Mi madre y su nieto

Fuegos Artificiales en Espana

San Blas Festival

Photos for Weeks 1 & 2

Portfolio Photos

Bloggy blog! :)

Hey frands-

Here's the link to my blog from the summer if you want to check it out! :)

Summer In Spain!:)

EEEK! :)

"Livin' On the Edge"

“Livin’ On the Edge”

by Lauren Farmer

Franco’s got Spain down on lock

Spaniards want to fight

But they’re down on their luck…it’s tough, so tough

Prostitutes working all day

Desperate for her drug, she brings home her pay

For coke-for coke

They say: We’re gonna hold on, to all our cards

Bingo is my life and I’m

surging to the top

“Me toca loteria” and that’s enough

For me- to feel energy!

Oooh we’re half way there

Livin’ on the EDGE

Take a stand and we’ll make it – I swear

Livin’ on the EDGE

Spain is drinking around the clock

Spirits served with meals to

Take away the pain- so numb, so numb

People run with bulls all day

When they kill for the fight

The crowd crazily screams ole, ole

We’ve gotta stay true, to who we are

We’ll make it to the top, with great players or not

FC Barcelona’s in to win

For pride- go kick your best shot!

Oh we’re half way there

Livin’ on the EDGE

Make love on the sand, we’ll make it I swear

Livin’ on the EDGE

Livin’ on the EDGE!!!

For the Portfolio....

Leon Golub in Madrid

This is a painting by Leon Golub displayed in an exhibit in the Palacio de Velazquez in Madrid. It says, "Wanted: Killers of the Dream", "What's your dirty little secret, huh?", and "Happiness is a Warm Gun". The last quote is a Beatles song. I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or intentional. Golub was born in Chicago and died it New York so I'm sure he's heard the song. Regardless, it's supposed to amplify his anti-war stance after his experiences in WWII. His artwork forced me to ask myself whether I'm anti-war. The last time I asked myself was while reading Kurt Vonnegut's books. Golub and Vonnegut were both born in America's Midwest in 1922, served in WWII, and have motivated me to analyze my stance on war. Being in Spain, I asked myself what WWII meant to the Spanish and recalled that while doing research for my investigation, an article claimed that Spain never really dealt with it and the controversies attached to Nazism. Then I asked myself, What's this exhibit doing in the middle of Madrid? The informational pamphlet handed out at the exhibit promptly answered: "It is entirely appropriate that this exhibition is taking place in the museum that houses the twentieth century's iconic anti-war image, Picasso's Guernica, and in close proximity to Goya's The Third of May 1808 in the Prado." So it's basically a part of the Reina Sofia, an extension of the contemporary art themes, but in a different building. I like that the location of this exhibit has no relevance to nationality but was decided because its theme is heavily connected with other anti-war, contemporary artworks. The placement of the exhibit provides priority to an anti-war, humanist approach to life over the nationalistic philosophy. If we were all nationalists, Golub--being an American--should have all his work in the states. That would entirely contradict some of his themes, proving the fact that nationalism doesn’t seem to be a reasonable option in every situation. It tempts me to say that I'm a humanist over a nationalist.

The multitude of protests.

While walking along in Sevilla this weekend, I came across this big protest! This is the second picture I had of people protesting this week. The other picture was of people protesting in front of a CAM bank.

It has been pretty amazing being an outsider in Spain and seeing all the protests. It feels like people are really active and vocal about what they want from their government. This protest was about wanting independence from Western Sahara. I just think its amazing how people can band together and stand up for what they believe. These people took up an entire city block, it was so packed I could hardly move. Bravo, Spain.

And all of the rest of my pictures:

Week 1

Fumar Mata

Have you ever noticed how blatantly cigarette companies label their packages here? "Fumar mata"..translation: "Smoking Kills". Well that's a downer. What's your thoughts on smoking here in Spain? Is it more common here than in America? Is advertising for/against smoking more or less in Spain? "Smoking kills"...so blatantly stated..but does it even have an impact?

Watch Your Stuff!

As I was walking home from the beach one day I passed by these two fellows. They were standing there looking out at the beach very intensely. I turned to see what they were looking at and to my dismay they were clearly spying at the innocent people on the beach, awaiting for an unfortunate soul to leave his/her bag behind while taking a dip in the sea. I was tempted to say something to these two men but then I realized 1. My spanish is terrible and 2. I was scared of them. I quickly walked away and was disappointed that I had been so scared. Why should I be scared of them? They are the ones stealing, cheating, and lying. Moral of the story: maybe next time I will muster up the courage to speak to the "scary men".

