A Farewell to Spain

"Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering." - Augustine of Hippo

My time in Spain has come to an end with all the bittersweet feelings that are sure to accompany such a conclusion. A nervous excitement has taken hold of many summer program students in Salamanca. They pack the shops trying to find their last souvenirs and hold study halls in the cafés, attempting to cram in endless conjugations and corresponding verbs before finals.

But the majority of students have adopted the Spanish calm. They sit in the Plaza Mayor enjoying their last ice cream. They stroll through the parks with their hands behind their back and see the summer flowers beginning to fade in anticipation of fall. They sit by the Rio Tormes with a book in their hand and bare feet in the grass. They breathe it all in and know that they have not only discovered another culture, but a new part of themselves in that culture. It seems that we, the consummate tourists, have discovered Fuentes’ Buried Mirror as well.

However, with the end of our travels comes a certain temptation to believe that the Spain we have come to know will be forever frozen in the way we remember it, in the history we relate. Narcissistic in the extreme, this thought is quickly banished as we see the changing leaves and entering novitiates who will no doubt add to the country’s rich history.

Spain and her culture may be rooted in a layered history but she continues to change with her people. The roots of Spain are strong, buried in riots and victories, dictators and kings, expulsions and conquests; but the leaves of Spain, the culture of Spain, continue to evolve and grow.

Spain lives on through its lengthy history, its magnanimous buildings, its inimitable customs, its diverse religions and, most importantly, through its people.

A Wedding in the Plaza Mayor

Almost every city in Spain boasts a Plaza Mayor in the center of the city where both the ordinary and extraordinary events of life are celebrated. At night, old couples stroll through the square, while children kick soccer balls over the uneven cobblestone and college kids share wine and tapas with friends. And then there are the weddings.
I am always shocked to witness the abundance of weddings that congregate in these public places. There is no timidity about parading these celebrations around the city and there is no desire for privacy. The joy of a wedding is shared with the entire city or not at all. Así como es España.

Spain and the Church

The towers of Universidad Pontificia
from inside Casa de las Conchas

On the Rua Antigua in Salamanca there are two ancient edifices that face each other at uncomfortably close angles. These buildings are known to all of Salamanca as the Casa de las Conchas and the Universidad Pontificia. The Casa de las Conchas is a solid garrison lavishly decorated with carved sea shells and extravagant flourishes, while the Universidad Pontificia is a towering cathedral and college with illustrious religious images sculpted into the lofty buttresses. Passersby pause in the shadow of the two buildings and tilt their heads in curious gestures, as they ponder why two buildings of such grandeur are built so close as to block the other’s unique architecture.

Legend has it that the Jesuits built the Universidad Pontificia first and the owners of Casa de las Conchas, in an attempt to keep up with the Spanish Joneses, built their seashell house at the doorstep of the magnanimous structure. When the Jesuits saw that the finished Casa de las Conchas blocked their illustrious façade they began to spread a rumor around town that each shell carved into the side of Casa de las Conchas contained a precious jewel. What proceeded were a series of vandalisms against the Casa de las Conchas, resulting in ugly pock marks where certain shells used to be.

Whether this legend proves to be true or false, it serves as a somewhat accurate representation of the relationship between Spain with the Catholic Church.

Since Isabel and Ferdinand reconquered Spain “debajo del cruz” “under the banner of the cross” in 1492, Spain’s history has been forever entwined with that of the Catholic Church. At times, it seems that it is an insurmountable task to dissect a facet that is both a part of the culture and a part of the soul of Spain. At others, it is evident that their relationship is a part of the Spanish culture, but does not encompass the culture.

Depending on the leadership of Spain, there have been times of both war and peace with the Catholic Church. The history between these two factions is too vast to recount; however, fundamentally, a comfortable alliance of give and take had remained the status quo until the 1930’s. Up until the Second Republics radical anticlericalism and Franco’s subsequent despotic adoption of the faith for Spain, the Church had remained an inherent component of the Spanish culture. However, after Franco’s abuse of power, it seems that Spain is wary of religious influence. In fact, the most recent Spanish constitution, written in 1987, emphasizes the separation of church and state in Spain.

Nevertheless, no amount of wishing can take away the traditions and memories of a 500 year relationship. In fact, in less than a week, Madrid will host more than a million Catholic youth and the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, for the 2011 World Youth Day. An infinite number of Spanish cathedrals are papered with banners promoting the event both inside and outside of Madrid. The presence of Spanish citizens protesting the Pope’s arrival only serves to reinforce the polemic relationship between religion and state.

Like the infamous edifices of Casa de las Conchas and Universidad Pontificia, Spain and the Catholic Church share a relationship that is both celebrated and mourned. There is no moving these buildings, there is no changing history, there is only the fact that they must continue to live side by side, sharing each other’s history and tradition.   

