CU Abroad – Marisel Salazar

The pro-life/ pro-choice debate is a very hot button cultural issue in modern day America. January 22, 1973, the ruling of Roe v. Wade made abortion legal. President Obama recently overturned the Mexico City Policy, and the U.S. now funds abortions internationally. Most recently, one of the most contentious issues regarding the future of public American health care system is government funding of abortion.

 The abortion issue touches many countries is not only a hot issue in America, but also here in Spain. While largely Catholic, abortion is still legal in the case of harm to the mother, rape, and fetal deformities. However, the law is interpreted liberally, and private clinics perform over 100,000 abortions a year. Additionally, Spanish president Zapatero has allowed scientists to conduct research on embryonic stem cells.

 Proposed changes to the abortion law have angered large parts of Spanish society. In October, there was a large pro-life rally in Madrid in response to socialist government action to lower the age of parental consent in cases of abortion to girls as young as 16 years old. According an online BBC news article, Spain unveils abortion law change by Steve Kingston, abortion would be made available on demand under a proposal approved by the cabinet. The proposal says abortion should be made available on demand during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.

  This proposal presents an ideological clash. Spain is a predominantly Catholic country, with strong historical ties to the Church. Apparently, the Spanish population does not largely support this proposal. Although conflict has arisen in light of this new proposal, not all Spaniards disagree. According to an Asep Research Institute poll, found through an online Guardian article by Dale Fuchs, only 15% of Spaniards oppose abortion under any condition, and 45% support abortion on demand. Zapatero has been quoted as saying that the state should “not intervene in the free and private decision of a woman, who is the one who has to take on the responsibility of a pregnancy her entire life.”

 In my previous homestay family, we had a dinner discussion table about the abortion issue in Spain, and the arguments for it and against are very similar to those publicized in the States. Arguments about the right to life, infanticide, scientific exploration of stem cell research, possible cancer cures, maternal and women’s rights were all discussed, and it appeared that whatever religion you belonged to at the table did not necessarily coincide with your opinion.

 Words such as “modern” and “progressive” have been used in the United States as well as in Spain to describe support for more liberal abortion laws. However, it is still unclear to me whether liberalized abortion laws should be deemed modern or progressive. Among so many new experiences and culture shocks, the abortion issue here in Spain is the same as in the United States: undecided.

 Ref: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8276984.stm

Ref: http://guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/28/spain-abortion-laws

Ref: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/27/2697694

I am getting ready to leave the apartment building where I teach English. The mother of the little boy who I teach English to hands me a green envelope with my money.

 “Gracias” I say.

 “De nada” she replies, “ or as you say it in English, bienvenidos?”

 “ Do you mean ‘ your welcome’?”

 “Exactly! Bienvenidos!”

 Our automatic reply of “ your welcome” to “thank you” is literally translated as bienvenidos in Spanish, which is to “welcome” someone into your home. And “de nada” is our equivalent of “ your welcome” although it more contextually means “ it was nothing/ no trouble.”  As English speakers, sometimes these subtleties escape us, unless we take a time-out to ponder them.

 Learning Spanish as an English speaker can be a very humorous experience, especially colloquialisms. Since I was little, my mother told me that “puta madre” was a palobrota, a bad word (in English, son of a ____). So when I was told that “ tu eres de puta madre” by a local I was chatting to in a bar, you can imagine I was quite offended.  Much to my surprise, I was told that this in fact, was a good thing, a very good thing. It meant that I was “cool.”  However, it would have been intended as an offense had he left out the “de.”

  In fact, we have a similar colloquialism in English. When we think something is really cool, we sometimes say “ this is the $H!T.” Why would we say that something we find really amazing, is $H!T? Of course, to commit an offense, we say “ You piece of _______!”

 And when I looked up synonyms for “cool” this is what Merriam-Webster dictionary said: chilly, breezy, unruffled, nonchalant, and unflappable. I don’t think I have ever said, “that is so unflappable” to something I liked before.

 In the same way, I have never used “ milk” to describe persons or things that I find “cool.” But the Spanish do. If you want to tell someone that you find this person/thing to be so great, casually or emphatically say “ es de la leche” or literally “it is from/of milk.” I have never used “cheese” to describe a guy I find attractive. “ El es el queso” is what you could say in Spanish, although I find it odd.  Although I am sure the Spanish find it odd when we describe someone as hot, or caliente, a description of the temperature. Do they have a fever then?

 If you take the time to think about it- perhaps reading very, very deeply- our colloquialism reflect a little about what we value:  I see the Spanish value milk and cheese, and we as Americans, really like different grades in temperature.

“Both my wife and my daughter think I am this gigantic loser. And they’re right. I’ve lost something very important. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I know I did not always feel this…sedated. But you know what? It’s never too late to get it back.”

