Com s'acaba...

Well. We might say that this has been a bit of a failure. But I figure since I have just one month left, might as well do something useful with it...

You would think that a year would be enough, would be PLENTY, to be away from everything you're used to. But it's not, not really. I have friends now that are MINE, not just people who hang out with me because I'm pitiful (sorry, but it happens). I speak the language, I do things, I feel at home here. With another year, I could actually enjoy myself, actually live instead of spending half the time learning, struggling, fighting to fit in and understand and be happy. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed myself, because even in the beginning, I did. I haven't had any huge down spots. But still, it's different. And it's hard. What's a girl to do?

But all good things come to an end, and this year is no different. Anyway. Look:

My class! I asked la meva profe de tutoria if I could take a picture with my class. Everyone started applauding, hahaa...but I love all these guys (well, almost all), and I'm going to miss them a whole lot.
What else...there was Sant Jordi, which is the patron saint of Catalunya, and on that day we do a presentation at school (I read poetry, yay life) and the tradition is that the boys give the girl roses, and the girls give the boys books. Yes, books. How cool is that? So Sant Jordi is the day of the rose and the book. There were all these booths selling roses, and I found one with some insane ones...Barça themed, tie-dyed...and lots of my friends, mostly selling roses to raise money for organisations, trips, etc...and eating cake. Apparently.

Well. Don't have too much else to say, do I? I miss everyone and really really can't wait to see you all again!

And now, to share a little of my day to day, Miley Cyrus! Because Iona is obsessed. And listens all the time. Although recently she's started playing "Disturbia" by Rihanna rather a lot...

Enganxa!

...means it sticks. As in, I have this song stuck in my head, so here's a little taste of some terrible (but also terribly catchy) Spanish music.

Te Entiendo - PigNoise

Regals, Reis, i Caga Tió

I'm a little late, but I think it's important that I share the weirdness I've been going through lately. Namely, Catalan Christmas traditions.

First of all, Christmas day is not the only time for giving presents here. In fact, there isn't gift-giving on Christmas Day. The day before Christmas (though my family did this two different days...woohoo!), many families in Catalunya do the Caga Tió. Before a family meal, everyone gathers around this log that is covered in a blanket, and the kids hit it with sticks (or, in the case of my family, umbrellas) while singing a song, which seems to depend on which village you come from. In Olot, it goes like this:

Caga tió,
una barra de turró,
pel pare i per la mare,
i per mi no.
No caguis arangades
que són massa salades
caga turrons
que són més bons!

And then the kids all run out of the room while the parents place gifts under the blanket. When the kids are little, they think the presents appear from the Tió. I'm confused as to WHY it's not suspicious that they always have to leave the room for the gifts to appear, but hey, small children are gullible. Anyway, you do this several times, each time with a new crop of presents appearing. It's really very exciting.

Then there's the "Magic Kings." Els Reis. That also bring gifts (they get into the gift-giving here, eh?) This one happens on January 6th, though, so I can't tell you that much about it. Maybe later, once I've actually been through the strangeness.

In the meanwhile...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I had the best New Year I've had in a good while. We went to Els Catòlics for supper, and...well, I'll just say that when I went to bed everyone back home in Asheville still had about three quarters of an hour to go until it would be 2009. That is to say, at around 5:15 am. I won't go into too much detail, but I will say this: there was much dancing. Much, much. And for every adult present, the alcohol was flowing. And it was really fun.
Today, we all woke up around noon or one o'clock. And as of yet we haven't done anything except laze around. Which, in my humble opinion, is not such a bad way to start the new year...

OH, and the strangest thing is that they seem to have this thing for poop. Like, the tradition of the Caga Tió is that it poops out the gifts. That's how they appear. That's what "caga" means. Also here there is a huge tradition of making pessebres, which are like nativity scenes, but...so much more? I can't really explain. But they're a big deal. And they almost always include, between all the happy little figures, one who is pooping. It's called the cagoner. Anna says that it's to represent that one Scroogy person who isn't happy about Christmas and all, but la iaia (the informal way of saying àvia, or grandmother) told me that it's actually because of some old story in which a man helped fertilise the earth by pooping on it. So the cagoner is supposed to be helping the earth? I don't know. I told you it was weird.

Anyway. I'll conclude with some visual aid.

Break the Borders

There was an AFS orientation today, where we basically rushed around el Barri Gòtic de Barcelona searching for churches. Except at the end we went up to Montjuïc, which was incredible...I feel like this needs to be illustrated with pictures. But I'm too tired to load mine right now. So. Search google. Then close your eyes and try to imagine something a whole whole lot better than the pictures.

One thing I like about the AFS reunions (other than seeing my besties friendies) is that my friend Lea (pronounced like the princess, okay?) and I always take the bus or the train to Barcelona together. She's from Switzerland, and doesn't speak English particularly well, and I certainly don't speak German or French, so we talk in Català. And I guess I just really love the thought of two people conversing in a language that isn't native to either. I love that we maybe don't know anything about each other's countries or cultures, but we have Spain in common. And I also like how every time we see each other, we're better able to speak. Does that make any sense?

