Updates and Poetry

    Since my last blog post, I have travelled to Seville and Cordoba, Barcelona, and Morocco. I have had  a birthday, my midterms and fought a small cold. I have been homesick, enchanted and everything in between. And here we are in March, already halfway through my semester abroad!
    The truth is I have started and stopped this blog post many times since our group trip to Seville. Why I had such a massive writer's block escapes me, my topic of interest kept changing and even my poetry wasn't coming together. Now, I feel I've given myself more than enough time to get my thoughts out there for you all to read. This post will consist of my poetry and meanings of said poetry. [Disclaimer: I know my posts so far have come from a sociocultural perspective instead of a traveler's perspective. I'll be sure to include a post about AIFS and different dos and don'ts for those who are considering studying abroad in Granada come next week. Spoiler: would definitely recommend AIFS...to be continued ;)]

Now for those who decided to stick around, some poetry!

Still-life--
I see the food and flatware.
Ah, now I understand the why--
A country's culture framed;
off of the canvas
  see the pomegranate,
     bread and wine stains.
Still life,
  preserved to this day.

    This poem I wrote today, after my trip to the Granada Museum of Fine Arts. There is a fine collection of 16th century to 19th century art that depicts Granada's history and culture. I noticed a progression, seen throughout western art history in Europe. The Gothic and Medieval work included the depiction of Christianity through the lens of Catholicism. I first saw wood-work and paintings of Madonna and Child, Christ's crucifixion, narratives of the life of Christ on Earth.  
     Looking for the resurrection of Christ, I did not find it. Instead, the gallery led me to the beginnings of the recognition of Saints, which did not surprise me. Huge, wooden, polychrome statues of monks and saints; and paintings of their accomplishments. Leading me then to the 17th century works, away from the Bible, away from "piety," and to an exhibition of still-lifes.
     For so long, in my experience with art history, I never fully understood the point of still-life paintings until today. For some reason it clicked in my mind why paintings of food and silver dishes on a table played a role in western art outside of it being just "something to paint."
     What these seemingly mundane portraits of pomegranates and onions, "bread and wine stains," and meat hanging in butcher shops showed me, was a symbolic preservation of not only Spanish gastronomy, but what the people of this country continue to hold dear to. What was depicted in these still-lifes is still a facet of the Spanish lifestyle today. Selling silver was the trade of my Spanish mom, she cooks with most if not all the ingredients depicted in the paintings, and the pomegranate continues to be the symbol of Granada.

     What baffles me most, is how hundreds of years of influence from the Arabs, from the Romans, from the Greeks, and from the Phoenicians is so clearly seen today in Spain. I've yet to experience that in the United States and probably won't in the same way I have here in Spain.

    Just a quick side note, throughout my trips that I mentioned earlier, I have visited museums telling a similar story and have written corresponding poetry that I will feature in my Study Abroad promotion project.

    The following poem is an expression of my take on the Catholic influence in the art and history of Spain. It was clearly a vehicle for the expulsion of dissenting beliefs, the conquest of the Americas, and the rise of Spanish rule in the 15th and 16th centuries. Being a Protestant, I have felt inclined to comment on the representation of Jesus Christ in the art I viewed today.

From the Gothic roots
I saw a progression
  of the Christ-child,
beloved, in mother's embrace
to crucified,
to mini statue of crucifix 
  in the hands of an oversized saint.
What happened to the empty tomb?

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your thoughts :)

"Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." John 6:27

Disfruta!

Disfruta! or Enjoy!
     The culture of Spain, specifically in Granada, is not one too different from that of other Western countries. The people here work, sleep, eat, and play. Keeping that in mind, I see that the largest difference is that these facets of the society, unlike the United States, are done with a sense of balance.
     Coming from a culture of excess, it is only slightly refreshing to see certain aspects of this society elevated, while others are muted. For example, the food. Each meal I have eaten so far has consisted in excess of the "dreaded" carbohydrates and veggies with significantly less meat. While I prefer excess spice and heat in my food, here seasoning is used lightly.
     In US culture, it seems most people are surviving on some hours of sleep, since work is a high priority. In Granada, rest is crucial as is evident by the four-hour lunch break had by most each day.
Even in the night life, at midnight, I see people of all ages out on the streets eating dinner and going to tapas and bars; while in the US, kids better be in bed by 8:30pm. College students here can hold their liquor, while my American peers seek to indulge themselves most nights.
     Last night was telling at how stereotyped American students are in this part of Europe. For example, on Saturday night my roommate and I were resting, waiting on dinner which starts super late here (normal dinner time is around 9:30 pm). My Senora gets home around 9:15pm to start preparing dinner and asks us, "Chicas, are you going out tonight? You're young and beautiful, you should go out! See Spain!"
*Disclaimer: I am sedentary by default, introverted, and prefer to "see Spain" during lit hours with a few people. I'll maybe go out twice a month for a couple of hours. I do not go wild, and anyone who knows me well, knows this. 
In response to her, I explained my predisposition. Then, she told us about Americans who lived with her in the past, how they went out every weekend and took shots, etc. Of course, she assumes this of college students in general, but especially in that of American students. My roommate and I found it comical that this was the culture we stepped into, where your Spanish mom is telling you to go out and get a little reckless. After dinner that night, I complied to go to tapas with my roommate since we had been home most of the day. Our favorite place for tapas so far is this place called "La Bella y La Bestia." I'll say this, it was nice. We talked about ourselves and had good conversation. She opened up and so did I. We even had the same waiter who remembered us because I was "the-one-who-ordered-a-Coke-without-rum" and she was "the-one-who-got-the-wine-he-recommended".
     In my exploring Spain (during the day) I have met some peculiar people in shops and I have even attended a couple of churches, where I feel I have had the most success in meeting Spanish people (I will write a separate blog post about people who have stood out to me and why). In those simple conversations and positive experiences, I have come to appreciate this culture more.
     I enjoy the company, the moderation, and the slow-paced lifestyle. In those things, I have realized the things I do in excess that may need to change. For example, my desire to stay home all the time or eat a lot of spicy food or even wallowing; all are things that I see do not need to be my default. I can enjoy the things around me. In my personal devotional time with God, I have been reminded even more that all my joy and pleasure is in and from Him. All that is good, is from Him. So I take in the good that this experience has to offer, and I thank God for revealing aspects of His goodness in this precious little city.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is [fullness] of joy; at your right hand are [pleasures] forevermore." Psalm 16:11

Fruta en todos lados

La Bella y La Bestia

My hood for the next few months