 -Lester Burnham, American Beauty

…

My translation class involves translating American film scripts into colloquial Spanish, such as American Beauty. However, during our many segways where we find ourselves not necessarily translating the script, we “translate” cultural norms from one country to another.

 There is one American value that American Beauty demonstrates very well, that Cristina, my Spanish native translation professor, says is very hard for Spaniards to grasp: the power of change.

 American Beauty shows an exaggeration of an American family. The main character, forty-something Lester Burnham appears to have the American Dream. In reality, Lester is recently fired, in a loveless marriage, has a non-existent relationship with his teenage daughter Janie, and an obsession with her friend, Angela.

 Lester decides to take hold of his life again. He stands up for himself to his wife, buys his dream car, begins jogging to impress Angela, smokes marijuana and works at a hamburger joint flipping patties. He decides to change.

 Other changes occur within the movie as well. The Burnhams get new next-door neighbors. If they can help it, many Spaniards prefer not to move away from the city they were born in. Our country’s very beginnings are based upon change: the Pilgrims sailed away from England to the east coast of America in search of a new life, in search of change.

 Eighteen-year old, college aged Ricky is the boy next door. He purposely antagonizes his father, with the intent to be thrown out of his house. Most young American look forward to embarking upon one of the most fun phases in their lives: college. And for some us, that means packing up and moving as far as we can from Mom and Dad. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for Spanish sons and daughters to live with their parents until their late 20’s, and choose a college within their home city.

 Carolyn, Lester’s wife, is an ambitious realtor. Like many Americans, she takes her career very seriously and looks towards success and progress-even if that means moving to a different part of the country, or world. According to Cristina, a Spaniard must be offered a very large pay raise and benefits to even consider changing locations. We see this type of change as a new adventure. It seems the Spanish consider it a hassle.

 Perhaps that is the beauty of America, that is, our power to change. “Change” was the glorified monosyllable campaign motto of our newest president. And it was glorified because we sincerely believe in it. Professor Cristina says that our ability to change is one of our greatest attributes- that in order to get what we want, we will change something. Maybe that is why she moved from Madrid to Boston.

Among other cultural differences between Spain and America, the most difficult one for me to get accustomed to is the time of day to eat. Generally, the Spanish take 5 small meals a day: a very light breakfast, a mid morning snack, lunch, a mid afternoon/evening snack, and dinner at a time when most of us are ready for bed. Below is my general thought process surrounding food:

11:30 AM

My stomach is rumbling. The cup of coffee and sabao, a lightly sweetened Spanish breakfast bread, I had at 8 in the morning are long gone. Breakfast in Spain is very light, consisting of little more than coffee and a pastry. At homes, I would definitely fill up on scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice, and some fruit to go.  Lunch, at its earliest, is at 2 PM. How am I going to concentrate in class when my stomach is participating in our discussion more than my mouth?

1:30 PM

I happily discover a pear in my bag. It is gone within 2 seconds. This is my midmorning/afternoon snack.

2:00 PM

Uh-oh, it appears lunch is scheduled for 3 o’clock. How does this country wait so long in between meals without fainting left and right in the streets?

3:30 PM

Lunch. Lentil soup with white rice and bread, common Spanish fare. My favorite lunch habit is to dip my bread in my soup. 

7:00 PM

Stomach is complaining. It gurgles that it needs to be fed again. It says ” HEY! You know, I usually take dinner around 6:00 PM. You are way overdue.”

I meekly reply “What can I do? Dinner is not until 10 PM!” 

“10 PM! That’s bed time!”

8:00 PM

 To satisfy their hunger in between lunch and dinner, the Spanish take a merienda, or a sweet snack and coffee. I have magdalenas, another sweet Spanish bread, almost like a cupcake without the frosting.

10:00 PM

By now, I am ready to go to sleep. For dinner, we have white bean soup, more rice and bread. I thank my lucky stars I did not fall asleep and drown in my beans. 

This is going to take some getting used to.

At my first lunch with my homestay mother in an outdoor café, I asked our waiter if I could take my sandwich to go. My homestay mother looked at me in horror. “Marisel, never ask that.” Never ask to take my food to go? “ You must finish the sandwich here-in Spain, it is considered grosera–rude-to take food to go. ” I was embarrassed that I had made such an ignorant first impression to my homestay mother. I stayed and finished my sandwich. A few days later, while sitting down for a cup of coffee with some people from my program, I knew that there was no way that I could ask for a cup of coffee to go-they would not even have paper cups but ceramic mugs. Who knew that coffee could be served in anything else but Styrofoam?

Spain does not believe in “to-go.” Quite the contrary, she believes in “let’s stay, chat and lounge at this café for a few hours or so.” Although madrileños have been ranked the third fastest walkers in the world, everything else in Madrid is anything but fast. 