Uploading Pics for My Portfolio

SIX THINKING HATS

For the Six Thinking Hat technique  we will practice on Tuesday we need to decide between these two options:

ABORTION

DEATH PENALTY

Please comment on which you would vote for. We will procede with a simple majority. Voting ends on Monday @ 1pm. 

Food or Alcohol?

I saw this man while walking home from the beach one day. He is not the first homeless, sleeping man I have seen during my time here in Alicante, but it was what he had with him that I noticed. Lying slightly underneath him was a grocery bag, with a bottle of alcohol in it. It just makes me wonder, what was the circumstance that brought him to be homeless. With what money did he use to get the bottle, or was it given to him? Maybe even stolen? Also, if you are homeless, why aren’t you spending your money on food rather than a beverage that not only alters your state, but makes you even more hungry. I would just like to understand further, because I realize that they could be a victim of circumstance, but I also know they could have done it to themselves. Sympathetic or Apathetic?

1st Mosaic Monday

Graffiti Door: Tagging is a universal issue/concept that can not be avoided or even really controlled. Some tag it just because, some tag to be rebellious, and others tag because they are creating art. It also could be a pride or identity issue; its your country, city or home. Either why are you destroying its beauty, or why do you think you are making it more beautiful? Most of the time the tagger is just tainting history for future generations, even though they may believe they are creating history. Also, there is a control issue of why or why it is not law enforces or owners try to remove it from buildings, etc. Also, is it right or wrong? Tagging can be super unique and speak to the individual but do others see it that way?

Beauty- The Generalife Gardens

The Generalife Gardens of the Alhambra had to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The beauty of nature that surrounds you is almost overwhelming. It allows for so many different experiences, thoughts and feelings. As the idiom states, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, I don't believe there is a person on this Earth that wouldn't think this place was beautiful. This picture shows a single flowered tree standing alone amongst greenery, and it was beautiful to me. Had our tour guide not been rushing us through, I could have probably stayed their forever.

One Wish (of many?) From an American

Alhambra is gorgeous, breathtaking, and unforgettable. The intricacy on every wall, elegance of shapes, and sheer size make me want to stay longer than just a few hours. So many of us (girls) walked into the gardens and immediately expressed how we want to get married there. I want to live there. As I passed by some of the fish who live in Alhambra, I thought to myself - I want to be one of those fish so I can live here.

That's such a weird thing to think. That inspired me to ask myself where my quality of excessive desire comes from. I do it all the time - see something I like and claim that I want it. The balconies on so many buildings are gorgeous. My future home has to have them. I think it's because I'm American. Our culture has such an emphasis on working. We're constantly striving for something, reaching for whatever isn't already in our hands. We're used to having so many options that opening another door to more opportunities can only be beneficial, right? I don't know where this quality come from. It might just be human nature. I'm not sure. In retrospect though, I don't actually want to be a fish just so I can live in Alhambra.

Beauty is Power?

This photo was taken inside of the Catedral Metropolitana de Granada and is focused mainly on the dome of the central worshipping area in the cathedral. There were many beautiful sculptures, paintings, etc inside the cathedral but I was captivated by the light blue background with tons of tiny gold stars with the colorful stain-glass pictures encompassing it. To me, it is as if you are staring up into the heavens. In the U.S. we don't have churches or cathedrals like this, so it is always a great opportunity to learn about and admire cathedrals in foreign places that hold so much history and beauty. One thing I thought that was very interesting, however, was how greedy and deceiving the priests were when it came to sharing this beauty and the obvious wealth it took to create such a masterpiece, hundreds of years ago. The beauty that I saw was built with the mission of boasting wealth, power and control, rather than creating a lovely house of worship. Today, the issue has died down because no matter how people think about it, they want the church to stay how it is to tell its story for years to come.

Fun and Games for All....?

Something that I have recognized and come familiar with here in Spain is the openness with which people conduct themselves in terms of PDA (public displays of affection). I think this is one of the things that helps characterize the Spanish population's passions for life. But when I was just thinking that my awareness of this cultural characteristic was beginning to fade and become semi-normal for me, I saw this couple as I was leaving the beach and was shocked! This was and still is the most intense act of affection I have seen during my time here in Alicante. I understand that this is part of the Spanish culture, but I wonder if even some local Spaniards would think this was taking it a little too far. In both pictures, if you look to the right you will see a tiny, innocent little boy playing on the beach with his mother. I laughed to myself slightly after I took the picture at how ironic it was to have something as innocent as a precious child playing, sitting right next to two people engaging in a way that was really not so innocent.