Pope to be greeted by protests in Madrid

"Los indignados" or the 15 of May movement in Spain is back in the news today. The group is protesting next week's arrival of Pope Benedict XVI for World Youth Day in Madrid. Protestors say that the government is spending money frivolously in anticipation of the Pope's arrival when they could be putting that money toward education and health costs for the Spanish people. With more than one million youth entering the city of Madrid for WYD next week, one would think that the Pope's visit would serve as a stimulant to Madrid's floundering economy. However, the protests persist and this added to one million foreign visitors could test the vigor of the city of Madrid.

La Alberca

Spanish writer Federico Garcia Lorca once said: “In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead in any other country in the world.”

Thus far, this has been the truth. You cannot walk too far in Spain without coming upon a monument to a writer, the old convent of a saint, the house of a famous politician, or the ruins of an ancient culture. There are monuments abounding in Spain, but, perhaps there is not better historical ambience than that which is found in the mountain town of La Alberca.

Located in the northern slopes of the Sierra de Francia, La Alberca is a quiet mountain village with uneven, narrow roads, a small city square and a peaceful quiet that fills her streets. La Alberca is best known as one of the typical small towns that were popular in the Spanish past but are few and far between these days.

Houses are still kept up with great care in the appropriate architecture. Flower boxes grace every balcony and the gong of the church bells still serves as the town’s main time piece. In the shops, open canvas bags of dried peppers, beans and spices create a mixed aroma, inviting shoppers to scoop the appropriate amount into their plastic bags. Life just seems simpler in the mountain town.

By the church in La Alberca there is a statue of a pig that commemorates a tradition that continues to this day. In July, a pig is let loose through the town and it wanders the streets, being fed by different families each night, until in January it is awarded to a lucky family who promptly butchers and eats the pig. This tradition mixed with the current mass production of pork, evident in the crowded Jamonerías, creates a feeling of being in two worlds at once: both the present and the past.

According to Lorca, nowhere is history more alive than in Spain. And according to La Alberca, nowhere is Spanish history more alive than in the streets of their small town.

An Overlooked Monarchy

The time of the monarchs as ruling bodies in Spain has passed. Western history has been forever altered by the actions of past Spanish kings and queens and their development of the Americas, but it seems that their era has all but faded.

The current Spanish king, Juan Carlos I, abides by the norms of the modern Spanish monarchy – Reinar, pero no gobernar. To reign, but not to govern.

This is the norm, but it is not always followed.

In a recent incident of international fame, Juan Carlos gave the world a glimpse of the steel grit that built the Spanish monarchy and kingdom. During a 2007 Ibero-American summit, an argument broke out between Spanish President Jose Luis Zapatero and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. While discussing the war in Afghanistan, Chavez claimed that the past president of Spain was a fascist for cooperating with Bush and Blair in the war. The Venezuelan dictator went so far as to claim that the past Spanish president was responsible for the Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in Madrid on May 11, 2004.

Zapatero, who was sitting next to King Juan Carlos, reprimanded Chavez for disrespecting an official elected by the will of the Spanish people. As he is given to do, Chavez continued in his degrading diatribe. At which point the Spanish king leaned forward and said:

“Porqúe no te calles?” “Why don’t you shut up?”

As if Juan Carlos’ indication was not direct enough, it takes on special importance for the Spanish speaker – Juan Carlos neglected to use the formal usted form and thus ignored the status of Chavez’ rank.

Juan Carlos’ words for Chavez are celebrated and immortalized by many a Spaniard. The story made every newscast in Spain and remains a moment of pride. Not only were we able to glimpse the audacity of monarchies past, but we were also able to witness the monarchical will in the face of a dictator reminiscent of the Spanish Franco.

Date Change for Spain's Presidential Elections

On Friday last, Spanish President Zapatero shocked Spanish voters by announcing that he will be moving the date for the presidential elections in Spain from March 2012 to November 20, 2011. Besides superstitions surrounding the date’s numerical significance (20-11-2011), the 20th of November is a date of singular importance for Spain. November 20, 1975 is the day that Francisco Franco died. A day that ended a 40 year dictatorship in Spain.


The Spanish people are stunned.No political analysis has thus far been able to comprehend the reason for the unexpected change of date. Nonetheless, political analysts have endeavored to understand Zapatero’s motivations. Some believe that Zapatero, who is part of the reigning socialist party in Spain PSOE, is using the death of ultra-conservative Franco as a reminder to voters of the dangers of conservatism. By associating Franco with conservatism, Zapatero would succeed in discouraging votes for PSOE’s conservative counterpart Partido Popular (PP).

Following the 15th of May protests in Spain, PP has been gaining momentum throughout the country and is more or less a shoe-in for the presidency. Zapatero’s assumed intention is to curb PP’s popularity. Whether the change of date hinders or helps either side is yet to be seen.

