Happy 99th Birthday Lita!!

I hope you have a great day tomorrow.  Also, I hope you enjoy the video, I know it is a bit shaky but it is the best I could do working with kids.  This is one of my 6th grade classes, they were so happy to know that you can speak Spanish.  They knew that once I told them your name.  I told them they could sing in Spanish if they wanted but they wanted to try in English.  I am sending 99 hugs and kisses to you!

Sendaviva and Halloween

First, I just want to apologize for any English spelling or grammar mistakes, I am sick with a sinus infection and double ear infection.  I should probably delay this post but I think it has been too long since I last posted.

Two weekends ago I went to Tarazona to visit my friends and we went to Navarra to a natural park called Sendaviva.  I didn't know what to expect since they described it having exotic animals and amusement rides.  As it turned out it was a zoo/amusement park hybrid.  We got there first thing in the morning and stayed till it closed.  We went to the circus which at first I thought was going to be cheesy but actually showed that they have some really talented gymnasts and acrobats.  Also, this park is known for having the longest zip-line in Europe, 600 meters.  I did not participate as I get motion sick easily and I had already done a zip-line in NJ at a camp in 8th grade.  All-in-all it was a really fun weekend.

Last week, I presented Halloween to most of the classes that I saw. [I forgot to add that on Thursday I wore my Halloween shirt, the only Christmas present I got from my parents 2 years ago!]  I must say it is very different from last year, the noise level is a problem.  Half the class time is spent with the teacher telling the students to be quiet and listen, it gets to be rather annoying that they never listen.  Of course not all of the students are the problem, some are very interested in having a conversation and practicing their English.  It is trying but I am being positive about it, in the future the teachers told me I will be with smaller groups of students, and only the ones who participate.  Needless to say I am looking forward to that day!  I do not know how this week is going to go since my pronunciation suffers when I have a stuffy nose.

This past weekend I also went to Tarazona.  We were supposed to go to a village called Trasmoz but in the end we didn't go because we arrived from Zaragoza too late.  I was looking forward to going but was also battling my infection so I was torn about the trip.  We went to dinner Saturday night and then Sunday morning early we went to see Jorge in a rally.  Rally for those of you who don't know because I didn't know before a couple of weeks ago is car racing but not like Nascar.  In rally they go one at a time for 4 or 5 laps and at the end they see who has the best time.  Last month we went to one in the Pyrenees and it was very exciting.  This just wasn't our weekend because on the first run his car's transmission broke and so his team was out of the competition.

The past couple of days I have just been trying to recuperate before starting back to class tomorrow.

The history of the Festival

I am not quite sure if my readers know the history of the festival that took place this past week.

The Virgin of Pilar is the female patron Saint of Spain and therefore is an extremely important part of Spanish but specifically Zaragoza's culture.  The basilica is visited by many pilgrims every year and they go to kiss the exposed part of the marble pillar that St. James saw.  The feast day is October 12 and it also coincides with Columbus day for Americans but Dia de la Hispanidad for all Hispanic people.  As a result all Hispanic Catholics celebrate the Virgin.  The celebration starts before the 12th but the 12th is the most important day because that is when the offering takes place.  People from many cultures and backgrounds bring an offering of flowers to the Virgin.  La ofrenda starts very early in the morning and lasts all day because the skirt made of flowers is enormous.  While it is mostly a celebration of Aragonese history and culture there are many types of dancing and music on display for all to see and participate during the 9 days.

It was a great time and then this morning when I got up I looked out and they were tearing it all down.  It was a bit depressing to see but it will be there next year.

Los Pilares w/ Pics and Vids

Jota

Raul and Vanesa at the vaquillas in Torrellas

Cool picture

The town hall last Saturday night with light show

The plaza during a concert

So many people

Nice picture till Vanesa ruined it, jaja.

At the carnival there was a ride that was from the "typical Spanish movie" Torrente I saw last year

La ofrenda

La ofrenda

Adding the flowers

People dress in the typical regional dress to bring flowers

La ofrenda

People waiting

La plaza

Completed

Los Pilares

This is just a quick update....

The festival ends this Sunday and it has been a lot of fun but also a lot of noise.  I have had a headache almost everyday because I am not getting much sleep.  I will post pictures and video next time.

Pedrola week 1

This was my first week back to work.  I started on Tuesday since my schedule gives me Mondays off, yay!  I work the mornings the other 4 days and have private lessons in the afternoons and evenings.  Everyone at my new schools are very nice.  I was nervous about being back in a grade school and high school but, so far so good.  Most of the kids are enthusiastic and the older ones are semi-enthusiastic.  My schedule is 3 weeks long and it rotates so that I am able to see almost all the levels.  These first weeks are just me introducing myself and then them asking me questions.  Sometimes I get crazy questions like "what do I think about the economic depression in the US?" to the more common "do you like Spain?"  They have been some funny classes and it is very easy for me.  I thought travel back and forth to the school would be an issue because this town has hardly any transportation options.  There are only 2 buses a day that leave from Zaragoza and the first one leaves at 1 in the afternoon, and since school is done at 2:30 not an option.  I am able to be in a carpool since about 50 teachers live in Zaragoza.  Tonight is the start of the huge festival in Zaragoza, it lasts for 10 days.  I took pictures last year and I will take pictures this year as well.  Last year the main concerts were split between the square and calle Independencia but this year they will all be held on the square due to the tram construction.  I am glad to be so close to the events but at the same time I know it will be difficult to sleep due to the noise!

