Cuddle Puddles

It's another fabulous puente here in Spain (aka we have a four day weekend)!  Since my last post, I've had time to reflect on other things about this wonderful country that I've learned over the last 8+ months:

Wifi-- pronounces "weefee" in Spain.  I will forever be calling it this upon my return to the U.S.  Get ready friends.

Those times I would have rather died than eat more tapas--
I like the whole tapa concept (free food!) and normally I'm not opposed to eating them.  But after going almost a year without certain foods (goldfish, sushi, bagels, iced coffee, brownies, mac&cheese, Lorenzos pizza, french fries and ranch, pretzals, etc) you tend to have those moments where you just want American food and no. more. tapas.  Also, when Spaniards try to tell you that "you don't have good food like this in your country."  Um... did you not see my list of food above.  Have you ever tried a taylor ham, egg, and cheese sandwich...?

Names-- every single thing in Spain is given a Spanish name regardless of its origin.  This includes but is not limited to the characters of children's shows....

Meet:
Kermit the Frog aka Gustavo   Really??
Bert and Ernie aka Beto and Enrique    This is a little bit more acceptable 
Grover aka Archibaldo  Again.... really??
Cookie Monster aka Lucas Comegalletas  This literally translates to Lucas eats cookies...
Elmo aka Elmo  Luckily for us they found Elmo's name suitable enough to leave it unchanged.

Gustavo says...

When my students tell me "She was molesting me."  Annoying bro.  She was annoying you.  Molestar=to annoy.

That time the majority of the Spanish population dressed up like the KKK.... yes I'm still a little scarred from this.

When a Spaniard corrects your English pronunciation....
Now, I have to add that this has only happened with strangers, but still... I haven't been speaking English since birth or anything...

Art Class aka Plastica which literally means "Plastic."  (And people wonder why my Spanish skills are still lacking).  Back to Plastica class... Those moments when you tell the student "Amazing job! That looks great!"

and then the teacher tells the student, "No me gusta."

Okay they don't really say "no me gusta" but their words basically imply this and then the student has to do it all over again.  This may be the missing link as to why Spanish kids are so brilliant.  American teachers are just happy when the kid can draw a face with two eyes and a mouth (no nose needed.)

American 6 year old 

Spanish 6 year old

 Sidenote: The Spanish version of facebook actually has a "me gusta" button.  I love that.

In Spain, there are fruterias, carnicerias, quesorias, pescaderias, cafeterias, cervecerias, heladerias, floristerias, etc.  Most of these are self explanatory since the root word is the basis to what they sell (fruta=fruteria, carne=carniceria, queso=quesoria...)  Then you have a ferreteria.  Go on.  Take a guess at what they sell.

If you're thinking ferrets, you are wrongly mistaken.  Don't worry, I know because the first time I saw one, I had to do a double take to make sure there weren't any ferrets in the store.  It actually means "hardware store."  Why Spain, why??

And sometimes, English just sounds stupid:



Student: How do you say acariciar?
Me: cuddle
Student: No me gusta
Me: Why???
Student: It sounds too much like puddle.

.... Well played kid. Well played