Ya se acabo

Saturday, February 22nd was the Chorizá in Ubrique. The Chorizá is perhaps one of the most popular and important festivities during the Ubrique Carnaval. It marks the official beginning of Carnaval, and the entire town gathers in the town square (below my house!) at 2:00 pm to listen to a government official (dressed in a costume in the true spirit of Carnaval) announce the festivities, to listen to the comparsas and chirigotas, and to...of course...drink and eat Chorizá (spanish sausage). After the opening ceremony/speech, the festivities continued up the narrow pedestrian streets of the Casco Antiguo (historic district of Ubrique), where whole-in-the-wall bars served a never ending supply of Cruzcampo (beer), and street bars provided Chorizá, and individual homeowners opened their residences to allow people to use the washrooms...for a small donation, of course. While everyone was eating and drinking, meandering from bar to bar, the various chirigotas and comparsas seranaded the people with their witty and catchy songs.

Once people got tired of the festivities outside in the Casco Antiguo (which is around 11:30 or midnight), they wandered down to Avenida España (the main "downtown" street in Ubrique) and hit the bars. The town comparsas and chirigotas continue to sing, the people continue to drink, and pass the night away with their friends and family. The streets and bars of Ubrique are packed, as this festival draws people from all the surrounding pueblos of Prado del Rey, El Bosque, Cortes, Grazalema, Benoacaz, etc. It truly is a Spanish experience that no one should miss.

While the Chorizá is quite amazing, I would have to argue that the last weekend of Carnaval is the best. On Saturday, February 28th, the entire town (well, most people) filled the bars along Avenida España to listen to the music of Carnaval and eat Paella (a typical andalucian dish). By night fall, people returned to their homes, and around 10:30 pm, once again lined Avenida España. This time...however, everyone was dressed in elaborate costumes and in big groups. My friends and I (and yup, I was the only real blonde...and the only non-Spaniard) dressed as Musketeers. Instead of 3, however, there were 22. Everyone who dressed up then participated in the town parade, and paraded through the streets until they reached the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (town square...where I live). Once there, the botellón (drinking party) started...and didn´t finish until 8 in the morning. A band played all through the night, friends mingled, and drinks were either consumed or spilled. Overall, its one big costume party - probably one of the biggest you´ll ever see, and the longest lasting! These Spaniards truly know how to live it up and have fun. No one can argue with that.

On Sunday, March 1st, the last day of Carnaval, there was one last parade...that of the Patacabra (a tool used for working with leather, and a symbol of Ubrique). As it made its way from the Casco Antiguo to the end of town, the townspeople lined the streets and followed it, dancing and singing, all the way to the Plaza de las Palmeras. Once there, everyone filled the Plaza, and watched an impressive fireworks display. At the conclusion of the fireworks, the Patacabra (float) was set on fire to declare the end of Carnaval. Some people threw their costumes onto the burning Patacabra, and others just watched solemnly as it was engulfed in flames, then filed out of the Plaza to return home and prepare for Carnaval 2010. :) With any luck, I will be here again, too. Heck, you´ve gotta live life while you´re young, right?!

Y así se acababa.

And so it finished.

A Month-Long Party? Count Me In!!

Welcome to February, the month in which we (us Spaniards...and yes, I am decidedly Spanish) celebrate Carnaval. Carnival is one of Spain’s main popular festivities which is celebrated only in the province of Cádiz with street parades, costumes, beauty pageants, music, and gastronomical festivities. Cádiz is famous in Spain and worldwide for its Carnaval celebrations. The celebrations in the capital city of Cádiz (Cádiz) are most famous of all (and yes, I will be heading there on Sunday to take part).

However, even in Ubrique (a fairly small town with a population 18,000), we know how to get down and party. Carnaval began the first weekend of February, on Saturday Feb. 7th at 2:00 pm with the Tortillá and the Jamoná. Both were hosted outside in local plazas, and provided free Spanish tortilla (at the Tortillá) and free ham bocadillos (at the Jamoná) to those who purchased a beverage (Cruzcampo beer, Coke, Tinto...etc) for 1 euro. While people mingled and enjoyed the refreshments and Spanish culinary specialties, the various Comparsas and Chirigotas were introduced and performed for the crowds (See below for explanations). The party continued into the night...and into Sunday morning...finally coming to a close around 6 am.

