R-E-S-P-E-C-T: What It Means To Spaniards

When visiting Spain, be sure to show respect to the locals. It is a courtesy highly regarded by the Spaniards and one of their strongest traits.

It is in no way to be trampled on. Respect for others and for oneself is a sign of strength. It is not courteous to abruptly pass an elder on the street. They tend to frown on that.

Even their pets are trained to obey the commands of their owners. It was common to see a dog or two waiting outside a restaurant or store waiting patiently for their master. The condition of being esteemed by others is a big part of the Hispanic culture.

Ordering lunch one day, our waiter told us that the meal we wanted had to be placed a day in advance. Gary, our tour guide, said, “Are you kidding me?!” The young waiter replied, “No sir. I would not disrespect you in any way or joke with you about that.” Gary had to make it clear that he did not think the waiter was being disrespectful, only that he was surprised by the time
required for ordering paella. I was taken aback by the seriousness this waiter had placed on what I thought was simple banter. “Gosh,” I thought. “It was not that big a deal.”

The demand for respect and intolerance of disrespect was made clear to me on several occasions. A group of us were waiting for a flamenco show to start at Casa Patas. We decided to stop at a bar for a drink. About eight of us were present. No one else was at this bar. The bartender began taking our order. One of the girls asked in English, "How much is it for a beer?" He looked at her, smiled and shrugged his shoulders. She repeated herself in English, only this time much slower and a bit louder, "HOW MUCH FOR A BEER?” He replied in
Spanish "More than a bottle of water and less than a mixed drink.”

“I'll have a beer,” she said, sounding annoyed.

Another girl asked in Spanish for a common American mixed drink. He was not familiar with it. He said, “If I went to your country and asked for a Spanish drink, would you be familiar with it? Obviously not. So what can I get you?"

My heart started pounding. I felt we had offended him in some way.

He walked out to fill our order. I followed him. "Hi," I said speaking in Spanish. “My name is Sonia. I am sorry if taking our order was a bit frustrating.” He replied “Hi. My name is Fernando. I am working here. All I ask is for a little respect. I would not disrespect you all in your country, and all I am asking is that you all don’t disrespect me in mine. Vale?” “Okay,” I said.

I walked back out to where my group was sitting just in time to hear someone say, "That bartender is a bit rude."

I was a bit confused. We walked into his bar, in his country, speaking our language. Yes, we are Americans, but we are in Spain. Maybe we could be more polite and courteous? We should attempt to speak their language. Even if we butcher it, it would be more polite than expecting them to speak English. I tried to blow the encounter off and enjoy the show.

We then traveled to Pamplona, where the famous running of the bulls festival is held each year. The bullring was closed. The bull entrance had barricades in front of it. Two young guys in our group decided it would be fun to jump the barriers and take a peak inside. They were chased out by a man on a forklift. No se puede,” (It is not allowed) he yelled in Spanish. “Those barriers are there for a reason.” The two young guys laughed and said, “Oh well! You are only in Spain once.”

One of the women in our group shouted, “Si, se puede.” and laughed. She continued shouting it and raising her hands, laughing the whole time. The phrase, coined by the Mexican-American civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, was the motto for the United Farm Workers. It has more recently become a rallying cry for immigrant rights activists in the United States. Ironically, we were the foreigners and we were breaking through the barriers.

At that moment, I was very embarrassed to be clustered with arrogant Americans who were shouting boastfully. Respect it is a big part of the Hispanic culture. Lack of respect, sadly, is a common trait for Americans touring another country.

Spain Experience

As long as you have air in your lungs, a beating heart and a dream, it is never too late to accomplish any goals. A study abroad experience does not compare to a regular classroom experience.

In a different setting, your perspective changes if you are keen on what to look for. Because of the intense challenges of making this trip possible, my mind was open and ready to experience as much as I could. I did not hesitate as I normally do to try something new. Whether it was a new food, a show or a simple visit to a museum, I wanted to try it.

