251. Jehovah Witnesses exist here too...my friends got stopped by them on the street and have the pamphlets in both English and Spanish to prove it! Ha!
252. When there is a day off on a Tuesday or a Thursday, Spaniards will sometimes have "bridge days," meaning that they get either the Monday or Friday off too so that it is all connected to a weekend. Therefore, most children had Halloween off school in addition to November 1st. So. Freaking. Jealous.
Spanish Word of the Day: puente = bridge :)
253. When you want to say a number or times...like first or second, you put "er" instead of "st" or "nd" after the number...for all numbers. But if you are referring to the floor of a building, you use a degree sign instead.
254. Apartments here are usually designated with a floor number and then either "derecha" (right)/"izquierda" (left) or a letter and sometimes even by whether they are interior or exterior...not sure that this means though...
255. Spaniards go to the doctor when they are sick instead of just self-diagnosing and taking resting at home like Americans.
256. Also, if you have insurance, there is no co-pay at the Doctor's office...though you do have to pay for your prescriptions if you get any.
257. Prescriptions are not filled while you wait...they are like boxed meds and they just hand them to you but will only dispense them with a prescription.
Spanish Words of the Day: numero = number, apartamento = apartment :)
258. The roads here are super counter-intuitive... like I'll be in a bus traveling one direction and then go up to a roundabout and turn around probably 150 degrees and then set off again...on another highway...what the heck?
259. Whoever is responsible for building the roads here loves roundabouts...I was so excited about this at first, but now I encounter them enough that they make me car-sick when I'm traveling somewhere, especially by bus.
260. Paula told me that even after passing her written driver's test, she essentially had to take Driver's ed classes...which makes her feel belittled because she already knew how to drive a manual/stick-shift car in the states and has driven for years. She says it's horrible because the guy she has class with (who has pedals on his side) is critiquing everything she does...even how she holds the clutch. And she's not allowed to just go driving with a friend like we do in the states. How annoying! Especially for someone in her situation!
261. Spaniards call each other "tía" (which normally means "aunt") as a nickname...even the girls I tutor do this.
262. Flamenco dancers have it hard...not only do they have to know the steps, but their feet create the rhythm...so it's not like they have a rhythm to follow.
Spanish Word of the Day: bailar = to dance, conducir = to drive :)
263. Spaniards love weathervanes...they are on many important buildings.
Spanish Words of the Day: viento = wind, brisa = breeze :)
264. El Rastro is even more legit that I thought...it has a whole website with the history and such: http://www.elrastro.org/
265. When you're staying in a hostel, you often have to pay 1 euro to rent a towel.
266. Americans here usually band together and flood restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
267. Spaniards have a name for Thanksgiving (Dia de Accion de Gracias), but they do not celebrate it with a feast or anything like Americans.
268. Elections here mean more demonstrations...aka parties trying to get votes. Elections took place today...no idea how they went/who won. I do know that it's between the parties PP (Partido Popular) and PSOE (the socialists). I believe PSOE is in power now...don't quote me on that though.
269. Nothing is ever open on Sundays - not grocery stores, not little shops, only restaurants chinos and certain tabacos.
270. Apparently food here is much saltier than in America. I remember my senora commenting on how we would realize this when we got home, but today when I was with my friend Katie and her family, they were commenting on it.
271. According to my senora, Spaniards always wear multiple layers by this time or year, but I was perfectly fine in a sweater and my North Face jacket (not even the whole coat yet).
272. My senora insists that you should not eat paella outside of a home-cooked meal because it will simply not be as good nor will it be fresh. If you do insist on going out for paella, you should go to an arrozeria (rice restaurant) and if you want good paella out, you will pay through the nose for it.
273. Galicia is not just a city, but an entire area composed of I think 4 provinces...definitely did not know that. Oops!
274. If you buy tickets online with a credit card, you have to insert that same credit card into a machine when you get to the event or attraction to print out your tickets.
