I thought paper weights were sort of goofy. You know at Christmas you see them in catalogs. Who's going to be excited about getting a big chunk of glass to sit around? I mean some of them are interesting to look at, but it's just something that sits there...until now.
Because we live and work in an environment with the windows wide open, I have come to appreciate heavy objects which can keep my papers from blowing all over the place. I never realized the practical applications paper weights could have. I suppose it comes from not having to live with the windows wide open in the office before now. On days the wind picks up, I'm scrambling for books and glasses and whatever to hold my stuff in place. Today I used a book, an actual paper weight, a pen made from silverware, a scotch tape dispenser, and a thick file folder.
I tend to work in stacks: these are done, these I'm working on, these need to go to a coworker, etc. Also at home I keep to-do things on the desk, like papers from ATMs that remind me to check the online banking. So I need lots of paperweights for summer. What an odd discovery, but please, no paperweights as gifts. I'll make do.
13 September 2006
09 September 2006
A normal day
I realized I tend to post about the things I do that are dramatic, to me anyway. A whole lot more of life is "normal." I suppose I should add the caveat, normal but harder, or normal but stranger. We still do things that are tedious, like grocery shopping, but I can't read the labels as well as at home. I can't understand the fat grams and calories, since it's all in grams and mililiters. Sometimes the differences in food make a trip to the store interesting. Sometimes it just becomes a flat out challenge and you're thinking, I just wanted 3 things...
Like many of you I sit at a computer most of the day, only I'm in a "Christian" environment. Oddly, I recently remembered swearing to myself as a Christian high school attendee that I would never work in a Christian environment because of challenges I had with the administration back then. In the Christian work world or school administrative world, they can be completely unreasonable and smile and say God bless. It's an odd combo.
Another oddity to the work day I've noticed is that people often think - wow what you guys are doing is amazing. In reality there are many days where you're just moving things around on a computer screen wondering, "Does this have anything to do with the big picture? Is this why I came here?" Not to say that there aren't amazing moments of being part of something bigger than yourself, but there are a lot of slogging through work moments too.
We bring our lunch every day. It's a different lunch than at home because of ingredients, but it's mostly a sandwich and some fruit. Often, one of us walks to the store, not far, and buys "una barra de pan" literally a bar of bread and we use this for lunch. It goes stale by the next day, so this buying fresh bread happens frequently, sometimes we eat it stale.
Lately the afternoons in the office are unbearably hot and it's very hard to think. Especially when I've been trying to solve the same website problem for two work weeks. Yes, the same problem all day for two weeks. ahhhhh. Not done yet.
We walk home, right now, this is a hot sweaty bit of the day that you can't wait to get over. When it was nicer, it was a pleasant wind down. It's only 1/3 of a mile, so a very short walk.
When dinner occurs depends on what's going on and how hot it is. Sometimes we eat at a more Spanish time, either through accident or waiting for the heat to die down. I've been using a lot of recipes from magazines, for some reason this has made dinner easier to deal with - I know I have the ingredients and what I can do. In the states, I just threw things together, but it doesn't work as well here for some reason.
I usually try to take a walk or a bike ride in the evenings, try to get to the computer but don't always make it, try to read a little before bed. Having a new dog has complicated the walk schedule. I can't go as far with her. Her leash manners are lacking at the moment, but she needs the outlet of energy, so we go.
Just mix a bunch of Spanish into all these activities, except work, and there you have it. A normal day.
Like many of you I sit at a computer most of the day, only I'm in a "Christian" environment. Oddly, I recently remembered swearing to myself as a Christian high school attendee that I would never work in a Christian environment because of challenges I had with the administration back then. In the Christian work world or school administrative world, they can be completely unreasonable and smile and say God bless. It's an odd combo.
Another oddity to the work day I've noticed is that people often think - wow what you guys are doing is amazing. In reality there are many days where you're just moving things around on a computer screen wondering, "Does this have anything to do with the big picture? Is this why I came here?" Not to say that there aren't amazing moments of being part of something bigger than yourself, but there are a lot of slogging through work moments too.
We bring our lunch every day. It's a different lunch than at home because of ingredients, but it's mostly a sandwich and some fruit. Often, one of us walks to the store, not far, and buys "una barra de pan" literally a bar of bread and we use this for lunch. It goes stale by the next day, so this buying fresh bread happens frequently, sometimes we eat it stale.
Lately the afternoons in the office are unbearably hot and it's very hard to think. Especially when I've been trying to solve the same website problem for two work weeks. Yes, the same problem all day for two weeks. ahhhhh. Not done yet.
