Costaleros

So these are the men and even women who carry these ginormous and heavy images through the streets for hours on end. When Kirsten and I first saw them, we were like, Who do these dudes think they are wearing do rags? Then we realized who they were. There are anywhere from 30 – 70 costaleros carrying each image and oftentimes they are underneath cloth and cannot see out or where they are going. They are also situated VERY close to one another and can only take baby steps…no wonder they move so slowly. They have certain pasos (steps) that they do in time with the music and usually rock the image back and forth. It’s quite amazing actually and takes lots of practice. This is one of my favorite pictures of a costalero smoking a cigarette…

Semana Santa Video

I really wish you all could have been there to experience it for yourselves. The processions really were fascinating and there was just something intriguing about them. The images of the last week of Christ’s life being carried by 40 or more people all over the city for 4 hours (uphill even) with the band playing music…it just left you in awe. So this is as close as you’re gonna get to experiencing it through the videos. Sorry, you can’t smell the incense of course…you’re really missing out on that one! Haha!

Semana Santa

Today was Domingo de Ramos. Semana Santa (Holy Week) here is from Saturday to the next Sunday. Now, this is what I really wanted to see here in Spain for Easter! I thought I was going to have to go to Sevilla to see it, but it's just as big right here in Almeria. Here in Andalucia they have processions every day of the week, maybe 3 or 4. There are tons! And this is the typical outfit. Don't worry, don't be scared!! They are NOT the Ku Klux Klan revived. It's crazy cause being from the U.S. we have that negative connotation. It's interesting to say the least....

So Kirsten and I had a front row standing position and were able to see everything super well. A typical procession leaves from a church and there are lots of these people with Klu Klux Klan hats (sorry, I don't know what they're called) and also huge images like these along with bands who play music while the many people underneath the images do their steps. They can't see where they are going you see. There are people to guide them and they have practiced a lot. Some of the more penitent people walk barefoot. These processions last a loooong time! We are talking like between 4-6 hours. Can you imagine carrying an image like this for that long? They have to prepare the whole year before. So the 2 images in this particular procession were the Last Supper (let me tell you, it was ginormous!!) and then the Virgin Mary. It was all that I had hoped for and more!! And we still have many to see as today is only the beginning of the processions.

We were standing so close that I could touch the images and I even took these close-ups of the side. Elise, you should be proud....

MORE TO COME FOR SEMANA SANTA.....STAY TUNED!!

Granada

Here is a picture of Myrium, Kirsten, and I in the Stake Center in Granada. Myrium told me that I had to sit down since I'm too tall. Haha! Good one. In case you don't remember, Myrium is the lady from the Ward here that I hang out with. Kirsten came Friday night for the whole Semana Santa (Easter). It's been fun to have her here and we've already had lots of fun adventures!

So Myrium called me up at the spur of the moment to go to Granada with her in her car for a Stake Enrichment. I was cooking lunch at the moment so we had to hurry and stuff it down, and walk really really fast to make the bus to Aguadulce where she lives. It's about 2 hours driving in the car to Granada. After Enrichment, there was lots of delicious food, but they subjected us to torture first. We had to sit through and listen to explanations about how they made it and blah, blah, blah....Kirsten and I hadn't been to the grocery store (still haven't) so we were starving! Well, at least I was! Then when we were let loose on the food, it was almost impossible to get what you wanted. It was like a free tapas bar going around the room tasting a bit of everything.

Myrium is crazy. She's funny! It's fun to hang out with her, but on the way back I totally thought we were going to run out of gas. The light had been on for a while, it was dark, and there was no town in sight. BUT, we made it ok to fill up thank goodness. It was a good day all in all.

Fiñana. So Fiñana was the very small pueblo I was originally assigned to here in Spain. I didn't realize it at first (the province is Almeria so I mistook that for the city Almeria), but when I found out I was extremely disappointed because it is so small, not close to the beach at all, and doesn't have a branch/ward of the Church. I would have absolutely nothing to do in my free time. I had even decided not to come to Spain because of it. Can you believe that?! But then I worked on trading someone for Almeria. Well, of course NO ONE wanted to go to such a small town, everyone wanted the big city. I wasn't having much success. So I finally traded Fiñana for Sevilla through the Junta de Andalucia (the people in charge of it all), but I didn't want to go there either because it's too big. Yes, I'm picky as you can see. Haha! But this was perfect cause the other people doing the program all wanted to be in Sevilla. I got so many responses back through email from people wanting to trade. I seriously could have picked anywhere in Andalucia, city & pueblo alike - Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Nerja, etc. But I picked Almeria since that's where I thought I was originally! Anyway, driving through Granada the other day we passed through Fiñana. I wanted to go and spend a whole day there to see where I would have been living, but now I don't need to. There's not much to see - just a small town with a couple of churches. Yes, it's very cute, but I'm glad I'm living here and not there!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Yep, that's right. St. Patrick's Day has been moved back 2 days earlier here in Europe. Normally, it's on the 17th, but since that falls within Holy Week, all the bishops got together and decided to move it back to today, the 15th. Here I am sportin' the only green shirt I have...you've probably seen it a few too many times on my blog. That's cause I like it! It's from Mexico. Did YOU wear green for St. Patrick's day or get pinched?

All my hard work is paying off!!

I couldn't be happier! That's the great thing about being a teacher...you can actually see results of your work. Tonight I went to my class with Jose & Ana. Jose had his first English test this week since I started with them and he got a 9.5 out of 10 (the grading system is a bit different here in Spain). His parents were happy and said that's the best grade he's ever gotten. Good for him! At least I know I'm doing some good. Hehe!