However, regardless of the outcome, Zapatero’s change of date strikes at the heart of Spain’s history and the heart of the careful culture that has emerged from the Franquista era.

Buen Provecho!

The food of Spain may not be as well known as Italian, as processed as American, or as commercialized as Chinese or Texmex, but it entertains its own unique flavor derived from the Spanish culture and influences.

It is not unusual to walk by a shop in the Spanish streets and see in the window whole legs of sows complete with hoof and thigh. For someone from the U.S., whose knowledge of the butcher often extends no further than the frozen food aisle, this can be somewhat disconcerting. But the feeling of nausea must be quickly mastered, because ham is by far the most common meat in Spain and has special cultural importance for the Iberian peninsula. Thanks to the expulsion of the Jews and Muslims from Spain as well as the subsequent Inquisition in the Middle Ages, pork took on a very important role in the culture and religion of Spain. Pork became a staple in most households because it stands as a symbol of Christianity as it differs from the Muslim and Jewish religious practices. In a time when the Catholic faith was being championed by the Reconquest, Counterreformation and Inquisition, something as superficial as the consumption of pork confirmed your orthodoxy. Centuries later, pork remains a staple in the Spanish diet.

While pork is used around Spain, it is perhaps most used in the region of Castile and Leon due to its central location. In the coastal cities of Spain, seafood is emphasized instead. In Barcelona, the seafood is always fresh and always abundant. Both seafood and pork are used in dishes like paella – a popular rice dish of the Spanish people. On the other hand, fresh vegetables and potatoes contribute to the Spanish tortilla, gazpacho and olive oil.

In terms of drinks, Spain is anything but lacking. While certain regions of Spain boast large vineyards and artisan wines, Sangria remains the drink of choice in most Spanish establishments. Many times a caña of Sangria is served with tapas (Spanish hors d’oeuvres) late into the Iberian night. The diverse ingredients that make up Sangria – red wine, fruit juice, rum, sugar and fresh fruit - resemble the diverse cultures that have contributed to the history of Spain and Europe at large.

The Voice of Zamora

Zamora was quiet this weekend. Whether this is typical of the city or brought on by the fact that August is vacation time in Spain is immaterial. The silence that enveloped the city was enough to allow the whisper of her history to speak across the ages.

Zamora is a city in the region of Castille & Leon that is often called a “Romanesque museum” because of its 24 Romanesque cathedrals and the ruins of a large Roman castle at the edge of the city. It is this history of the Roman times that echoed through the silence of the city. Tufts of grass now grow out of cracking Roman construction but the presence of the ancient civilization is evident in every edifice.

But Rome is not the only player in the history of this city. By the river, small houses stretch over the water called “Las Aceñas de Olivares”. The houses were used as water mills in which to grind grain, but their construction dates back to the Muslim influence in Spain. “Aceñas” is actually a shortening of the Muslim word for grain mill and it dates back to the 10th century.

Thanks to their restoration in 2008, the Aceñas continue to churn the River Duero oblivious to the modern world and all her caprices. And the people of Zamora continue to live quietly, products of the history that abounds around them.

Spain and the Americas

There is a flipside to every coin, a dark side for every light, and the discovery of the Americas is no exception for Spain. While the discovery is known as a key player in the economic history of Spain, it is also acknowledged as a black mark in her treatment of the conquered. It is acknowledged, but not overly dwelt on. Like most historical events, the discovery of the Americas and the treatment of her peoples is simply an event of the past – it serves as a lesson, and at times leaves a scar.

In my first days of literature classes at the University of Salamanca, someone touched on Latin American writers and asked our professor what she thought of them. Our professor hesitated to say much but commented that, often times, Latin American writers are overly fixated on the maltreatment of the native peoples by the Spanish conquistadors. It seems that for many, the time of bereavement has long since passed, leaving the balm of centuries to assuage any hard feelings.

Perhaps Latin American writers dwell on the travesties of Spain, but many Latin American people look on their Spanish heritage as a status symbol. The feelings of the Latin American students with whom I worked was definitely a favorable one. Those with Spanish heritage were always to be envied and if you were graced with the lisp of Spain, better to exaggerate it than to leave any shadow of doubt as to your heritage. A girl with both a Mexican passport and Spanish passport thanks to the happenstance of birth was to be envied as much as one with both Mexican and American passports thanks to the situation of their birth on the Mexican-American border. One lucky girl enjoyed the prestige of Spanish blood while another enjoyed the ease of United States citizenry.

Like the unfinished La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, perceptions continue to change and evolve concerning the relationship between Spain and the New World. However, as it stands, it seems that Spain would move past their controversial relationship with the Americas, and Latin America would hold onto the legacy of Spain as a sign of their own worth or of their own misfortune.

