Spanish Lesson 6

Feliz Navidad

I thought you might enjoy knowing a little more about how the Spaniards celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

Though, it is usually a last minute rush for the women, Christmas is a family affair. Christmas Eve, “Noche Buena” as it is known in Spanish, on the actual day starts earlier more likely for the older members of the family by attending midnight mass -which is rarely at midnight now - it is usually at eight or nine o’clock. After the mass, they all go to the designated in-Laws’ to have dinner.

The meal, at least in Andalucía, mainly consists of cold dishes where vast amounts of sea food, in particular “gambas” are the protagonists, cold cuts, cheese, ensaladilla and other similar dishes are served. In some homes they will prepare a hot meal with fish and “papas pobres” (sliced potatoes and onions are slow-baked in the oven with gallons of olive oil and salt) and in even fewer will they serve turkey. The houses are characterized not so by the decorations but by the cold temperature, given – as no doubt you have experienced yourself - they were not designed for this weather! People keep warm around “la mesa camilla” which is a tall (80 cm) table in the centre of the three piece suite. This is no ordinary table not only does it have a long tablecloth reaching the floor, but under it there is an electric heater. Everyone is sat around the table, using the tablecloth as a blanket over their legs, eating the meal whilst watching TV. At midnight, they drink and hug each other. Younger members of the family swiftly depart into the darkness and to nightclubs. Generally, as they do not have the tradition of Father Christmas, no gifts are exchanged, save a little something for the children which is left next to the Nativity.

That brings us to New Year. Many families have dinner at home along the same lines as Christmas. However, others go to “cotillones” (parties) until the small hours. What is actually fascinating is that in many homes they have a lot of rituals upon the clock striking twelve, yes indeed. The majority of them with a glass of cava in their hand manage to have a grape with each strike, making a wish for the coming year, a few do it standing on a chair allowing evil spirits to pass under it. Others also brush water out of the house to cleanse it, whilst some with a suitcase come in and out of the house as many times as possible to signify many trips for that year. Women usually wear red underware but the trick here is that it has to be new and a gift from a friend not bought, otherwise you will not be blessed with good luck!

Sour grapes!

The crisis has affected the way people view work, I'm sure.

I thought that given the number of people on the dole in Spain that it would make them more aware that a job is something of a luxury and a good job would be the winning number. But, alas, I am mistaken.

Contented they must be queuing up outside the INEM, filling in form after form, going from appointment to appointment, one interview to another to receive what -must be- a good sum of money at the end of the month. Hard work no doubt and well rewarded as it only needs to be done once every certain period, unlike real work where you must get up early everyday and actually go to do a full day's work.

Don't get me wrong I am not implying that everyone is lazy, but merely expressing that the problem that the government has is quite a deep one. Look here, if you are going to work somewhere for a minimum wage to earn less than you would on the dole and probably doing something that is not well - gratifying - then why bother at all. At the end of the day, you can still do that same job in the black and continue receiving your dole! It's a no brainer.

What if you were offered a job as an “Autónomo” (legal free lancer) to do hourly work where your expense would be covered and you would still have some over to supplement your income, but you didn't want to pay it because you'd rather get the full amount in black or be an employee full time.

The other circumstance is when you are actually looking for a job and you have no experience. What do you then? How will you get experience if you would rather get the dole? Is this confusing or is it just me? It must be me.

Maybe a subject at school and university should be "unemployment 101" wherein they would teach you what forms to fill in, what benefits you will be allowed to claim, how to avoid the dreaded courses you will be obliged to take, or accept a job where you will be earning less than you would on the dole. Another subject would be to start studying for the "oposiciones"

One of my personal favourites is when having a 'normal' job you resign to study for the "oposiciones".(For those of you who don't know what this is I'll make it a future subject) in the hope of getting a lifetime job as a government official in the local government or school. Thus enjoying all the benefits therein, among them the very rare occurrence of ever being fired or losing your job even if you are, well, inept!

Yes, you are right. The column should be called sour grapes rather than south of the border!

Kerry Sastrias

The Elixir of Life: ALCOHOL?

I am sadden to see the leading role alcohol plays in today’s society influencing everything we do, from what we think and say to the way we behave; and, how negatively it is affecting our health, the family unit, relationships and the economy.

You will find that I am not really a drinker and therefore my views are somewhat stern. And no, I am not completely against it, I am against the weight it has over life, so much so that I call it “The Elixir of Life”: a substance once believed to prolong life indefinitely, a panacea or a quick magical cure, as the dictionary defines it.

On TV in any Western country you see alcohol being used in dramas, comedies, series, soap operas as the solution to any problem, comfort in time of pain or distress, to relax, to have fun, to have sex, to justify yourself, to pass the time, to make mistakes, to be with friends even family, to celebrate, as a habit, to feel better, to pick-you-up, because you ‘deserve’ it, the list goes on and on….

Alcohol is consumed from early ages, in fact, have you ever noticed how very young children who are around their parents at a party, for instance, sometimes walk around with a glass in their hand as adults do when ‘socialising’ imitating grown-ups. I have students that are 11 or 12 and many have already tried alcohol and when they go to parties are succeeding in getting drunk! How can this be? Why life/fun, at this tender age, cannot be conceived without the stuff is heartbreaking to me.

