June 12, 2019 - Spain

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Music

Throughout all three cities, I have seen musicians playing in the street. As a musician myself, it brings me joy to see these people using their talents to add to the beauty of these cities. Music is how I best process and feel emotions, and music is a wonderful way to bring people of all nationalities together. Seeing these musicians gives me a sense of belonging. Livermore (2009) talks about using nonverbal actions as a way to communicate, and I feel music is an emotion-driving force to connect with others, no matter the background.



Whoops...

Being in a more tourist area has affected how well I speak Spanish. At the end of the week in Granada, I had become more comfortable and confident in my Spanish speaking skills. However, most people in Madrid speak at least a little English, so I have been communicating in English rather than Spanish. When I tried to use my Spanish today, I accidentally told the lady offering samples, “No puedo almuerza” instead of “No puedo comer almendras.” I was a bit embarrassed and a little frustrated with myself because I know how to say that I cannot eat almonds, but my Spanish was a little rusty even after only a few days of not speaking it.



Family

I was very excited for the Spain soccer game but was met with some surprises. While the game was still fun, I noticed that the ways the fans act do not differ much from the way Americans are at sports events. However, some friends experienced an unpleasant situation when one man rooting for Sweden felt up their legs and tried to sit on them. While I can’t speak for Sweden’s culture, the Hispanic woman sitting behind them kicked the man and told him to respect them. Culture Smart talks about how important family is to Spaniards, and it was encouraging to see how this woman extended her mothering nature to girls she didn’t even know (Meaney & Viguer, 2009). This value of family extended beyond immediate family is a wonderful way to fight issues like these.





Word Count: 350

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