Flamenco Dancer

Our first night in Granada we went to see a Flamenco Dance. This Flamenco dancer caught my eye right when we arrived because she depicts exactly what I always thought a traditional Spanish women should look like with the dark hair, long red dress, and flowers in her hair. She was holding her son and trying to feed him before the show started. Flamenco Dance was so interesting to watch and I loved how each of the dancers represented the Spanish description that I had always seen in photographs and magazines. Modern Spanish women look like any other European so it was nice to see the traditional Spanish woman.

Cultures mixing in the Alhambra

This picture is from the Alhambra in Granada. It had to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. I am so glad that Isabella and Ferdinand II did not destroy it after the re-conquet, which may have been expected. I was impressed with the mixture of Moorish and Catholic elements in the Alhambra and all around the city - the tea houses and bathhouses, the architecture. Some even say that the Spanish appreciation of water and fountains comes from the Moors. Through queen Catherine, moorish culture was spread all over Europe. I found the Alhambra beautiful - physically and culturally.

Protest in Madrid

This is a protest in Madrid that I think was no longer going on because there was no one there but the man in the yellow cleaning up. It was outside of the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino, which when I put it into Google translate is the Ministry for the Rural and Marine Environment. When I translated inmobiliaria it means real estate which is probably the reason that they're at this location. I'm curious about what they are protesting about. I also thought it was interesting that even though there was no one there still protesting that the man cleaning didn't take down the signs or pick up the sleeping bags or chairs.

The Royal Chapel

This is a picture of the altarpiece in the Royal Chapel. It depicts the Catholic Kings chopping off heads of the towns people. In many churches, paintings and sculptures depicted similiar scenes in order to tell the towns people "this is what will happen to you if you don't do as we say". The altarpiece also demonstrates the amount of wealth the church had. This created a big debate- the church was receiving all of this money and they claimed they were helping the poor, yet they could afford to have elaborate gowns and decorative churches.

Paradise and Poverty

What do you see first when you look at this picture? To the right shows one image of the city: Benacantil (another name for Castillo de Santa Barbara). Food, drinks, blue skies, and clear water make Alicante out to be a paradise. However, to the left, we see a man: half-clothed, dirty, and living on a park bench. Does your image of Alicante include the left-side of this picture, or is it forgotten/ignored?

Be the Change you Wish to See in the World. -Gandhi

My Political Compass

My political compass is similar to that of Gandhi's. I take this as a compliment as I have always respected his ideals and they ways in which he approached life situations. He was a great leader with high moral standards and I am flattered that I share similar economic and social beliefs.

Somewhere In the Middle...Interesting

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: 0.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.31

Something like Gandhi (and Ellen)!

Political Compass

Political Compass

No real surprises here. I am with Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama, two of my idols. Very cool.

My Political Compass

According to this...I am compared to Gandhi..a liberal leftist who believes in the supreme value of the individual. I suppose I prefer this comparison to that of Hitler or Stalin!

The Political Compass

Economic Left/Right: -0.12

Social Liberitarian/Authoritarian: -1.64

My madre told me that each neighborhood has its own festivals and this past weekend started the fiesta in the neighborhood of San Blanc. I really enjoyed this because my madre and all her friends in the neighborhood were so excited about this fiesta, even more than the hogueras bon fires. This reminded me of 4th of July festivals back home when everyone in your own neighborhood is so involved in the celebrations and participate in the parades and festivities. My madre knew almost everyone involved in the parade and it was so nice to see the people I have met over the past few weeks so excited to celebrate in their neighborhood. I really enjoyed to see all the different costumes of Arabs and Romans but I simply enjoyed how personal the festival was to each person in the neighborhood and how people of all ages were involved. My madres son will be participating in the parade this weekend in his roman costume which he is very excited about and he's always talking about how big this parade is in his neighborhood. I posted this small video to show some of the parade and how excited all the people were in San Blanc.

Giants

I have no idea.

The Spaniard's version of Got Milk?

I first saw this advertisement at a bus stop in Alicante, and I saw it alll over Barcelona this weekend. Being in English, it made me wonder who this was trying to target. I was also surprised to see an athlete, Nadal, supporting alcohol. American athletes tend to be represented in advertisements about milk, cameras, and athletic-wear...not bacardi.

Sagrada Familia

This weekend I went to Barcelona. During our trip we went to see La Sagrada Familia. I wanted to share what I saw with those of you who didn't get the chance to go inside. Gaudi is known for depicting nature in his architecture and the ceiling of La Sagrada Familia is meant to depict a tree canopy. People say the gold is to represent the sun shinning down. I was impressed with the amount of symbolism throughout the church.