It’s no wonder because socialising at home, on the TV, in restaurants and bars is mostly  done around alcohol. What else are they to learn if everything has to do with this elixir?

Teenagers and young adults getting blind drunk some in combination with drugs, wasting not only their or their parents money (or dole) but tax-payers money and resources such as guards, police, medical attention, cleaners, etc. to what purpose, I ask? A major hangover, to get arrested, to get raped or pregnant, to make a fool of yourself......

What happened to the times when a cup of tea was what you needed? When there was no money and you had to make do, but now ‘going out’ is so much more: it has to do with what you wear (or don’t wear) the shoes (the killer heels), the makeup, the boobs, the hairstyle, the brand, and to be seen in the right place.

In Spain the problem with the ‘botellones’ (youngsters from the age of 12 to 21 or more drinking in the street, plaza or beach) is fast growing not only for the police and parents but also for neighbourhoods and society in general.

I wonder what else there is out there to offer a generation that is drowning in the rift of this elixir with no aim in life but to have a ‘good time’.

Kerry Sastrías

Hats off!

It has to be admired, the fact that people pick up and go, without blinking an eyelid. Decide they want to come down to the sun and start afresh. What makes us do it is a combination of things and yet individual to each one of us.

Admirable, because it takes a lot of audacity to go to a foreign place to live where you haven’t been before or speak the language; except maybe in your dreams or when you get sucked in by one of those –very popular- TV programmes. These show you the ideal, derelict, used-to-be-house now ruin, in the middle-of-nowhere with breathtaking vistas over spectacular mountains and deep blue sea, that idealise a lifestyle of setting up your own ‘B&B’ or ‘yoga retreat’ growing your own, far from your regular two-up and two-down terrace/semi and takeaways.

More so because it is actually true that not only Brits but other Europeans choose to live in these remote and isolated areas. Places where they can’t be ‘overlooked’ and most probably involve driving through a dry river bed (“rambla”), or praying all the way up what was once a cattle track now a long and narrow dirt road up a side of a mountain and where the nearest neighbour is miles away. Not to mention water mains, electricity or much else for that matter. How on earth they even manage to get building materials to reconstruct these dilapidated abodes there is in itself short of a miracle! God forbid if it rains, because even though there isn’t much of it round this area (in this case – thank goodness), when it rains it pours and you could be left isolated for a while if the rambla or the mountain road was washed out. I can’t even begin to imagine what I would do in case of an emergency (medical, fire, etc.) or simpler still, if I ran out of petrol or needed a pint of milk for my cuppa!

No, not for me thank you very much! I am too much of a big city rat trying to manage being a town cat at the moment.

I can also appreciate the fact that many of these people are successful in their endeavour to building a life for themselves here. Making friends, joining existing or establishing clubs and associations, starting a business to serve their fellows, helping each other with whatever is needed in their community, well even creating suburbs of their own countries. Have you noticed that there are even towns around here where the Spaniards look out of place!

In all, though much can be said about foreigners (such as me) I feel that this is certainly something to be commended: staying true to where they come from.

Euroweekly article October 4th - A second language can spell out opportunity

Spanish Lesson 5

Spanish Lesson 4

Spanish Lesson 3

Immigrant Double standards

Having lived in five countries over the years and being an immigrant myself, I can’t help but notice that no matter where you live in the world, there always seems to be a double standard: the standard set by the natives and the standard set by the immigrants.

In your home country you expect non natives to respect your laws, your traditions and customs, your language - in all, the whole country’s system and lifestyle. Is it not when in Rome do what the Romans do?

Don’t you feel upset if someone, who is not a native, imposes their way in your country, community and society? I do. It is as if what is yours is no longer relevant.

Constantly in the media we can appreciate how money is spent on meeting immigrants’ different demands on social security, benefits, religion, rights, etc. All of this in order to continue living the way they used to in their country.

The question is, what makes these people so special that -to top it off- the government has to bend over backwards to accommodate?

Surely there is something wrong with this picture. Shouldn’t every person strive to blend in, accept what comes with the country where they have chosen to live?

Conversely, to mention a couple of examples, UK soldiers who have been fighting abroad come back to no home, no job and may be ill or disabled and get very little help from the government, if any. Or children who are living in poverty and depend on the meal they receive at school to see them through the day.

The need to ‘feel at home’ is understandable but the extremes that people go to appear to be something like this: Laws – What laws?; Customs – What customs?; Speak the language – they should learn mine!; Mix with the natives –I mix with my community at my ‘local’; Try the native food - I only eat the food which I buy in my country’s food store.

The double standard occurs when after being ‘law-abiding’ and ‘respectful’ citizens in their home country - who complained about immigration there – now, in their new chosen country, they behave in the exact same manner: they complain, demand, moonlight, cheat the systems, work and pay in the black, tax evade, etc.

Moreover, disappointingly, too many conduct themselves as if the empire still existed, with a ‘conqueror’ attitude with an air of superiority that may have been acceptable in by gone eras but that sadly now have earned us foreigners in Spain the title of “guiri”.

As immigrants we should really see the country we live in as more than merely ‘sun and fun’, and ponder on just how far we actually push this double standard to. Ought we not change and start now?

Kerry Sastrías

www.espanglish.net

Recenlty published in the Euroweekly Edition 1416 Costa de Almería