We walk home, right now, this is a hot sweaty bit of the day that you can't wait to get over. When it was nicer, it was a pleasant wind down. It's only 1/3 of a mile, so a very short walk.
When dinner occurs depends on what's going on and how hot it is. Sometimes we eat at a more Spanish time, either through accident or waiting for the heat to die down. I've been using a lot of recipes from magazines, for some reason this has made dinner easier to deal with - I know I have the ingredients and what I can do. In the states, I just threw things together, but it doesn't work as well here for some reason.
I usually try to take a walk or a bike ride in the evenings, try to get to the computer but don't always make it, try to read a little before bed. Having a new dog has complicated the walk schedule. I can't go as far with her. Her leash manners are lacking at the moment, but she needs the outlet of energy, so we go.
Just mix a bunch of Spanish into all these activities, except work, and there you have it. A normal day.
27 August 2006
Night of Contrasts
I went down to the feria Saturday night with some people from work. I accidentally ordered two sandwiches, somehow, at a grilled meat booth and had to shout to be heard by the guy. At first he shrugged and pointed at the cashier. I must have looked pitiful because he went and intervened for me. I had grilled pork loin on a fresh chunk of bagette bread. Good eats.
Our pre-25 years workmate wanted me to do a ride in the carnival. We ended up on two different ones. The first was a scrambler type thing only it went in circles and hopped up and down. It was vigorous, fast, and fun. Nearly lost the coat I was sitting on - worked it's way up and almost out the back of the car from all the bouncing. The operator had a microphone and shouted at us, in addition to playing loud music and blowing smoke on us during the ride. He'd yell things like, "You want some more of that? Raise your hands!" in Spanish of course. Then he'd drop the cars and you'd fly out of your seat and hit the security bar. I'd never been taunted by the operator of a ride. It was funny.
The next ride was a giant swing of sorts. The fist that held all the people twirled and simulataneously swung back & forth. Up to that weightless bounce but not all the way upside down. The music was so entirely loud you had to scream full volume to be heard. We had to wait one round before we got on and the supervisor joking with me made the sign of the cross over the group before us. The whole carnival was loud but this was insanely loud and my throat hurt afterwards from yelling and screaming on the ride. (Both for conversation and for fun.) My ears were ringing which concerned me - the second half of the evening was to be refined and I hoped to hear it.
Three of us had a civilized "coffee" at a sidewalk cafe and went to a chamber orchestra. It was in a room that reminded me that Italian courtyard at the Nelson. The one with stone arches and the sky/ceiling feels like outside and night, you know? This was a 3 story courtyard of ancient stone, carved beautifully. Two slim cyprus trees pushed up to the open sky in one corner. Moths danced in the stage spotlights. Stars shone overhead. When the strings started on some of Mozart's most familiar stuff, it was truly magical. The venue really made it shine.
The midnight crowd for the orquestra was mostly over 60, though there was a sprinkling of young people in the mix too. I looked around several times and never saw anyone nodding off. It was such a quiet acoustical environment that you heard every cough. One lady opened her purse to put her fan away and it sounded like someone was doing the rasberries. When it got quiet between songs, you could hear the band thumping away some rock music in the main plaza nearby.
The second half had a dancer who did some flamenco style dancing with castanettas. It was interesting the way she could keep up with the classical music with the little wooden clakers. It wasn't quite tradiitonal flamenco, but it was interesting expression of the dance style with classical music.
We were headed home about 1:45 am. The streets were still hopping with people and the band in Plaza Cervantes still sang strong. It felt like a truly Spanish night. An epiphony -- of knowing that the people do this late-night thing, but here it was for real to see with my own eyes. A fun sensation to experience it and not simply know of it. Probably won't do that every weekend though!
Our pre-25 years workmate wanted me to do a ride in the carnival. We ended up on two different ones. The first was a scrambler type thing only it went in circles and hopped up and down. It was vigorous, fast, and fun. Nearly lost the coat I was sitting on - worked it's way up and almost out the back of the car from all the bouncing. The operator had a microphone and shouted at us, in addition to playing loud music and blowing smoke on us during the ride. He'd yell things like, "You want some more of that? Raise your hands!" in Spanish of course. Then he'd drop the cars and you'd fly out of your seat and hit the security bar. I'd never been taunted by the operator of a ride. It was funny.
