Big Life Decisions

Palabra del día: Huelga
Translation: strike
Frase: Ayer había una huelga de educación en la universidad porque el gobierno está haciendo muchas recortes, y por eso nadie fue a clase.
Translation: Yesterday there was an education strike at the university because the government is making lots of budget cuts, and because of this nobody went to class.

Comida del día: Manzanas crujientes (Apple crisp!)
This isn't actually a Spanish food, but last weekend I taught my host mom how to make it!  It was quite a success - everyone loved it and I got to eat one of the delicious fall foods I've been missing (there aren't a lot of pumpkin or apple flavored things here).  I also gave her the recipe so that she can make it for future students that she hosts.

Doesn't it look good?  Sole said it was a "gran triunfo" (big triumph!)

Foto del día: I'll actually give you two!

The last three weeks I've gone on visits to the Alhambra with my Islamic architecture class.  In addition to getting to look at beautiful views like this one, we got to go in VIP areas that average tourists aren't allowed to go in.  Fun fact: Spanish people use the word VIP but it's pronounced "veep".

Last week I went on another IES hiking trip, this time to a region called the Alpujarra, which consists of small villages in the mountains.  It was beautiful although a bit cold, because last week was the beginning of the season of snow on the Sierra Nevada.  That means that soon instead of hiking I can try out some skiing!

Last week, I made a very big decision: I'm staying in Granada for a second semester!  It's not very often that I completely change all of my plans for the near future, so the decision sort of took me by surprise. However, I put a lot of thought into this decision and now I'm incredibly excited to be able to spend more time in this new place that I've quickly grown to love.  People keep asking me my reasons for this drastic change of plans, so I'm going to do my best to explain my thoughts here.

When I left for my semester abroad, I was terrified of being so far away from home for four months.  Although I go to school far from home, I've always been able to easily go home for vacations and the occasional weekend, so being in a different country for such a long time was a hard concept to grasp.  However, the time has been going by so quickly and I've been enjoying Granada so much that about a month ago I started thinking that four months wasn't long enough.  At first, I ignored these thoughts, for a few logical reasons: 1) Classes at WashU are of  higher quality and fit my interests better than IES or UGR classes, 2) I miss my family and friends quite a lot, and 3) I don't like changing my plans, especially when I've put so much effort into figuring out exactly which classes I will take for the rest of my time in college.

I felt ok about this decision for about a week, which was just enough time to miss the IES deadline for signing up for a second semester.  But after a week of trying to convince myself that I had made the right decision, I couldn't stop thinking about how short four months was starting to feel.  Instead of looking forward to returning to a familiar place, familiar people, a familiar daily schedule and a familiar language I was already incredibly sad about having to leave Granada behind.  I decided that I had made the wrong decision and started looking into the possibility of staying for a full year.  As it turned out, it was still very possible!  Somehow, even though I didn't decide my majors until halfway through sophomore year, there is still a 95 percent chance that I will be able to finish both of them on time even with another semester abroad (a 95 percent chance because everything has to go according to my new plan.  If it doesn't, it's ok because it will be worth it for another semester in Granada!)

The other day, I went to a grocery store that I hadn't been to before and tried to buy some apples.  The line at the cash register was very long, and when it was finally my turn the cashier asked me how much the apples weighed.  I stared at her blankly, and she stormed off to go weigh the apples herself at a weighing station next to the apples in the store.  An annoyed customer then explained to me (in accented English, easily identifying me as an American), "You have to weigh them!" Everyone else in the line just glared at me, and when the cashier returned I sheepishly apologized and left the store as quickly as possible.

Moments like these are becoming less and less frequent, but they make me realize how long it takes to adjust to life in a new country.  After eight weeks here, I felt like I had mostly adjusted to the daily schedule and could find almost everything I needed, but it took much longer to understand certain aspects of the culture and to get to know Spanish people.  I think that the more adjusted I am, the more I will be able to fully experience living here, instead of worrying about how to live here.

I have a few goals for next semester.  First of all, I'm looking forward to spending more time with my new Spanish friends.  I easily made friends with other American students in my program, but it takes longer to get to know Spanish people, especially with the language barrier and the fact that they already have established lives here.  I feel that I am just starting to form friendships with Spanish people, and I learn new things about the language and the culture every time I have a conversation with one of these friends.

I've also changed my attitude about my classes, and I'm planning to study a bit more going forward.  It was fine to take some time off to enjoy the culture of Granada, especially when I thought I was only going to be here for four months, but I'm pretty sure it's dangerous to slack off for a full year!  Although IES classes are easier than WashU classes and I haven't been thrilled with my class at the university, I've discovered that if I put in a little extra effort I can actually learn some interesting things.  And since many of my classes relate to the culture of Granada, I can often see and experience the things that I'm learning about firsthand.  My other academic reason for staying in Granada is that studying abroad for longer goes perfectly with my growing interest ethnomusicology.  I'm looking forward to taking more music classes next semester and possibly experimenting with learning some flamenco guitar!

In terms of other plans for the next semester, I'm thinking of doing an internship teaching at an elementary school, of living in an apartment with Spanish students instead of staying in my home-stay, and of starting a big band with some members of the band I've been playing in, all of which are things that will help me to become more immersed in Spanish life and culture.  I also have a long winter break and two weeks off in the spring, which means much more time to travel!

To try to sum things up, I'm sad that I won't be able to see family and friends for such a long time and to miss another semester at WashU, especially in terms of classes, music opportunities, and Orchestrating Diversity.  But the opportunity to stay in Granada another semester was just too exciting to give up!  I'm excited to see what surprises Granada has in store for me for the next six months, and to see what it's like to actually live here instead of stay here on what has until now felt like an incredibly fun, rewarding and educational extended vacation.