Sunday, January 25, 2009
more flamenco
Have I mentioned that I'm rather in love with flamenco? The sound, the rhythm, the dance, the guitar, the singing, the cajon...basically everything! I just started taking dance classes, we'll see how much I can learn in a few months....
On Thursday I went to a nearby (tango?)bar to listen to some flamenco. The guitarist "Pajarillo" is someone I've seen a few times now, and been introduced to. The singer (not a traditional "flamenco" voice, but quite good) and the man in the purple are brother and sister. This always makes the dynamics more fun, I think... The man on the right playing the cajon (percussion box) is my co-worker at school. He's a history teacher/anthropologist/flamenco enthusiast. We have English conversations every week (practise for him, since next year he has to teach the first level classes in English) and I always feel like I'm getting a free lecture, its great. Sometimes he brings the newspaper and we talk about something to do with current Spanish politics or culture or society, other times we talk about the same in the U.S. Sometimes I get a history lesson on the area--talking about the moors and the christians and the architecture and placement of villages... Other times we talk about music and he teaches me rhythms or shows me youtube videos of great flamenco or other Spanish artists. Its a pretty fun hour out of my week.
Anyway, after this show my friend and I went with this professor to another venue (smokey!) where we watched what I'm going to call a "gypsy jam session." It was awesome. It was a relatively small place and there were not a lot of people there--all part of the flamenco world, its seemed, save for Tamara and me, and they took turns singing, dancing, clapping, (smoking) etc. Everyone just playing and dancing for fun, not performance. I tried to take some videos there but it was super dark and kinda noisy so they turned out very poorly. All in all, though, a fun night.
** I'm not having success in uploading the video... I'll try it in a separate post?**
On Thursday I went to a nearby (tango?)bar to listen to some flamenco. The guitarist "Pajarillo" is someone I've seen a few times now, and been introduced to. The singer (not a traditional "flamenco" voice, but quite good) and the man in the purple are brother and sister. This always makes the dynamics more fun, I think... The man on the right playing the cajon (percussion box) is my co-worker at school. He's a history teacher/anthropologist/flamenco enthusiast. We have English conversations every week (practise for him, since next year he has to teach the first level classes in English) and I always feel like I'm getting a free lecture, its great. Sometimes he brings the newspaper and we talk about something to do with current Spanish politics or culture or society, other times we talk about the same in the U.S. Sometimes I get a history lesson on the area--talking about the moors and the christians and the architecture and placement of villages... Other times we talk about music and he teaches me rhythms or shows me youtube videos of great flamenco or other Spanish artists. Its a pretty fun hour out of my week.
Anyway, after this show my friend and I went with this professor to another venue (smokey!) where we watched what I'm going to call a "gypsy jam session." It was awesome. It was a relatively small place and there were not a lot of people there--all part of the flamenco world, its seemed, save for Tamara and me, and they took turns singing, dancing, clapping, (smoking) etc. Everyone just playing and dancing for fun, not performance. I tried to take some videos there but it was super dark and kinda noisy so they turned out very poorly. All in all, though, a fun night.
** I'm not having success in uploading the video... I'll try it in a separate post?**
Friday, January 16, 2009
school days and walking home
Sometimes I really enjoy the questions that the students ask me in class... The other day I was asked how old I was. 23. Then one of the boys raises his hand and asks: "Are you boyfriend?" No...I am not boyfriend... Had to review how to ask the question, and then answered that no, I do not have a boyfriend. "Are you asking for you or for your friend?" The professor teased him. "For him, for him!" I told one of my other coworkers about it and we had a good laugh imagining me going on a date with this high school boy (who has to be 7-8 years my junior) and him getting carded when trying to buy a drink. Anyway, I've made plenty of much sillier blunders in Spanish, but they are always kind of fun to hear.
Also, yesterday I was asked by some of the students if I smoked. I took the opportunity (speaking in Spanish, which I try never to do in class, so they could actually understand me) to say that no, I definitely do not smoke. Smoking is sooo common here, and kids start really young. I explained, too, that I was an athlete, and smoking and sports don't mix. "What sports to you play?" I wished I could have said futbol, because that would have been more impressive to them, but whatever. "I run and play ultimate frisbee (time-out while I explain what "ultimate" is) and climb." Then they all proceeded to tell me that they don't smoke either, which I don't entirely believe, but I hope is true. Or that maybe, just maybe, they might be sliiiightly influenced by me and other people who do not smoke? Anway, it made me feel good to be able to talk about it in a non-lecture format.
And, because it was a day of funny expressions, apprently, while walking home a guy (older) passing me on the street made the comment, "Muy rubia!" um, what? Okay, I get "rubia!" and "hola, guapa!" from time-to-time, meaning "blonde/light person!" or "hey there, beautiful" but... "very blonde?" that was new. Yes, I am very blonde.
Also this bank's holiday message made me laugh. "Happy urban year"? and the other side of the building said, "Happy urban Xmas." So there you have it... Happy urban year, ya'll!
Also, yesterday I was asked by some of the students if I smoked. I took the opportunity (speaking in Spanish, which I try never to do in class, so they could actually understand me) to say that no, I definitely do not smoke. Smoking is sooo common here, and kids start really young. I explained, too, that I was an athlete, and smoking and sports don't mix. "What sports to you play?" I wished I could have said futbol, because that would have been more impressive to them, but whatever. "I run and play ultimate frisbee (time-out while I explain what "ultimate" is) and climb." Then they all proceeded to tell me that they don't smoke either, which I don't entirely believe, but I hope is true. Or that maybe, just maybe, they might be sliiiightly influenced by me and other people who do not smoke? Anway, it made me feel good to be able to talk about it in a non-lecture format.And, because it was a day of funny expressions, apprently, while walking home a guy (older) passing me on the street made the comment, "Muy rubia!" um, what? Okay, I get "rubia!" and "hola, guapa!" from time-to-time, meaning "blonde/light person!" or "hey there, beautiful" but... "very blonde?" that was new. Yes, I am very blonde.
Also this bank's holiday message made me laugh. "Happy urban year"? and the other side of the building said, "Happy urban Xmas." So there you have it... Happy urban year, ya'll!
Monday, January 12, 2009
good news for people who love bad news
That's a song. But I can't remember who sings it. oops. And I just learned that 2 or 3 google searches releases about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle of water. (I can't say I'm too worried about it, actually. Should I be?) anyway, its true that lots of bad stuff is happening these days. Gaza's getting pounded. An indonesian ferry with several hundred people aboard sunk. A Nepalese reporter was "hacked to death." bleck. no good. But there is also good news out there! On a rather small scale (but related to bigger things!) I finally found a little health food store that has all fair trade products. (Including brown sugar, woohoo! But no vanilla, boo! But David Bon. brought me yummy extracto de vainilla de Mexico. so I'm set. ) I'm excited to finish the average joe (hah...) coffee I bought at the super market so that I can go buy fair trade coffee. And now I'm off in search of fresh cilantro to make a yummy sweet potatoe, black bean dish (from Simply in Season, the burritos) because my dear friend Emily sent me the recipe! Yum good food and good friends. Also today is very sunny. And I will go to my second flamenco class. That's right, when I come back I will be pura gitana. pure gypsy. Everyone tells me I look like a gypsy already. (a lie...) And then to the climbing gym. Um, but anyway, I just browsed the BBC homepage to see if I could put up some more good news...um...kind of hard to find. Scientists got some footage of the Solenodon? (Only mammal that can inject venom into prey. Lives on the island of Hispaniola--DR and Haiti.) Yeah, thats about all I got. Plus an advert for the best job in the world, i.e. "island caretaker" on small islands of Australia. If I thought I had any chance of getting it I would apply...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
randomies
Went out for an afternoon walk and tea with a friend yesterday. Here's a view of the Alhambra from a little plaza in which we stopped.
So I used to think that the weather was the Most Boring Topic On Earth. Adults discussed it all the time. I disgusted it. (hah) We vowed as children to Never be so boring. Guess what? I talk about the weather now. This brings me to the awkward place of either admitting that 1. its not so boring after all, or 2. I have become a lame adult and must seek some form of immaturity to counterbalance this terrible fact. Okay, maybe not, but it also leads one to similar thoughts on slightly more important issues. Take my college idealism, for example. We rode our bikes around everywhere, lived on about 10-20 (high end) dollars for food a week, shared cramped spaces with lots of people and tried to avoid the acquistion of material objects. And if acquired, they were probably from the street, the dumpster, the thrift store or a friend. At some point, though, I will probably have my own (or with a husband/family, but lets not get ahead of ourselves here) flat/house, a car, too many material objects, etc. Where is the balance to holding on to those "ideals of youth" (if I may) and "growing up?" Some things I will just come to realize don't make sense anymore in a certain era of my life. But there's part of me that says, yeah, but they COULD still apply, you're just allowing yourself to let them go. hmm...
On a completely unrelated note, I've been getting really yummy green/red peppers in the fruterÃa below my house. They're quite huge and very sweet and juicy. And cheap. Like tangerines... anyway. I was inspired to take a picture the other day. enjoy.