Spanish Words of the Day: toalla = towel, restaurante = restaurant, celebrar = to celebrate, elecciones = elections, votar = to vote, contar = to count, abierto = open, cerrado = closed, sal = salt, abrigo = coat, chaqueta = jacket, arroz = rice, area = area, ciudad = city, billetes = tickets, maquina = machine, tarjeta de credito = credit card :)
275. Masses here are shorter than in the U.S. I seriously do not think I've been to a mass that lasted a whole hour yet.
276. Ok...so I've definitely disproved the myth about Spaniards not wearing tennis shoes...seen them many times on the feet of children, teens, and adults alike.
277. People here watch out for each other...even if they do not know each other. For example, today one woman sat down on a bench at the metro station and another woman told her that without noticing she had sat on something gross. Then she proceeded to tell her where it was on her backside so that she could wipe it off and another woman provided wet wipes so she could clean her hands after wiping off her pants and coat. This from people who I am almost positive did not know each other before this incident.
278. I've come to the conclusion that metro station designers must be/have been brilliant...metro stations would be so confusing...so many levels and split levels and multiple tracks per level and multiple trains per track and both directions on each route and connections...yikes!
279. As a tutor, I make less than a cleaning lady...10 euros per hour for me and 12 euros per hour for the average cleaning lady. Granted, I am not with the highest-paying family nor am I the most experienced or a professional, nor do they pay me extra for traveling far because they live close...but still...
280. Whenever someone drops something or bumps into someone or remembers something they forgot to do, "Ay!" is the word they'll say. I've heard this mainly with adults, but today even the 3-eyear-old I was walking home said it. It's automatic.
281. Tortilla Espanola is normally served cold at restaurants because it's made earlier in the day...didn't know that until someone told me after I was at a restaurant and they gave it to me cold. Usually it is at least tepid or room temperature, and my senora always serves it hot...so I thought that was how it was supposed to be done...apparently not.
282. When Spaniards try to pronounce words in English, they often put a short "e" sound in front of words that begin with "st-" or " "str;" or even "sp-"...for example..."Spain" = "Eh-spain".
283. Spanish children learn hours/time and how to state or ask what time it is in English class only a year after learning how to do these things in Spanish...it took me more than a year to master the concept of time in my native language! Poor kids! No wonder the little boy I tutor has so much trouble.
284. If Spanish children get a D or lower on a test, they are "suspendido" (I don't believe that means suspended in the American sense of the word), but they have to re-take the test.
285. Taking a bus is always a bit confusing because I never know which company goes where (I always forget to look when I look up a ticket online and then have to buy it in person if the website malfunctions) and never know for which buses I need to reserve tickets and for which I can just buy the ticket upon boarding from the driver. I also never know where to catch the bus I need and always have to ask...the routes listed on my ticket never look the same as the signs in the bus windows or the light up boards in the station.
286. You cannot find a turkey to roast here...at least that's what Katie's family has told me.
287. Thrift stores exist here...somehow that surprised me...no idea why.
288. Mail is picked up until like 3 on Saturdays and I think post offices are open later on Saturdays too, but I have no idea if mail is delivered on Sundays...
289. Although I'm told the climate is dry here, there is certainly a rainy season...now...
Spanish Words of the Day: hora = hour, autobus = bus, frio = cold, invierno = winter, misa = mass, tenis = tennis shoes, pavo = turkey :)
Peace and Blessings,Melanie
263. Spaniards love weathervanes...they are on many important buildings.
Spanish Words of the Day: viento = wind, brisa = breeze :)
264. El Rastro is even more legit that I thought...it has a whole website with the history and such: http://www.elrastro.org/
265. When you're staying in a hostel, you often have to pay 1 euro to rent a towel.
266. Americans here usually band together and flood restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
267. Spaniards have a name for Thanksgiving (Dia de Accion de Gracias), but they do not celebrate it with a feast or anything like Americans.
268. Elections here mean more demonstrations...aka parties trying to get votes. Elections took place today...no idea how they went/who won. I do know that it's between the parties PP (Partido Popular) and PSOE (the socialists). I believe PSOE is in power now...don't quote me on that though.
269. Nothing is ever open on Sundays - not grocery stores, not little shops, only restaurants chinos and certain tabacos.