I was able to fulfill my dream of studying away from home. I was also able to experience, first hand, the thrills I hope my children will take. I plan to encourage them to travel to states or countries for an opportunity to learn about other cultures, other governments and other people.

This has altered my view of the world in many ways. I learned more about who I am as a Hispanic woman living in the United States. I have gained more pride in my culture and my upbringing. My most favorite lesson, however, has to be the new perspective I have of the world. Days after we returned from Spain, I stood in front of a world map and it appeared smaller. Having traveled across the Atlantic shortened the distance of what once seemed worlds away. I now truly believe it is a small world after all.

The Yummy Food

The food in Spain is not like in Texas; that has been both a good thing and a bad thing.

I suppose the ships were overloaded with gold from the Americas that spices were not a top priority. Salt and pepper are not at every table. Instead, you find oil and vinegar. When I ask a waiter for pepper (looking for a hint of spicy) it has been brought to me in its original container. There are McDonald´s and Burger Kings in every city. I have not made it in yet. Today I craved a taste from home but was recommended to try Bodega SantaCruz in Seville. The taste combined with the atmosphere was delightful.

The restaurant I suppose was a fast food place. It was a bar with many small tables and only a few benches in the corners to sit on. Most people were standing. I walked up to bar, stood and watched for a few minutes. I like figuring out the process. There were two chalk boards with a list of specials to choose from. I ordered a pringa, a tortilla española and a beer. The pringa tasted like a grilled chopped bar-b-que sandwich but was half the size. A tortilla espanola is scrambled egg with potatoes in it. I´m already making plans to make this at home. The bartender wrote my order on the bar with a chalk. He brought me my food and totaled my bill. After I paid he wiped it off.

This was a great recommendation. I have been willing to try anything new. Kim has a travel guide with suggestions of restaurants to try in each city. Our stop in Bilboa directed us to Ojo-Rio Bar. Kim ordered white asparagus served with a glob of mayonnaise and delightful lamb stew. Richard had a fresh garden salad and bacalao (cod in a bubbling lemon sauce.) I enjoyed a tasty garbanzo and pork rib soup and a very rich simmered ox tail with veggies.

Our breakfast and dinner meals are included as part of our tour. Spaniards like eat jamon. I do to just not at every meal. I am not going to want eat type of cured meat for a long long time. I am looking forward to a piece of fresh grilled tenderly seasoned meat.

Friends in Spain

OK!! The days have been increbible here in Spain but I am ready to go home!

I miss my husband Ric, my boys Ricky, Josh, Peter and Andy. We have been in Spain for what seems like an eternity. The last few days are a blur. I understand why musicians find it difficult to remember dates and names of cities. I am glad I have taken so many pictures. I am on second 1 G memory card.

My roommate Kim has been wonderful. She is amazed at how quickly I get ready in the mornings. Not having to rush any boys to get dressed has cut my time in half. I have been trying to keep things organized but moving nearly every night to a different city has made it extremely difficult.

I have been blessed with an incredible new friend Richard. We share many interests. We are both the youngest child with a our closest sibling more than five years apart. A rule we established from the beginning was to speak as much Spanish while in Spain. I am sure he has tired of hearing stories about Ric and my boys. If he has he has been gracious enough not to show it and just listen.

Being in a group of so many people can obviously get overwhelming. Personalities clash and situations arise that can very easily cause tension. I am thankful for not being a girly girl and getting wrapped up in the drama. I live in a house full of males so I have learned to get over it and move on.

Thankfully Richard and Kim have been awesome. At lunch meals we have together each one of us orders a differnt dish and then enjoy a variety of flavors.

La Reconquista

La Reconquista lasted almost 800 years. It was a long process by which the Catholics conquered the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslim and Moorish of Al-Andalus. The Moors had their greatest influence in the cities of Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada. The Alhambra and Generalife we toured in Granada were breathtaking. The architectural magnificence here is overwhelming. I sat in the garden thinking of my former employer and agreeing with his opinion “This was a creative civilization.”

