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Books

Brush up on your history

Mike Mian

30 Jul 2009

Spain

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While living and traveling through Spain, I was glad I'd done a little research before coming -- it really allowed me to gain a more comprehensive view of the country. I have two book recommendations: "The Story of Spain: The Dramatic History of Europe's Most Fascinating Country" (great for historical info, though a bit long) and the Lonely Planet travel guide for Spain (perfect for traveling around). Lonely Planet also has a book called "Europe on a Shoestring," and the section on Spain is great for travelers on tight budgets.

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Getting Around

Venturing south to Morocco

Mike Mian

19 Apr 2009

Spain

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While in Spain, Morocco is a noteworthy travel destination. Just one boat away, there's no reason not to visit, though travel can be tricky at times. The ferry crossings run frequently, but are highly dependent on weather (wind can lead to rough waters). You can use a regular (2.5 hr) or fast (1.5 hr) ferry, but DON'T BUY TICKETS BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE PORT! It's easy to miss your boat if your bus gets delayed. When arriving in Morocco, allow no help from any "free" guides and use the (much cheaper) small green taxis. Also, insist they turn their meters on--despite what they may say, I promise that their taxis were not struck by lightning!

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Festivals & Events

Carnaval in Cadíz: Come Prepared

Mike Mian

19 Apr 2009

Spain

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Carnaval in Spain is no small event, and the celebration in Cadíz is considered to be one of the largest parties in Europe. Surely a must see, but I recommend arriving prepared. A few pointers: 1) Wear shoes -- sandals aren't desirable later in the night when faced with huge crowds and glass-covered plazas, not to mention the urine-drenched streets; 2) If you plan on sleeping under a roof, book far in advance; 3) Despite being common advice, be weary of sleeping on the beach -- around 4:00 a.m. I awkwardly ran across no less than 5 pairs of proud lovers within a 100 meter stretch of sand!; 4) Get a costume!

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Culture Shock

Dude, where's my car?

Mike Mian

30 Jul 2009

Spain

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While Spain has some great transit networks from city to city, transportation systems aren't always so great within some of the cities. I had great experiences with public transit in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville (metros and light rails), but Granada was not the same story. Though a metro is now under construction, the public bus system was plagued with frequent strikes and traffic congestion. It took me a long time to adjust to the delays and figure out how to plan for them. Fortunately, the Spanish tend to be a bit more relaxed about schedules, so being late isn't usually a big deal. Eventually, I came to accept the transportation system, though it and I will never exactly be friends.

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Must Do

Gypsy Markets

Natalie Hunt

02 Apr 2009

Spain

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While living in Sevilla, I had my host brothers take me to the gypsy markets on the weekend. You get to see a different side of Sevilla, and you get amazing deals on anything that you might need. They tend to move about, but most people from Triana will be able to direct you.

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Etiquette

Kisses are actually cheek-touches

Lindsy Glick

24 Jun 2009

Spain

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When I started the Spanish "double kiss" greeting I was sure to actually do a little cheek kiss or at least that little "muah" sound. And then I realized that when I was greeting someone, I had to stop talking to do the kiss. Meanwhile, other people did not stop talking. That was when I realized that the "kiss" is just the act of touching cheeks; real cheek kisses are somewhat more rare.

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Food

Try the €8.30 lunch menu

Loryne Atoui

26 Jan 2010

Spain

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The Spanish have a whole different concept when it comes to food and dining. It’s a leisure activity, similar to the Lebanese mezza experience, except every day. Their lunch menus (you’ll spot the boards by the doors) offer a great selection with an almost too-generous portion. You get to choose an appetizer (paella is considered an appetizer, strangely enough), a main course (steak can be found on the menu), a drink (wine is sometimes cheaper than water here) and dessert. And ALL this for only €8.30 (more or less, depending on the neighborhood). I’ve learned to avoid touristic places as they totally rip you off and the food isn’t that great. It’s also more fun talking to the chefs in the smaller-run mom and pop restaurants.

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Film

When going to the movies, bring your Spanish dictionary

Marcy Miranda

27 Apr 2009

Spain

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It is an old Spanish custom, much like wearing hoods and carrying religious icons during Semana Santa or hanging ham legs in your kitchen. It's watching all movies in Spanish. Unlike many other European countries, Spain continues to shun the use of subtitles in foreign movies, opting instead to dub them for movie-goers. Instead of hearing Penelope Cruz's voice in "Vicky Christina Barcelona," audiences at the cinema hear another Spanish accent reciting Cruz's lines in the film. Finding films in their original language is not impossible, however. For the few who prefer watching movies in their original language, several movie theaters in Madrid, Barcelona, and other big cities do offer films in their original language with subtitles.

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Packing

Avoid the shimmy shake

Natalie Hunt

02 Apr 2009

Spain

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It was my (and my roommates) experience that toilet paper was not a given in all places. Nice restaurants, sure, but not in most night clubs, public bathrooms, stores, and museums. So, as a girl, it is more convenient to carry extra TP around wherever you go. The shimmy shake is not fun, especially when you are out trying to have a good time.

