bRufVBx8sDT5-sHp6fffUiKTVGMoV1Zetcku4cQexZnHQJZOE30wLCugVwV98HaLGVwm2QJgETrcc1-zYjf3tUUpqgTn-tIeCgE8l3d/s320/IMG_1234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-16126155021742524632011-04-14T01:50:00.000-07:002011-04-14T01:50:36.875-07:00Semana Santa10 days of Easter vacation Apr. 15-25!<br />
<br />
Athens, Istanbul, Rome<br />
<br />
There are definite perks to living in a Catholic country!<br />
<br />
Stand by for photos.-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-25230956270818743852011-04-12T10:15:00.000-07:002011-04-12T10:19:28.268-07:00Brown Paper PackagesRiddle me this... what do the following things have in common?<br />
<ol><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEhE_L4GJ7UPlVviBZIpftSDHgSz12_zCCsxw3Jv4AQyWP18lpKBg-70El7EAIIb4Iha1Mjf2lpdE6lqeLXcCD2Q7kFbaPgjvgzvvkgz7BaANrabFxLPRe3WBcmaFSs3PgJ7jlqQCOQ_Q/s1600/Summer+2009+071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEhE_L4GJ7UPlVviBZIpftSDHgSz12_zCCsxw3Jv4AQyWP18lpKBg-70El7EAIIb4Iha1Mjf2lpdE6lqeLXcCD2Q7kFbaPgjvgzvvkgz7BaANrabFxLPRe3WBcmaFSs3PgJ7jlqQCOQ_Q/s200/Summer+2009+071.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<li> 3G</li>
<li> I-35</li>
<li>Stars</li>
<li>Carpet</li>
<li>Netflix</li>
<li>Lean beef</li>
<li>Backyards</li>
<li>Dinner at 6</li>
<li>Taco Bueno</li>
<li>Long showers</li>
<li>Going barefoot</li>
<li>Small blue Aveos</li>
<li>Dryers and jeans that fit</li>
<li>Rick, Gary, Mike and "tornado precautions"</li>
<li>Colorful classrooms</li>
<li>Paseo Arts Festival</li>
<li>Campbell's soups</li>
<li>9-5 bank hours</li>
<li>Rocky Road</li>
<li>Wal-Mart</li>
<li>Croquet</li>
<li>Lakes</li>
<li>Nate</li>
</ol>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-28388148989248088942011-04-06T15:41:00.000-07:002011-04-07T06:46:20.989-07:00SpanishMy kids can't decide if I speak Spanish or not, despite the fact that they occasionally hear me explaining things in Spanish to the students who need it. It obviously doesn't have much of an effect on their working memories... Here's a typical conversation:<br />
<br />
Student 1: "Natalie, que ...... [insert roll of mostly-intelligible Spanish] .....?"<br />
<br />
Me: "Hmm?"<br />
<br />
Student 1, realizing he just wasted a lot of breath: "Pero, ¿hablas español, o no?" B<i>ut you don't speak Spanish?</i><br />
<br />
Me: "No."<br />
<br />
Student 1: "Pero, ¿me entiendes?" <i>But do you understand what I´m saying?</i><br />
<br />
Me: "No."<br />
<br />
(Student 1 is understandably uncertain.)<br />
<br />
Student 2: "Que no habla español, coño." Ya lo sabes! <i>Dude, she doesn't speak Spanish. Duh!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Me: "Exactly. Gracias, Roberto. Ya lo ves." <i>Thanks. That's about the size of it.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Oh, the life I live... :)<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i><br />
</i>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-50724363058357862722011-04-05T09:33:00.000-07:002011-04-05T09:33:33.616-07:00No ReservationsA look at history and food with Anthony Bourdain, best stuff starting at 1 min 10 sec.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/V-Qxt3ekvao?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-7651548297733306542011-04-03T15:13:00.000-07:002011-04-04T08:33:48.158-07:00Don Quixote<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">this</span></i></span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">they found</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">thirty</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">or</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">forty windmills</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">that</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">were</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">in</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">that</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">field. A</span></i></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">s soon</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">as Don </span></i></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Quixote</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">saw them</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">he said</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">to</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">his</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">squire:</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></span><i><br />