The next ride was a giant swing of sorts. The fist that held all the people twirled and simulataneously swung back & forth. Up to that weightless bounce but not all the way upside down. The music was so entirely loud you had to scream full volume to be heard. We had to wait one round before we got on and the supervisor joking with me made the sign of the cross over the group before us. The whole carnival was loud but this was insanely loud and my throat hurt afterwards from yelling and screaming on the ride. (Both for conversation and for fun.) My ears were ringing which concerned me - the second half of the evening was to be refined and I hoped to hear it.
Three of us had a civilized "coffee" at a sidewalk cafe and went to a chamber orchestra. It was in a room that reminded me that Italian courtyard at the Nelson. The one with stone arches and the sky/ceiling feels like outside and night, you know? This was a 3 story courtyard of ancient stone, carved beautifully. Two slim cyprus trees pushed up to the open sky in one corner. Moths danced in the stage spotlights. Stars shone overhead. When the strings started on some of Mozart's most familiar stuff, it was truly magical. The venue really made it shine.
The midnight crowd for the orquestra was mostly over 60, though there was a sprinkling of young people in the mix too. I looked around several times and never saw anyone nodding off. It was such a quiet acoustical environment that you heard every cough. One lady opened her purse to put her fan away and it sounded like someone was doing the rasberries. When it got quiet between songs, you could hear the band thumping away some rock music in the main plaza nearby.
The second half had a dancer who did some flamenco style dancing with castanettas. It was interesting the way she could keep up with the classical music with the little wooden clakers. It wasn't quite tradiitonal flamenco, but it was interesting expression of the dance style with classical music.
We were headed home about 1:45 am. The streets were still hopping with people and the band in Plaza Cervantes still sang strong. It felt like a truly Spanish night. An epiphony -- of knowing that the people do this late-night thing, but here it was for real to see with my own eyes. A fun sensation to experience it and not simply know of it. Probably won't do that every weekend though!
25 August 2006
Feria de Alcala
Since last weekend the feria of Alcala has been going on each day and every night. There's actually a huge carnival with lots of rides run by Romanians and food booths, lots of churros and waffles, bad soggie french fries and grilled meats. There are white tents of differnt clubs, some which serve food or have entertainment. But it is only a handful compared to the Seville Feria. Some of the tents are run by things like: The Communist Party of Spain, or the Socialist Party with Zapatero (the current prime minister). Some are just groups, like Elks Lodge clubs. Groups of people get together and drink and hang out and are a main feature of the feria.
People aren't dressed up like in Sevilla either. Some little girls I've seen in the pokadotted flamenco dresses, but no grown ups. Plaza Cervantes, our main square, is lit up with lights over a band stand and the streets surrounding have a light design hanging across the road. Think the Christmas decor on street lights only bigger and across little skinny roads. The Plaza Cervantes has been full of tables and chairs for summer, but now they all have people in them. A little brass band plays in the plaza after marching through the streets with a different "elks lodge" type group behind them singing each night. Then the band plays in the Plaza Cervantes. Then at 11 pm at the other end of the Plaza Cervantes another band will play and people will dance (more of the older set, not the rock and roll set) Supposedly later they play younger music. Other features are occuring in different parts of town in other plazas.
At midnight there is a main attraction each night all week. Sometimes several. One night was a flamenco ballet, one was a zarzuela - a sort of classical story/sing/dance almost opera type thing but Spanish. Those cost money. So far I haven't got anyone to stay out late to check it all out. But we've seen bits of the bands hangin out in Plaza Cervantes or passing through on the way for a walk or back to the car.
The later you're there the more crowded it gets. We could barely get out the entrance of the carnival at 11pm Saturday, so many people streaming in. We tried to eat lunch there Sunday - nothing was open at 3 pm. Nothing, like a ghost town. Definitely a night time event. Friends from church said they went to the fair to eat after a concert last weekend and it was still in full swing at 2 am when they left. It's a different world.
We took Dulce down Tuesday night. We figured it would be good socialization. She couldn't possibly growl at every stranger. She did good except when we sat still then she felt she could growl at certain people. Not sure how she picks who she's going to growl at.
This Saturday I'm going to go to the symphony concert at midnight (5E) with a couple other people. Everyone from the office is going to bring tapas and chairs and go watch the fireworks from the bosses's neighborhood Sunday night for the finale of the feria. The fireworks are, yes, you guessed it, at midnight.