The Columbus Legacy

About a block from my dormitory, next to the cathedral of San Esteban, stands an old building. In a city filled with ancient architecture, it is easy to overlook the dwarfed structure, but it would be an eternal shame to miss this humble building due to its historical significance to Spain and the New World. It is in this building in 1492, after the Catholic King and Queen reconquered the Spanish lands, that a young Italian man named Christopher Columbus came to Isabel and Ferdinand to ask for permission to go in search of a new route through the Indies. Already refused by Portugal, Columbus laid out his plans to the Spanish King and Queen.

In that modest building beside the towering San Esteban of Salamanca, the course of history was changed. Columbus would fail in his quest for a route through the Indies but succeed in discovering the New World. He would forever change the course of history for both Spain and the Americas. This discovery would mean as much, if not more, for Spain as it did for the Americas for it would sustain the economy of Spain for years to come. Their vast holdings in the Americas would translate to power in the European contest of nations and extensive Spanish holdings that spurred the Spanish King Felipe II to say, “Sobre mi imperio nunca se pone el sol.” “Over my empire, the sun never sets.”

Monuments to Columbus abound in Spain; however, one of the largest can be found in Barcelona. Seville would eventually become the main port of trade with the Americas, but Barcelona is the location where Columbus first brought natives from the New World to Spain. Thus began our cooperation with Spain and, by extension, Europe at large.

Barcelona and Gaudi

Antonio Gaudi owns Barcelona. His architectural masterpieces grace the streets of Barcelona from Park Guell in the far reaches of the mountain, La Sagrada Familia and La Pedrera in the center of the city and the Gaudi museum by the ocean front. His fae-like creations are like none else and characterize Gaudi as much as they characterize the city.

Like many artists, Gaudi was not accepted in his own time by the general populace. His inspired buildings belong in neither the modernist nor the gothic realm of architecture. They are unique creations onto themselves.

Indeed, Gaudi himself was a unique individual - as is evidenced by his unconventional architecture. On the sides of the unfinished Sagrada Familia, perfectly sculpted snails slide along the turrets, taking the place of the traditional gothic gargoyles. Many say that Gaudi opted for snails instead of grander decorations because he thought they were a humble creature and, to Gaudi, humility was the greatest of virtues. How odd that an architect of such magnitude could adopt such a virtue in a field filled with artistic hubris.

Gaudi is not only reflected in the architecture of Barcelona, but in the culture of the city as well. Though Barcelona is in Spain, it is different from the rest of the territory because of its placement in the region of Catalonia. Although Spanish is one of their official languages, nearly all of Barcelona's citizens speak in Catalan - a language quite different from Spanish, though it is also derived from Latin. In fact, most of Barcelona's citizens refuse to speak in Spanish and would prefer that you address them in English should you not understand Catalan.

Barcelona does not wallow in their differences but rather embraces a pride that varies greatly from Gaudi's humility. (A pride that is perhaps warranted as they bring in approximately 25 percent of Spain's GDP thanks to their seafood revenue.) In this way, Barcelona is like Gaudi in their misfit status, but different in the perception of their own genius.

Huerto Calixto y Malibea

I have made mention before of certain well known writers who have planted their roots in Salamanca. Being a city built around its university, it is little wonder that so many famous writers come from this place. On a larger scale the same could be said of the region of Castile & Leon, where Salamanca is located. Several authors, particularly those of the Generations '98 and '27, have come from the Castile & Leon area, including Unamuno, Garcia Lorca, and Azorin.

Perhaps, it’s the environment here that has served to inspire both poet and lover alike. At the southern part of historical Salamanca there is a garden called “Huerto Calixto y Malibea“. It is named after one of the greatest works of Spanish literature, “La Celestina”, and is a public park for any who would like to visit. “La Celestina” is a tragic tale of two lovers, Calixto and Malibea, whose forbidden love caused them to arrange a secret meeting in “El Huerto”.

In the Huerto of Salamanca there is a statue of “La Celestina” standing guard over the garden. The landscaping is beautiful and provides incredible views of the city in the north and the River Tormes in the south. However, the Huerto’s most extraordinary trait is the well at the center of the garden. The arch over the well is covered with locks and below, in the depths of the dark water, lay their corresponding keys. Tradition has it that whenever someone falls in love in the city of Salamanca they attach a lock to the well of the Huerto and throw away the key symbolizing their commitment.

This is yet another example of the deeply rooted tradition in Spain. It is a tradition founded in literature, in poetry, in the deepest parts of the Spanish culture; and, in a symbiotic twist, it is this tradition that serves to inspire another generation of writers.

