Photos - Yes, this is where we went climbing! (and a flower) :: Fotos - Si, ¡eso es donde nosotros fuimos escalando! (y un flor)

Photos - Climbing that SciFi rock in Mula (5.10c-ish) :: Fotos - Escalando piedra de ciencia ficción en Mula (6b)

From the beginning to the middle -because my camera ran out of batteries!













My hands were so cold! The shadow had fallen accross this rock and soaked out all the warmth! I was constantly rubbing my hands against my pant-leg for warmth!

























This is the scifi rock that you have heard so much about!

Photos - Climbing 5.11b/c in Mula :: Fotos - Escalando 6C+ en Mula

This route was the highlight of my day! :: ¡Ese via ere el mejor parte de mi dia!
The photos start from close to the end because we didn´t have the camera before then. Sorry, but you missed all the good stuff! :: Esos fotos empiezan al fin de mi via porque no teniamos la camera antes.


¡Me encanta ese via! Tan relajando. :: I love this route! So relaxing.

A Few More Thoughtful Quotes:

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. [...] Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."

-Bruce Lee

"Wisdom does not come from knowing all the answers, but from knowing that you will forever seek them."
-me

"Once I find my way back to the cocoon of my heart, I can fly anywhere."
-me

Inspirational Quotes gone by

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
-Eleanor Roosevelt

"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong."
-Peter T. McIntyre

"Imagine one day struck out of your life, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns and flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day." -Charles Dickens

(From now on, I am going to save my quote of the week here as well as in its special place. This will serve as a reccord of my evolution of thought here in Spain.)

Life is beautiful: Climbing, Castles, and the Tram.

Parchessi!

Yes, those little men are the playing pieces!

Food, Glorious food!

Paz, Andy and me!

Life is beautiful.

Arching slabs of limestone majestically overlook rolling hills of a rosy-brown hue with splotches of dark green where pines reside above orchards of oranges, avocados, and almonds. The peaked hills give way to a shinning, tan city and then the glimmering ocean of bright, mediterranean blue. The ragged coast softens before the city, becoming a comfortable crescent where tourists speaking anything from German to Ukrainian to Chinese laze, play soccer, juggle, build sandcastles, or anything else imaginable. But above all, they sunbathe –many topless because this is, after all, Europe! The beach is relaxed and yet full of energy, with eager children and athletic youth. People of every age can be seen playing volleyball, soccer, and, a particular favorite, ping-pong. There is something to be said about the Spanish and their ball games. Soccer is huge here, and this is reflected in the sheer number of games that are being played at any given time: the men on the beach, the boys at school with their wads of aluminum foil –leftover from the usual bocadillo, or sandwich.

Today I went rock climbing in Benadorm, an area close to Alicante. The limestone has the texture of stucco and leaves interesting patterns on my callused hands. We climbed some four routes, mostly 6a and 6b level. I don’t know how to convert this to the American number system, but I would guesstimate around 5.10a/b. It was so refreshing to be out in the clean air again, soaking in the sun (through my thick layer of sunscreen, of course!) and reuniting with the pattern of climbing. I love how climbing is a psychological game as well as a physical challenge. I have to let all fear go in order to truly commit to my next move, and when I make it to that hold, it’s exhilarating. Ignacio led all the routes before me (except one) and so I did all the cleaning. That way, I was pretty much top-roping it, so I was pretty much always protected. The weather was perfect for climbing! Unfortunately, the pictures of me climbing are on Ignacio’s camera, so I will have to include them in a later post.

We returned from climbing just in time for lunch. Lunch, beautiful lunch! Ok, so I cannot adequately express how wonderful this food was. In order to compensate for this inadequacy, I have included pictures! I had a puree of different vegetables, which my host mom already knows is one of my favorites, along with an assortment of appetizers: cute little quail eggs with brown speckles and the perfect size for popping them in your mouth whole; a crispy ball of some foreign fish; shrimp; kabobs of pickled veggies; tarts of imitation crab, miniature shrimp, and a white sauce that apparently comes from the claw of some sea creature; and squid of an absolutely frightening, black-purple appearance, but with a mild fishy taste and spongy consistency that wasn’t half bad! My favorite was the tarts…Mmmmmm!

