Likes...in no particular order
1. Peaches are in season here, and I really love peaches. The spanish word for peach (for all you language buffs) is "el melocotón."
2. Public transportation is amazing. The Metro (underground) and the Renfe Cercanías (above ground) are very efficient and inexpensive train systems.
3. The countryside is really lovely. We took the Renfe to El Escorial on Monday. The hour and a half ride was mostly in the rain, but the country was so green and beautiful. Once we reached El Escorial, we were taken by car to little cities nearby. Wildflowers and tall grasses covered the land.
4. Friends in Spain are friends for life. It takes a little longer to make friends here (so we've been told), but once made, they are fiercely loyal and honest. Spaniards will definitely tell you if they don't like your new haircut. Even if you don't ask.
5. IKEA.
6. You can order a cup of coffee and stay as long as you want in a restaurant.
7. The coffee (café con leche) is quite good.
8. Having a clothes-line in the back yard.
9. Lots of dogs everywhere.
10. Lots of Fanta or Trina flavors.
11. The juxtaposition of old and new architecture.
12. Quite a bit of green space in the cities since most people live in apartments, not houses.
13. Relatively inexpensive travel within Europe.
14. Lots of walking everywhere. Even at night, it is really safe to walk. Walking just for fun is called "pasear."
15. Learning to REALLY cook from scratch.
16. The possibility of raising kids who could be fluent in another language.
17. Trying new foods.
18. Big apartments aren't that uncommon. I always want to have a place for guests to stay with us comfortably.
19. Lots of common space where people just hang out.
20. Going out to eat with friends is to enjoy "sobremesa," which means the talking. Food is important, too, but that hanging out is more important.
21. Nutella.
Dislikes...in no particular order either.
1. Late nights. I have never been a night person, but I'm getting better. The sun sets here at about 10/10:30pm in the summer, so it is always later than you think it is, which helps. All the same, I prefer early mornings. But, breakfast at 7am is pretty tough because no one eats lunch before 2pm.
2. Children can begin school at age 2 or 3. It is not mandatory until age 5 or 6, but breaking the norm can bring criticism to your door. See number 4 above.
3. The summer is really hot in Madrid. But, come to think about it, it is hot everywhere in the summer. Even in the Shire...I mean, Wisconsin: the Shire of my heart.
4. The Spanish fry a lot of food; bad for my cholesterol. But, the churros aren't really my thing anyways. The cup of chocolate, on the other hand...or should I say warm chocolate pudding!
5. The "new tolerance" of Postmodernism is very strong here. Certainly it's in the US, too. But, there we continue to live with the false illusion that we're still a "Christian" culture. The same problems face youth today in Spain: pressure to smoke, drink, have sex etc. But, here it is a lot more visible everywhere.
6. Life is very expensive in Madrid.
7. Lots of poop on the sidewalks, but not as much as I thought. The price of lots of doggies around, I guess.
8. You can't walk on the grass in public places.
9. Family very far away.
10. I can't find Teriyaki sauce or hummus anywhere.
11. Milk isn't always refrigerated. I like really cold milk.
12. People have mentioned not having chocolate chips. I'd rather chop up some awesome chocolate to make cookies, personally. But, still - what is so special about chocolate chips that makes them so "rare" and expensive here? Let's work on this, import people.
13. Learning to REALLY cook from scratch.
14. Knowing that no matter how long I live here, in many ways I will always be an outsider.
15. The constant process of learning to understand EVERY word people say, not just getting the "jist" of what they're saying.
16. Dryers (for clothes) aren't that common here, but you can find them.
17. The possibility of our future kids never knowing normal life in the US; being far away from extended family; being "third- culture kids."
18. In our garden, there is an enormous, black, flying, buzzing bug.
19. Lots of nudity in advertisements.
20. Learning to drive here and passing the very difficult exam here will be a huge step of faith for me. Some drivers are crazy!
21. When you order shrimp in a restaurant, they come with their heads still on.
3 comments:
Wow, good lists. Despite the dislikes it seems like an amazing opportunity.
I'll be there tomorrow...
You're coming to Spain? Didn't know. Do tell - what's the purpose of the trip? (Or am I misreading you?)
I so love and so don't love so many of the same things about Spain. Okay- isn't the warm chocolate pudding drink amazing! Yum! It sounds like you have had many watershed moments. I'm glad this has been so good for you guys.
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