So I used to think that the weather was the Most Boring Topic On Earth. Adults discussed it all the time. I disgusted it. (hah) We vowed as children to Never be so boring. Guess what? I talk about the weather now. This brings me to the awkward place of either admitting that 1. its not so boring after all, or 2. I have become a lame adult and must seek some form of immaturity to counterbalance this terrible fact. Okay, maybe not, but it also leads one to similar thoughts on slightly more important issues. Take my college idealism, for example. We rode our bikes around everywhere, lived on about 10-20 (high end) dollars for food a week, shared cramped spaces with lots of people and tried to avoid the acquistion of material objects. And if acquired, they were probably from the street, the dumpster, the thrift store or a friend. At some point, though, I will probably have my own (or with a husband/family, but lets not get ahead of ourselves here) flat/house, a car, too many material objects, etc. Where is the balance to holding on to those "ideals of youth" (if I may) and "growing up?" Some things I will just come to realize don't make sense anymore in a certain era of my life. But there's part of me that says, yeah, but they COULD still apply, you're just allowing yourself to let them go. hmm...
On a completely unrelated note, I've been getting really yummy green/red peppers in the fruterÃa below my house. They're quite huge and very sweet and juicy. And cheap. Like tangerines... anyway. I was inspired to take a picture the other day. enjoy.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Escocia
Trying something new, here: a video. I went to Scotland over New Year's and visited some friends from Goshen who have been there for the past 1-2 years studying and working. 
We had a lovely time wandering about Edinburgh, looking at cool buildings, entering cathedrals, cooking yummy food, eating at pubs, etc. On New Year's Eve Miriam and I hiked partway up Arthur's Seat (sweet rock formation formed by iceburgs that the city has now encompassed) and got comfortable with our warm mulled wine in a thermos and waited for the fireworks. They were shot off officially from the castle and another hill nearby, so we had an excellent view of both. Also little private fireworks which went off at various minutes before and after midnight. Albeit short, it was quite a lovely show. After the fireworks we could here the whole crowd on the street party singing Aud Lang Syne. One of my highlights of the trip, though, was finding this small Swedish band jamming in a tiiiny street (a "close," if you will) while wandering a street festival full of official performances and theatre troupes arranged by the city.
Other highlights were walking out to a little island off the coast when the tide was down and tromping about with Miriam, taking an early morning walk by the river, seeing Rosslyn Chapel and learning about some of the many symbols in it, exchanging backrubs and good conversation with Miriam, yummy curry and
other splendid foods, lots of tea and hot chocolate and coffee (and some Guiness and Scottish whiskey and locally brewed beer as well), wearing six layers outside, and playing a frozen game of ultimate frisbee on New Year's day with fun hung-over players from Edinburgh's uni team, Ro Sham Bo. It was a lovely trip, and--though cold-- I really only got rained on once, which is quite impressive. There were even two days when the sun was out for the majority of the day. Apparently I was quite lucky. :) I look forward to hosting Miriam and Chris when they come to do a quick tour of Southern Spain in early February. It was fun to be able to say, "see you in a month!" instead of one of those awful goodbye's where you are not sure when you'll see the other person again.
We had a lovely time wandering about Edinburgh, looking at cool buildings, entering cathedrals, cooking yummy food, eating at pubs, etc. On New Year's Eve Miriam and I hiked partway up Arthur's Seat (sweet rock formation formed by iceburgs that the city has now encompassed) and got comfortable with our warm mulled wine in a thermos and waited for the fireworks. They were shot off officially from the castle and another hill nearby, so we had an excellent view of both. Also little private fireworks which went off at various minutes before and after midnight. Albeit short, it was quite a lovely show. After the fireworks we could here the whole crowd on the street party singing Aud Lang Syne. One of my highlights of the trip, though, was finding this small Swedish band jamming in a tiiiny street (a "close," if you will) while wandering a street festival full of official performances and theatre troupes arranged by the city.Other highlights were walking out to a little island off the coast when the tide was down and tromping about with Miriam, taking an early morning walk by the river, seeing Rosslyn Chapel and learning about some of the many symbols in it, exchanging backrubs and good conversation with Miriam, yummy curry and
other splendid foods, lots of tea and hot chocolate and coffee (and some Guiness and Scottish whiskey and locally brewed beer as well), wearing six layers outside, and playing a frozen game of ultimate frisbee on New Year's day with fun hung-over players from Edinburgh's uni team, Ro Sham Bo. It was a lovely trip, and--though cold-- I really only got rained on once, which is quite impressive. There were even two days when the sun was out for the majority of the day. Apparently I was quite lucky. :) I look forward to hosting Miriam and Chris when they come to do a quick tour of Southern Spain in early February. It was fun to be able to say, "see you in a month!" instead of one of those awful goodbye's where you are not sure when you'll see the other person again.
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