¡ATLETI! ¡ATLETI!

Last night was the best night ever! My friend Enrique treated me to an authentic cultural experience. We participated in a one hundred year old tradition: Fútbol in Madrid. Not just any fútbol game. THE fútbol game. Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid, age-old arch rivals. I didn't know that we'd be going to the game, but Enrique came prepared with an "Atleti" scarf for me to wear and bocadillos de tortilla for me to eat (both game night necessities). We joined the crowd (of 56,142) in other traditions, too, such as chanting "Atleti, Atleti!" and eating "pipas", sunflower seeds with the shells (still practicing my technique right now).

This might get a little long, but I have to give you some details about this adventure. (You'll know why I call it that when you're done reading.) Near the stadium the streets were filled with crazy Atlético fans. Enrique told me that it's dangerous to go there wearing Real Madrid paraphernalia. He was right. Not only that, but when the Real Madrid players' bus arrived, the Atleti "radicals" threw rocks at it, causing the police to fire off shots of "pelotas de goma" (rubber balls)...causing us on to run away (three times). Finally, we found a quieter street (although it was completely covered with broken glass and trash), and arrived safely. Now, I have to be clear that not all the fans behaved like crazed beasts...only a group of them, and Enrique felt really bad about their behavior. Spaniards are not barbarians. (Enrique told me I had to write that in my blog.)

Okay, so after passing security and Anti-American graffiti, we found our seats. I must say that Spanish security is pretty clever. They let you bring in food and drinks in plastic bottles, but they take the caps off all of your bottles so that you can't throw them full onto the field. Anyway, it turned out that our seats were right by the "Madridista" (Real Madrid) section. Enrique insisted on sitting in the seat closer to them, just in case, but we didn't have to worry because their section was surrounded by police officers in SWAT-like helmets, wielding sticks.

The game started at 10 pm and there wasn't an empty seat in the house. (I have no idea how Enrique got tickets just this past week.) The real fanatics were across the field from us and had a big mural-type banner that they hoisted over their WHOLE SECTION. It was monstrous. What struck me odd was that they announced the players, but there was no announcer during the game and no re-plays on the screen. That was fine because the game was so captivating that I didn't miss a thing.

Atleti dominated and scored a beautiful goal in the first half. The crowd went byzerk. We all had high hopes since Atleti hadn't won at home against Real Madrid in 15 years. Soon after, Atleti scored again, but the ref called off-sides (which every newspaper today called a mistake). Well, even though Atleti dominated again in the second half, Real Madrid's keeper was too good. Real Madrid tied it up and it ended 1-1. Empate (tie).

Over all, it was a great time. I don't know if I'd bring kids there, though. Most of the chants are anti-Madridista and vulgar. I don't know why they can't just cheer for their own team instead of hurling insults at the other! They also threw lighters at one of the Real Madrid players when he took a corner kick. Increíble. Anyway, I got to see incredible fútbol, two goals, one red card, LOTS of police, and the home of the "adoradores del dios Neptuno" (look it up- this is way too long...I'm highly impressed if you're still reading).

¡ATLETI! ¡ATLETI!

And, no, Beckham didn't play due to his red card in last week's game.

I will add a link to my list on the right, if you'd like to see the big "Atleti mural" and highlights from the game. (Photo of police outside the stadium courtesy of Elpais.com)

I Want a Cookie

I'm not hungry; I just want a cookie.

Cuaresma

Cuaresma (pronounced quar-EHZ-mah) means Lent in Spanish. And as far as I'm concerned, it's a much cooler word than "Lent" which sounds way too much like the stuff in your pockets. Anyway, Cuaresma begins today and I've decided to give up (make sure you're sitting down) sugar. Yes, it's true. The girl with the sweet tooth the size of Texas is giving up sugar. "Why?" you may ask. Well, I have three reasons (not necessarily in order of importance):

1) Health- Sugar is not healthy, and I like to be healthy (and thin). :)
2) Religion- I don't always give something up for Lent, but when I do I find that it really does help me remember Christ's sacrifice.
3) Personal- I thought it would be a good challenge of my self-control.

I know the body needs sugar. I will still get my fill of natural sugars from fruit, juices, and honey. I'm not totally off my rocker. (I'm not going "raw foods" or anything!)

