Realizations, confusions and surprises...

It has officially been one week since I arrived in Barcelona and everyday brings along new surprises and realizations. Let me indulge you...

1) If you take the Sant Cugat S55 or Terrasa S5 trains, you will be pleasantly surprised to have a private musical performance displayed in front of you. So far Bryndan and I have seen accordion, harmonica and clarinet (with boombox accompaniment) performances. Quality? Not really -but interesting nonetheless. I suppose a more accurate description of this would be busking, not a private performance.  Potato po-tah-to.....

2) There are no limits to the types of questions your students will ask you. Here is a list of what Bryndan and I were asked today: 

-Where are you from? (fair enough)

-How old are you? (on the walk back to the train at the end of the day Bryn and I discussed whether or not we would tell our students in Canada our age. We both said probably not. Things are more casual here, that is certainly evident.)

-Do you have a boyfriend? 

What happened: Bryndan said yes, I said no. This of course excited the group of grade ten boys. Next question (to me): Do you like Spanish boys? 

...awkward pause....Now I had three options with regards to responses 1)Yes...and bring about much cheering 2)No...and possibly offend them and finally 3) respond with a general 'maybe' and quickly change the subject. 

I chose option 3. 

3) See Bryndan's blog re: The B**** and the Beach

4) Canadians use bizarre slang phrases. 

While working with high school students today, we read a petite tale about two sisters who like the same guy. Of course one tries to steal him from the other (go figure). In the end, the sister who had the guy first kills the sister that stole him away. Seems like this happens all over the world (maybe without the killing). 

Anyways, we were asked by the students and our partner teacher what would be a better way (as we were summarizing the story) to describe a couple kissing "and stuff". We responded with the phrase 'making out'. And then realized how ridiculous it sounded. Of course everyone else in the room responded with a 'huh?' at first because really, does that even make sense? Not really. Then we realized how much time we were spending on the particulars of describing the act of making out in class. I'm pretty sure these conversations don't occur in Canadian classrooms. 

5) It takes longer than a week for foreigners to figure out the Barcelona transit system. Just in case you are planning for coming for less than a week, be prepared for many failures. 

6) People in Spain evidently do not drink coffee on the go. I knew I should have packed a travel coffee mug...and didn't. This may seem like an unnecessary item to pack, but given the FRIGID weather, I really wish I had one. I also have a massive tea addiction and am currently not having my fill. I'm determined to fine a mug someday soon. 

B