People aren't dressed up like in Sevilla either. Some little girls I've seen in the pokadotted flamenco dresses, but no grown ups. Plaza Cervantes, our main square, is lit up with lights over a band stand and the streets surrounding have a light design hanging across the road. Think the Christmas decor on street lights only bigger and across little skinny roads. The Plaza Cervantes has been full of tables and chairs for summer, but now they all have people in them. A little brass band plays in the plaza after marching through the streets with a different "elks lodge" type group behind them singing each night. Then the band plays in the Plaza Cervantes. Then at 11 pm at the other end of the Plaza Cervantes another band will play and people will dance (more of the older set, not the rock and roll set) Supposedly later they play younger music. Other features are occuring in different parts of town in other plazas.
At midnight there is a main attraction each night all week. Sometimes several. One night was a flamenco ballet, one was a zarzuela - a sort of classical story/sing/dance almost opera type thing but Spanish. Those cost money. So far I haven't got anyone to stay out late to check it all out. But we've seen bits of the bands hangin out in Plaza Cervantes or passing through on the way for a walk or back to the car.
The later you're there the more crowded it gets. We could barely get out the entrance of the carnival at 11pm Saturday, so many people streaming in. We tried to eat lunch there Sunday - nothing was open at 3 pm. Nothing, like a ghost town. Definitely a night time event. Friends from church said they went to the fair to eat after a concert last weekend and it was still in full swing at 2 am when they left. It's a different world.
We took Dulce down Tuesday night. We figured it would be good socialization. She couldn't possibly growl at every stranger. She did good except when we sat still then she felt she could growl at certain people. Not sure how she picks who she's going to growl at.
This Saturday I'm going to go to the symphony concert at midnight (5E) with a couple other people. Everyone from the office is going to bring tapas and chairs and go watch the fireworks from the bosses's neighborhood Sunday night for the finale of the feria. The fireworks are, yes, you guessed it, at midnight.
14 August 2006
What comes around, goes around
I'll tell you why I used this title. I was at the mall Friday night and I was seeing some really familiar things, sort of repurposed or different colors, but I've seen these before. I saw a lot of things from the 80s, maybe the early 90s too, I wasn't in a shopping phase then.
Argile, yes quite a bit of it. This makes me think early 80s preppy. Leggings with long shirts and short skirts, this makes me think later 80s. Shirts that have the torn up shoulder look, a la the movie Flashdance. Sweaters and shirts that are long (to the hips or past) with huge v-necks. Gathered sleeves and pull strings to scrunch up shirts, I remember those kind of sleeves were the option on one of the bridesmaids dresses I was looking at, and I discarded that one because I thought the sleeves were too trendy.
One store, Mango, had touches of 80s in their dresses and sweaters but they keep sort of a roughed up victorian touch to their clothes so not the classic 80s look. Another store, Zara, had dresses, coats and skirts straight out of the 50s or 60s. I'm not as clear on time periods here but I know these are the styles pre-me existing that I see in old movies. Some of these styles I really like. The coats with 3/4 sleeves and huge collars not so much but they are certainly striking when you see them. Not sure these flared June Cleaver dresses but with plunging necklines are really me though.
I was taking someone else to the mall that I'd been promising to go with. I didn't expect all the strange fashion stuff to strike me. All I wanted was a pair of denim crop pants. I tried on LOTS. The jeans here all seem to be low riders which are not my favorite. I noticed the new fall clothes were moving away from the low rider, ripped, dirty, faded unevenly jeans to a uniform dark denim. I may not end up with denim crop pants for fall.
What's in style at home?
Argile, yes quite a bit of it. This makes me think early 80s preppy. Leggings with long shirts and short skirts, this makes me think later 80s. Shirts that have the torn up shoulder look, a la the movie Flashdance. Sweaters and shirts that are long (to the hips or past) with huge v-necks. Gathered sleeves and pull strings to scrunch up shirts, I remember those kind of sleeves were the option on one of the bridesmaids dresses I was looking at, and I discarded that one because I thought the sleeves were too trendy.
One store, Mango, had touches of 80s in their dresses and sweaters but they keep sort of a roughed up victorian touch to their clothes so not the classic 80s look. Another store, Zara, had dresses, coats and skirts straight out of the 50s or 60s. I'm not as clear on time periods here but I know these are the styles pre-me existing that I see in old movies. Some of these styles I really like. The coats with 3/4 sleeves and huge collars not so much but they are certainly striking when you see them. Not sure these flared June Cleaver dresses but with plunging necklines are really me though.
I was taking someone else to the mall that I'd been promising to go with. I didn't expect all the strange fashion stuff to strike me. All I wanted was a pair of denim crop pants. I tried on LOTS. The jeans here all seem to be low riders which are not my favorite. I noticed the new fall clothes were moving away from the low rider, ripped, dirty, faded unevenly jeans to a uniform dark denim. I may not end up with denim crop pants for fall.