Well, I'll let you know how it goes. The worst will be when my parents come to visit next month and we travel through Spain, France, and Italy and I won't be able to eat pastries or Gelato. :(

Be inspired! Give up something (or pledge to DO something) for CUARESMA!

No Blizzard Here

While you Michiganders were trying to keep warm and dry yesterday I was running outside in capris and a tank top! I couldn't believe how warm it was here...mid sixties! Then the wind blew in a storm. That was pretty exciting, too, since it was the first time I heard thunder here. It was nothing compared to a Michigan storm, but I liked listening to it.

I've been having a great semester...not too much work so far. I did a group presentation last Tuesday and my first paper is due this Tuesday. Midterms are right around the corner so my stress-free days are over.

At the H.S. where I intern on Fridays I decided to read my students a book in English. So, I found an English bookstore and bought Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (grr...italics don't work) by Judy Blume. How fun, huh!? I read them the first chapter and I they seemed to enjoy and understand it. (They read along on photocopies, so I think that helped.) I liked it too. :) It's one of those books that entertain both kids and adults.

Enjoy the snow! I'm going for a run in the sun.

Trivia Game

1. Why would there be tour busses parked on half of the streets around Retiro Park (about one and a half miles) on the first Saturday of February (which happened to be a cool and cloudy day)?

2. What question did I refuse to answer that my high school students asked me the first day I taught English?

3. What is my roommate’s sister’s name?

4. What three publications/literary works are translated more than any other?


Hints:

1. People of all ages were getting out of the tour busses, but they were all Spanish.

2. It has to do with politics.

3. It’s more than four names (which is typical… my roommate’s name is María José López Saez).

4. One is a literary work, one is not, and the other is what you think it is.


Answers:

1. There was a protest, of course! Yes, it was a family affair… even kids were running around with flags. They were protesting the current president’s stance on negotiations with ETA (a terrorist group from Northern Spain that wants the Basque country to be independent). Zapatero, the current president from the socialist party, is open to negotiating with ETA and many Spaniards disagree with this decision. So… what do they do? Protest, of course!

2. Did you vote for Bush? No comment.

3. Luisa María, Del Pilar, Del Carmen, Del Perpetuo Socorro Calletana de Jesús de Todos los Santos López Saez. I’M NOT KIDDING. I’ve never met anyone with commas in their name before. My roommate calls her “Tata” because when she was little she couldn’t say her name… gee, I wonder why!

4. The most-translated publication WAS the Bible, and then Don Quijote, but now it’s 1) Ikea Catalog, 2) The Bible, and 3) Don Quijote (according to my Don Quijote prof… who is wicked smart).

My First Visitor

Well, my Aunt Marty managed to visit Madrid during the coldest week this year. Now that she left today, it was back into the 50s. Oh well, she loved Spain anyway. (How could one NOT love Spain?!) Unfortunately we didn’t spend too much time together, but here are some highlights from her visit.

• Walking around the city her first day here until we almost collapsed… even I almost collapsed and she’s the one who had been traveling for 24 hours straight.

• Going to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. I had never been there, and I loved it! It’s a great art museum with a lot of variety in paintings. I’m not good at remembering names of paintings or artists, but one of my favorites was of a view looking through a broken window and the pieces of broken glass under the window still have the view in them. How cool is that?

• Drinking “claras” (in honor of her granddaughter?) and eating “bocadillos de tortilla española”. (Claras are beer mixed with lemon pop.)

• Going to chilly Chinchón. Enjoying the quaintness of the town, sipping Cola Cao (hot cocoa), and eating our pastries and cookies that we bought there from the nuns. (That was really neat… we rang the bell of the convent and got to go in to pick out our pastries. We didn’t see any real-live nuns, though. They have someone who lives there and answers the door. I’m not sure, they might be the kind of nuns that no one can see. They sure can bake, though!)

• Making an American dinner for my roommate and my friend Ana that Aunt Marty stayed with. Menu: chicken chili, cornbread, and apple crisp. Yum!

• Enjoying a Spanish dinner (at 3pm) with my roommate, her mother, and her aunt. Menu: cocido (it’s like a roast but with various meats).

• Going to a Flamenco Show! It happened to be “El Festival de Flamenco” this past week in Madrid, so we took advantage of it! The show was excellent.

I am working on getting some pictures up on my Flickr site (see link to the right). I’m WAY behind, but feel free to page through the latest Halloween album. (Like I said, I’m WAY behind.)