270. Apparently food here is much saltier than in America. I remember my senora commenting on how we would realize this when we got home, but today when I was with my friend Katie and her family, they were commenting on it.
271. According to my senora, Spaniards always wear multiple layers by this time or year, but I was perfectly fine in a sweater and my North Face jacket (not even the whole coat yet).
272. My senora insists that you should not eat paella outside of a home-cooked meal because it will simply not be as good nor will it be fresh. If you do insist on going out for paella, you should go to an arrozeria (rice restaurant) and if you want good paella out, you will pay through the nose for it.
273. Galicia is not just a city, but an entire area composed of I think 4 provinces...definitely did not know that. Oops!
274. If you buy tickets online with a credit card, you have to insert that same credit card into a machine when you get to the event or attraction to print out your tickets.
Spanish Words of the Day: toalla = towel, restaurante = restaurant, celebrar = to celebrate, elecciones = elections, votar = to vote, contar = to count, abierto = open, cerrado = closed, sal = salt, abrigo = coat, chaqueta = jacket, arroz = rice, area = area, ciudad = city, billetes = tickets, maquina = machine, tarjeta de credito = credit card :)
275. Masses here are shorter than in the U.S. I seriously do not think I've been to a mass that lasted a whole hour yet.
276. Ok...so I've definitely disproved the myth about Spaniards not wearing tennis shoes...seen them many times on the feet of children, teens, and adults alike.
277. People here watch out for each other...even if they do not know each other. For example, today one woman sat down on a bench at the metro station and another woman told her that without noticing she had sat on something gross. Then she proceeded to tell her where it was on her backside so that she could wipe it off and another woman provided wet wipes so she could clean her hands after wiping off her pants and coat. This from people who I am almost positive did not know each other before this incident.
278. I've come to the conclusion that metro station designers must be/have been brilliant...metro stations would be so confusing...so many levels and split levels and multiple tracks per level and multiple trains per track and both directions on each route and connections...yikes!
279. As a tutor, I make less than a cleaning lady...10 euros per hour for me and 12 euros per hour for the average cleaning lady. Granted, I am not with the highest-paying family nor am I the most experienced or a professional, nor do they pay me extra for traveling far because they live close...but still...
280. Whenever someone drops something or bumps into someone or remembers something they forgot to do, "Ay!" is the word they'll say. I've heard this mainly with adults, but today even the 3-eyear-old I was walking home said it. It's automatic.
281. Tortilla Espanola is normally served cold at restaurants because it's made earlier in the day...didn't know that until someone told me after I was at a restaurant and they gave it to me cold. Usually it is at least tepid or room temperature, and my senora always serves it hot...so I thought that was how it was supposed to be done...apparently not.
282. When Spaniards try to pronounce words in English, they often put a short "e" sound in front of words that begin with "st-" or " "str;" or even "sp-"...for example..."Spain" = "Eh-spain".
283. Spanish children learn hours/time and how to state or ask what time it is in English class only a year after learning how to do these things in Spanish...it took me more than a year to master the concept of time in my native language! Poor kids! No wonder the little boy I tutor has so much trouble.
284. If Spanish children get a D or lower on a test, they are "suspendido" (I don't believe that means suspended in the American sense of the word), but they have to re-take the test.
285. Taking a bus is always a bit confusing because I never know which company goes where (I always forget to look when I look up a ticket online and then have to buy it in person if the website malfunctions) and never know for which buses I need to reserve tickets and for which I can just buy the ticket upon boarding from the driver. I also never know where to catch the bus I need and always have to ask...the routes listed on my ticket never look the same as the signs in the bus windows or the light up boards in the station.
286. You cannot find a turkey to roast here...at least that's what Katie's family has told me.
287. Thrift stores exist here...somehow that surprised me...no idea why.
288. Mail is picked up until like 3 on Saturdays and I think post offices are open later on Saturdays too, but I have no idea if mail is delivered on Sundays...
289. Although I'm told the climate is dry here, there is certainly a rainy season...now...
Spanish Words of the Day: hora = hour, autobus = bus, frio = cold, invierno = winter, misa = mass, tenis = tennis shoes, pavo = turkey :)
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