What's in style at home?
04 August 2006
The Stained Glass Ceiling
I read an interesting book a few weeks ago that a coworker loaned to me. What Paul Really Said about Women, an Apostle's liberating views on equality in marriage, leadership, and love, by John Temple Bristow. This was an amazing book. While not based on the book, the link to the following article sums it up very well: The Stained Glass Ceiling.
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What amazed me was that basically it took all the passages of the Bible that have made me feel awkward or doubtful of my role as a female in the Christian world order, so to speak, and explained them in a way that I always wanted to be true. I always wanted to think that God was saying, you are a whole and worthy human being, I want you to participate in kingdom completely, no holds barred. I wanted that to be true, but felt guilty from my background and with my cultural reading of these "difficult" "cultural" passages that this was not the Truth.
Perhaps I have just found a liberal theologian who is saying things I want to hear, at least I can imagine someone making that criticism. However, the book is very specific and backs up the points thoroughly. Plus the coworker that loaned this to me is very conservative and intellectual both, so I feel fairly confident it's not a kook idea being thrown out there.
I'd encourage anyone to read the book. It is somewhat academic, but a short book so not a rough read. But it explains first how the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman perspective on women colored the interpretation of the Greek writings until it became accepted as the norm. Mind boggling to me that we could lose something as culturally significant as letting women learn and participate in the Gospel as full partners. Not as big an issue in our denomination, but some of those applications to Paul's awkward scriptures I've heard in my lifetime, in our churches. Fascinating.
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What amazed me was that basically it took all the passages of the Bible that have made me feel awkward or doubtful of my role as a female in the Christian world order, so to speak, and explained them in a way that I always wanted to be true. I always wanted to think that God was saying, you are a whole and worthy human being, I want you to participate in kingdom completely, no holds barred. I wanted that to be true, but felt guilty from my background and with my cultural reading of these "difficult" "cultural" passages that this was not the Truth.
Perhaps I have just found a liberal theologian who is saying things I want to hear, at least I can imagine someone making that criticism. However, the book is very specific and backs up the points thoroughly. Plus the coworker that loaned this to me is very conservative and intellectual both, so I feel fairly confident it's not a kook idea being thrown out there.
I'd encourage anyone to read the book. It is somewhat academic, but a short book so not a rough read. But it explains first how the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman perspective on women colored the interpretation of the Greek writings until it became accepted as the norm. Mind boggling to me that we could lose something as culturally significant as letting women learn and participate in the Gospel as full partners. Not as big an issue in our denomination, but some of those applications to Paul's awkward scriptures I've heard in my lifetime, in our churches. Fascinating.
28 July 2006
Foreigners, not quite like me
Saw a statistic this week that 9 percent of the immigrants here are British, many escaping the socialized health care system in Britain and finding sun in retirement, and 8 percent of the immigrants are Romanians. These are the two biggest blocks of extranjeros (foreigners).
From several discussions I've had with Romanian's here, their culture is a little scary. The women I talked to assured me that the woman I saw in the attempted kidnapping was in danger of violence from these men. They said that the gypsies carry knifes and think nothing of snatching and harming someone they know or putting them to whatever purpose they choose. Also, another Romanian woman told me that she has no Romanian friends because it is too risky. There is a big Romanian mafia, here as well as in their country. She said if a woman has been a girlfriend or live-in partner and she tries to leave, the men see no probelm with dragging her back and maybe locking her up. If they know you, they feel they have license. Apparently it's much worse in Romania. Human trafficking is a big issue in Eastern bloc countries where women are brought out of Romania or wherever with the promise of a job and then forced into prostitution and treated like slaves. Amazing these things can happen in the 22nd Century.
I wonder how much generations of people being told there was no God effects the mentality of a nation. They suffered under some really harsh times in Romania. About half our church here is Romanian, they most often are cleaning people for others since those are the only jobs they can get without papers. The Romanian believers in our church have such great spirits and are very evangelistic toward their friends. They are really inspiring the more I learn.
From several discussions I've had with Romanian's here, their culture is a little scary. The women I talked to assured me that the woman I saw in the attempted kidnapping was in danger of violence from these men. They said that the gypsies carry knifes and think nothing of snatching and harming someone they know or putting them to whatever purpose they choose. Also, another Romanian woman told me that she has no Romanian friends because it is too risky. There is a big Romanian mafia, here as well as in their country. She said if a woman has been a girlfriend or live-in partner and she tries to leave, the men see no probelm with dragging her back and maybe locking her up. If they know you, they feel they have license. Apparently it's much worse in Romania. Human trafficking is a big issue in Eastern bloc countries where women are brought out of Romania or wherever with the promise of a job and then forced into prostitution and treated like slaves. Amazing these things can happen in the 22nd Century.