Franco and Unamuno

Today commemorates the 75th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War. The conflict would last for three years and prove victorious for one Francisco Franco, dictator of Spain from 1936 to 1975. It is difficult to interpret the sentiments of the Spanish people toward the Franco regime. As a foreigner, one must tread the waters of the Franco regime carefully as it is a subject that cuts to the heart of Spain. For some, it was a reality that they lived with for the greater parts of their lives and therefore not easy to express or digest. For most, it is simply a reality of Spain’s personal history and identity.

There is a story concerning Franco and a well known author in Salamanca named Don Miguel de Unamuno. Like the famous Fray Luis de Leon, Unamuno was a rector at the University of Salamanca in addition to being a world renowned writer. His diverse writings spoke to the splendor of Spain and her traditions.

During the Franco regime, government delegates, or Franquistas, visited Salamanca, and Unamuno, as rector, had the responsibility of welcoming the generals. At a meeting with the heads of state, Unamuno began to argue with a Franquista general named Millan-Astray. Unamuno claimed that Millan-Astray was trying to cripple Spain's culture and people.

"You will win, but you will not convince," Unamuno said. "...because to convince means to persuade. And to persuade you need something that you lack: reason and right in the struggle. It seems to me useless to beg you to think of Spain.”

Some time after his meeting with the Franquistas, Unamuno passed away. His coffin was draped with the Franquista flag. As he predicted, Unamuno remaind unconvinced and Franco won, leaving a symbol of his victory with the interred rector. And in the Plaza Mayor in Unamuno's town of Salamanca, Unamuno's likeness stares across at a similar carving of Franco, challenging Spain's dictator even in death.

Siesta Suggested for Germany

Spain is a country where the influences of many different cultures can be seen, including those influences from the Roman, Arab and Jewish civilizations. However, it is rare to see that process of cultural influence and change in practice. But in an article on Yahoo today, readers saw a little of the Spanish influence creep into the culture of Europe. The article spoke of experts in Germany who are recommending siestas or short nap times in places of work throughout the country. Refering to Spain's successful siestas, experts claim that a short break in the work day works to reenergize and motivate employees.

The Walls of Avila

Medieval giants surround the city of Avila, a small yet veritably fortified city. These giant walls of Avila, constructed over a 9 year period in the 11th century, embrace the hometown of the counter reformation Saint Teresa. What is more impressive than the appearance of these walls however, is the diverse effort that went into their construction. Built over Roman ramparts, the walls of Avila owe their making to many hands. Among those who occupied the city of Avila and helped in the wall’s construction are the Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, Jews and Christians. A plaque on the wall compares the giant structures to a great book in which all styles, cultures, languages, and visions of the world are represented - a mixture of influences much like the greater culture of Spain.

Despite Avila’s overwhelming exterior, her people and streets still subscribe to the familial and comfortable Spanish society. Newly wedded couples stroll through the city square in all their finery, while friends meet for a drink in the shaded terraces.

Indeed, everyone, citizen and tourist alike, are quite comfortable in this historical city. After climbing the walls in the melting sun, our group took shelter under the shade of the giant structures. A group of elderly couples came rambling down the street and began to drop in the shade of the walls. A row of gray heads lay in easy company in the grassy shade. An old man beside me leaned over and said, “Así es como vivimos en España.” “This is how we live in Spain.”

Fray Luis and Spanish Timing

There is a well known story in Spain about Fray Luis de Leon, a rector of the University of Salamanca during the XVI century. It is said that during his studies, Fray Luis criticized the Latin translation of the Bible and proceeded to translate the "Song of Solomon" from Latin to Spanish. The powers that be were infuriated with Fray Luis and arrested him while he was teaching a class. He was imprisoned in Valladolid for four years. At the end of those four years, Fray Luis was released from prison and returned to teach classes at the University of Salamanca. Fray Luis began his first class by saying, "Decíamos ayer," or "As we were saying yesterday..."

Fray Luis's famous words are remembered throughout Spain to this day and encompass the Spanish understanding of time. The Spanish concept of time is one of a relaxed disdain for the hour, day or year. Compared to the fast paced culture and rigid schedule of the United States, Spain's hours of work and play are relaxed and flexible. Most stores open no sooner than 9 or 10 in the morning and close for up to 3 hours for the afternoon siesta. Visitors soon discover the benefits of Spain's siesta because, although most shops close around 7 or 8 p.m., the Spanish waking hours often last far into the small hours of the morning.

This is not to say that the Spanish do not keep a schedule. Indeed, foreign students soon learn that Spain's relaxed schedule does not extend to her places of learning. However, Fray Luis's indifference toward the time lost due to his unjust imprisonment is the same as a Spaniard's indifference toward the conventional hours of work and play. Time is not money here; time is a commodity meant to be savored.

