Random pensamientos (thoughts)

Here's a few random thoughts I have had throughout the week:  

1. I passed by a bar on my way home the other night and heard a football (everyone else in the world's word for soccer) game on the TV. Apparently Barcelona had just scored a goal against Milan, and everyone was cheering. I stopped in the doorway to check the score, and chatted for a few seconds with some of the people in there. It made me smile on the way back - knowing that I could walk up to people here and talk to them and UNDERSTAND them and even get their jokes most of the time. I felt like I belonged, you know? 

2. I used to think art (paintings, sculptures, etc.) could be boring. Maybe because no one ever explained the history behind each painting and because every time I went to a museum I felt overwhelmed at the amount of art - it all began to look the same! But from all of my travels and visits to museums here, I have learned from professors, guides, and friends for how to appreciate each piece more. True, I still get overwhelmed after an hour or so, but I have learned a lot! And in my Mythology class we learn a lot about paintings (it's an Art History class), mosaics, sculptures, etc. It's really fun to see a slide pop up on the Power Point and to recognize a piece that I saw in Rome, here in Sevilla, or anywhere else. It makes it so much more real when you've actually SEEN it.

3. Things I understand in Spanish that I didn't before - Literature, movies, telephone conversations, text abbreviations, certain phrases... the list goes on!

4. I have a theory about the differences between the U.S. and countries like Spain or Italy or other European countries. In a few of my classes (like Literature or history), a lot of authors, professors, scholars, etc. say that Spain is a country that is still a few steps behind other countries in a lot of ways. Some people wonder why it took so long for certain changes. But I think that the reason it took longer for Spain than for the U.S. (our country is still very young) is that we in the U.S. started from the beginning. Our Constitution didn't really have to fight against traditions or many previous empires, dictators, monarchies, or any other leaders in order to make something new. I believe that it is SO much easier to start from scratch, with a blank slate, than to try and erase the old and make something new. Just a theory.

5. Here in Spain I feel like I have gained a lot of confidence. I hope very sincerely that this does not lead to pride or vanity, as both are something I need less of, but I get really excited every time someone tells me: "Oh you speak Spanish very well!" Even just hearing that a few times from native speakers made all those years of studying worth it. Now just to keep it up when I go home!!