The second weekend of Carnaval began Saturday, Feb. 14th at 1:00 pm with the Chicharroná. Like the Tortillá and Jamoná, the Chicharroná was celebrated in another outdoor plaza, and provided samples of chicharroná (pork mixed with fat) with the purchase of a refreshment. You are probably thinking pork bits mixed with fat sounds quite awful. However, it is actually quite flavorful...but admittedly is not my favorite and should be consumed in small doses haha. The afternoon flew by as we bar hopped, and continued to listen to the various Comparsas and Chirigotas. Perhaps the best part of the evening came around 8:00 pm when I went with my friends to help dress (in costumes) one of the Comparsas (in which their boyfriends sing). The official presentation of the Comparsas and Chirigotas began at 9:30 pm and was held in the high school auditorium. Tickets were limited and were 6 euros each. Fortunately for me...I was able to enter with my friends and the Comparsa, and watch from back stage. Not only was it free, but it was up close and personal, and frankly, one of the best experiences of my life. I have never seen nor had the opportunity to participate in such a fun celebration/event in my life. When the official presentation ended, the party continued into the night...and into Sunday morning...and didn´t come to an end...

Sunday at 2:00 pm, the Murcillá (another gastronomical festival) began, and once again the Comparsas and Chirigotas were in the streets to serenade the crowd. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of murcillá (or more commonly known as blood sausage), so I did not enjoy the free food quite as much this time around. Not to worry, though, the community, the atmosphere, and the singing made up for it. The party continued into the afternoon...and did not come to an end until around 6 pm. Phew, what a weekend.

Stay tuned for more updates on Carnaval. Next weekend is the Chorizá (one of the most popular events in Ubrique). The weekend after that, is the parade and costume party. Two more weekends of excitement (and no sleep).

PS...have I mentioned yet that I am in LOVE with this country, its culture, its language, and its traditions?? Let´s just say I am pretty much obsessed and would be happier than ever to spend the rest of my life here (if only my family were closer).

*******
Now...for some definitions and explanations:

Comparsas. These are the most serious of the groupings. Their specialty is pasodoble and they organize in groups of 15 members. The song lyrics can be satirical and vindictive and they tend towards a more emotive and poetical tone instead of the silly mocking tone of the chirigotas (source: http://www.escuelai.com/).

Chirigotas. Comical and outrageous, these groups are the complete opposite of the comparsas. Laughter is guaranteed as their 12 members try to characterize reality to the point of exaggeration. They use whistles, as well as other simple percussion type instruments (cajas y bombos), creating more noisy accompaniment than musical. They perform couplets recited in the form of tongue twisters with an amusing satirical tone (source: http://www.escuelai.com/).

I Just Don´t Get It

Let me preface this post by saying that if you are anxious to read about my continuing adventures in Spain...skip to the next post. If you so choose to keep reading this entry, please be aware that I am taking the opportunity to write down some thoughts and vent a moment.

I have previously mentioned that the start of 2009 was a little rocky...dead electronics, bad haircut, etc etc. Little did I know that only three days after my last post on January 19th, I would truly come to know and understand what a "rocky start" is. Those of you following this blog likely will figure out what I am referring to, and if not, I do not know what to say. I do not plan on making any direct references to the incident over the internet.

Let´s just say that I am sick and tired of injustice in this world. I do not, nor will I ever understand what possesses one human being to intentionally and maliciously destroy the property of another or to purposefully hurt another. I do not understand violence. I do not understand superiority complexes. I do not undertand the big-to-do about race and ethnicity. I do not undertand why it is so difficult to look at each other and treat each other with respect, dignity, and equality.

When I was informed of the incident that so strongly affected my family in Colorado, I remember thinking immediately "things like that just do not happen here in Spain, especially not in Ubrique." And to a large extent, they do not. However, my utopic view of Ubrique was dented just a week later when the father of my friend´s boyfriend attempted to kill his wife and son by burning their house to the ground. Fortunately, niether his wife, nor his son were home. Almost exactly a week after that, my roommate informed me that one of her dear friend´s dad had committed suicide. Meanwhile, the world is in the worst economic state any of us can remember. Tensions between Israel and Palestine are at an all time high. Various countries continue to deprive and exploit their citizensl. Frankly, the world is falling apart. And I am disgusted by people.

Moral of the story: WAKE UP PEOPLE! Stop standing on the sidelines while we destroy each other. Stop thinking that someone else will step up and solve the problem. Newsflash...no one else is going to take the initiative. It is up to you (and me, of course). The world is destroying itself, not because of global climate change, but because of corruption, violence, and mutal disrespect for each other. Do not worry, the bubonic plague has long passed. In its place, however, a more dangerous and more threatening plague has arrived. Its name: apathy.

Oh wait, you can take comfort because our new President has promised us "change." Oh! The word of the year! Change! Change is coming! Change is upon us! He will bring change! Unfortunately, it is not up to him. And unfortunately, the world, and Americans, have decided that we can leave it up to him. HE will bring change, and HE will make everything okay. I find it difficult to place such high expectations on one person, while the rest of the world sits back and does nothing. Apathy. It is a terrible thing. Perhaps if EACH of us would take a moment to re-evaluate ourselves and our world, we could all start to initiate some change. Together, we can move in a positive direction. You just have to decide to actually do something. So, stop reading my blog. Go buy a stranger a coffee and see the smile on their face. Money tight these days? Why not spare 99 cents and treat a homeless fellow to a hamburger from McDonalds. I think you can spare that. Don´t want to get involved in what you see? Perhaps if you had called the cops, you could have saved that man. Or stopped a burglary in process. Or who knows what. Next time, pick up the phone. You would do it for your parents, you would do it for your friend, so why not do it for a stranger? We are all in this together, or at least that is how I see it.

Okay, lucky for you, I am done complaining, evaluating the world, and lecturing. I will leave you with the following to contemplate:

"Changes come from the power of many, but only when the many come to form that of which is invincible - the power of one." (The Power of One, 1992).

Technical Difficulties

Merry Christmas!!! and Happy New Year!!! ...both a little late. My excuse: I am having technical difficulties. Haha. 2008 went out with a crash...literally. My computer crashed on December 26th, so I have been without it for the last three weeks. And yes, it is torture. While I am not one of those nerds addicted to my computer, I do use it daily and my life has changed dramatically without it. I cant listen to music while getting ready in the morning, nor can I look up the forecast. I cant upload and save photos. I cant hop on the internet to look up a word or a phrase, or study for the DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera) in the Instituto de Cervantes interactive classroom. And most importantly, I cannot update my blog or keep in touch with all of you with the ease I once could. I am currently sitting in the town library using the internet, but the connection times out about every 8 minutes. It is not ideal, but it works for now. Anyway, while I continue to attempt to find someone who can fix my computer (and I am being optimistic...I was told it cannot be fixed), I have to warn you that I may be slightly out of contact for a while! But, now you know.

Now for a super speedy review:

December 24, 2008: Celebrated Christmas Eve with a fellow teacher and her family. Then hit the bar for a little. And please do not be shocked - Christmas Eve here could be equated to New Years Eve in the US. While the dinner is very family oriented, the rest of the evening is to be celebrated and spent with friends. After a few drinks with friends, I came home and had a delightful Christmas Eve with my parents via Skype. Despite the fact we are on two different continents...we opened presents...TOGETHER! :-)

December 31, 2008: Celebrated New Years Eve with another fellow teacher and her family. We had a plethora of shrimp, fish, crab, and prawns. Absolutely delicious. Then we celebrated and welcomed the new year with a very traditional Spanish of eating 12 grapes (one every second leading up to midnight). It is quite fun (and a little difficult!) Afterwards, I went out with my friends to a Cotillón (a party), and spent the evening (until 5:30 am) dancing and enjoying the early hours of 2009 to their fullest.

January 5, 2009: Dia de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) is the equivalent to Christmas day in the US. Here, the three wisemen bring gifts (not Santa Clause). To celebrate, on the eve of Three Kings Day (Jan 5), there is a parade and everyone lines the streets in hopes of collecting candy and toys from the three kings as they throw small gifts from the floats. It is actually very neat! After the parade, everyone gathers in the main plaza...and again, waits to collect candy thrown out by the kings and their helpers from the balconies of the Ayuntamiento (town hall). When all is finished, families return home for dinner, go to sleep early, and wake up to presents brought by the wisemen. Feliz Dia de Los Reyes!

January 8, 2009: My roommate and I got the urge to spice up out hair a little. I went in with the intention of getting a small trim and maybe adding a few long layers. After repeatedly mentioning I was trying to grow my hair out and I only wanted a trim, I ended up about 3 inches shorter in general...and with layers as short as my chin. After moping around for a few days, my roommate and I decided hair grows back...eventually. Needless to say, I will likely not be going to a salon in Spain ever again.