Jose's a little trickster...I guess what goes around comes around. No wonder I like the kid so much! When I walked in, he told me that he had gotten a 3.5 and played off being sad and all. Then he brought me his test and really he had gotten a 9.5!

Zapatero is re-elected

Sunday was the general elections for Spain and Zapatero was re-elected as President. There was a turn out of about 75% of people to vote. On Friday, just two days before the elections, a former councilman was shot and killed leaving his home in the Basque Country (northern part of Spain). It is thought to be done by the ETA, a terrorist group here in the Basque Country to influence the elections. Zapatero and his opponent, Rajoy, quit their campaigning until the elections. There have been many people uniting in opposition to the ETA and for a moment of silence on behalf of the murdered councilman. There was about the same turn out for voting in 2004, when the terrorist bombings took place in Madrid, which was exactly 4 years ago to the day - March 11.

2 week Spring Break!

My Spring Break has officially begun!! And I have 2 whole weeks! One because there are exams and the other for Semana Santa. Heaven on earth. Actually, heaven on the beach. I plan to spend lots of time being a beach bum. Sorry, I don't want to rub it in too much, therefore I'll stop talking...

Luis

So Luis is my student, but I am also his student. We started just this week doing private lessons. We speak in English for 1/2 hour and then in Spanish for 1/2 hour, 2 times a week. It's great! I love it! Too bad we didn't start earlier. It's good practice for the both of us. We are both about the same age so it's a lot fun. I'd say he speaks English about the same as I speak Spanish. Wait, I take that back...I think he speaks way better than I do.

Luis hit the nail on the head after the first lesson...my Spanish is lacking in fluidity. It's true. I'm so concerned about saying things right that I take my time saying it. I have to think about the correct conjugation of the verb, the masculine or feminine of the adjective, the placement of the indirect object, and so on. You know how it goes. Therefore, he told me to try to speak faster and then he would correct me. That's exactly what I need so hopefully I'll improve quickly. I mean, I can speak quickly with other people, but they are less likely to correct me on everything. I've tried out 2 different Spanish classes, but the other people have been at a significantly lower level than me and I didn't think it was worth the money. So I think this class with Luis will be good! He is also in one of my students of my regular classes at the school.

I don't know how I have time to do all these lessons, but somehow it's all worked out, with my mornings still free!

Rescate Sahariana

This morning I went on a guided tour of an area close to the castle known as the Saharan Rescue for Gazelles. It was like going to the zoo! They breed and repopulate 3 different species of gazelles here - dama, cuvier, and dorca. Sorry, I don't know what they are in English, but they are listed from largest to smallest. All 3 of these species are in danger of extinction. The climate of Almeria is very similar to that of the African Sahara so that is the reason that it's located here. The reason the gazelles are close to extinction is because the people there are dying of hunger and so hunt them for food. At this rescue, they take the gazelles and put them back into the Sahara. Interesting eh? They are cute little guys! We also saw a little Arabic garden.

Chiringuitos

That's fun to say! Chiringuitos. The small restaurants/bars on the beach are prepping for the beach season now that's it's finally getting warmer. They are re-painting, setting out chairs & tables and setting up umbrellas in order to open up again. I suspect the beach is going to get very busy here pretty soon, and I'll be one of the first people there! In fact, I already went the beginning of this week.

Everywhere I go...

…I see someone I know! Even though Almeria is fairly big, about 190,000 people, I always see someone I know on the bus, in the grocery store, or just walking by on the street. It’s great!

So there’s this student of mine, a girl, who I see everywhere all the time! Well, she avoids me. Why, I don’t know. I think she’s a bit embarrassed and shy. So I know that she sees me, but avoids me. We used to ride the bus together all the time and talk (in Spanish nonetheless) so I don’t get it. Well…the next time I see her I’m going to yell out her name and REALLY embarrass her! Haha!

Preciosa, Guapa, Madre Mia!

These are the typical responses I get from the men around here. So it used to just be the short Latin American men, then it moved to Spaniards, and it's not just the young ones....old bald men with beards as well. Yuck! I do my best to ignore them, but it makes me wary of ever talking to anyone that I don't meet through someone else. Sometimes when I walk by someone, I find myself thinking, "I'll pop 'em upside the head!" or "I'll knock him out!" but he hasn't even done anything yet. Haha!

I'm taller than like everybody here. I think that's part of the problem...I stand out too much. Today on the tour I went on, I was joking with a lady about blocking the sun for her! But the other day I saw a girl taller than me. Seriously! It was a miracle! And I know she was Spanish because of her haircut...

Stay Another Year?

So I got a letter saying that if I want to come back here to Spain next year I can! I would teach in the same school and everything. I would even make a bit more money each month. I already have some good private lessons set up even that I could continue. I have really loved being here. It's verrrrry tempting.....

What do you think? Should I stay or come back to the US?

Physician Assistant School

I FINALLY heard from the PA school I applied to back in the summer. I had an interview back in September and it took them almost 6 months to let me know anything. Man! So I am officially on the alternate list, but I have no idea what number. Even if I do somehow make it in, I won't be going this year because it starts too early for me to make it. Maybe I can defer it for one year. I'm not sure if I want to be a PA anyhow.

So after 2 rejections from Pharmacy School, and now being on the alternate list, I figure the next time I apply to whatever I will definitely get in! I'm slowly moving up. Haha! Or maybe I just need to apply to more than one school at a time. I'm thinking the next thing might be MBA school. Why do I have to change my mind so much? It's ridiculous! Anyway, just wanted to share the news and let you know where I stand.