On Friday, I went to a tea house with my friend Paz from school. She introduced me to a few of her friends who turned out to be wonderful. The most notable of these is Andy. After our tea -some fruity, other flowery, and mine strange because it was a treatment for my sore throat- and banana-chocolate crepe, Andy and I played a quick game of parchessi on this awesome clay board that has colorful little clay men for playing pieces! (I had to take a picture to show you guys!) After some wonderful chatting in the dim mood lighting of the artsy tea house, we decided that a trip up to the castle on the hill would be a great way to spend the next day. So, we planned to meet at noon to start our lovely treck (on foot) up through the older parts of the city to the muslim Castillo de San Barbara. I had been admiring this castle from day one, so now that I had found the right friends to go with, I leapt at the opportunity to see more of the city. Frolicking through narrow alleys and winding stairways, we discovered little pockets of hidden beauty within this modernized city. We saw old houses with tiny balconies overflowing with flowers and laundry in turn. The narrowness of the streets combined with the flowers reminded me distinctly of Italy! Coming out of the residential district, we wound our way up flights of stairs, stopping spontaneously to admire the view. We happened upon an art gallery that I found very interesting. A Spanish artist by the name of Salvador Gómez was inspired by the diversity of New York and decided to paint a series of portraits as a result. His unique technique drew my attention; he used large splotches of color within the faces of portraits, like a sort of mild impressionism. The expressiveness and individuality of each piece captivated me before we continued up the multiple flights of stairs. After more than an hour of walking, we triumphantly reached the castle and breathed in the clean, afternoon air. After a bit of meandering and exploring on my part (discovering more art and history) and some scenery viewing on the part of my tired friends, the three of us sat down to lunch. Andy made me laugh my whipping out the entire makings of a gourmet salad –bottle of oil and can of tuna included! I had my bocadillo and we all lounged, overlooking the entire city and the Sierra Nevadas beyond. We talked of god and love and beauty, sharing experiences and laughing over mispronunciations. We bonded over common experiences and compared favorite movies. It was a perfect day. Absolutely perfect. Andy smokes, but she wants to stop. My friends respect how healthy I am –how I avoid cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and the late-night parties that go hand-in-hand with the affore mentioned substances. They are open, artsy, intellectual, and fun! I couldn’t ask for anything more!

Speaking of intellectual and fun, that reminds me of someone who I met on the tram Friday night on the way home from the tetería (the tea house). First off, you must understand that the tram is an adventure in and of itself! Every time I take the tram, I meet someone new, like the Ukrainian woman who randomly decided to move to Spain, alone and without knowing Spanish or a single person who lives here. Or the Spanish poet who lived in France 20 years ago and still retains a mild French accent over his native Spanish. Or the college girl who randomly approached me and said in Spanish, “Hi! Can you do me a favor? I have to do this for my mom. She wants me to introduce a girl to my brother. Can you come over and meet him?” They turned out to be from Argentina, and the brother turned out to be 27-years-old. Apparently the girl thought I was much older than I am! Or the English couple with the lovely accents: one from Kent and the other from London. They’re currently living in Spain and they love it. There’s also Jorge. We made accidental eye contact so many times that I finally asked him if I could see the photos on his camera, we decided that we want to hang out sometime, and we exchanged numbers. And finally, there’s Alberto. Alberto saw me flipping through my newly-bought “Spanish for Foreigners” books and he asked me in English, “Where are you from?” My automatic response was, “Yo vengo de California, pero estoy estudiando aqui en Alicante!¨ Oops! But it was ok, because he turned out to be Spanish! I ended up getting into a long conversation about Spain, culture, and all sorts of random things with him, his brother, and a nice elderly couple who were sitting across the way. Oh, how friendly everyone is! Alberto is 18, studying to be a lawyer and was just coming back from a political gathering in the city, as were the other 50-billion people on the tram that evening! Apparently, some terrorist was put on trial and condemned to many years in prison, but he went on a hunger strike against his sentence and the government agreed to reduce his sentence. The outraged Spanish population is gathering in peaceful protest across the nation, and this was one of those gatherings. It turns out that Alberto and his brother live right across the way from me, so we’ll hang out later tonight. I look forward to good conversation!