While dining out at tapas bars, I no longer expect my waiter to eagerly run over and top off my glass of water when I have just taken a sip. Instead, I gesture wildly and yell “señor, señor, agua por favor” hoping he does not pretend to not notice me. And asking for the bill is like waiting to see the doctor. Waiters do not work for tips in Spain. A tip of 15% is unheard of. Besides, what is so important that you need to leave us so fast? Have some more olives, a little bit of bread, another glass of wine, oh yes please…

“Marisel” said my homestay mother when I commented upon service in Spain “ the Spanish do not have a concept of time.” This would explain my own mother-who is late for everything. Isabel, my homestay mother explained to me that nothing is more important than visiting with ones friends and families- sometimes not even work. People also rarely meet up in their own homes. Instead, they go out to reunite with one another. Wine and beer are just as cheap, if not cheaper, then a glass of water. With beverages this affordable, there is no excuse not to go out and meet up with a friend for a drink. Perhaps that is why they keep prices so low.

A lot of what we do and how we act in the United States is “to-go.”  Even while sitting down at a meal, the presentation of how we eat is to go. For many, breakfast consists of coffee and oatmeal behind a desk at work.  In Spain, many workers are granted 30 minute breakfasts breaks, in addition to lunch. At home, we are encouraged to avoid naps in order to do more activities during the day. However, come 2:00 PM, the entire city of Madrid closes shop to partake in a siesta. We say “can’t meet you for the movies-got to work in a run” while Spain says “ahhh, let’s go out together for a stroll.” We are high speed Internet; while Spain is dial-up-and they are alright with it.

 Perhaps the pace at which we conduct our lives says a lot about what we value. We, the United States, like to go faster, we like it bigger- it seems to be true, because when I want a larger size cup of coffee than what is considered normal in Spain, it is customary to ask for a “café americano” or coffee with water. Maybe we are so “to-go” that we get caught up in our own momentum and we end up letting what many cultures like Spain consider to be the most important pass us by: friends and family.

You want to meet up for a café you say? I would love “to-go.”

 Men and women in Madrid take great pride in their footwear. For the tremendous amount of walking done in this city, high heels are very popular. I noticed a specific shoe model that every woman, regardless of age, appeared to don: espadrilles.  I stopped in at Hernandes, a zapateria (shoes store) in Madrid that exclusively sold espadrilles. It was quite busy, with customers buying multiple pairs of candy colored espadrilles.

Espadrilles, or alpargatas, as they are known in Spain, are sandals made from canvas and jute. The upper part is made of canvas in rainbow of colors and patterns, while the rope soles are strengthened with rubber. Once in a millenium, I will find a pair of espadrilles at home in the United States. In Spain, they are just as common as coffee, cigarettes and 2 euro wine.

According to AbsoluteAstronomy.com, espadrille is derived from the Catalan word espardenya and consequently esparto, referring to grass used to make rope. This particular style of shoe, with laces wrapped around the ankle, has been made since the 14th century in Catalunia. Espadrilles were worn by both men and women.

 Apparently, espadrilles were once peasant footwear. Now, they protect the feet of the most fashionable ladies (and gentlemen) in Madrid. Thanks to the French designer Yves St-Laurent for reinventing the espadrille during the 1960s and adding on a high heel. His addition made espadrilles all the rage with fashionistas. Today, espadrilles are just as comfortable and stylish as ever. They mold to the feet and allow them to breath, which is especially necessary since Spain decides to have a second summer season towards the end of September, el veranillo de San Miguel, or the little summer of Saint Michael. I suppose this is a suitable excuse to go buy a pair.

Ref: http://www.espadrilles.ca/2008/06/espadrilles-history.html

“No one speaks English!” and “ Oh, thank God they have a Starbucks!” were some of the first things I heard upon arrival in La Puerta de Sol, the epicenter of Madrid. In Madrid, Spain, they speak Spanish and Castellano in addition to other regional tongues, and in general, to-go coffee cups do not exist. Why would you take a 7-hour plane ride across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain to study abroad, only to expect America?

I had some trouble finding a suitable converter the first few nights in Madrid. One did not have enough volts; another could not fit my Mac laptop charger. I asked my home stay brother if he could help me. He curiously eyed my American plug and matter-of-factly said, “This is the strangest plug I have ever seen.” I thought the same of their European outlets. After much frustration, and too many trips to buy multiple converters at El Cortes Ingles, a popular Spanish department store, I finally got my plug to fit the converter.

Sometimes, it takes multiple tries to find your own “fit” in a new culture. That could mean trying a new language, or food. At the end of the day, my American plug has three prongs and the European outlet has two round openings. And the two would never fit unless I tried to adapt my plug-and I wanted to use my computer! Spain and America are two very different cultures. I needed an adaptor if I wanted my computer to function. In the same way, I need to adapt to Spanish culture if I want to function, learn and live! I will never be able to accomplish that if I plan on going to Starbucks to get my coffee.