Segovia's Treasures

When I used to work with Latin American students, I was constantly impressed by how influenced the students were by American culture. Their constant references to Justin Beiber, High School Musical and all things Disney surprised me, but I soon wrote it off as the large influence of U.S. culture on the world as a whole. While the influence of U.S. culture cannot be dismissed, the city of Segovia proves that not even Disney is solely of American ingenuity.
Segovia is situated about two hours outside of Salamanca and is one of the best representations of Old Castile. One of Segovia’s most famous attributes is the Alcazar. The Alacazar is a behemoth castle on top of a large hill. It is known within Spain for its beauty and its grandeur. It is known throughout the world as the inspiration behind the castles in Disney’s Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. How strange that I boasted of U.S. influences throughout the world, when in fact ours is based on another culture as well.
But the story of Segovia reaches farther back then the Spanish palaces and their consequent movie roles. Segovia also boasts some of the oldest remaining Roman aqueducts in the world. Segovia’s aqueducts are more than 2,000 years old and span across the city façade like ancient guardians, protecting the rich culture of the city. Moorish geometrical designs also cover the sides of buildings, reminding everyone of a forgotten father of Spanish culture.

The Tunas of the Plaza Mayor

The corrido de toros, or the running of the bulls, no longer graces the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. Where once there were drunken athletes and rampaging bulls, there are now strolling tourists and hungry diners. Truth be told, the running of the bulls, and bull fighitng in general, has become discouraged throughout the years due to the dangers for both man and beast. However, Salamanca does not allow Pamplona to monopolize all of the San Fermin festivities. The university town still finds a way to celebrate the traditions through their musical Tuna groups.

The Tunas are specific to Salamanca and date back to the XIII century when university students worked their way through school by singing at restaurants. Now, hundreds of years later, the Tunas still perform in the Plaza Mayor in their original costumes. The recording of CDs and the sea of cameras do not hinder the traditional group. Red and yellow bands duel from across the square while crowds gather and clap to the rhythm.

The night of July 7th was no exception. The Tunas were in full swing, singing ballads pertaining to the running of the bulls with their usual bravado and enthusiasm.

San Fermin Commences

Today marked the beginning of the San Fermin running of the bulls throughout Spain. This dangerous tradition takes all of Spain by storm, but perhaps none so much as Pamplona. The "chupinazo" that initiates the running of the bulls was in full swing in Pamplona today and promised a celebration like no other with participants from all over the world. Just as Salamanca helped celebrate the independence of the United States on July 4th, participants from every corner of the globe came to Pamplona for this incredible celebration.

Pamplona's famed running of the bulls is deeply rooted in tradition, but is the most famous in Spain due to the attention that Ernest Hemingway gave in his writings on the celebration. Hemingway brought the world's attention to this particular city's festivities and since then the celebration has become synonymous with the city.

The 4th of July on Spanish Soil

The 4th of July is not a holiday in Spain, but the people of Salamanca treat it as such. For residents of the city the 4th is a day when the streets become congested with American visitors. Thanks to the 1,500 foreign students that are visiting the city this summer - 70 percent of whom are American students - the 4th of July serves as another way for the people of Spain to celebrate.

Throughout the day of independence, restaurants advertise American specialties like hot dogs or perritos calientes. Toward nightfall the Plaza Mayor becomes crowded with bar owners sporting American flags draped over their shoulders and handing out invitations to their nightclubs with promises of free drinks. American students did not disappoint. Hundreds, American or otherwise, flocked to the celebrations around the city and reveled in the red, white and blue decorations that draped ancient European buildings.

The contrast of a country so young celebrating in a country so ancient was not lost on many. The 4th of July may not be a part of Spanish culture, but in Spain any day to celebrate is a good day indeed.

An Astronaut at Catedral Nueva

With each European city that I visit, I am more amazed by the rich culture that overflows the seems of modern development. But no other city has enchanted me as much as Salamanca. Salamanca is the perfect blend of comfortable tradition and relaxed culture. Known for hosting the oldest university in Spain as well as a bustling campus life, Salamanca serves as a window to the past, but is full of young people. It expresses beautifully the old being enjoyed by the new.

Midnight in the Plaza Mayor hosts hundreds of college kids talking in groups or enjoying tapas and sangria at the bar. But dispersed among the college crowd are old couples strolling hand in hand through the busy square, or small children running ahead of their parents to watch a street performer's skilled ventriloquoy.

One of the most visual representations of this blending of the old and new can be found at the Catedral Nueva in center of the city. Teeming with flying buttresses and intricate carvings, the mammoth Catedral Nueva was built in the 1500s. In the 1900s workers slaved over the restoration of the building and left their own mark in the cathedral's carvings. Toward the front of the Catedral Nueva workers carved a small astronaut into the scroll work of the cathedral's pillars. Workers placed the astronaut on the pillar as a representation of the century that the restoration took place. As a symbol, the astronaut looks wildly out of place among the busts of long-forgotten saints and the crests of Spanish kings. However, it embodies the eternal spirit of past and present in Salamanca.