On another note, I will be singing in a benefit concert on the 25^th of March! Since my host family hears me singing around the house all the time, my host mom recommended me to a friend of hers who is involved in this benefit concert where all the proceeds go to children in Africa. I will sing “I will Always love you” by Whitney Houston (if I can get the music sorted out) and Mamma Mia! Unfortunately, I had a bad cold all this week, so I haven’t been able to practice for real yet.

Well, I congratulate you for making it through this lengthy blog! Lol! I have not even begun to scratch the surface of all the beauty, history, art, culture, and nuances of this incredible place and my experiences within it. Here there are plazas with ancient statues and walkways with beautiful inlaid tile mosaics. Old men gather in these plazas and walkways to talk and wink kindly at passing girls on warm weekends. Huge trees with roots that grow from their branches stand in stark contrast with the multitude of palm trees that line every walkway. The people are open and cariñoso. They hug, they touch, and they show what they feel. The birds sing and the sun rises, like anywhere else, but the people are unique. I can’t wait to get on the next tram so that I can meet more exciting strangers!

Love to everyone.

Truly yours,

Jocelyn

Cross-Comparison of Two Exchange Student´s Experiences

A few weeks ago, an aquaintance of mine -another exchange student- sent me a lengthy email describing her experiences up in the north of Spain. I thought you might find a cross-comparison of our experiences interesting.

On Moday and Tuesday classes end at 5 something, Wednesday at 1:40 and Thur, Friday at 2:40. School starts at 8:15. I have three classes and then a half hour break. Kids go outside the school and the schoolyard. There is a lot of freedom. This break is called the media. Today I walked with friends to a sort of bar/cafe. People bought drinks and smoked. Many had small sandwhiches from home, which is breakfast for many, including me. No, I did not smoke, I went to Spain, I did´t have a brain transplant. Then we return for two classes. Then lunch at 1:30...Many play soccer and other things in the yard and many wonder off. Monday I walked with people to a supermarket. Then on Monday and Tuesday we return to class after a little more than an hour and a half I think. The other days I would go home to eat lunch. They said usually three of the four family members are there for that. It is the biggest meal of the day.
-My school works similarly. I am taking many classes and am given two breaks in between, but we call them "recreo" -or recess- not "medio." Yes, everyone smokes in my school. Well, seemingly everyone. Many people drink as well, but that is engrained into their culture from a young age. I myself have tasted some fine wines over lunch. And yes, lunch is the main attraction here!

Today in English the teacher had me explain about myself and why I am here. The concept of studying abroad. The system of studying is so different that they cannot figure out how I am going to graduate. They chose concentrations their Junior year. Then we asked eachother about each other´s cultures. I asked what Spaniards think of Americans and they laughed. The first thing one girl said was that they are fat. Another said politely that this may not be true, but they only care about themselves and do not learn other languages. I sorta defended us and said it is harder to learn. Look at me, I had to come all the way to Spain to learn another language. I also said that we have to take world history. I asked them what they do on the weekends and they said they go to Barcelona to go to eat, watch movies, shop, and try to get into clubs. The teachers mentioned exhibits. One boy called Sant Cugat ugly, but trust me, it is not.
-Her description of the system of schooling (choosing your concentration early) is the same nationwide. Her reaction to American stereotyping, however, is different than mine. I know that the American schooling system is very egocentric; we focus time and again on ourselves. Yes, we have world history for one year, but how much do we really know about the rest of the world? Americans are notoriously bad at geography (compared to Europeans) and the only parts of world history that we truly know are those concerning the world wars. As for being fat, that is obviously a generalization, but look at our obesity epidemic. Those students in Barcelona have well founded premonitions in my opinion. As for the pastimes of those students, that sounds about right. Of course, its warmer here, so much of the going-ons here have to do with the beach!