The cities of Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada were highly influenced by the Moors. Evidence of the transitioning between the Moors and Christian is seen in the architectural design of churches. The Christians chose not to destroy such splendid works of art. They modified buildings to reflect a church instead of a mosque. Queen Isabella I and Ferdinand II were known as the Catholic Monarchs. Queen Isabella is a woman I greatly admire. She laid the foundation for the political unification of Spain. Together they oversaw the final stages of the Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula. Granada was the last stronghold for the Moors. The same year that Spain took control of the peninsula Queen Isabela authorized the expedition of Christopher Colombus. He became the first European to reach the New World.

I am currently sitting in an internet cafe across the street from the cathedral where apparently part of Christopher Colombus´s remains are. DNA tests have been done to confirm that was him. Although there was some debate about his remains also being in Santo Domingo. The remains here in Seville were brought from Havana, Cuba in 1902.

It is intresting to think what the world would be like had the Christians not taken over the Iberian Peninsula. Those of us in San Antonio may have been influence by a different religion.

Goya - Prado Musuem

Our visit to the Prado museum was breathtaking. I stood in front of artworks created by Goya, Velasquez and Rubens just to name a few. Their interpretation of stories I already knew were mind boggling. The story of the Virgin Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth is a great example. I had always envisioned two young pregnant mothers. One of the artists depicts Elizabeth as an elderly woman. Knowing the story I recognized the facts shown. Yes, Elizabeth was much older.

Standing in front of Goya´s The Third of May 1808: The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid gave me goosebumps. His ability to capture so much emotion using oil on canvas was incredible. Both the darkness and composure of the subjects create such drama. The men about to be shot express so many emotions. The men with both hands at their face hide the feeling they would rather not have. The eyebrows on the man with both hands upraised are like two question marks of the situation. We do not see any facial expressions from the soldiers only their backs. Perhaps Goya did not want us to see a soldier but rather a killing machine.

Goya painted many members of the Spanish royal family, including Charles IV and Ferdinand. His work ranged from festive tapestry to cartoons to scenes of war and corpes. This evolution reflects the dark change in his later years. Near the end of his life, he became reclusive and produced frightening and obscure paintings of insanity, madness, and fantasy. His contributions represent a beginning to the expressionist movement.

Barcelona- Gaudi Creations

You have to experience it! We toured two of the sights created by the artist Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi was a Spanish architect famous for his unique style. He belonged to a cultural movement led by highly individualistic intellectuals. These progressive thinkers aimed at updating their culture with arts and ideas by bringing Catalan up to date with the rest of Europe.

This is an experience I want to share with my husband Ric. Setting my eyes on this church was like peeking into heaven. The scaffolds seem to disappear as I stood in awe of this master piece. La Sagrada Familia is a Catholic church currently under construction. Gaudi worked on this for project for over forty years. He died before its completion. In the twentieth century some of the most talented artists have made a contribution to this endeavour. Most recently since the 1980´s computers have been introduced into the design and construction process. Parue Gruell was originally part of an unsuccessful housing project. Only two houses were built. The park is skilfully designed to bring peace and calmness.
Violinists, guitarists and artisans can be found adding performing and showcasing their talents. I tried taking picture of a violinist. As I made my way in front of him he turned his back to me. So enamoured by the sound and sights I did not realize what he was doing. I was chasing him like a dog trying to catch his tail. Someone in my group finally tapped me on the shoulder and said “He won’t let you take his picture.” Gosh! I thought I should remember the photo rules in this country. The music adds a fine touch to such a relaxing atmosphere. Benches and large beads are found along a pathway surrounding the home. The intention was to leisurely stroll around the passage while praying the rosary.

The architectural ingenious of Gaudi is remarkable. He is considered one of Spain’s, and the world’s most best and brightest.