</i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Fortune is</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">guiding</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">our affairs</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">better</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">than</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">contrive to</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">want</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">because</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">you see </span></span></i></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">there</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">friend</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sancho Panza</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">where thirty</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">or</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">a few</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">more</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">monstrous</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">giants</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, </span></span></i></span><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">with</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">whom I</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">do</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">battle</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">take away</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">all</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">their lives,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">from</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">whose</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">spoils we shall begin</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">to</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">enrich;</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">that</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">this</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">is righteous warfare</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">,</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and it's</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">great service to God</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">to sweep so evil</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">a breed from</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">face of the</span></span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></i><span class="hps" title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">earth</span></span></i></span><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">."</span></span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span title="Click for alternate translations"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">- Don Quijote, Part 1</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="Click for alternate translations"><br />
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</div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-18661851119550859632011-04-03T09:53:00.000-07:002011-04-03T09:57:39.868-07:00Why Dora the Explorer Can Change Your Kids' Future... also known as: Economic Speculation on Bilingual EducationMmm rainy days... good for soup (unavailable), sleep (too much coffee earlier), and nerdy reading (Google scholar, anyone!!!).<br />
<br />
So, topic for today: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">The economic benefits of bilingual education to both the majority and the minority</span></b>.... condensed by yours truly and perhaps worth pondering. <br />
<br />
KAAPOW...Bet you weren't expecting THAT, huh!!!<br />
<br />
Original article found <a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=636664">here</a>, off the Social Science Research Network.<br />
<br />
Here we go:<br />
<br />
Imagine for a moment that our dear old Oklahoma is locked in deadly political combat over the latest controversial educational bill: unilingual schools or bilingual schools. And yes, you're right, it's between English and Spanish. <br />
<br />
While no one really wants to admit it, there is a bit of a brouhaha attached to officializing Spanish, though of course the business advantage of speaking it is readily recognized. <br />
<br />
So you have the die-hard English speakers on one side, many of whom feel legitimizing Spanish would legitimize a whole lot more than crossing language borders, and the moderates are sagely in the middle... but where does the minority stand? And where SHOULD the others stand? Economically speaking, of course.<br />
<div><br />
</div>(Obviously, a bilingual campaign is financially impossible both for the state and for most individuals... and yes, this is a major factor cited by the article... play along.)<br />
<br />
All sides are aware, of course, that <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">the numbers of the majority and minority languages are not important in influencing this decision.</span></b> For example, in the late 1700s a fragmented France voted unilingual to unify a country in which less that 5% of the population spoke actual French... and it worked. However, both sides also know that Finland voted to go bilingual with Finish-Swedish in 1917, and even today Swedish has not diminished despite a demographic shift, a situation which gave rise to this article. <br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">Nevertheless, it's the majority who will, in fact, decide this outcome (the majority's language is not a predictor of the outcome though).</span></b><br />
<br />
Now then, to wade through a whole lot of symbols I don't pretend to understand, here's what happens:<br />
<br />
1. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">The majority - English speakers - go for the money.</span></b> As the majority, they are, at heart, most interested in their future prosperity. We love our money.<br />
<br />
2. They realize that,<b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">if they decide to continue with unilingual schools, they will continue to be ahead in the world.</span></b> Why? They already speak the language, and they are also improving their own skills / productivity every day they go to school.<br />
<br />
3. HOWEVER. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">The most entrepreneurial of them see even more opportunity on the other side</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">.</span> When they graduate, they will enter a market comprised of... surprise! Other English speakers! And it will be a jolly good market at that. But that's a bit limited, don't you think? What if they could also communicate and do business with the minority - Spanish speakers? Wouldn't that maximize your opportunity and therefore your profits? Now then, what is the easiest way to begin that process?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"For language spread, schools have long since been the major formal (organized) mechanisms involved" </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i></i>(Fishman 1977, qtd. 2).</div><br />
That's right. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">By maximizing your communication abilities, you maximize your opportunity for productivity.</span> </b>And we Americans value productivity above most other -ities.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">So the wise majority holder will choose bilingual education. </span></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
But what about the MINORITY? It's a bit revolutionary to ask what do they want, isn't it?<br />
<br />
1. If they choose unilingual education, the article speculates, they, too, will go to school and learn both the language of the majority as well as the skills necessary to succeed. What does this do for their economic opportunities? It increases them. Very smart, Charlie. Even the unskilled worker has a larger fish tank.<br />
<br />
2. However, they will eventually lose most of their mother tongue, if not in the first generation, then in the second or the third. Think for a moment, what does THIS do to their economic opportunities? Decreases it. <br />
<br />
(Side note: occasionally the majority may favor this position, because the minorities inability to communicate effectively with their own people locks them into business with the majority instead.)<br />
<br />
3. So the obvious answer is, once again, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">bilingual education.</span></b> (Unless, of course, it is prohibitively expensive, in which case neither side would benefit much at all, and the minority is ambivalent.)<br />
<br />
Now then, as a word of disclaimer:<br />
<br />
First, I am no economist, and the deltas and thetas and derivatives I looked over this afternoon held me at the mercy of the narrating text. If you would like to peruse the article and offer an alternative interpretation or nuance, please do so; I would welcome the intellectual stimulation.<br />
<br />
Second, though largely up to the individual's choice to attend school (a detail I should have mentioned above), most of this is largely taken from a collective, utilitarian point of view. Cool, but not always the best... hence the problems with public education in general. Right.<br />
<br />
Third, well, at this point I have no idea what three is... something about devil's advocate, no doubt. If you think of it, let me know. Thanks.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">ONE FINAL THOUGHT...</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"> maybe </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;">Dora the Explorer</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"> is not such a political travesty after all. Economically speaking, she's probably the best thing that's happened to your child since Mr. Rogers.</span><br />
<br />
-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-64536184772809491242011-03-29T14:50:00.000-07:002011-03-29T14:50:10.780-07:00Some Cultural DifferencesJerónimo, a music teacher I help with English on Mondays, sent me <a href="http://www.marianolozano.com/2009/01/27/39-costumbres-que-debes-adoptar-al-venir-a-los-eeuu/">an article</a> on 39 customs Spaniards should learn in order to integrate more effectively into life in the United States. "Take a look and tell me what you think," he wrote. <br />
<br />
So I did. After the first two, my hair was standing on end from excitement. I WASN'T CRAZY, AFTER ALL!!! The little things that have been accumulating in my brain... right here in front of me! I hastily wrote him back (probably too enthusiastically, truth be told) and pointed out what have been the biggest differences for me. <br />
<br />
Although they probably lose a little of their poignancy with the distance, I thought they might be interesting to the outsider, so I've popped the best items into Google to translate and pasted them here (with little modification... sorry, too lazy). <br />
<br />
