The private hospital Segrada Familia was very nice hospital. It was probally even more efficient than the American system. It wasn’t chaotic and loud, and I learned that all the doctors were young on Friday, because seniority staffs at hospitals in Spain do not work Friday through Sunday. They also said San Pau is a poorly funded public hospital and that is why I received the care I did. Lizzie went with me and we talked about how she came to Barcelona because she was getting away from a guy and she fell in love here and she just learned the language by forcing herself to submerge her life in the culture. She also taught me Spaniards only kiss with tongue so be careful, and condoms can only be bought at clubs or pharmacies! I enjoyed my morning learning all about her life stories! She is a strong woman I strive to be like. And she understands where we come from.
I rode the train today and I guy my age played footsie with me constantly. This is that whole personal bubble difference. In Spain if you like something you say it. That is why all the men cat call, and all of the touching and staring. This is going to take me a while to get used to. But I do enjoy the idea of everyone holding hands and showing people they are in love. The make outs in public get on my nerves, but the cute kisses in public and the passion shown in public proves there is hope for romance and love.
Here are some things I noticed today:
***All the girls where boots. You don’t see any flats. Every girl owns a pair of hip, fashionable, tall leather boots. I am not part of this fashion statement here. I look out of place!
***I need a hot shower with pressure. In Spain you either get a cold stream, or a hot trickle. Which one would you pick!?I miss my showers at home!!!!
*** All answers as a yes are si si si. No matter where you go, on the phone you hear si si si. At the it is store si si si. It is just a weird vocabulary difference. In the United States we don’t say yes yes yes every time we talk. But sadly I am picking that up. I am also learning Castilian Spanish at a rapid rate. Not the grammar, but I can get through a conversation and have a full understanding like Bon dia. Que es…. And I am learning to use my eyes. Spaniards are all about eye contact. And I really like that because I am learning to read faces and eyes. And this is going to help me so much with life in everyday conversations.
*** They sell beer in the streets and in the subway. Everyone drinks. I am ok with that! Especially when soda is more expensive than beer.
*** Wine is cheap. $3.00 a bottle. You can’t go wrong. If you want to get drunk. Wine in Spain is the easiest way to do It, or Cava!
***Dead baby bloody piglets are in the market. They are smiling and just sitting in rows. The 3 little piggies make me sad :-(
***How are people so skinny when they eat dinner at 10pm, eat gelato, consume white-starchy carbs, and frown upon outdoor running? This is the ultimate diet, yet I can’t figure it out. A baguette at every meal, and the diet of consuming ice cream with twice the sugar as American ice-cream can’t be healthy. And people are still tiny! People are also very short in Spain.
***No customer service. You don’t leave tips in Europe, so don’t expect customer service. Anywhere.
***Don Dons are amazing here. They are like hostess, but homemade. Let’s say I am in heaven. But County Market is missed for sure.
***Bus 41. Goes where we need to go. Katie loves bus 41. She is obsessed :-)
***Quicksilver, vans, and etnies are huge here. So are studded belts. Me Gusta
***Everyone waxes. Lizzie told me girls don’t shave, only wax. People constantly get piercings and their hair dyed so that is cheap too!!!
***MULLETS…. All locals have them. I was warned before I came here. Not hot. Not even close. They do make me laugh when a punk with a mullet bikes by. And the dread mullets are also a fava fav
***bicing. Something the United States needs in big cities. You get a city bike. And two hour you return it to one of the multiple locations. The bikes are cute, efficient and fast. I wish I could bice here, but you have to be a resident for a certain amount of time. It is efficient and one of the more effective systems I have ever seen.
*** Obsession with American Native Americans. I have mentioned this before. They are everywhere. Stores, musicians, posters, you name it, there is it. It is a very stereotypical version too. Even that day at the park when the kids were dressed as Native Americans.
***Helmets are required on motor vehicles. And everyone has one! Harley Davidson should take Barca’s advise with the helmet requirement.
***Religion: Very catholic orientated. I learned today that the Muslim extremist want the land back. Jewish history is also very strong. The oldest Jewish bath is in Cataluña. There are so many different kinds, yet Spain remains a very Catholic country.
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