Oh, but I DID go, a while ago, to the Fundació Miró in Barcelona. And saw tons of Miró art, plus some by Alexander Calder (a fountain of mercury!!! Maybe I'm really dorky, but that's so cool!!!) and right now there's also an exposition of Modernitat Americana, so I saw lots of that. Super cool. There was all this incredible black and white photography, and Rita went through it in about two seconds. I could have looked for hours. I think I might be an art freak. But seriously, it was really cool.

Check it, si vos: La Fundació Joan Miró

Die Perruquerra

I went to the Perruqueria a week or two ago (did I mention how many shops end with -ia here? Carnisseria, Perruqueria, Peixateria, Fruiteria, Sabateria...I could go on) for a little trim, and I left with all my hair gone. Those who know me well will verify: sudden changes are, at first, a little bit hard for me (this may be an understatement). So though I managed to smile and nod my head that "Yes! I love that you just chopped off the hair that I've been growing for over a year!" while I was in the shop, once we walked out I began to cry. And Anna just looked at me, put her arm around my shoulders and said, "Yes, it's a big change. But you know what? This entire YEAR is a big change. It's the year of changes, Molly." And somehow, that actually helped a lot.

Though I still had to go through the pain of everyone else I know seeing my hair afterwards...

So anyway. I'm not generally into photographing myself in mirrors, but I figured this could be an exception. Here goes.

The final one is intended to show off what little hair I have in the back. On the plus side, I can now have my very own baby ponytail. I LOVE baby ponytails. Now if only all my hair would fit into it...

Funnily enough, Rachel, she gave me the haircut you've wanted to do for a while now. Short in the back, but longer on the sides. She also, when it was done, suddenly brought up the Reminds me of Christina Ricci! thing. Though this was probably just to make me feel better. Either way, I think you and my perruquerra would have gotten along well. Eh?

You learn Something New every day...

Having been here almost 3 months, I figured it was about time for a few...

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SPAIN

disclaimer: all these things are just in my little experience here. Not necessarily facts, and certainly not unbiased ones.

1. A few words about Spanish fashion: pants waaaay down low. But very few cracks showing, because underwear is pulled up. It's actually fashionable to have your underwear hanging out in the back (and usually not thongs, either -- I'm talking coverall underwear). I know at least two girls who sometimes sag their pants like many American boys. Incredible.

2. Fasten your seatbelts, girls: for many boys, the mullet is BACK IN. Hot stuff.

3. A lot less makeup than in America, just in general.

4. White jeans are fashionable. I might get me a pair. Or not.

5. Off the topic of fashion...lunch is the biggest meal here. They think it's insane that many Americans eat only a sandwich for lunch. I'm not even gonna get into how much food there is at lunchtime in these parts.

6. They TOTALLY believe stereotypes about America. For example, my first night here there was Coke on the table at supper. My family asked me what I'd like to drink, and I asked for water...they were surprised. Ramon told me that they had thought Americans drank only Coca-Cola. I know now that they bought the Coke just for me. It's totally unusual to have soda in this house.

7. Cereal is eaten with warm milk. It's quite good, actually, though it gets squishy. So it's good with deliciously squishy cereals.

8. Shaving is not so necessary. I won't reveal how long it's been since I've shaved my legs, but that's only because I don't remember when the last time was. Heh.

9. RIDE THAT MOTORBIKE. SO MANY PEOPLE, as young as 14, ride their motorbikes to school. At first I found it hilarious, all these super young kids walking around with their helmets, but I barely even notice it anymore...

10. Everyone smokes, too. I still haven't quite gotten over seeing kids who look about 11 walking home from school with a cigarette between their lips. And now it seems amusing to me that it was kind of scandalous in Asheville to walk away from school while smoking. During break here, kids only make it about a foot beyond the gate (which is right up next to my school) before they light up. And the students not yet old enough to go outside the gate during break smoke in the stalls of the top floor bathroom. Unfortunately, the top floor is where all my group's classes are. Ew.

11. Teacher's don't have their own classrooms. Students do. I usually only have to walk across the hall to my next class (almost always I'm in one of two rooms), whereas the teacher has to carry their stuff all over the school to their next class.

12. Maths is unbearably easy for my Batxillerat. All I have to say. I'm getting stupided. What?

13. There are two ways to do quotes. "Like this," and <like this>. Interesante.

14. Several people still think I can't understand ANY català, because I'm just really dim or something. Also, they tend to speak to me in veeerrrryyyy ssssllllooooowwww VERY LOUD voices. Or in terrible English, to which Català would be preferable. Not everyone, but some people.

15. The division sign is different. They use a colon. 14:2=7

16. They don't write on lined paper. They write on blank computer paper, or graph paper. Everyone.

17. The classical philosophers and planets aren't the same in every language! Aristótil, Ura, etc...

18. THEY SAY "EH" ALL THE TIME! I love this. Why are Canadians known for this? Spaniards must do it just as much...Merci, eh?

19. There are a lot of things that seem backwards to me...for example, it's perfectly okay to eat galletes with warm milk or a piece of almond cake for breakfast, but the former is not acceptable as a dessert. And fruit IS a dessert, along with plain yogurt with just a spoonful of sugar or honey...shouldn't it be the other way around?

