PumKin

foreighnerr

different:

• air is thick, i dont smoke here.
• you walk everywhere, you must
• people at the track were actually athletes.. not participating in weightwatchers.
• cocacola is better
• i have found only 1 vegetarian, she has lived here all her life ( 50 plus years) she says she is the only one.
• internet is impossible. they call it “wee-fee”

the same:

• catholics
• processed food- pizza in bags on the go-go
• drinking in alleys/ the street
• snobby fashion girls, you get into these weird staring locks in spain. its actually acceptable everybody throws weird glances at each other.

molly cat & culture shock.

good news:

talked it over with the folks and i am good to go to bring molly back to a-town for the winter. molly is a benevolent and overtly affectionate feline. I love her because she lets me. she hugs your arms, follows you around, and is generally pretty quiet. She is the ying to baby’s ( other fab kitty) yang.

bad news/ but awesome… culture shock. my best jenny said it would happen to me and it would be weird. i trust her, she knows about weird.

after a week in the burbs i am pretty done with the way things are going and i’m trying to get gone. here’s a couple things the internet told me to look out for… but i sort of think they are evil and wonderful.

1. Evening meals or dinner are taken late in the evening usually around 21:00-22:00. Spanish consider mid-day meals as their biggest meal in any given day. If you’re not used to eating dinner so late, you might consider a light supper, tapas, a common favorite among Spanish

HELL YES

2. Spanish have two family names. They are used to being called by their first names when engaging in day-to-day conversations.

finally more people with ridiculously long names!

3. Shop clerks and salesmen are usually unfriendly. Spanish believe there are no rewards for being customer-friendly. However, customer service is much better when you’re talking to the owner, especially when you’re a regular customer.

not bothered

4. Staring at people is not rude in Spain.

!!!!!

5. Spaniards do not put a great emphasis on time. Life is more laidback and relaxed and nothing is done in a hurry.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. It’s rather common for people to interrupt you while you’re talking however it is not to insult but rather to show interest or attention to what you are saying.

bout time.

7. Do not expect to see a “No Smoking” sign on restaurants or bars because Spaniards love to smoke. It is a common notion in Spain that people who complain about smoking are “afraid of life”.

We are going to hit it off great.

religous capital of spain 1577

new tidbit o’ knowledge: toledo was big time back in the day. greco moved here and had a great time painting dark religious paintings, wandering his 24 room studio/apartment, and living in considerable style. foreshadowing of my summer fingers crossed.

here is what he thought toledo looked like:

love scale

try @ home:

 Rubin's Romantic Love Scale
           --------------------------------------------------------
           Attachment Items
           If I could never be with _______, I would feel miserable.
           It would be hard for me to get along without _______.
           If I were lonely, my first thought would be to seek
           _______ out.

           Intimacy Items
           I feel that I can confide in _______ about virtually
           everything.
           I would greatly enjoy being confided in by _______ .
           I would forgive _______ for practically anything.

           Caring Items
           One of my primary concerns is _______'s welfare.
           I would do almost anything for _______ . 
           I feel responsible for _______'s well-being.
           ---------------------------------------------------------