Ghosts of the Madrid Protest

Madrid's plazas are quieter than they used to be. The shouts of protestors and the threat of police barricades are now replaced by the songs of traveling performers or the laughter of amused tourists. But there are still remnants of the protests that rocked the nation to be found in grafitteed messages and forgotten sit-down sites. Grafitti outside of the Palacio Real expresses the frustration of protestors right to "no votes". In Puerto del Sol, a remaining sign promises the end of the citizens' silence.

The protests in Madrid have long since ended but one might ask - as they look at Mickey andMinnie Mouse taking a water break in 90 degree weather - if anything has changed. Have the protests succeeded? Has the 21 percent unemployment rate decreased?

Indeed, little remains of the May protests except the working conditions that they protested. But the historical precedent that was begun in the Tahrir Square of Egypt has entered Spain's history as well. No matter the outcome, the protests in Madrid will shape the history and culture of the Spanish people.

Protests in London follow those in Spain

These past two days, I have been exploring the roots of my own language and culture in one of the foundations of the English speaking world - London, England. Now perhaps you are wondering what parallels could be drawn between London and Spain that would make a blog post worthwhile. I was also stumped until I walked into the middle of a bustling protest at Convent Gardens in London.

Like protests in the "Tahrir Square" of Madrid, the London protest included record numbers - more than to 20,000 people according to numbers from the Wall Street Journal. The large group of protesters included a number of teachers and school administrators protesting the deletion of their pensions and, in some cases, their jobs.

The protest, which began in Convent Garden and ended at Westminster Abbey, was mostly amiable.

For London students, it was ideal. Young students flooded the sidewalks of London and watched their teachers with glee, overjoyed at their temporary respite from classes.

The Buried Mirror

In The Buried Mirror , Carlos Fuentes traces the development of Hispanic culture from its diverse roots in Spain to its arrival and syncretism in the New World. While explaining the history of the Hispanic race, Fuentes describes elements of the culture like the Indian sense of the sacred, the baroque of the New World, and its struggle for democracy. As eloquent as Fuentes is, all of his ideas would have remained lofty stereotypes, were it not for an encounter I had with one such person who personified all these characteristics.

In the fall of 2006 I began working as a dean of discipline at an English immersion boarding school in Rhode Island. Working with another culture was frustrating and complicated, but one student in particular remained a complete enigma. She was Azuani Gutierrez from Veracruz, Mexico, and to me, she symbolized everything I misunderstood and did not appreciate about the Hispanic culture. I puzzled over Azuani’s cultural foibles until I began to read Fuentes’ The Buried Mirror. While reading Fuentes, it was like a veil was drawn back from my Anglo-American pretensions and I was able to understand Azuani in terms of her Hispanic culture. I wish that I had read Fuentes before working at this school, as I believe his insights would have bridged my cultural misconceptions. Nevertheless, understanding in retrospect is better than not understanding at all.

First and most frustrating of all among Azuani’s cultural habits, was her Spanish stoicism in regards to learning the English language. Unlike her fellow international students, Azuani arrived at the school without knowing a bit of English. At times she was determined to learn the language and at others she would simply give up. One such day, I reminded Azuani to speak in English and she told me “No”. Her answer surprised me because usually Azuani was a very well behaved and obedient student.
“Excuse me?” I said.
“Miss, I am who I am and I am not an English speaker.”
Perhaps Azuani’s attitude stemmed from momentary frustration at learning a new language, but her defeatist response puzzled me. In the United States the mindset is you are who you make yourself to be, but Azuani was content to be who she had always been. Her response mirrored that of some of the other students – a fatalistic, roll-with-the-punches attitude that believed some things could not be changed, but tiptoed around. Their attitudes reflected Seneca’s stoicism that Fuentes mentions early on in The Buried Mirror as a reliance and trust in fate and blind acceptance of your lot in life.

I also became familiar with her culture’s sense of the sacred and commonality. Upon arriving to the school, Azuani began unpacking. I realized that she was taking longer than the others and I watched her from the doorway. She slowly and carefully removed several newspaper wrapped items from her carryon and set them on her bed. She unrolled the newspapers, revealing two small statues of Jesus and Mary, a picture of her family, two candles, and a lace doily. She then proceeded to set up a sort of shrine on her window sill and light candles. Horrified, not only by this blatant betrayal of the fire code, but also at her bedside altar, I intervened and asked Azuani the purpose for her domestic pyre. She looked pleadingly at her roommate and muttered something in Spanish.
“It’s an altar, Miss,” her roommate translated.
“I realize that, but the only altar around here is the one in the chapel, and she’s not lighting candles right under the smoke detector.”

Azuani nodded her head and sadly put everything away.
“It’s very pretty, Azuani,” her roommate commented. Azuani struggled for words for a second.
“Thank you,” she stuttered. “Whenever you want.”
I was to learn later that “Whenever you want,” was one of the students’ favorite phrases. Whenever you complemented Azuani or any of the students on their clothes, possessions, hairtstlyes, etc. they would always respond with, “Whenever you want.” I thought such a phrase was a minor colloquialism, but after reading Fuentes I saw the element of commonality in that phrase. Whatever one girl had was shared with the other and their individual closets melded into one giant walk-in, as the students borrowed each other's clothes constantly. I learned later that the students were allowed to have these “shrines” in their room, sans the candles, as it was a common practice in Mexico and elsewhere. These personal altars remained a mystical symbol that, to me, contrasted greatly with the school’s Roman Catholic practices. Fuentes explains that the altars were a practice of the indigenous Hispanic Americans, much like the altars for the dead. The blending of Jesus and Mary in a pagan style shrine, illustrated not only the Indian sense of the sacred but also the syncretism of indigenous and New World culture. Azuani’s generosity with her possessions exemplified the commonality of the Indian culture.

Azuani embodied the baroque of the New World in her very appearance with her Spanish blonde hair and her Indian brown skin and eyes. She sang indigenous New World songs with the lisp of Spain. In one moment she would be performing Spanish flamenco, and the next, setting up Indian altars throughout her room. Neither a morena nor a güerita, Azuani was mestizo, the perfect blending of the Spanish and Indian culture, the long lost descendant of Cortes and La Malinche.
By observing Azuani’s treatment of authority, I saw the battle for a dignified democracy in her culture. Although she was always friendly towards everyone, I would often see Azuani struggling to remain civil with her professors or glaring at the police officers in a park. I wondered about her aversions until the topic came up in a conversation. It was the spring of 2007 and while playing basketball, Azuani broke her ankle. I rushed her to the hospital in the school’s minivan and sat with her in the ER for six hours, attempting to translate her symptoms from Spanglish to English. Her foot casted and raised in the back seat, we began the drive home. I stopped for a red light in an empty intersection and Azuani leaned forward.
“Miss, just go,” she said sleepily.
“It’s a red light, Azuani,” I pointed out.
“Ay, you Americans,” she said. “You always have to follow the rules, even when no one’s watching.”
“For the most part,” I shrugged.
“In my country,” she said, “if you stop for a light, you will get robbed and car jacked. And if you get pulled over by a police officer for running it, you pay him 200 pesos and he lets you go.”
I thought about this for a moment and quickly wrote it off as another culture barrier between me and this enigmatic Hispanic. But, while I was reading Fuentes, it dawned on me that perhaps this is the reason for Hispanic America’s failed democratic attempts. Perhaps, the Spanish stoicism caused citizens to believe that democracy or dictatorship is fated, something that you shrug your shoulders at, rather than something you work for or against. And the many failed attempts at democracy and the resulting criminal activity caused a lack of trust in the Hispanic peoples. Perhaps Azuani mistrusted and disrespected authority because she had never had any authorities who lived up to their role. Her attitude represented a vicious circle of corruption and mistrust that does not allow for a democratic system of government.
In studying another culture, one tries to avoid generalizations or stereotypes. But, sometimes, those generalizations lend themselves not to understanding a culture as a whole, but to understanding better just one person within that culture. This is the case with my perception of Azuani Gutierrez. While in Rhode Island, Azuani remained a blurry picture that I recognized but did not understand. Like a Goya painting, Azuani was frightening in her foreign behavior and exotic habits. After reading Fuentes, Azuani remains a culturally diverse painting, but now I can see the brush strokes that went into her creation and understand the beauty of the culture that makes her who she is. Fuentes names his book The Buried Mirror because he says that by looking in the mythic buried mirror, or by studying their history, Hispanics realize who they are. Likewise, holding the mirror to Azuani, I realized who she is and understood more about the culture from whence she came.

I have never been to Spain, nor have I had many dealings with the people of Spain. However, my experience with Mexicans runs deep and it is the hint of the Spanish blood that has caught my attention. A glimpse of the Spanish blonde, the tap of the Spanish flamenco, and the flash of the Spanish pride that at times seep through the Mexican persona have lured me to Salamanca. By tracing the Spanish influence to its roots this summer, I hope to better understand not only the Spanish people, but also the peoples who have been influenced by them.

Bienvenidas!

Welcome to "Communicating Culture", a blog dedicated to the culture and history of Spain from the perspective of an outsider.

In two weeks, I will begin my study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain. While taking classes in Spanish language, history and literature at the University of Salamanca, I will also be recording my observations of the culture and history of the country in this blog. My hope with this blog is not so much to give you a blow by blow of each tourist attraction in Spain, but to analyze the culture behind those sites and cultural practices.