In order to fully appreciate what this is trying to explain, please assume that Spanish custom is the exact opposite of each, and then try to imagine what that would be like for them here if they didn't adapt, and us there with our myriad of American expectations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="almost_half_cell" id="gt-res-content" style="color: #888888; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding-right: 16px; padding-top: 9px;"><div dir="ltr" style="zoom: 1;"><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1. Smile. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This muscle movement is very widely spread throughout the North American geography, especially as you are telling someone you're going to sue or you don't agree with him.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2. Say Thank you for everything. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Even if you just got stabbed. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Saying thank you is a habit so important that the most important American holiday of the year is Thanksgiving Day. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We must always give thanks for everything. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most important industries of the country is in the cards "Thank you cards," cards that are sent by post where you give thanks for the go to the party, you give thanks for the invite to the party, by </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">dinner last night, for the gift you have received your child from school. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Saying thanks with a Thank You letter that includes a Starbucks gift card for $ X is a common habit to thank a co-worker who will help with this or that on Friday afternoon.</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> Thank the teachers, teachers (there is a Teacher's Appreciation Day, where parents in different ways to thank teachers for their hard work.) </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We thank the airport to veterans when they return from Iraq, Africa or wherever. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Etc.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3. De- shoe when you get to someone's house. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">At least ask or make a gesture to try. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is the homeowner who you excuses from that obligation. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Hence the importance of not going with tomatoes socks.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4. Respect the flags and patriotic symbols in general. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If the American national anthem plays, it is proper up and listen with respect. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">No whispers and giggles. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And no need to put your hand on your chest like you're the Greco or look at the sky and Santa Teresa in ecstasy.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5. </span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do not prejudge people or by their appearance, race or religion. Americans do not pay attention to these things; they are very used to dealing with non-caucasian people. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Moreover many of them are not white or Caucasian themselves. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So do not ever give anyone you refer to as "the Chinese next door" or "the Indian of the third floor," they are most likely American. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Nor should you ever despise a highly respected social class: the military.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">6. To speak with an American you do not need to throw the breath on my face. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Respect safety distances. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We talked about it earlier. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Normally a safe distance are greater than those we have in Spain or other Hispanic countries.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">7. Learn to hug people who are not familiar. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is an interesting custom. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Often replace the two kisses that greet the Spanish. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If there is some confidence, and depends on the U.S. zone, the guy can give a kiss on the cheek to the girl. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Among friends and neighbors hugs are widely used. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Congratulations for graduation, anniversaries usually come with hugs. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I found more and more Americans who have accepted both Spanish and actually kisses love, but first "we must test the waters", which is very muddy.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">8. I consciously point number 15 I left for tips. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is usually the average tip to be left in restaurants. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">No tip is legally binding, but tips are supposed to finance so the waiters can pay taxes. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is horribly impolite to leave without leaving one and you will earn more than a dirty look if you try it. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If the service was excellent, leaving 20%. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If it was bad normalito shooting, give 10%. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If the service was horrible miserable leaves two cents to realize you've been upset but not to yell that they've left no tip because they betray to others by the poor service offered.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">9. Learn the flavors are not the same as in Spain. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Americans love the sweet, in fact you will find some products which are in Spain as the Nesquik and yet see that the taste is different, usually more sugar. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">They cook food under a lot of sauces and flavors that camouflage the original flavor.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10. Punctuality. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We talked about the lack of punctuality as something to be banished from the Iberian customs. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Something that will help is that events here usually have a start time, and even more importantly, a final time that everyone starts to leave your engines.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">11. Learn to be polite to your colleagues and do not openly criticize the company. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Appreciates a job well done by a partner, applaud. </span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Recognize an effort by a boss or colleague with a difficult project or a goal achieved commended when it has signed a business or has had any personal or professional success.</span></span></span></span></span><span class="" id="result_box" lang="en" style="display: block;"><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><span title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">12. How's it going leaning English?</span></span></span></span></span><div><span title=""><br />
</span></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #888888; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div class="g-section" id="gt-res-tools" style="display: inline-block; margin-top: 16px; vertical-align: top; width: 559px; zoom: 1;"></div></span>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-41995904620057100662011-03-26T03:44:00.000-07:002011-03-26T09:37:55.587-07:00[No Subject] <br />
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There are a lot of things I miss about home.<br />
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That is all.<br />
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Please be well.<br />
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-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-6150727366649006452011-03-25T03:40:00.000-07:002011-03-28T08:46:04.318-07:00Sharing Spain<div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>"The fundamental things apply as time goes by." </i></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i></i><i>- Casablanca</i></div></div></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqErY2v9l2paE0uCyNvDTRxSlApFC9uNRiIl6dEmndmqfXl6jVUFnWQJ8hkE7dcDpP7XQCNs7CQhumg_wKrUcMy3E5qa7X9p_E2eAolsxAyPR2-q_uX6KMxc9LqHiiEtb09LmtS1eg6p2X/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqErY2v9l2paE0uCyNvDTRxSlApFC9uNRiIl6dEmndmqfXl6jVUFnWQJ8hkE7dcDpP7XQCNs7CQhumg_wKrUcMy3E5qa7X9p_E2eAolsxAyPR2-q_uX6KMxc9LqHiiEtb09LmtS1eg6p2X/s200/IMG_0560.JPG" width="200" /></a>When I make discoveries about Madrid, they are usually for utilitarian purposes. Where and what do I like to eat, for example. Where are the nicest parks and the coolest sights. How do you get to the aforementioned places. Such discoveries streamline my existence.<br />
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Sharing those discoveries with other people, however, makes them so much sweeter and so much more enjoyable... especially with Patrick :)<br />
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<b>Top 10 to Share:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKu5Q4NxejfyrsbP2aeaL3R7yFlibVhj7lDpa94eA3W5uV7QBEDzgHHIK1op_Jfg-WiHb4YZl9ZdZtTthR1rzpCvMPhEdKhvrXc0uU_Ck35TKVCdunwzZ2XlISoUuzDtqOSB84LZYCdXvR/s1600/IMG_0635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKu5Q4NxejfyrsbP2aeaL3R7yFlibVhj7lDpa94eA3W5uV7QBEDzgHHIK1op_Jfg-WiHb4YZl9ZdZtTthR1rzpCvMPhEdKhvrXc0uU_Ck35TKVCdunwzZ2XlISoUuzDtqOSB84LZYCdXvR/s200/IMG_0635.jpg" width="150" /></a>10. Getting turned around. Chuckle because the other person is getting a little uncomfortable and/or frustrated with the situation - one that is now commonplace for you and actually lends itself to adventure. On that note, ask a stranger for directions and get yet another free ride out of it. (Mothers of the world - yes, yes, I know... I promise not to make a habit out of this...)<br />