There are few schools that do more than one kind of dance. They all specailize. There is also a Flamenco school in Sant Cugat. What I anticipate is two or three ballet classes at a school other than the coco comin, latin dance with Monica, and maybe trying out a Flamenco.I really think I need to keep myself busy or I will miss home. I have not had homework all week. I could join a chorus, but I am starting to apreciate my Falmouth high school with all the activities built in. Everything here is an epic to find.
-Yes, school in Spain is purely school. They don´t provide sports or theater or any other extras. I, however, am used to seeking my own extracurriculars, having done independent study for the last few years. None the less, everything is, as she says, "an epic to find!" Keeping busy is incredibly important. It is the surest way of maintaining sanity in a world that doesn´t understand you.

Ok, here are some different cultural things. I have already explained the eating schedule. They go to bed between eleven and twelve. Sometimes people go out, for example to dance class after their very late dinner. They eat more meat, not bigger portions, but mixed into dishes, or various kinds, at almost any time of the day. The light switches and toilet flushing thingys are different. You can move the showerhead around like a hose. There is a animal leg with a hoof sitting on the counter downstairs. That is not good for my vegetarian instincts. That way they know it is fresh. They eat a lot baguette bread and always fruit after dinner. I really miss salad. They often cook a part of the meal during a meal so that everything is hot. I really miss salad. The wotk schedule is weird. They often get home at eight and would prefer the American work schedule. They really know there American movies. Here there is a lot of Catalán pride. They learn the two languages at the same time. Many want to be separated from Spain. Many prefer Catalán. In my house they speak Spanish. Montse said she speaks Catalán with her daughters but I have not heard it. I already feel my Spanish improving. I can understand Catalán a little but I doubt that I will ever speak that language. One girl said where there is money there is Catalán.
-The animal leg with the hoof on the counter to which she refers is very usual in Spain. It is a hung of dried meat that they whittle away at meal after meal. It is intimidating, but at least you know where your food comes from. My host family does not actually have one, but most of our neighbors do. As for the languages, here in Alicante, everyone learns Castellano and Valenciano, which is the regional language. Many of the northern provinces want to be separate from Spain, but it appears that most of the south is content as is.

I am definitely clinging to normalcy. I really bonded with the other exchange students. When it was time to leave my temporary host family I wanted to stay with them. Even though I am all the way across the world I am still wondering a little about my SAT´s and anticipating the new Harry Potter
-I am the opposite. I have distanced myself from other exchange students as much as possible, attempting to immerse myself in my new environment. I do have to admit, however, that I have a few bits of home here (ie. my bumperstickers with inspirational phrases, which are in English, a few photos, etcetera). Many of the other exchange students are looking into taking SATs while here in Spain. Let me tell you, I am so happy that I am not one of them!

I think this is a lesson in expectations. I don´t think I am settling for less, just something a little different. I have to remember that a big part of the reason I am here is for the cultural experience.
-True that! This is so important! The best way to prepare yourself for an exchange is to learn as much about the country as you can and then throw it all away. Walk into the country without expectations and you will not be disapointed. But walk in with all sorts of ideas about how the people act, live, and think, and you´ll only have to erase it all to make way for the truth. An important phrase that they give us in our student handbook is "Different is not bad. It´s just different!" That is something that I always try to keep in mind.

Now that I can speak much more people are more keen to chat. Listening to Catalan is sorta like a lesson in picking up a language without studying, which I have never done, even if I am not trying to speak it.
-Throw your mind into new situations and miracles occur. You start absorbing things at a rate that you once thought impossible. This brings me back to a very important Seussical phrase: "Anything´s possible!"

So I have accepted that I am staying at my school. By the time I transfered if I ever found a school, it would be June. Spainards work on a different clock. The more I accept differences the happier I am. Things are going great. Catalan is a nice break to relax because people never expect me to understand it. I just took my first break and watched a movie in English. If I were hearing Spanish all day long I might go nuts.
-All of this is true. Spaniards work on a clock that goes more slowly than the American clock. They know that everything comes in time and that if you try to rush it, you only make time run out faster! Just as Catalan is her break, Valenciano is mine. I sleep during that class...or study, or draw, or center myself...you get the idea! I differ from her in that I know more Spanish so I could listen to Spanish all day and still be sane. The problem is that I have so much to share with you guys that I keep coming back to English time and again.