Cipotegato

The past week I went to Barcelona to visit with my aunt and uncle who live there.  I was able to go to the Sagrada Familia again, took a boat ride around the port and finally got to tour the Palau de Musica Catalana.  I had a great time and it was much better weather there, around 84 F not the 104 F it was in Zaragoza.

Early Saturday morning I got the bus to Tarazona for the famous festival that occurs on the 27^th.  It started at noon but people had been drinking from 10 am on.  We left for the plaza around 11:30 and as soon as we got close we were hit with tomatoes.  The cobblestone streets were covered with tomato guts which made them even more slippery than usual.  We were packed into the plaza like sardines and the entire time getting hit with pieces of tomatoes.  Finally the Cipotegato ran out of the town hall and around the town for 10 minutes then back to the town hall again.  I wanted to take my camera to the plaza but was warned that it would be ruined.  I am so glad I didn’t take it because in addition to the tomatoes people throw buckets of water down from the balconies.  Afterwards there was a foam party in the old bullring with huge foam shooters and it helped to clean a small bit of the tomato off but not much.  Then people just partied outside, there were different DJs set up along the river and it was a fun and interesting time.  I never knew how sticky tomatoes could be.  I washed my hair twice and still had to pick out a bunch of tomato seeds that were still stuck.

Yesterday we went to a live bullfight.  I was not too enthusiastic to go because I feel bad for the animals but it is a cultural event.  Other than the unpleasantness of the killing it was a nice time.  The 5^th bull of the evening jumped the first barrier 3 times, broke through one of the gates, and almost gored the matador; it was the most exciting time of the night.  The fighters weren’t too good and some of the crowd got a little too drunk and were throwing trash into the ring.  As we left we saw the butchers cutting up the bulls, not a pleasant sight but at least the meat doesn’t go to waste.  I have pictures and video of some of the fights but my Internet connection isn’t great so it would take a long time and I don’t know if people want to see them.

Moros y Cristianos

Or Moros i Cristians in Valenciano.  I didn’t know what to expect before going to Benilloba for this festival that celebrates the history of the town as well as the patron saint, St. Joaquin.  I arrived on Friday and already the town was ready to party and there was music late into the night.  I had a bad headache on Friday because my brain had to adjust to rapid Castellano mixed with Valenciano and no English.   I really like visiting with the family not only because it is a lot of fun but I can tell my speaking in Spanish greatly improves since English is not an option.  Here in Zaragoza I use English a decent amount which is really my own fault.  On Saturday night there was a rehearsal procession with music again late into the night.  Sunday was a day to rest and try to sleep before the night’s festivities began.  The first official night of celebration is a parade of social commentary of events that happened in Spain and the world, it is quite a sight!   It was entertaining to see but there were long pauses in between the groups because people were drinking so much they could barely walk by the time they went past the house (which is toward the end of the route).  After the parade they had a concert in the plaza with a band that was actually pretty good.  (I did not have high hopes because at the Caravana de Culturas in Torrellas there was a band that was awful!)  It was funny because the first set of songs was all American songs and they joked it was in my honor.  Monday night was the main event with the entrance of the moros y cristianos.  In Benilloba there are 3 groups, one group of Christians and two groups of Moors.  This procession was much more organized because there was no drinking allowed, haha.  Afterwards, there was again more music and another concert in the plaza.  I must say that Americans have nothing on Spaniards and partying.   It seemed like there was music every hour I was there and when there wasn’t music the street cleaner was going by (the family home is on the main street in town).  Needless to say I did not get much sleep but I had a lot of fun and it was great to experience the festival.  I was also able to visit with a lot of family and try different typically Spanish foods.  Now here are the pics and videos:

 

I was able to visit with Tia Lolita, her husband, children and grandchildren.

Amy Winehouse at the parade on Sunday night.

The smurfs

The Benilloba Airport

The concert

The Catholic Kings

Los cristianos

Los cristianos

Los cristianos

Los cristianos

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros del Castell

Los Moros de Arrabal

Los Moros de Arrabal

Los Moros de Arrabal

Cousin Xus and I in Polop de la Marina

Just to let people know, I do not have Internet in my apartment yet, I am dreading organizing it with one of the companies here but I will get it done by September.  I do try to check my email at least once a day at the free wifi spots around the city.  You can also comment here if you choose.  Here are pictures of the view from my apartment and my room for those interested in visiting and for my parents who think where I’m living must be a drug den: