Karma Kitchen

I forgot to write this post last week. But here it is. I will initially have to keep it brief as I'm out of Internet time.

Last week in my Spanish conversation class, we each had do a 15 minute presentation in Spanish about whatever topic we'd like. After a few days, I still had not figured out my topic. So Thursday morning when I awoke, it came to me....Karma Kitchen! I wrote out the information Thursday afternoon and presented it in class on Friday.

I'll have to leave you in suspense for now.

Must go.

Will write later.

Flamenco

It's almost the end of my 5th week here in Spain. I still can't believe its been over a month already. There is still so much to do and see. I haven't spent much of my time rushing around to monuments or partying all night. I've had a healthly balance of it all and thats just what I wanted.

This week I started flamenco choregraphy classes and they are proving to be very difficult. The main reason this class is much harder is because I'm learning Bulerias. Bulerias is a particular rhythm that is danced in flamenco. The Bulerias is known for its element of surprise and improv. This means we are studying compas (rhythms) and counts to figure out when to start, stop, and improvise dance routines. It's similar to Kathak in many ways, but the counts are a bit different. Also the entire song can be broken up however the singer and guitarist choose so the dancer is left to improvise with the beats. We are all beginners so getting down the general idea and concept of how these songs and rhythms are broken up is the most important part. The dance is build up with the basic foundation movements of flamenco. All of this is slightly made more difficult because all the explanations are done in Spanish. I understand most of it all, but its a matter of translating it into the body's movement. Creating that connection between the mind and the body.

This is also the first week that I'm sore from my classes and all the steep hill climbing to and from school 2-3 times a day. Spain is the 2nd hillest country in Europe behind Swizterland. My school is located up two major steep hills which I go up and down several times a day since I have gaps in my schedule. My roommate and I keep saying that it will all be worth it in the end because we will have very nice firm legs and butts! : ) I really hope she is right!

Nothing else to report from here. I hope everyone back home is doing well and thriving. I want to let you all know that I've thought of you all many a times and I carry you all with me in my heart. I look forward to sharing my journey and hearing about your journeys when I return.

Melon con Rum

Last night, my roommates friend who is visiting from Germany made her very famous Melon con Rum. It was fun watching her create the drink out of a huge melon. I took notes and will definitely be recreating this one possibly when Neerav, Arpan, and Ritesh arrive or in the states. Though, the melon we used is only found in Spain. The meat of the melon is muy delicioso! The good thing is that the melon can be refilled many times in case you have very thirsty guests! : )

Salud, dinero, y amor.....chin chin....cheers!

Cathedral and Capilla Real

Today is the first day in the last few months that is cool and not too hot. Normally the heat gets pretty intense by 12pm. I'm thoroughly enjoying this cloudy cool day as I look to the Alhambra from my school's terrace.

This past weekend, I ventured out to El Centro to visit Granada's Cathedral and Capilla Real. The Cathedral is vast with very high ceilings and several large columns in its interior. The Cathedral was built around 1526 in a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles. It is quite easy to see both these styles at work within the Cathedral. Massive gold gothic alters reside next to wooden dull color Renaissance alters. It is always so fascinating to see how much history resides in a place so old. Alfonso Cana, an artist and visionary, created a number of wonderful oil paintings around the Cathedral. He also was the visionary around the very large 3 dimensional wooden doors guarding the backside of the Cathedral entrance.

Whenever I visit places of worship, I usually take a second to reflect and wonder what these walls have seen and heard. After hearing so much about the Cathedral, I'm glad I finally had the chance to go see it for myself.

The Capilla Real is another fascinating place located next to the Cathedral. The Capilla Real holds the bodies of Isabel and Fernanado and a few others, which I can't remember right now. I believe it is Felipe and his wife and a small child named Miguel. The coffins are located underground and can be viewed from a glass door. Above ground there are 4 massive marble carvings of the adults. It is said that Isabel started the building to host their bodies upon death. A massive shrine to themselves is more like it. But the Capilla Real took several years and was not complete when Isabel and Fernando passed away. For this reason, the bodies of Isabel and Fernando were temporarily housed in the Alhambra until the Capilla Real was completed. The intricate marble carvings are beyond words. One of the artist who worked on the carvings was a very talented gentleman from Italy.

It was an afternoon of history, followed by a quick walk through the downtown plaza, with a stop on a nice bench overlooking a beautiful fountain surrounded by greenery. All in all a great way to start the weekend.

Writings on the wall

Lately, I've been taking even more time out to write. Below are a few of my random writings. Hope you enjoy them!

Lone Cloud
Painting the blue sky with your fluffy white
Standing alone, bracing the wind
Lone cloud how gently you are tugged into many directions
Slowly dispersing til you no longer are who you were
Fading, blending, growing into the blue background
In a blink, you have become one with the vast blue sky
It is as if you never existed.

Rhythms
Rythms of the spanish guitar fill the crisp air
Hands are being held, laughter can be heard everywhere
The strumming continues as the world dances about
Lovers meeting as if it were for the 1st time
Grandmothers laughing and playing with their grandchildren
The soft whispers of leaves flowing along the cobble stone sidewalk
The river Darro providing continuous harmony to a flamenco guitar being played passionately
The Alhambra sweeping down from above watching over the plaza
The sounds of children frolicking in the fountain
A song is waiting to be created by the guitarist
No night is ever the same just as I will not be after this moment

By Myself
Perched upon a plastic chair out in a wide open plaza, I sit and wait for my beverage and free tapas.
I'm asked by a curious woman, "Are you here with someone?" I confidently respond, " Yes, I'm here with myself."
A boisterous laugh calls to the fresh air. I too, laugh.
Enjoying one's company is a treasure in itself. So much to learn.

Enjoying the view

The view from Sacromonte.

Me Diverti Mucho!

So this week is my fourth week in Granada. At the end of this week, I will have been here for 1 month already. It does not in any way feel like I´ve been here that long. My days are filled with spanish classes, meeting old and new students, hanging out on the terrace at school, flamenco classes, siestas, discovering the city and surrounding towns, having drinks (cava, wine,cerveza, mojitos, sangria) with friends, and enjoying my roommates company in the house.

I found it very interesting that so many people here from around Europe and other parts speak 3-4 languages and in addition are now learning spanish. It´s so impressive! I´m picking up bits and pieces of German, Italian, French, etc. I´m also learning a lot about the ways, traditions, and customs of many European countries.

My Spanish speaking is ok. I´d like to elevate it to a higher level within the next few weeks. It´s been difficult to practice it at home or school because the commom language is English and some folks don´t know enough Spanish yet to hold a conversation. Thus everyone ends up speaking English in our house and at school. In some ways its great because I´ve been able to connect much more eaily with people, but in other ways it is hindering my spanish. I have signed up to do Spanish-English exchange program with a student from the University of Granada. I will meet him sometime this week to practice my spanish. I think this will be good practice not only to speak to but to listen and understand spanish from a native Spaniard.

I have a lot of down time in between school and bedtime. Much of that time has been spent reflecting, reading books, studying, Spanish magazines, and meditating. I´ve had a lot of realizations. At times so much is going on in my head that I can´t process it for days. It all usually comes out in its own way at its own time. I have decided that it is not for me to force or evaluate but just watch it. At times recently, I´ve stressed out about the grand question, ¨What do I do with my life when I return to California? Work?¨ I avoided the question the first few weeks as I was settling in and getting to know a new place. But last week I decided that I need to face the music. In doing so, I´ve come to the conclusion that going deeper within myself is the best practice to move forward in answering this question. And who knows maybe the answer will come to me if I´m open to it.

One of the other students who just left works with refugee kids back home in the states. We had many interesting coversations regarding teaching refugee kids because I volunteered and tutored refugee kids for a few years in high school. This theme of teaching and working with refugee kids has been reoccuring in my life recently. A few months ago, a book came out that spoke candidly about the town and refugee center I volunteered at. I have not yet read the book, but have it sitting on our bookshelf for when I return. I´m looking more deeply into the area of teaching. I really think teaching culture, language, and exposing kids to new people and customs is very important. I´m exploring all these new avenues.

It´s interesting how learning another language has made me evaluate my speech. I think more before I speak both in English and Spanish. I feel more and more each day that words have so much power and likewise silence has its own strength. I have for so long taken speech and communication for granted. I think I forget sometimes just how important words are and how we should choose what we say carefully and with compassion. Vimala Thakker´s book put it best, in our society we always say, ¨You know what I mean.¨ No, people do not always know and they should not have to guess. So say what you mean. I´m working on this myself. It will take time.