The Spanish Dream Continues

Greetings,

Since I've been lacking in the correspondence area since my journey back to Spain (around last September) happened, I decided to create a blog to keep in touch with friends and family and write about whatever I fancy. Because of my Irish heritage, I have the gift of gab. If some of these posts become a bit lengthy, you've been forewarned. I first became obsessed with Spain in 2006 when I lived and studied in one of the best cities in the world, Madrid. Right now, I live and work in Aragon, Spain. I live in the fifth biggest city in all of Spain (in the nw section) called Zaragoza. "The land of the mannnoosss". Think directly in between Madrid and Barcelona. But please note I'm still obsessed with Real Madrid F.C. For those of you who don't know, there are 17 communities (or comunidades in Spain). Each community has 3-4 provinces which adds up to around 51 provinces.

My work consists of teaching English to kids and adults of all levels while simultaneously improving my Spanish. I also dabble in a bit of translation and consulting with Spanish to English texts. So, why would an American lad want to travel and live in a foreign country like Spain? Spain actually means "the land of the rabbits". Well, I studied Spanish back in the states so I don't have any problems communicating, however, my goal is to live, talk, eat, and breathe like a true Spaniard. This doesn't always come easy since I have a "guiri" accent and need to learn a lot of "refranes, frases hechas , and dichos" (expressions, refrains, and sayings). Basically, I love Spain (and "castellano" which refers to the original Spanish they speak here) and want to share the information and stories I've accumulated with people who are unfamiliar with this fantastic country. For example, there are many people in the USA who think Spain is in Mexico or can't differentiate a Spaniard from a Colombian from a Cuban and so on. So maybe I'm a poser and trendy now because I have a blog. I don't care. I like to write and I like Spain. What's so intriguing about this country? How about the food (paella, croquetas, tortilla de patatas, gazpacho, fresh ham and bread), the people (Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Rafael Nadal, Pablo Picasso, Miguel Cervaantes, etc), the "ambiente" (the enviornment, the feeling you get when you walk into a Spanish bar or restaurant), the sports (football aka soccer, tennis, basketball, the libations (wine from rioja or ribera del duero, cava aka spanish champagne, and beer like mahou, ambar, and cruz campo oh and don't forget about sherry-from Jerez in Andalucia). You name it, I love it.

I don't want this to be a travelbook or some idiot rambling on about how he does "chupitos" (shots) every week while he travels with a bunch of fellow countrymen, I want people to feel the vibe of the country through the lens of an expatriate. This is a country where there are 4-5 different languages within the borders (catala, euskara, gallego, andaluz (haha), and of course castellano), where each community feels like you've traveled into another country. Every person has a different accent and rhythm to his or her life. The spanish people enjoy living life. They are hard workers and care about the well being of others. This country has been hit hard by the international crisis. Here in Europe, one economist has coined the phrase "PIGS" to refer to Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain since they have been the countries most affected by the recession. But you wouldn't notice if you were walking along "calle Coso" in Zaragoza because Spanish people could be "dando un paseo" aka going for a walk or meeting to take a "cafe solo" with a friend or colleague. The pulse of this country is strong and this American will attempt to get a better grasp on more than just Sangria, Flamenco, and the Running of The Bulls........