I am exhausted in every way possible. Traveling, not sleeping well, going to bed too late, and having a jam-packed schedule will do that. That being said, I wouldn't give up these next three weeks for anything. On Friday I am going to Lagos, Portugal with Hannah, her friend Laura, and Lindsey on a bus trip from Granada, which I am really looking forward to (despite the forecast for rain!). The weekend after, I am hoping to go to Alicante, Spain to see Allie, but I don't know if that is happening yet. Even so, it's absolutely crazy I only have three weeks left! Yesterday was my last flight within Europe (on the lovely Ryanair...) and I am sad my traveling adventures are coming to an end.
This is my last full week of classes as well, which brings mixed feelings because 1. it means the semester is almost over but 2. I am also happy about that because class here is honestly a miserable and frustrating experience. Sometimes I wonder if my teachers are even qualified to be teaching me things, because they stand in front of the class and recite facts, with absolutely no critical analysis of the material. I could read wikipedia and be more informed about the topics, but hey, I guess the classes are easy enough. It's most frustrating for me because I have a lot of things to say, and I have been taught to draw connections between classes/what I've learned in the past, but they don't like that here. I was actually talking to some people who are studying in Sevilla over the weekend, and they are having the same problem at their university. I don't get it and I don't fully understand how this country runs efficiently sometimes, to be honest. In what other place is it acceptable to take a five hour break for lunch and a nap? No where. The people here claim that the siesta time is necessary in the summer because it's hot outside, but I'm pretty sure it is just as hot in Las Vegas, Florida, heck even Connecticut sometimes, and you don't see us taking long breaks from 12-4 or 5 pm. But hey, I guess Spain has been around for awhile, so apparently they are doing something right, even though I may never figure out what it is.
It's interesting to me as a history/political science major to think about the time that Franco was the dictator of Spain. Spain essentially lost 36 years during his reign, as Franco restricted the people´s rights and isolated Spain from the rest of the world. As a result, Spain is seemingly behind the times now. Women are just starting to play a bigger role in society (and are still thought of as inferior by the older generation), very few people speak English (especially in Andalucia), and as a whole, the country is very old fashioned (again, Andalucia especially). My Señora in particular still thinks Franco was a godsend, and many of the older generation believes Franco did the country good because while he was dictator, the economy was strong (as it usually is during a dictatorship, but whatever). It´s interesting to see this perspective, because to me supporting a dictator seems absolutely ridiculous, but it is eye-opening to hear the (sometimes completely strange) things people say here (such as my friend´s Señora, who said ¨I miss Franco. When he was in charge, the homosexuals didn´t have rights.´´...WHAT! Come on.)
Speaking of the role of women (which was the topic of three of my socio politics classes-please someone shoot me, especially because the same facts were repeated over and over), I hate the way men here treat women. I have never been more conscious of being a woman, and I realize now how amazing the United States is when it comes to treating both genders equally. The women here legally have the same rights and opportunites as men, but the way men treat women (in my opinion) is completely disrespectful (don´t get me started on the Spanish male stereotype that soccer is stricly a sport for men, and men only). To put it bluntly, the men here are absolute pigs. Here is a perfect example: Yesterday I was walking to class, wearing a dress that almost reached my knees and was 100% covering me. However, it seems as though Spanish men have never seen bare legs before (most girls wear tights at all times, but hey, I sweat a lot so no way am I doing that when it is 75 degrees), because they yell and taunt and flirt with any girl whose legs are not entirely covered. I´m sorry, but I didn´t realize I was going to Saudi Arabia. Anyways, I was walking down the street and two men on a motorcycle literally STOP next to me and do the typical Spanish male sound when they see a decent-looking female: ´´Ch-ch-ch-chhhh!´´ I turn and glare at them, because that sound is annoying and dumb and they sound like a cricket of some kind, and the man WINKS at me then proceeds to MEOW. Yes, meow. Like a cat. What! I did not realize that making animal sounds is attractive to women. I wish I had been quick thinking enough to woof back at him, but I was a little too confused and shocked. Why are you meow-ing? Also, unrelated, but why are you wearing a purple scarf?
Later that night, Lindsey and I went to get tapas and a man working at the restaurant greeted us with the usual Spanish greeting: ´´Hola, guapa!¨ (hello, pretty). This is actually a normal greeting in Spain, so I have grown accostumed to it, even though I think it´s sort of creepy. However, this man took it a step farther, telling me I was beautiful with my flower in my hair, and that Lindsey and I were the two prettiest girls to come into the restaurant all day. When we left, he told us we had to come back again, and we should bring our friends next time, all with this creepy ¨come with me I have candy´´ smile. I told my Señora about this, and she said that it was a bit much, but acting in that way is standard in Spain. Maybe this would be flattering if Lindsey and I had low self esteem and hadn´t been used to getting yelled at by random men for the last three months, but at this point it is absolutely annoying. Do we look interested? No. Maybe now I should mention he was in his 30s (with obviously spiked and gelled hair, but that´s besides the point). Would this be acceptable in the United States? No, and it doesn´t happen often there either (here, it happens just about every day). Let´s just say I am ready to experience the less direct American men again (who ever thought I would say that, seeing as how almost every guy at UConn bores me to death). But hey, if any of you out there are looking for a confidence booster, come to Spain. Every boy here will call you pretty (but they might meow, woof, ribbit, or moo at you as well, who knows). :)
However. I had an amazing weekend in Palma de Mallorca. The island was gorgeous, with white sand and blue water beaches. Ally, Alyssa, Ari and I stayed in an apartment we found online for a very cheap price. If I had known about the website Alyssa found the apartment on earlier in the semester, I totally would have tried to find apartments in other cities. The website is airbnb.com, in case anyone is planning on going abroad. You can use it in the United States, too! It was perfect to have our own area, kitchen (not that I cook. I am a disaster in the kitchen), and sleeping areas without the accompaniment of strange people in a hostel room. I would definitely recommend looking for cheap apartments when traveling!
I got a little tan, relaxed a lot, but I am still so tired. I am on a school computer right now and don´t have my pictures, but I will upload some soon. I also went to the Alhambra yesterday (finally... I mean it´s in Granada and is Spain´s most visited attraction, yet somehow I hadn´t gone yet) which was beautiful. I don´t really know what more to say about Palma, but if you get the chance to go, do it!!
Oh, wait, did I mention the beaches there are topless? Typical for Spain, but a little shocking for me at first. I´m pretty sure you could walk around naked here and nobody would care. Actually, I think you could do just about anything and nobody would care. I don´t really get it because the whole country is so relaxed about rules and regulations, but my Señora freaks out if I have bare feet in the house. They have some weird superstitions...(such as you will be automatically sick and dying if you go outside with wet hair, and if you have a sunburn, you NEED to go to the hospital, as Lindsey found out yesterday. No, she didn´t go, but her Señora was quite convinced that medical attention was absolutely necessary). All of the crazy beliefs and superstitions certainly make for some funny stories.
Hasta luego, I have grammar class and I guess I should maybe probably go to it...
Pictures to come soon!
Lauren :)
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