20. Absolutely EVERYTHING (as in TV and movies) is dubbed. They can't handle reading subtitles or something. It drives me insane.

21. They're way too into the Simpsons and Family Guy. And, to continue on the topic of dubbing, they try their best to make the voices similar, but they really screwed up on Homer Simpson. His voice is not even close to the original. And to think, the people here don't even realise! It's a terrible sorrow.
Marge is pretty good, though.

I could add more, but I'll leave it at that for the time being.

Unless someone wants to know anything specific. Any takers?

Whoops...

YES, I know I've been really bad. I'm ashamed of myself, believe me. I'm supposed to be documenting everything, and now, two months later...um. I'll try to do better, okay?

Anyway, I figure pictures make everything better, so here goes..

AUSTIN, TEXAS!

From before I left, but I liked them...

At the hostel in Madrid. We were all tired, pissed off, and just wanted to see our families. And those rooms were tiny.

(below)

The view out the window of the Zurich airport. Really beautiful scenery, um...

Another of the many mountain walks Ramon and I have taken...I think the Catalan flag is a nice touch, considering how much nearly everyone here loves it.

It rained a WHOLE lot one day. No kidding.

REPRESENT haha...

Below is Meg, Natalie and me...our little group is completed by Caity,
but she wasn't with us...it's weird how they feel like my best friends
now...when we get together it's as if we've known each other for
forever, just because I'm closer to them than anyone else here, I guess.
Which proves how much easier it is to make friends in your own
language. We're the only four American girls in our AFS section, and
we ended up banding together totally unintentionally. So much for
international relations...

These and the one above were taken in Gaudi's Parc Güell (Barcelona), which is incredible...

Gemma, Julia, and Anna after we went to supper one night.

Anna, of course.











(left) That big rock thing in the ocean behind us is the ruins of a Latin port. As in, real old. Mmhmm. And the other picture is inside the crater of one of the volcanoes here...the one with the biggest crater. In the middle is a little church.



I suppose that's all there is, then...I'm hoping someone sees this, considering everyone must have given up on checking for new posts...
And sorry the formatting here is all screwed up...it was quite difficult, you know!

Toodly pip.

Okey dokey. Figure it's about time I got this thing goin.

Too bad I have NO IDEA where to start. So much has gone on...

Well. The beginning makes sense.
We're going to skip the miserable beginning part with the orientations and nasty hostels and annoying people. That part's not important.

My first few days here it was Festa Major in Olot. This is where the village or town or city kind of celebrates being...uh, them? Each village has a different date for their Festa. So...well, when I first saw my family it brought tears to my eyes. Cause when you're that exhausted, and that stressed out, and have been waiting for something THAT long, you get a little bit emotional. So we drove home, ate dinner, and then they asked me if I'd rather go to bed or go to the town's center...and I figured -- what the hell? You're in SPAIN -- so out we went. First, the correfoc. A little Catalan lesson: Corre means "run" and foc means "fire." You probably get the picture. People set off fireworks and little bombs in the streets, and people run around under them, trying to die. Or so it seems to me.

Anyway, after that I went with my (13 year old!) sister to the middle of a mosh pit at this "concert" (consisting of a dj playing music and a couple scantily clad young people dancing on stage) and sustained some serious hearing damage while dancing around with tons of Spanish teenagers screaming along to songs I couldn't understand. Yeeeahh, baby.

Next night we went to see this parade type thing, with some interesting floats...one where everyone was dressed up as what I THINK were Smurphs (...???), a float where "Bippity Boppity Boo" from Cinderella played in Catalan, a HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL FLOAT (represent!), and even a float I THOUGHT had to do with Mother Goose, until the people following it started dancing suggestively...

But afterwards I experienced the best tradition EVER. No kidding. Everyone (but it's mostly teenagers) crams into the narrow streets and walks along with barely any room to breathe, and people stand at the windows and balconies of the buildings above and throw water down on you. (AIGUA! AIGUA! AIGUA!) So you get soaking wet and freezing, but you really enjoy it.

So, to summarize the rest (because I feel as if I'm rambling), I attended the loudest session of fireworks in my life, went to Barcelona and walked around Gaudi's beautiful parc, stayed in another (rather better) hostel, went to my new school and got talked at in superfast Catalan about el primero Batxillerat, and figured out that I really can understand people a lot of the time!!! ...Even if I can't say anything back. Sigh.

So that's mostly it. This can't do it justice, but I'm pretty sure nothing can.
Sorry for my rambly style of writing. I'm so tired.

My family is wonderful. My host dad, little sister and me went bike riding today...gah. Beautiful.

By the way, I can't find ANYTHING on this keyboard. Almost.

I MISS YOU. People. Mom, pick up your phone.

Yay! It's up!

Molly-

You best be posting here. I expect to read lots of fabulous adventures and interesting insights within the coming months.

I want you to know that I am very, very proud of you for studying abroad. I am glad to call you my sister, even as you watch Becoming Jane and you look so bored.... ; )

Remember, keep us all posted.

Love,
Rachel