Well, that wraps up the important points over the last few weeks! Hopefully I will be writing again soon, keep your fingers crossed.

Belen Viviente

Ubrique's Belen Viviente (Living Nativity) was a huge success, and for me, an experience of a lifetime. I have never before witnessed an entire community come together to put together such an incredible Christmas display. Most people were out working at 8:00 am setting up structures and converting the Casco Antiguo (the historic part of town) into a scene straight from first century Bethlehem. Others trickled in throughout the day, and some just came to work the actual "event" which started around 6:00 pm and ended at 3:30 am. Regardless of arrival time, there were hundreds of people continually working to make this all come together, and it did indeed come together - flawlessly. Well, I guess I technically shouldn't say flawlessly. There was one glitch: Ubrique (yes, the entire town) lost electricity for about 2 hours, so most of the Belen Viviente was plagued by complete darkness for a while. Fortunately for me, I was working at the Census and and was surrounded by about 20 candles! We were the only station with light :-) Aside from this, however, the Belen Viviente was perfect. Not only beautifully constructed and carried out, but there were thousands of people from all over Spain (and from England, Germany, Argentina, etc) lining the streets. It truly was a sight to see. A Belen Viviente to spread Christmas cheer, bring people together in celebration, and to raise money for charity - could there be a better way to spend your Saturday night?

Cosas de Navidad y El Belén Viviente

First semester grades were due yesterday afternoon. Grades are quite different in Spain than in the U.S., and instead of sending report cards out, parents come to school to talk to the teachers and get their child(s)'s grades. I guess you could compare it to parent-teacher confrences...with report cards thrown in the mix. To celebrate the close of the semester, and in preparation for Christmas, the Director (Antonio) invited all the teachers to an afternoon chocolate (i.e. "afternoon tea" if you will). All 30 or so of us got together for a light snack of churros with hot chocolate, followed by some home made mojitos, and topped off with an hour or so of chatting and singing Christmas carols (in Spanish of course). While it is well known that the Spanish really enjoy and know how to have a fiesta, it must also be noted that they are fabulous singers. Something about Spanish music just energizes anyone and everyone. It just warms you up inside and makes you want to get up and dance (especially after a few mojitos)... Each day I am realizing more and more that I truly am enamored with the Spanish way of life - and while I am going to miss my usual Colorado Christmas with my beloved parents, I am excited to experience something new.

Vale...ahora, tengo ganas de escribir en español, así, voy a hacerlo. Pero no os preocupéis, hay una traducción debajo.

I have the urge to write in Spanish, so, I am going to. But don’t worry, there is a translation below. :-)

Este año, como estoy viviendo en España, voy a participar en una costumbre española: el Belén Viviente. El Belén Viviente de Ubrique es famoso por Andalucia, y cada año más de 10,000 vienen a Ubrique para verlo. De verdad, es algo muy bonito. Este año, el Belén Viviente es por el sábado, el 20 de diciembre. Vamos a empezar a preparar por el Belén a las 8:00 por la mañana el sábado, y empezaré la obra a partir de las 8:00 por la noche, terminando a las 3:00 o 4:00 domingo por la mañana. Estoy emocionada quedar la noche entera participando en el Belén! Aunque la siguiente pagina de web esta escrito en español, merece la pena visitarla: http://belenvivienteubrique.wordpress.com/ También hay que ver el video de YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-H75omvWf4&eurl=http://belenvivienteubrique.wordpress.com/&feature=player_embedded


Since I am living in Spain this year, I thought I would participate in a truly Spanish tradition: a “living nativity.” Ubrique’s “living nativity” is famous throughout Andalucia, and every year, more than 10,000 people come to Ubrique to see it. It really is something beautiful. This year, the event will be held on Saturday, December 20th. We will be setting up and preparing for the event starting at 8:00 am Saturday morning, and will begin the “living nativity” around 8:00 pm, finishing around 3:00 or 4:00 am Sunday morning. I’m quite excited to make a night out of it…! Although the following webpage is written in Spanish, it is worth checking out (see above link). You also should check out the video of Ubrique’s “living nativity” on YouTube (see above link).

On a side note: the first link will take you to our main web page, and the top photo is a photo of the plaza del ayuntamiento and my house! You will see three red roofs in a row at the top of the photo, and I am in the middle, the top floor.

