Cultural Immersion

Hola, que tal?

Since the very first day that I arrived I was instantly immersed in the culture of Spain. I got off the train in Ourense and was taken to a parade for Carnival that my host sisters were in. Carnival is a traditional celebration in certain parts of Spain that lasts over a month specifically in Galicia. I was taken into Ourense for the first parade, and it was so much fun. Everybody was dressed up, singing, dancing, and had energy like I had not experienced before. It really surprised me how everyone including adults were dressed up and there were such distinct types of costumes within the parades. Some of the specific types of costumes they had were Pantallas, Peliqueiros, Cigarrons, and Boteiros. I had never seen costumes like these before and I learned that most regions have specific costumes they display depending on their history. Then my second day I went to Carnival parties with the daughters of my host family and got to experience the community they have. On my third day I attended the parade in A Valenca that my host sisters were also in.

Another thing that I learned after arriving is that Galicia has their own dialect called Gallega. I knew that there were different types of Spanish depending on where you were, but I had never heard of Gallega before I arrived in Galicia. I have not sat down to start learning it, but I have asked my host family to help me learn some before I leave. In some way it reminds me of Castilian, but it is distinctly different. This is a dialect that is inspired by Spanish and Portuguese. I learned that during most of the 1990s under the dictatorship of Franco they were forbidden to speak in Gallega and were given serious punishments if they were caught speaking it.

I have had really good experiences with locals, and they have been very kind to me. I always try to speak to them in Spanish first and you can tell they genuinely appreciate it. Since I am in a smaller town (barrio) not everyone speaks English which is something I expected. So, working on my Spanish has been a must and I have gotten a lot of help from my host family and teachers at my assigned school. I go to two coffee shops weekly and after going a couple of times the people started remembering me, instantly bringing me my coffee and gluten-free cookies, and treating me like I am not an outsider American. This had made me feel better than they could ever imagine. Something that is so small and probably not as deep as I am taking has helped me feel at home in a place so far away from my home.

One of the things that I was most excited for and wanted to try was the different types of food. Some typical foods from Spain that I have tried is tortilla de patata, lacon a la gallega, huevos rotos. I have not eaten one thing that my host family has made me that I have not liked. Everything tastes so fresh and is clear that it does not have all of the chemicals and other things that food in America has. It is also so much cheaper here than it is in the states. I have been to the grocery store a few times and every time the price surprises me because I am always expecting it to be so much more expensive.

I adore Ourense and A Valenca! They are gorgeous, small, and carry so much history. I was able to get a tour of Ourense and got to explore their church, hear the history of statues, and get the back story of the importance of the thermal baths. I cannot wait to see what else I learn while I am here!

Until next time, Ms. K.