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9. Point out various differences in Spanish culture... the policemen who stand on corners and laugh together, how well-dressed Spaniards are, the graffiti everywhere, the old people who are constantly out and about and active.<br />
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8. People watching in La Puerta del Sol. Try to spot the Americans based on clothing and behavior. Also, watch the street performers - Mariachi bands, string quartets, gypsy xylophonists, Chewbacca, etc.<br />
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7. Sit outside at a cafe and enjoy a plate of olives. Enjoy the fact that Spanish servers don't get tipped so they don't care how long you stay; in fact, they almost encourage it... <i>sobremesa</i>, it's called.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP3TBavFAZW51QJzotGsBNDuUtyDN-Z1GTJkVNj4B-7slgS4zekVRtqWbHrAhd4FX_IWScbOA6LtLMBdtISiv0aN7hPqcSaPTw0OCSDOA_G9XHo78tBKHlZP4bK8kNtUYPE7coMudG1Jt/s1600/P3190243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP3TBavFAZW51QJzotGsBNDuUtyDN-Z1GTJkVNj4B-7slgS4zekVRtqWbHrAhd4FX_IWScbOA6LtLMBdtISiv0aN7hPqcSaPTw0OCSDOA_G9XHo78tBKHlZP4bK8kNtUYPE7coMudG1Jt/s200/P3190243.JPG" width="200" /></a>6. Walk through the enormous Retiro Park on your way anywhere, notice the number and assortment of people enjoying the atmosphere, and wonder how the royal family could have kept it solely for themselves for so many years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc-OcIG0dmzbDynaxyPuY4qV57aoY6ByxeW_37E3RsANPy2Pe_esMDa2NmG5_Sqcvn6MMiV5kI54JInpMQzP4j_ibK3rYVXAFnhqfshvRxIyMhJBjjPpROAMUUzfIlLGa7Uc3yyRoqjOc/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVc-OcIG0dmzbDynaxyPuY4qV57aoY6ByxeW_37E3RsANPy2Pe_esMDa2NmG5_Sqcvn6MMiV5kI54JInpMQzP4j_ibK3rYVXAFnhqfshvRxIyMhJBjjPpROAMUUzfIlLGa7Uc3yyRoqjOc/s200/IMG_0654.JPG" width="200" /></a>5. Go tapa-ing at La Blanca Paloma... or anywhere else for that matter. Fight your way through the door, pounce on the table that just became available, buy a glass or two of Tinto de Verano and enjoy the free dishes that accompany it... and be amazed at how full you are afterwards, all for about 12E total.<br />
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4. Introduce (with some selectivity) the best Spanish dishes (croquettas, torrijas, neopolitanas, tortilla española, queso de tertilla, etc) and feel gratified when the other person orders them on their own a second time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYInxnCbSNiuCkNMkyyCj958v1dVQy_NC-XnS_ZoTiZ8fTUOEcqSG-as0kSbn_KX_KDP2cTtkSkU3JjyeHqQn3lu0nv0jk2TAu2_pk8tbE7ar5zJKCwNJEtfquuf4DGDbRAQaxcYCetLXW/s1600/P3170208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYInxnCbSNiuCkNMkyyCj958v1dVQy_NC-XnS_ZoTiZ8fTUOEcqSG-as0kSbn_KX_KDP2cTtkSkU3JjyeHqQn3lu0nv0jk2TAu2_pk8tbE7ar5zJKCwNJEtfquuf4DGDbRAQaxcYCetLXW/s200/P3170208.JPG" width="200" /></a>3. Eat at Botin's, the world's oldest restaurant. Ask to see the basement (the oldest part of the restaurant) and watch as the server's eyes light up as he offers to show you their world-famous oven as well.<br />
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2. Paddle around Retiro's lake in a row boat as you soak up the sun and enjoy the live jazz music drifting across the water.<br />
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1. Take a break to recharge on the 9th floor cafe of El Corte Inglés and enjoy the spectacular view of Madrid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ax4SpK9W_X6-eARvDpHiB36FLL_SgX7uaV9XfOKOz8yGhnnro_etVUXC39ILu6q2wXwQ4aCex1f8XbWOC99T0ZpDDzcveI10_1JT7O2fuo4EYvl8XXBZ5m7EjQZfOENHG_CDq8hpBBx6/s1600/IMG_0660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ax4SpK9W_X6-eARvDpHiB36FLL_SgX7uaV9XfOKOz8yGhnnro_etVUXC39ILu6q2wXwQ4aCex1f8XbWOC99T0ZpDDzcveI10_1JT7O2fuo4EYvl8XXBZ5m7EjQZfOENHG_CDq8hpBBx6/s400/IMG_0660.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-57705038647553360132011-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:11:41.835-07:00Hemingway<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuYAko_-anwb0aLXhhyphenhyphenR92X7M82fgyDfILb8mEqEYyor945KiyLx3Pr8Hv0zxDf8RchAoxd8dAWa6qNuqX-V8EFIOG9blDfqI97fjwSzJ4dVh6UxvedKxw_jTLJn4RF_0NkPvOnHMOx0j/s1600/Read-The-Sun-+Also-Rises-online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuYAko_-anwb0aLXhhyphenhyphenR92X7M82fgyDfILb8mEqEYyor945KiyLx3Pr8Hv0zxDf8RchAoxd8dAWa6qNuqX-V8EFIOG9blDfqI97fjwSzJ4dVh6UxvedKxw_jTLJn4RF_0NkPvOnHMOx0j/s200/Read-The-Sun-+Also-Rises-online.jpg" width="126"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I just happened to read Hemingway's </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Sun Also Rises</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> when I was here in high school. Looking back, I'm not sure how much I got out of it then as it was my first introduction to him, but I do remember it gave a nice feel for the Spanish (or rather, the expatriate) way of life... albeit slightly disillusioned. Having just made a pilgrimage to Pamplona where part of the book is set, I couldn't resist a homage to Hemingway, revisiting some of the book's wisdom. I regret that these are from a Google search and not my own treasury of favorite lines, but it's surprising how many I remember. Food for thought.</span><br>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"You are all a lost generation." - Epigraph</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br>
