Semana Sistah'
If you ask me to name some of my favourite things in life, my little sister would be pretty high on that list. So would Barcelona, travel, live music, and beer. Interesting rock formations might make it on there, too, as well as Picasso, meeting new people, and catching up with old friends.
This past week (my Semana Santa vacation) included all of the above -- how could it not approach greatness?
Live music: The week started with an odyssey out to the town of Salt for the Rude Cat music festival. The bands were mostly reggae and ska (fortunately more ska than reggae), and our main goal was to see The Slackers, a NYC ska band that Laura really likes. And boy, did they put on a show! The place was jumping, and we were right up front, takin' it all in.
New people: Laura's new job is at a hostel near Ave. Parallel, and it seems pretty sweet. The place is nice, and the staff were cool people. They've accepted Laura into the fold -- no surprise there, that girl can make friends anywhere! I've always liked the hostel vibe (I'm good with transient people, I suppose), and had some fiction-worthy moments in the evenings we spent there.
Old friends: Over the course of the week, I got a chance to catch up with Luca, Carmen, Patricia, and Gaspar. The general consensus was that I need to come back to Barcelona. I second that. We also got a chance to hang out with Laura's uncle and cousin, who were in town for a few days.
Rock formations: A day trip to Montserrat satisfied a certain touristic need. The mountain is beautiful and peaceful, and has a monastery at the base, where we heard an all-boys choir sing their little hearts out.
Picasso: We spent an overcast afternoon wandering through the Picasso museum. I could truly spend a lifetime admiring his work.
Barcelona: Yes, I still love the city. I saw new parts of it, walked new streets, and learned new things. My love affair has not ended.
And most importantly, Laura: I am so lucky to have this girl as a sister. She understands me like no one else, supports me when I need it, and calls me on my shit when she has to. I hope I manage to give her even a fraction of the good she gives me. Laura, I love you to bits.
The memories: Wanna' see photos? They're here.
Family Matters
So a couple weeks ago, my dad came to spend a week with me. Our tour of Andalucia had actually been planned for May of last year, but since I bolted from Spain in such a hurry, he wound up doing it alone. So we decided to do it again, this time together.
The whirlwind tour went something like this: Malaga -> Cordoba -> Granada -> Aguadulce (I had to work for 2 days) -> Osuna -> Seville -> Cadiz (to have lunch with Jesus before he left for Germany) -> Seville -> Malaga. Quite a haul for 9 days, I must say.
The truth was, we probably could have stayed in one city the whole time, and the visit still would have been great. Mostly we spent the time walking around the respective cities and talking about everything. We laughed about silly things, discussed serious things and covered pretty much all the territory in between. I think it will go down in memory as one of the nicest times I have spent with my father. Some pictures of the trip are here.
In other family news, my little sister has moved to Barcelona! She got a job at a hostel and is settling into a new apartment. As luck would have it, I have vacation next week (Holy Week here in Spain) and am heading up to see her on Friday... I can't wait. (The pic above is from her visit to Belfast last year. Look forward to updated pictures when I return!)
The trip comes at a time when I am doubting a few things about my experience here. Mostly social issues, as this is not an ideal place for evening romps. I know that a week spent with my sister will help clear those mental cobwebs and get me back on track. After that, I get to look forward to Alex and Mike's visit in April!
Other than that, all is well. The weather is starting to become beach-worthy. I am still greatly enjoying the work in the school -- today we went on an excursion to Granada with forty 13-year-olds (exhausting, but great fun). Neil and I sang at an assembly for the theatre students, and have now acquired a certain rock-star status in the school. And as always, I am working hard to get the kids thinking about bigger issues -- politics, environment, gender issues (teaching through the material, as they say)... I'm even starting to see some progress, which is incredibly satisfying.
Plans after May 31st are still cloudy, but I've got a couple of irons in the fire, and it looks like they might be getting hot. I'll give details when I feel more certain about the outcome.