Venturing out of Ubrique

Every year, on the 6th of December, Spaniards celebrate Día de la Constitución (Constitution Day). It is a day to commemorate and celebrate the passage of the constitutional referendum of 1978, when the Spanish public voted in and approved the Spanish Constitution (Spain's movement towards a more democratic society after decades of rule under Franco's dictatorship). Depending on what day the 6th falls on, Spaniards usually end up getting several days off of work or school, and sometimes are fortunate enough to celebrate a long weekend. This year, Andalucians celebrated Día de la Constitución with an extended weekend from Friday, December 5 to Tuesday, December 9. Although there were some local festivities in celebration of the holiday, I decided to take the opportunity to travel to Copenhagen, Denmark to visit a friend.

While I couldn't be more in love with Ubrique, it does have one (and yes, only one) flaw: traveling to and from Ubrique to the next nearest airport (whether Sevilla, Jerez, or Malaga) is quite a challenge and an adventure in-and-of itself. For example, although my flight was not until Thursday morning in Malaga, I had to leave Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm in order to catch one of two daily buses that go from Ubrique to Malaga. Then of course, I had to spend the night in Malaga...then leave for Copenhagen in the morning. The same challenges awaited my return as well - I flew in on Tuesday afternoon, but not in time to catch the bus back to Ubrique. So, yet again, I had to spend the night in Malaga, and catch the 10 am bus home Wednesday. I might also mention that by car, Malaga is only 1 hour 45 minutes away. In bus...it is a full 4 hours.

However, once I arrived in Copenhagen, I didn't have much trouble getting around. There is a good metro system, but I chose to walk most everywhere (save money, get exercise, see the sights...). Copenhagen is a beautiful city, and quite different than anything I have ever seen. Several things stood out. First of all, I have never seen so many bike-riders in my life. Having gone to college in Portland, OR, one of the most progressive and environmentally friendly cities in the US, I never again thought I would be surprised to see someone commuting to work on their bike. But believe me, Copenhagen takes the trophie for this. Not only do they have designated bike lanes (with signals and everything), but they have the right-of-way. And yes, it is almost more dangerous to cross the bike lane, than run across a lane of traffic. It is quite an impressive site - especially since all the Danes ride with style as well. Who would have thought you could ride a bike in stilettos, fur coats, and/or flowing dresses? Well, now I know for a fact it is possible. Aside from the heavy bike traffic, Copenhagen has several other fascinating aspects. For instance, the architecture is incredible. There is a wonderful dichotomy of new/contemporary and old/traditional buildings lining the rivers, and surrounding beautiful, large town squares/plazas. Most of the older buildings are quite colorful, or constructed with brick and copper (a beautiful contrast!). Then, there is also a random "city" (more like an autonomous community) within Copenhagen, called Christiania. Apparently Christiania is not entirely governed by the Danish Monarchy, but instead has its own mini-government that allows the legal buying and selling of marijuana within the boundaries of the community. It is one of Copenhagen's most commonly visited tourist spots. While I did wander through the community, I didn't think it was anything too exciting. However, everyone in Copenhagen seems to love it. I suggest googling it if you are interested, it is neat to check out. Perhaps the oddest thing about Copenhagen has to do with their restrooms... There is absolutely no separation between the shower and the rest of the bathroom (toilet, sink, etc). As such, when you shower, you flood the entire bathroom. And when you aren't showering, and you use the toilet or sink, you are technically walking (in your filthy street shoes) in the shower. It is very random, and I've never quite seen anything like it. But hey, I have a new found appreciation for "normal" bathrooms with divisions. And last, but not least, it is true that all Danes are tall, slender and blonde. To be honest, I have never seen such an homogenous society. As Copenhagen is a fairly large city, it surprised me to see such little diversity. Upon talking to various people, however, I learned that Denmark has a very strict immigration policy, and that in general, does not want/accept immigrants too openly. While they truly are beautiful, and seemingly quite happy people -- they are a little "too perfect" and closed-up for me.

One of the 5 days I was in Copenhagen, my friend and I did venture across the Oresund bridge that goes from Copenhagen to Malmo, Sweden. We only spend about 5 or 6 hours in Sweden, but even in that short time, we were able to see a lot of Malmo. There are several castles, gardens, parks, mansions, and town squares that are just beautiful. And only about 20 minutes away in train from Copenhagen, it was a perfect day trip.

I enjoyed seeing two new countries, and am very fortunate to have had the opportunity. Yet, while Copenhagen and Malmo were both beautiful cities, it is good to be back in Ubrique. I feel I am home :-)