Toto.... I don't think we're tourists anymore....

Although I apparently still look like one. I don't know what to tell you, I try my darnedest to blend in with the hip-euro fashions. I wear the boots with the short dresses and tights, I tuck my jeans in, I have an ever-widening collection of pashminas... and I understand that once I open my mouth that of course people should think that I am at the very least not Spanish, but when clad in all Euro-bought clothing and all I utter is a quick "Hola" during dos besos... I am still instantly pegged. Sigh. Is it the freckles? The fact that I'm "clarita" (ie super white)? A girl last night said that Americans have really white teeth, and that mine are really white, so I look American. Thanks???

I was talking with Noelia the other day and she said that her impression of me and my friends last year is that we were basically glorified tourists, but that this year, I am really here, living the life of a true Sevilliana, and that by year's end it will as if I have lived here all my life. I seriously doubt that, although I am impatient for some means of measurable progress to this end. I have been making considerable efforts to get out and experience culture in an authentic way. (Yes, OTHER than drinking at authentic bars). Some of my more recent efforts include:

1. I went with my roommate Rocio last Friday to a "e-spectaculo" (yes, a spectacular!)which was a blend of theater and dance, flamenco in particular. It roughly followed the story of the Greek god Dionisus (Dionisio) and had quite a lot of interpretive dance breaks,(claro). After the show we chatted with other viewers about the performance. I nodded earnestly at all commentary and added "Si, bailaban muy bien " ("Yes, they danced very well.") What was the even more... interesting part of the cultural evening occurred on Rocio's and my walk home from downtown.

We were hungry and decided to stop in at a bar that purportedly offered "Italian tapas" this culinary cultural infusion sounded interesting so we decided to give it a try. Upon entering the almost empty bar, the waiter welcomes us excitedly with (translated):" Ahhh, you have come for the 'espectaculo'!!!!" We just laughed awkwardly and asked about the tapas, which turned out to be only 'montaditos' which are basically just tiny little sandwiches which you can find in any SPANISH bar, oh, and Spanish olives. We were disappointed of course, at the lack of Italian-ness of these tapas but were tired and hungry so we accepted. When we were getting ready to leave, a woman, one of the 3 other people in the bar, came to us and told us that we couldn't leave because the "espectaculo" was about to start! What espectaculo? Oh, there is a gay guy in the back putting his dress and makeup on, then he is going to come out and sing some Spanish songs for you!!! You can't leave yet!!! She proceeded to refill our drinks and force us out of sheer awkwardness to stay. We somewhat anxiously and uncomfortably sipped our drinks and tried to think of an escape route but there seemed to be none. I was fine with watching a little Spanish drag, but Rocio had to get up early for here Academy in the morning, and it was already late. Finally, the diva comes out. Gorgeous! ...But she doesn't seem to be planning on singing anytime soon. She comes over with redbull and cigarette and thanks us for staying. ("....For staying to see you drink in dress??" Is what I was thinking) FINALLY, another group of about 15 people came in, I assume to see the espectaculo, and Rocio and I slipped out. We laughed most of the rest of the way home at the surreal irony: We went into for Italian tapas, and we got sandwiches and a drag queen.


2. This past week I have been going to a European film festival here in Sevilla. Out of the 6 films I got to see, one I really liked, one was pretty ok, and the rest were slow, boring and pointless. I can do slow films, but I need there be some sort of purpose of sitting in a dark room with 300 strangers by the end. I'm bummed because most of the movies that I REALLY wanted to see are now sold out, so we went to see some random ones instead. Today (since all the other movies were sold out) we are going to see a series of shorts, should be interesting. I hope the subtitling is good!

America: Not so stupid after all...

I had been been building up anxiety about the elections so much that by Nov 4, all I could do was join a huge group of Americans at an Irish pub downtown and drink beer and watch CNN even though the results wouldn't be out Spain time until early morning. With somewhat relaxed nerves I left the bar at 1:30am only because I had to get up for work in the morning. Obama had been winning in Indiana, a normally Republican state. Could all the hype be true? Could he really be winning? I dared to hope.

My eyes burst open that morning at 8am and I reached to turn on my computer. "Obama wins!" reads the headline. I stared for a minute in disbelief, then read the whole article even though I had the information that I wanted. Then I had to get ready for school. Upon my arrival, one of the teachers that I work with presented me with flowers and told me "OBAMA! Felicidades! Congratulations!!!" I replied that I hadn't actually won anything, so I didn't deserve the flowers, but that I greatly appreciated the gesture. In the halls that day from other Spaniards I got big smiles and thumbs-up. "The Obama has win eh?? Que bien!"

Later that day in my Uni class I got similar responses, and had to explain a little about the American voting system, how the points work etc. (All in Spanish, of course. "Electoral college" in not yet in my Spanish vocabulary.) But needless to say, everyone was very supportive and very pleased.

On Nov. 5th 2008, I was not ashamed to admit I was an American in Europe. On the contrary, I was proud.