</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><a href="http://thebearinspain.blogspot.com/2011/03/hemingway.html#more">Read more »</a>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-59986494575111128302011-03-22T13:56:00.000-07:002011-04-03T11:12:33.226-07:00The Face of Fulbright: Pamplona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nrCN2z6SbCu8AKcsGGfCXMJZG9NZVieibbiFfC20FXKhEz9FOqPGe_IOBvrLmey6uMUp8XsqQX8NiANCsd4zRd-o3Q8dOwRYoyiw1PcF-1qt4C0riUWpd6okFhNjL8wUUF-BXoRLayl3/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nrCN2z6SbCu8AKcsGGfCXMJZG9NZVieibbiFfC20FXKhEz9FOqPGe_IOBvrLmey6uMUp8XsqQX8NiANCsd4zRd-o3Q8dOwRYoyiw1PcF-1qt4C0riUWpd6okFhNjL8wUUF-BXoRLayl3/s320/IMG_0369.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Plaza (where Hemingway spent his afternoons) - very beautiful!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br>
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HIGpGm8hDN5KUt5_UyEbVDIhg-7dtdBPohodtqq6jH6UYItlpKk_sQmjIjEMaMkc3VKSjFZ2Wozy997IICS7BU5_QhZjta6UrmnFNEzNH-tMZYv7wFWwyep0yMjz6-dnjdRy74kQ2DVf/s1600/IMG_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HIGpGm8hDN5KUt5_UyEbVDIhg-7dtdBPohodtqq6jH6UYItlpKk_sQmjIjEMaMkc3VKSjFZ2Wozy997IICS7BU5_QhZjta6UrmnFNEzNH-tMZYv7wFWwyep0yMjz6-dnjdRy74kQ2DVf/s320/IMG_0377.JPG" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Gazebo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br>
</div><a href="http://thebearinspain.blogspot.com/2011/03/face-of-fulbright-pamplona.html#more">Read more »</a>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-65435456266796198202011-03-22T13:55:00.000-07:002011-03-22T13:56:04.998-07:00News Article<a href="http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/984307/0/">Mayor Meets with Fulbright Mid-Year in Pamplona</a> link<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ESvZfNwbJBjC3xIrbhVG6rHAPEdxIosU_hZHn_vI0mYRA9TYZlCiAY4r-wSmtsPCjHcPi5jQ_KMIQxpZdylpE-1DNeOq_hhqvxLRkS9RNMDfT9msb2Hg9ch4VDZTBOEs73DlNUE27qtn/s1600/1221015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ESvZfNwbJBjC3xIrbhVG6rHAPEdxIosU_hZHn_vI0mYRA9TYZlCiAY4r-wSmtsPCjHcPi5jQ_KMIQxpZdylpE-1DNeOq_hhqvxLRkS9RNMDfT9msb2Hg9ch4VDZTBOEs73DlNUE27qtn/s640/1221015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674950121372031221.post-33962418667869593632011-03-08T14:13:00.000-08:002011-03-08T14:13:53.564-08:00English Is a Tricky Language...<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So... English is fraught with tricks and giggles, and the non-native learner has a tough job trying to sort all of them out. Inevitably, something comes out just a little wrong. Working with twelve-year-olds, it makes for some entertaining days. I regret that I haven't written down the funniest moments, but I thought I'd share some classic yet highly representative student mistakes from others (I'll accumulate my own soon enough!):</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Double letters: Should I have a coma in the middle of this sentence?</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Idioms: We have hated each other for so long. I want to borrow the hatchet.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ambiguous consonants: The police were attacked by a large group of angry mops.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Similar words: Me and my brother share a small womb in the basement.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tough vowels: My relationship with my ax girlfriend was so painful.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">More vowels: We live on the sex floor. Our apartment is small but we have a nice view.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gerunds: Do you like this food? I made it from scratching!</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Participles: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do you like your coffee cremated?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Syllables: You eat soup in a bowel.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Phrasal verbs: You can’t sleep with me because it is too crowded. But you can probably sleep with my sister. That’s what most of my friends do when they visit.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">False advertising: </span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>I want my face to have the buttocks treatment. <b>The what? </b>The buttocks treatment. It makes your wrinkles go away. It’s very famous in Hollywood. <b>Oh. It’s pronounced “bo tox”. </b>That’s it. The buttocks treatment. Maybe you need it too a little.</div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And oh, prepositions... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday, I ate my friends.</span><br />
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Disclaimer / Disclosure: I publish these with a bit of a smirk as I myself am a language learner and have had my own moments of... <i>modification</i>. It's a beautiful thing : )</div>-N-http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882961004715157724noreply@blogger.com1