I wonder how much generations of people being told there was no God effects the mentality of a nation. They suffered under some really harsh times in Romania. About half our church here is Romanian, they most often are cleaning people for others since those are the only jobs they can get without papers. The Romanian believers in our church have such great spirits and are very evangelistic toward their friends. They are really inspiring the more I learn.
20 July 2006
What a week! Sand storms and...kidnappings?!
Monday afternoon walking home from work, I walked through a sand storm. I didn't know there was one when I set out from the office. When I turned the corner to our neighborhood where it is open out to the fields, I was hit by a blast. A literal blast of sand and dirt. It turned dark and swirls of sand like little tornados were in the air (not strong like that but twirly shaped). I had to stop and turn my back to it for a minute. I finally put on my sunglasses, so I could see through the dust particles to walk the last two blocks home. Really weird. Apparently some climates have these regularly. We've had to dust and vacuum and mop really thoroughly this week.
Wednesday, we went to the mall and looked at the portable air conditioners. When we left, I had one of those amazed moments of realizing we'd conducted all our business in Spanish. It's a challenge mind you, but still surprising when it works. We bought one ac unit - to be delivered Friday. Wish I had it now, sweating at 10:45 pm. Won't have one in the office anyway, so it wouldn't matter.
Thursdays I work at home, usually on the website since I don't have the right tools at work. The last few weeks of 90s + temps I've taken advantage of Thursday mornings to get a walk in before the hot temperatures hit. This morning I did this too. I was in the neighborhood just below ours and saw a construction worker guy (they all wear blue work pants here) go calling to his girlfriend (or some girl) up the street near our neighborhood. At first I thought she forgot her keys or something. She didn't get in the car she was about to take a ride from (like a car pool pick up). They started fighting audibly.
By now, they were standing on the corner I had to walk on to get home. It was escalating and I thought I'd have to walk through some domestic violence and was wondering what to do. They were yelling in Romanian. (I know you're saying how does she know, there are a lot of Romanians here.) So I couldn't understand them.
As I approached another guy appeared and they grabbed the girl. A car pulled up and they covered her mouth and grabbed her by the arms and started dragging her, kicking, fighting and screaming to the car. By this time, I was on the same corner and only a few feet away from all of this. Standing and staring, probably with my mouth open. I was thinking I had to do something, and how on earth would I be able to explain this in Spanish because I would have to call the police if they drove off with her.
The driver of the car started saying, "No, no, no" when she started screaming. They were covering her mouth. The driver began to drive off without letting them put her in the car, at which point they let her go. She walked over to me and I said in Spanish. Come to my house. As we walked, she was visibly shaken. I asked did she know the men and she said yes. I think we were both a bit shaken, and I couldn't really make my Spanish work. She thanked me for staying and explained that she worked for a neighbor of ours whose husband is with the police. So, she rang their bell and went in their house. I went home. Dar thinks I should go to the neighbors and ask them what this was all about.
Dar and I were speculating about human trafficing, white slavery, and illegal immigration scams. They obviously thought she owed them something.
Needless to say, today I locked the gate and the door. Then in the afternoon, a guy came by in jeans and t-shirt with an invoice asking me to take 2 cases of wine for some neighbors who weren't home. It's like a wine of the month club. I felt strange and did not take it. I think if my morning hadn't been so odd, I would have held the wine for the neighbors. I was reticent to unlock the gate for a delivery I had no assurance was legitimate.
Then tonight, we had to take back the fan we bought Wednesday because it had one wrong leg. Our Spanish wasn't up to explaining, "I will just exchange it if you can prove to me the other one has all the right parts." Finally we left with a new fan that we opened up to check parts. The clerk said to the security guard (in order for us to get out of the store), the other one had the wrong "paw", not foot. No wonder they didn't understand me. I was using the wrong word. Such is life on foreign soil - this week anyway.
Wednesday, we went to the mall and looked at the portable air conditioners. When we left, I had one of those amazed moments of realizing we'd conducted all our business in Spanish. It's a challenge mind you, but still surprising when it works. We bought one ac unit - to be delivered Friday. Wish I had it now, sweating at 10:45 pm. Won't have one in the office anyway, so it wouldn't matter.
