Your Questions Parte Dos

Part 2!


How is the language barrier?
Once we got past the twin hurdles of finding an apartment and getting our foreign resident papers at the Spanish consulate, the language barrier has been not too bad at all.  We speak decent Spanish at this point and it's getting better every day, and I'm at the point where if I don't know how to say a word, I can talk my way around it like in that game Taboo. I was trying to say the word for "spread" the other day, and I didn't know it, so I just said "you know, that word for when you put the butter on bread with a knife". And they knew exactly what I was talking about.


What's the best part about living there versus visiting?
It's easy to love a place after being there for a week, or ten days.  But I don't think you really can start getting the feel for a place until you've been there at least a month.  There are experiences available to a resident that wouldn't really be possible for a tourist, because you have to speak Spanish and know some locals. I love being able to really dive into this town, and find favorite restaurants and tapas places, and local basketball courts and to have my baker and my market.  Also, I love the language, and so the ability to really immerse myself in Spanish for a long period of time is pretty awesome in my book.


What would surprise me most about Spaniards?
You know, one thing that I think is surprising is that Spaniards are not nearly as homogenous and as swarthy as we think they are. I used to think of Spaniards as looking more Mediterranean, with olive complexions and brown hair across the board.  Not so.  I have students that are brown haired of course, but I also have a fair amount of blondes, and and curly redheads, and Spaniards of Asian and African descent.  There are Spaniards with freckles, and blue eyes, and this surprised me a little bit.  It's still a little weird hearing a little blonde-haired green-eyed kiddo unleash a string of fluent Castilian Spanish, but I'm getting used to it.


What foods are you most excited to have daily access to in Spain? 
I think I've mentioned it before, but, geez louise, the olives here are worthy of a parade. The bread here is also freshly baked and always good.  And - you're going to have to trust me on this one - berenjenas con miel - fried eggplant crisps drizzled in honey or molasses.  They are SO good. If I could pull off the whole kissing-my-fingers-like-an-Italian-chef thing, I totally would.


Has The Mister got a new guitar yet? 
The Mister is hoping to find one inexpensively, which means that he will probably get a guitar around the time Lindsay Lohan takes her convent vows. Le sigh.


Have you started learning flamenco yet?
Not yet! But my friend Claire let me know of a class around town, so watch out Shakira, these hips don't lie either.


Did YOU pass the Legolas dork test?
Are you kidding? I love those movies. Of course I failed.