córdoba

As much as I love Madrid, I definitely needed to take a little excursion and get out for a couple days. Up until now I hadn't been out of the city, and I was ready to see some other part of Spain. On our little post-PLP vacation some friends and I decided to take a trip to the town of Córdoba in Andalucía in the south of Spain. Bus tickets were only 30€ round trip and there wouldn't be another long break until at least November, so it was a perfect opportunity. 


We arrived late Friday night, and after a small scuffle with trying to sneak four people into a hostal that was meant for only one, we decided it was best to just get a full night sleep to be rested for the following day. 


A little background info: Córdoba used to be an important city during the era of the Roman Empire, but it is most known as the capital of the Islamic Caliphate in Spain when the area was ruled by Muslims about 1,000 years ago. There is a giant mosque there--la mezquita--that is by far the most famous monument in the city, and one of the most famous in Spain. Right next to it is a bridge crossing the Guadalquivir River that was built by ancient Romans. Even though the main part of the bridge had obviously been restored, we could see the original structures underneath that supported the structure back in the times of Emperor Augustus. 

Jesus hanging under an Islam-
influenced wall?

Next was la mezquita, which was definitely one of the most breathtaking buildings I have ever seen. The architecture inside and out was incredible, along with the elaborate adornments all over the building. The only thing, however, was the disconnect between the two. The walls and ceilings were obviously of Arab influence, but the walls were covered with crucifixes and statues of Mary. Jesus hanging on the cross looked as out of place as a Koran would look in a Christian church at home. I didn't even realize until I got there that after the Muslims were driven out of the city (and later the entire country in 1492), la mezquita actually became a cathedral, and they literally took out the middle of the mosque to put in a Catholic church which still functions today with daily mass. The building has the potential to be a symbol for coexistence and empathy toward other religions, but the Vatican refuses to allow any Muslims to worship there. In fact, just last year some Muslim students on a tour were involved in a violent altercation with security when they kneeled down to pray in front of the mihrab. Personally, I thought the few Arab artifacts that remained were the most stunning parts of the building. Although, I've seen plenty of cathedrals in my life; maybe it's just because the mosque was something new.  

The mihrab. It should face toward Mecca
(which is southeast of Spain), but this one
actually faces south. 

The rest of the trip involved a lot of really good food, wine that tasted like prune juice, and some more historical sites, like the castle where Queen Isabel I and King Fernando V stayed as they reclaimed Spain from the Moors.  To complete our religious mélange, we also saw a synagogue built in 1315 that is one of only a few left in Spain from before the expulsion of the Jews.  


I'm just starting to unpack now, and then before I know it I'll be packing up again for Ibiza. And these are just weekend trips for me. 


Spoiled much? 

monthly report

It's been a month since I've arrived in Madrid, and I can honestly it's been one of the best of my life. There are still times where I feel like I'm going to wake up in my bed back in California and realize I've just been dreaming this whole experience. Of course I miss all of my family and friends, but when I stop and think that I'm actually here living in Spain, it still takes my breath away. It's only getting better too, which is the best part. Once I meet more Spaniards and improve my language skills, I know my love for this city is going to grow even more.

Today was the final test for our "pre-classes" classes. I now have a week off, which means seven days of traveling! That's the reason I came after all. Tomorrow afternoon some friends and I are departing by bus to Córdoba in the south of Spain, about four hours away. It's famous for the ancient monuments there left by the Romans and the Moors when each had empires on the Iberian Peninsula. The most famous is la mezquita, or the mosque, which is one of the more blatant reminders of how influential Muslim culture still is on Spain. Luckily, my roommate's girlfriend arrived today, and she's a Córdoba native. I have a list from her of all the best places to visit while there.

After that, I'll be taking a short trip to Ibiza next week also. It's an island off the eastern coast of Spain, and they are famous for their parties. (Don't worry. I'll be safe.)

I keep talking about how much I love Spain, but I really haven't seen any of it yet other than the capital. I'm excited to get out and explore the country. Plus, the four hour bus ride should give me a pretty decent idea of what it's like.

american culture vs la vida española

There are obviously myriad similarities and differences between America and Spain, or any two cultures for that matter. And while I believe it's the similarities between people that are most important in terms of humanity, it is the differences that are more interesting.

Now that I am starting to settle in to Madrid, I've noticed more facets of life here that seem bizarre to me as an American, or likewise, things that I do that seem to baffle Spaniards. Of course, there are the major cultural differences, such as eating lunch at 2pm, taking a siesta, and then dinner at 9 or 10 in the evening. But there are also more subtle variations one wouldn't notice unless they were here for more than just a vacation. Grocery shopping for the first time was really interesting. Most of the bread comes with the crust already cut off for you, and items that are extremely perishable in the States, like milk and eggs, don't even need to be refrigerated here. Also, if you are handling produce, you better be wearing gloves. That was my first faux pas here.