Thursdays I work at home, usually on the website since I don't have the right tools at work. The last few weeks of 90s + temps I've taken advantage of Thursday mornings to get a walk in before the hot temperatures hit. This morning I did this too. I was in the neighborhood just below ours and saw a construction worker guy (they all wear blue work pants here) go calling to his girlfriend (or some girl) up the street near our neighborhood. At first I thought she forgot her keys or something. She didn't get in the car she was about to take a ride from (like a car pool pick up). They started fighting audibly.
By now, they were standing on the corner I had to walk on to get home. It was escalating and I thought I'd have to walk through some domestic violence and was wondering what to do. They were yelling in Romanian. (I know you're saying how does she know, there are a lot of Romanians here.) So I couldn't understand them.
As I approached another guy appeared and they grabbed the girl. A car pulled up and they covered her mouth and grabbed her by the arms and started dragging her, kicking, fighting and screaming to the car. By this time, I was on the same corner and only a few feet away from all of this. Standing and staring, probably with my mouth open. I was thinking I had to do something, and how on earth would I be able to explain this in Spanish because I would have to call the police if they drove off with her.
The driver of the car started saying, "No, no, no" when she started screaming. They were covering her mouth. The driver began to drive off without letting them put her in the car, at which point they let her go. She walked over to me and I said in Spanish. Come to my house. As we walked, she was visibly shaken. I asked did she know the men and she said yes. I think we were both a bit shaken, and I couldn't really make my Spanish work. She thanked me for staying and explained that she worked for a neighbor of ours whose husband is with the police. So, she rang their bell and went in their house. I went home. Dar thinks I should go to the neighbors and ask them what this was all about.
Dar and I were speculating about human trafficing, white slavery, and illegal immigration scams. They obviously thought she owed them something.
Needless to say, today I locked the gate and the door. Then in the afternoon, a guy came by in jeans and t-shirt with an invoice asking me to take 2 cases of wine for some neighbors who weren't home. It's like a wine of the month club. I felt strange and did not take it. I think if my morning hadn't been so odd, I would have held the wine for the neighbors. I was reticent to unlock the gate for a delivery I had no assurance was legitimate.
Then tonight, we had to take back the fan we bought Wednesday because it had one wrong leg. Our Spanish wasn't up to explaining, "I will just exchange it if you can prove to me the other one has all the right parts." Finally we left with a new fan that we opened up to check parts. The clerk said to the security guard (in order for us to get out of the store), the other one had the wrong "paw", not foot. No wonder they didn't understand me. I was using the wrong word. Such is life on foreign soil - this week anyway.
13 July 2006
TGIF - what it looks like from here
Tomorrow will be a little different Friday for me. We have to be downtown (in Alcala not Madrid) at 8:30am to meet our lawyer type person and go to the police station. We will start stage 2 of our identity process tomorrow. Even though we've had our card only since March, it expired on our arrival date in the country. So we start with the papers again.
But my normal Friday is a day at home. The ladies in our office tend to take a day off for household maintenance, so I do too. I love being home all day. Dar has been majorly helping with the house stuff lately and it has been a huge gift. It allows me time to pick up on some of the writing things that have gone begging for years. I'm really excited about getting back into the writing groove. It's so great that he has helped carve that out for me. He knows I'm a slow cleaner, and I kept getting caught up in cleaning and then running errands on Friday and not getting to anything else.
Now, I get up and do my part of the cleaning. Then I try to spend several hours at the computer getting familiar with my words again and finding places to market stuff. The last few weeks I've been submitting things I've written that never got a publishing home. I've sent out a few queries on my second novel too. So far rejections from everything, but it feels good to at least be trying again. I've started working on an old short story that I want to turn into a novel too. It's amazing what you can do in a few hours if you will just stick with it.
Then I usually eat a late lunch and run a few errands or sometimes vice versa, if my errand destinations are at risk of siesta-ing on me. Fridays are now extra good thanks to Dar.
But my normal Friday is a day at home. The ladies in our office tend to take a day off for household maintenance, so I do too. I love being home all day. Dar has been majorly helping with the house stuff lately and it has been a huge gift. It allows me time to pick up on some of the writing things that have gone begging for years. I'm really excited about getting back into the writing groove. It's so great that he has helped carve that out for me. He knows I'm a slow cleaner, and I kept getting caught up in cleaning and then running errands on Friday and not getting to anything else.
Now, I get up and do my part of the cleaning. Then I try to spend several hours at the computer getting familiar with my words again and finding places to market stuff. The last few weeks I've been submitting things I've written that never got a publishing home. I've sent out a few queries on my second novel too. So far rejections from everything, but it feels good to at least be trying again. I've started working on an old short story that I want to turn into a novel too. It's amazing what you can do in a few hours if you will just stick with it.
