Well it's been a while since I've blogged. I apologize for that. I figured that since I hadn't done anything too terribly interesting I didn't need to blog. Then I realized: EVERYDAY in Madrid is an adventure for me.
**Side Note: I went to Lisbon, Portugal last weekend. Blog coming soon!**
As I was saying, for me every day in this lovely city is an adventure. So, in no particular order I shall now recount my adventures.
Hmm. Where to start. Well, last week I was working on a photo assignment for my photography class. The assignment was to photograph Calle Fuencarral, a typical street in Madrid. On this street you will find any type of human imaginable! From old people to young people to everyone in between. It's such a lively street with so much character that you can't help but enjoy walking up down perusing the shops and people watching. So equipped with Lucy (my camera) we set out to photograph and enjoy the weather.
While I was leaning against a tree to take a photo of the street, a pajaro (bird) decided to poop (yes, poop!) on my head. Mind y'all the day before I had just had my hair relaxed! What a pity. However, that incident didn't keep me from getting hit on by a man old enough to be my mama's daddy. I was walking down the street and this older gentlemen smiled at me. Naturally, I smiled back and approached him to ask if I could photograph him. His response: "I feel like having drink, and I'd like to invite you to a bar to have a drink with me." I thought to myself "Hmmm. Sir! You're old enough to be my great-granddaddy!" I told him that I was a student taking photos for my class, and that I didn't have time. He then tells me that it had been a while since he had a girlfriend! I kindly told him that I had work to do and that I needed to be moving along. I bid him good day and went back to photographing the street.
After leaving the company of my admirer I saw something not so comical. I saw a group of VERY handsome policemen standing in a group talking. As I went to approach them to ask for a photo a man clearly of Central or South American decent walked past them. He was minding his own business and not bothering anyone. One of the officers whistled at him and told him to get over here. I stopped a distance to listen and watch. They demanded his papers, and then searched him in the middle of street. I remembered a friend of mine who was born and raised in The States, whose parents are from Guatemala, studying here in Madrid as well, and he told me that he's had several problems with the policemen here who assume that he's here illegally or involved with drug trafficking. I could hardly believe it until I saw it for myself. Spain has a rather large problem with illegal immigration, and there is some racial tension between the Central/South Americans and the Spaniards. Before I came, I thought that I may run into racial issues, but I haven't had any. I think I confuse most people.
It's actually kind of funny. I find that being in Europe I'm so much more racially ambiguous. Most people from Spain assume that I'm Dominican or from some other Latin American country, and the people of Portugal thought I was Brazilian. In fact we met this old man who couldn't believe that I didn't speak Portuguese! In fact, often when I meet people they ask where I'm from, and when I tell them the US they look at me a little weird. Their next question is always: do you speak English? My response is always "of course! It's my first language." They look even more surprised. It's so funny.
Just the other day I ran into to ladies selling magazine subscriptions. I told them I was only here for 2 more months, and they asked where I was from. I told them US and the first lady said "Ohhh Americana!" The second lady said "No, no, no she's from the United States." I told that being from the US makes me American. It does, doesn't it? ;)
The next day as I was walking home from the Metro stop I saw the sweetest old man and his granddaughter playing on the jungle gym. I smiled at the sight, and another old man walking in my direction walked past me and said "Hola, morena." (Morena is technically supposed to be used for a brunette, but it is often used as a nice way to refer to a brown-skinned person.) He told me that he noticed my smiling at the grandfather and his granddaughter. He said that I seem so bright and cheery, and to never change that! It's not something you see everyday. Then when I entered the plaza that I live in, I came upon a movie set! They were filming a love scene in front of the wine shop. I told my Señora about the movie set, and she said that it's a very popular spot to film movies. In fact, a movie crew once paid her 650 euro (about $800 US dollars) to film from her balcony for 2 hours.
Ah! I almost forgot about the cute security guard who works at my Metro stop in the mornings. He always waits for me to pass by on the train as it's leaving, so he can smile at me. Heyyyy boy heyyy! :) It's still so funny to me how many people stare. Especially when I'm with my friend K, who is also black. How exotic we are!
Yesterday K showed me a Dominican Peluqueria (hair salon), and I got a haircut. I was unbelievably excited! She did such a great job. Language barrier or no language barrier, she knew I was happy with the result when I did the "fresh cut" dance around the shop. When we left the shop and entered the Metro I decided to used the reflection in the glass of the train to style my hair. There was the most adorable little girl in her stroller, who I'm sure thought I was an alien. She stared at me open mouthed until she and her mother exited the train. After that we went to El Corte Ingles. This store is the MOST confusing store in the world. 3 stores in the same plaza all 4 or 5 stories and ALL of them sell different things! One of them even has it's own Metro stop. It's definitely an experience to venture into El Corte Ingles. Afterwords we went to the mall in Principe Pio. This used to be a train station! It reminded me somewhat of the Galleria in Houston, only way better! After perusing the stores for a bit, we came across a KFC. Not particularly interested in the chicken, we wanted biscuits. It was soon obvious that restaurant chains around the world are not equal. Instead of biscuits, there was the Spanish tortilla. Hey, it's all about adaptability and appealing to your particular clientele. After that excursion we went to the grocery store to buy food for today's grand cena (dinner). We're taking it back to the dirty south today! Pictures and a menu to come soon.
After leaving K's, I met up with my friend Jesus for an intercambio (language exchange) to practice our respective second languages. He's from Madrid and is taking English classes in one of the many language schools in the city. We walked around what seemed like the entire city center. He showed me the old parts of the city, which made me fall in love with Madrid all over again. The buildings in these parts of town are absolutely gorgeous. They're colorful and have such charming architecture. I will definitely being going back to those parts of town to read and do homework. He also showed me the Catedral Almudena and Royal Palace. So beautiful! We started talking about St. Patrick's and decided to stop at an Irish pub for Guinness to celebrate even though it was a day late. A few of my friends flew to Dublin for the weekend to celebrate it in the heart of Ireland. I definitely recommend to anyone who wants to learn a second language to go to that country take classes, and find someone to practice with! I've learned so much from both Jesus and Vanessa, and it's so much fun to teach them slang too! And in the process you make friends with people who you may have never met otherwise. You gain insight to little things in the city that only the natives know and more detailed insight into the ins and outs of the city. You also get to see how others perceive the United States, and it's chance to clear up some stereotypes.
Well now it's time depart. Goin' throw down Louisiana style in the kitchen today! Equipped with none other than Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. (I brought it from home.)
Tengais un buen fin de semana.
Hasta luego,
Asha!
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