It will be weird to go back to the US and not be able to buy alcohol for about 3 months. Here, it's so normal to enjoy a drink at a tapas bar, or with a meal. I don't even think any of us have been carded. I was talking with my host mom about alcohol, and we were just discussing the cultural differences. She said she had a friend who was hosting an American student, and the mom was concerned when he often came back drunk from a night out. She called the Fund and was concerned for his health...they assured her that no, it's normal and he's fine. My Spanish mom said that being drunk here is "muy mal visto" - viewed very negatively. And it's true that you rarely see Spaniards publicly drunk or without control of themselves...that's usually more the sign of a American student, and sadly my group is sometimes no different.

Anyways, it will be weird to not be able to go to bars when I get back, since that's how we always begin our evenings here. And once I can go, I'm sure I'll get carded. It seems like here, almost everything is legal at age 18- drinking, tobacco, driving. In Granada, my friends wandered into a hooka bar, which was quite interesting. I didn't smoke (or whatever the proper verb is for partaking in this), I just observed. The downside was you had to order a drink just for being there.

Well, time for lunch...gotta run!

G

So I've been wondering ever since I got here if I pass for a local, or if I just stick out as American right away. Three friends and I were mistaken for English when a Spanish woman that we met figured out we spoke English, and I thought that was so funny because to us, the differences between American and British are so obvious. But telling that to my host mom, she said that it's not that unusual because the stereotype is that American girls are very blonde, taller, and or bigger comparatively with Europeans. But, if there are some English speaking girls that aren't necessarily super tall or large, they may be assumed to be English. That matches us because we had two normal size/somewhat petite blondes with us, and two petite brunettes. She continued to say that I, on the other hand, am intermediate and could go for either. I'm dark enough that I *could* be Spanish, or possibly just another European nationality.

So since even before then, I've been wondering if I pass as a local (before I open my mouth, of course, or do something embarrassing like not know my bus stop). And, I think that before I speak, I do! Two different people asked me for directions yesterday, and someone asked me when the buses stop running...however usually I have to ask people to repeat themselves when I'm not expecting them to speak to me like that, so that completely blows my cover. And of course I didn't know where the people were trying to go. But, regardless, I'm glad I don't stick out as a sore thumb American while going about my daily life in Toledo!!


Cultural differences are fascinating and pop up everywhere! For instance, greetings. Here they do the dos besos- a kiss on each cheek when you meet someone. And I really mean meet someone, as in a complete stranger for the first time, or a friend when you see them. Men to women and women to women for sure, although it is less common between men who aren't friends or relatives. I've been greeted with two kisses (and they're real kisses, not just the cheek bump) by my host family, teachers at the school where I work, and the family whose kids I'm helping with English- the woman and her two teenagers. It's so fun- I love it! It makes you feel so loved and immediately accepted by the people you're meeting. For the most part everyone here has been SO nice: my host family, the people working at the Fundación, even people in stores, restaurants etc. haven't been too upset with my botched attempts at Spanish. The lady whose kids I'm speaking English with even said if I don't like my other family, I can just come to her house for anything I need. When she showed me into the living room, she said, "Vale, tu casa!" (here, your house!) This was after two phone conversations and about ten minutes of knowing each other in real life.

Some of the Puerto Rican students here just do un beso, which really threw me off when I was introduced to them! Still, it's very sweet. Affection is just very ok in the Spanish/Latino culture in general. Here, PDA is much more acceptable. Couples literally have their arms around each other all the time, and noisily make out all over the place in public. On the metro thing in Valencia, a guy literally had his hands up his girlfriend's shirt...in the middle of the train!! Well, not that I wish THAT happened more in the US, but sometimes I wish our culture was a little more affectionate! So if I greet you with dos besos when I return...don't be too surprised!!

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Hmmm, I should probably change my picture and layout, it's way too Hawaiian...well, after I have pictures from my trip to Valencia this weekend, I will see what I can do about that!

So I have 5 year old twin "younger siblings" here, Susana and Miguel. Their mom was asking me yesterday if I understood them when they spoke to me, and I said usually but sometimes they go too fast. She said that sometimes they (the family) don't even understand the twins, especially when they began to talk. I guess when they were younger, like 2 and 3, they only talked to each other and not to anyone else. So, by the time they began communicating with the outside world, they had their own way of talking and communicating! As Noemi (my host mom) pointed out, with just the two of them, there was no one to correct their grammar and pronunciation.

So one day they were in the back seat of the car, and Susana said to Miguel, "Miguel, I'm getting married."
"Really? To whom?"
"I don't know yet."
"To a boy?"
"I don't like any of the boys that I know."
"To a young man (joven)?
At this point Susana got confused, saying, "To Homer Simpson? (joven and the way they say Homer sound alike) Who doesn't have hair??"

Apparently her confusion lasted, because another time after this, they were at a birthday party for their grandfather, and Susana asked, "Grandpa, are you an old man?"
Grandpa, joking, answers, "No, I'm young! (joven)"
Susana: "Joven?? But you have hair!!"

And so continues the amusing experience of living with twins!

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