Then I usually eat a late lunch and run a few errands or sometimes vice versa, if my errand destinations are at risk of siesta-ing on me. Fridays are now extra good thanks to Dar.
08 July 2006
Vacation for the 4th
Every one seems to have done their report for what last weekend held. I'm a week late, but I'm feeling pressured to tell how it went. ha.
We took a vacation day to make it a 4-day. Drove to Tarragona where we went to language school, about 5 hours away. Stayed with future co-workers, who are in language school, in a high rise apartment building over looking a half moon, crystal clear pool.
Saturday - went to Arrabassada beach. Beautiful breeze, cool mediterranean waters, and only a couple topless people. Drove over to La Mora beach where we used to live and ate beachside for under 10 a person. I had bifstec, fries and a salad. It's a real cheap cut of steak that is sometimes tender, like this time. Cleaned up went into Tarragona downtown, ran into a little festival on the rambla (main walking/shopping street). Marhsal arts performers, drum band, stilt walkers and only a handful of observers. Walked the old city and went home late.
Sunday - we got a very slow and late start. Decided to drive into Barcelona, one hour or so. Parked the car, hopped the metro. Shopped in a big bookstore with English books and magazines. Ate lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, oh yeah, American eats and large beverages - with refills! Took a tourist bus tour, which we'd never done, and it was everyone else's first and perhaps only trip into Barcelona. Worked out nicely, you see a lot but are not exhaused at the end of it. We did the rambla thing - walking and watching street performers. Then by popular demand Starbucks, are we a bunch of American's or what?! Got home at the very Spanish hour of 1:30am.
Monday - grocery run at the very crowded equivalent of Super Walmart to prepare for a BBQ. A couple hours at that beautiful swimming pool. Cook side dishes and head to a BBQ at the language school complex. Visit with friends we haven't seen in six months. Ate lots of good food. The Tarragona fireworks festival happened to start this night. We were late getting away so we were driving like mad to get to the beach and glimpsing fireworks through the trees. We still saw about 10 minutes worth when we got to the beach. It's a competition each night so they try to out-do one another. A good show. 30 minutes worth of traffic afterwards.
Tuesday - alas vacation is drawing to an end. We did 2 hours at the beach, then cleaned up and headed out. Arrived home in time for Dar to watch the world cup match that was on television.
It was nice to be away. You relax differently when you're away from home.
We took a vacation day to make it a 4-day. Drove to Tarragona where we went to language school, about 5 hours away. Stayed with future co-workers, who are in language school, in a high rise apartment building over looking a half moon, crystal clear pool.
Saturday - went to Arrabassada beach. Beautiful breeze, cool mediterranean waters, and only a couple topless people. Drove over to La Mora beach where we used to live and ate beachside for under 10 a person. I had bifstec, fries and a salad. It's a real cheap cut of steak that is sometimes tender, like this time. Cleaned up went into Tarragona downtown, ran into a little festival on the rambla (main walking/shopping street). Marhsal arts performers, drum band, stilt walkers and only a handful of observers. Walked the old city and went home late.
Sunday - we got a very slow and late start. Decided to drive into Barcelona, one hour or so. Parked the car, hopped the metro. Shopped in a big bookstore with English books and magazines. Ate lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, oh yeah, American eats and large beverages - with refills! Took a tourist bus tour, which we'd never done, and it was everyone else's first and perhaps only trip into Barcelona. Worked out nicely, you see a lot but are not exhaused at the end of it. We did the rambla thing - walking and watching street performers. Then by popular demand Starbucks, are we a bunch of American's or what?! Got home at the very Spanish hour of 1:30am.
Monday - grocery run at the very crowded equivalent of Super Walmart to prepare for a BBQ. A couple hours at that beautiful swimming pool. Cook side dishes and head to a BBQ at the language school complex. Visit with friends we haven't seen in six months. Ate lots of good food. The Tarragona fireworks festival happened to start this night. We were late getting away so we were driving like mad to get to the beach and glimpsing fireworks through the trees. We still saw about 10 minutes worth when we got to the beach. It's a competition each night so they try to out-do one another. A good show. 30 minutes worth of traffic afterwards.
Tuesday - alas vacation is drawing to an end. We did 2 hours at the beach, then cleaned up and headed out. Arrived home in time for Dar to watch the world cup match that was on television.
It was nice to be away. You relax differently when you're away from home.
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