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Religion

Granada: The "praying pot" of Spain

Mike Mian

21 Jun 2009

Spain

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As the last Moorish kingdom in Spain and with a long history of Jewish presence, coupled with the modern day presence of Catholicism, Granada is a veritable melting pot of religion. Though the conquest of the Moors by the Catholic monarchy tried to stamp out other religions, they are very much present in the community today. In many places, Catholic churches and mosques stand side-by-side, a relic of the regions intermittent religious history.

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Politics

The students still take to the streets in Europe

Mike Mian

27 Jul 2009

Spain

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During my stay, a somewhat controversial piece of EU legislation called Plan Bolonia (a plan to universalize university education across EU member nations) sparked hot debate among students and academics. The young people took to the streets in massive waves, chanting and holding banners in opposition to the plan. In some cities, such as Barcelona, the protests even became violent. In Europe, political activism via street protests is still alive and well.

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Music

The return of the boombox

Mike Mian

19 Jun 2009

Spain

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The streets of Granada are filled with a cacophony of everything from Daddy Yankee to Celine Dion singing "My Heart Will Go On." In a recent phenomenon, many adolescents in Spain have decided to forgo headphones and iPods to instead use their cell phones as personal speakers. However, I must admit my surprise when my twelve year-old host sister insisted on listening to her Spanish version of Beyonce's "Si fuera un chico" ("If I Were a Boy") at the dinner table. I think this will be the first generation with a life soundtrack!

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Sports

Real Madrid or FC Barcelona?

Mike Mian

27 Jul 2009

Spain

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The first night I arrived in Granada my host family put me in the car, dropped my stuff off at the house, and rushed me to a bar to watch a soccer game. When we sat down, my host father ordered some beers and tapas, pointed at the screen and said, "Real Madrid is wearing the white jerseys. They're your team." And that was that. Over the next few months I would come to see the strong divide between the Barcelona and Madrid supporters. Though the rivalry is somewhat friendly, it is also based on deeply rooted nationality issues, namely Barcelona's separatist sentiments. My host mother wouldn't even drink wine from Barcelona!

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TV

The TV is always on

Mike Mian

21 Apr 2009

Spain

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My study abroad classmates and I have all made the same observation: in Spanish households, the TV is always on! And I mean always. Cooking, eating, talking, studying, working, cleaning, sleeping, and so on. My advice: pull up a seat. Sitting by the tube is actually a great way to interact with your family--a lot of talking goes on, and you can learn a lot about Spanish culture. Also, make sure you check out a show called Fama. It's a reality dance show, and I still can't tell if it's meant to be comical or not.

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Fashion

Loose fit? Ha!

Mike Mian

19 Apr 2009

Spain

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Men, good luck! I bought my first pair of "Spanish" jeans about 6 weeks ago, and I have yet to wear them. While browsing through the local Xara, my friend helped me pick out a few different styles of jeans for my 32 inch waist. I became quite dismayed and self conscious when I found I couldn't fit. It wasn't the 32 that was the problem, it was my legs! After 5 minutes of wrestling in the changing room, my friend had to check in to make sure everything was okay. Apparently my concept of "loose fit" didn't carry over to Spanish style: I had to settle for a pair with which I could feel my pulse in my calves. And ladies, I'm jealous -- boy-style pants are now not only acceptable, but popular on women!

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Health

Choosing between public and private care

Mike Mian

21 Jun 2009

Spain

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While on study abroad, a friend of mine had an unfortunate skiing accident. He called in sick to school to go skiing with his host brother, but on his first run down the mountain he hit a patch of ice and made a hard landing on his left shoulder. He was taken to the hospital (the school's director met him there). The first diagnosis was that he broke his collar bone and the second that he tore a ligament in his shoulder. The second proved true, and he had to decide to pursue his surgeries and treatment through either the public or private medical systems. While the public system is nearly free, the waits for treatment can be long. If insured, one can go through the private system with greater speed. The caliber of treatment is equivalent.

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Slang

"Hot" means something else

Courtney Rogers

11 Nov 2009

Spain

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One day, walking down the sun drenched streets of Spain, I loudly and, what I later discovered, inappropriately exclaimed, "Estoy caliente!" I thought I was making a simple remark on the heat of the day. But as it turns out, I was unknowingly making a statement on my sexual appetite. "Estoy caliente," doens't mean, "I'm hot," it means, "I'm horny." Oops! I won't make that mistake again.

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Nightlife

Shots are cheap!

Katherine Sasser

27 Jan 2010

Spain

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It didn't take long to discover how pricey living on the Euro could be, especially in regards to the nightlife. Thankfully, there are these lovely places called "chupiterias" or shot bars. Most bars or clubs will charge anywhere from €3-10 for a beer or a mixed beverage, but at the chupiterias, shots usually go for around €1, depending on their potency.

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Being an American

Spanish girls apparently like American men who sing

Mike Mian

23 Jun 2009

Spain

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I had met up with a friend in Seville, and we went out to a small bar in the city known for its sangria. After we got our pitcher, we noticed a group of college-age people standing in a circle. We decided to investigate and found that some Spanish university students had a guitar out and were getting everyone to sing along with them. A beautiful Spanish girl stared at me for a second, grabbed my arm, and threw me into the circle with a playful smirk and said, "Sing! Sing!" The circle fell quiet. I belted out a few nervous notes, and was unofficially welcomed in to the group of Spaniards. After talking to the males in the group, they told me,"We like having American guys around. Especially if they look good. The girls just flock over!"

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