The bidet in my apartment. 

There are also items around the house that aren't similar to the US. For one, the washing machine is in the kitchen. It's pretty convenient that I can cook my dinner while doing a load of whites at the same time. Also, dryers are virtually nonexistent in Spain. Everything is hung out to dry on a clothes line, which I've never had to use before. I have no idea how it works when it starts to snow in the winter. Even though dryers are an oddity, they make up for the missing appliance with bidets, which are relatively common in most home bathrooms. They definitely value personal hygiene.

The general attitude of the typical madrileño is also different. I'm living in a huge metropolitan city, yet everyone seems more relaxed than they do in the big American cities (I guess a three hour nap each day would do us some good). Also whenever saying hello to someone, whether you are just meeting them or it's an old friend, you give one kiss on each cheek, dos besitos. It felt a little awkward at first, and a lot of Spaniards even complain about it because it can really draw out salutations. Now, however, I really enjoy it. It makes me feel like I'm already a close friend to complete strangers and it gives a sense of intimacy that I don't feel when meeting someone new back in America. This is definitely one of my favorite traditions.

mi casa, su casa

I have a home!

My building! With an awesome park on the right. 

Apartment hunting these past two weeks has been ridiculously stressful. Trying to find a place that feels like a good fit when you're moving in with strangers is difficult, especially when ones language skills are not proficient enough to worm through all of the details of renting a room (especially on the phone. Calling landlords was terrible). I had to keep reminding myself that roommates were the most important part; living in a shitty hole may be terrible, but if you have great people there to keep you laughing it won't be that bad. Plus, I wanted to make sure I had Spanish roommates. I saw a lot of international flats, which would have been awesome had there been at least one Spaniard living there. I am in Spain after all, and one of my main goals this year is to become fluent in the language. I probably saw about eight rooms total, and I can happily say I am typing this now while sitting in my new bed.

I live on the outskirts of a neighborhood called Salamanca. It's not that close to the downtown area, where I wanted to live, and even farther from campus. I'm estimating a 45 minute commute each way to school, from my door to the classroom. The location isn't ideal, but the metro system is incredible here, so it really isn't too difficult to get around the city at all. I have my own bedroom with a balcony overlooking a park outside, and I love it. Two others roommates live here, one from Spain and another from Argentina. They both seem really friendly so far, and more importantly patient enough to deal with my constant "Qué?"s and "Cómo se dice...?"s. They remind me a little of a bickering old couple together, arguing about different accents (vosotros vs "sh") or who has better fútbol teams. I usually don't know what they're saying, but it sounds hilarious anyway. 


If you ever feel like sending a special something this way, or if you happen to be in the neighborhood and want to stop by... ;) 

View from my balcony. 

Brian McMahon
c/ Sancho Davila 35,  3º C
28028 Madrid
España


New address in more recent post... 

spaniards

Obviously, one of the main reasons I came to Madrid was to meet Spaniards. And as much as I love hanging out with the other Americans in my program, there's a social satisfaction that they just can't fulfill. I really haven't met that many Spanish people yet (although I'll hopefully be living with some soon...), but earlier this week a whole throng of Spaniards arrived in our dorm building from all over the country. They're here only for five days, taking all-day intensive English language classes. 

Now that we're all living amongst each other and eat together, it's been much easier to mingle. A lot of them speak English pretty decently, and then others speak about as well as I speak Spanish, i.e. not terrible and not great. I try and talk to them as much as possible, and most of our conversations revolve around language. Despite learning different languages, we all have the same apprehensions. One that they voiced was that they believe they sound rude when trying to speak in English, since Spanish can be a brusque language. I am always worrying about the same exact thing. At a bar in America, it would be normal to hear, "Could you please bring me a beer?" But to order a drink here, it's just, "Me da una caña," which literally translates to, "give me a beer." It seems curt, but that's all part of the cultural experience. 

The language conversation with my new amigos here also shows me how ridiculous it is that bilingualism isn't more valued in America. The room, board, and English lessons for the students here are entirely paid for by the government. A lot of students also spend time abroad to learn English--either in London or New York--in an immersive setting, also paid for by the government. Back in the states, we get a couple of years of foreign language in high school, which is truthfully a joke for most students. Language needs to set in at a young age to eventually attain fluency, and after the brain is fully developed it is all but impossible to sound like a native speaker. Even in states like Kansas where learning a second language may not seem useful, it can only be beneficial. Bilingualism creates a more diverse set of mental abilities and correlates with higher intelligence. Plus, knowing a second language may allow greater empathy towards those who are trying to learn your language, and I think in America this is especially important. 

Speaking of, I start my own intensive language classes in six hours, so now I need sleep. Chao.