| Date: | 2012-05-01 12:39 |
| Subject: | Marzo |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  gradual updates..lil by lil |
So, another mega-update....or well, it's whatever I remember about March.
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| Date: | 2012-04-04 10:50 |
| Subject: | Update #2 |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  woohoo! |
Ok so we gotta continue from some point in the middle of Feb:
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| Date: | 2012-04-01 17:38 |
| Subject: | Semana Santa |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: | wanna leave house!! |
Ok, so while I sit here chatting with a friend as we debate whether or not to venture into the streets, I decided to explain Semana Santa...again. Well first, there's processions, which are basically parades...and like Mardi Gras each has their own route, but all must pass through a certain section which has the stands (or in this case chairs set up and available for purchase). The part that is the same for all is the Campana, Plaza San Francisco, and the Cathedral. There are generally 2 pasos (or floats) in each procesión, although some only have one. The first is usually some Jesus scene (basically represents one of the stations of the cross) and the second is the "virgen bajo palio" or the Virgen Mary underneath a canopy. These pretty lil things weigh a ton and are made with pretty carved woods, a shit ton of gold and silver, and have a lot of handcrafted things and are painted beautifully. They also tend to have candles and flowers....a butload on the Mary float, and they smell fab. So each procesión belongs to a hermanidad (or they sometimes use the word "cofradía) which is exactly the same thing, or what we'd call a "krewe". Like a Mardi Gras, these were traditionally men (and most remain only men) and they have a bunch of dinners nad events nad all leading up to the grand event. In most cases, the people carrying the pasos change each year, as do the nazarenos (the ones who look like KKK members...although the spanish will fight to the death with you to explain that these existed first...) and also there are people who carry candles and crosses and incense (which smells exactly like the incense used in benediction), etc. There's also a lil band in each procesión and they have a cadence (which oddly resembles a MG cadence) and they also have their special tune (and they may have than one, but they all honestly start sounding the same to me...) They are pretty though...and some people have CDs of it and listen to it in their car and what not. So, because of their elaborate lil pasos with millions and millions of euros in precious metals, 5 drops of rain will ruin it. Well, my last 2 yrs here have been unusually rainy and not even the half of the procesiones ran. And so far this yr, none have left their church. So the way this works...the "big brother" or hermano mayor ultimately makes the decision. I dont know if this person changes each yr or what, but they talk with meteorologists and friends who live nearby, etc etc. They get an hr to decide...so if they're supposed to leave at 4pm, they have until 5pm to give their final decision. It's apparently very common to have rain on Semana Santa, and almost never do all the processions have their special time, but norally it's just a few that are cancelled, not more than half. The biggest days are Palm Sunday (Domingo de los Ramos) and then holy Thursday and holy Friday. In fact, there are procesiones all during Thurs night...called the Madrugá (in regular spanish its "madrugada" but in andaluz, they eat the endings. It means early early morning. It's the most important and most popular, and the only thing I haven't seen! Not in Córdoba and not in Sevilla. So hopefully htis yr I'll get a chance. The weather looks quite bad though. So, maybe you wonder why the people are crying and so upset if their lil procesión doesnt parade one yr, when lets face it, the pasos are the same, the music is the same, the incense is the same (and hasnt changed in 145096304709574 million yrs), the costumes are the same, the route is teh same, etc. Well, its because in order to be in one of these, you have to put your name on a list or in a pot (and obviously this is Spain so if you know someone you'll have better luck...some "lottery system", but anyhow, if you're picked, you're full of luck bc not everyone gets the opportunity, well if your procesión doesnt run that yr, you lose you're opportunity and most likely will never get drawn again from the pot, in most instances, you can't even be put back in, no matter who you know. So that explains that. Now, there are many people (locals and foreigners) who HATE semana santa. The streets are tiny and there's a ton of people, and it takes a million yrs for a paso to pass by (since they rest every 10 steps since it weighs a ba-gil), and well, once again, its the same all the time. So as a result many people travel, or simply dont go to the processions. Business have normal hours Mon-Wed. Thurs and Fri things are all closed, as I said, it's the most important days for them. Jesus' death is way more important than his resurrection here. So thats why on Sat and Sun there's also normal business hours, and only a few of the lil religious parades are left. In fact, on Easter, there's only 1. Ok, so that's some background....now let me talk about today: Domingo de Ramos.
- First, on Palm Sunday people recieve olive branches and not palms from palm trees (weirdos) and they tend to be more dressed up then other days...except for the Madrugá when the peeps are in heels nad suits (well some that is...truth is theres a lil of everything....but traditionally Palm Sunday and Last Supper = nicer). So, there's supposed to be 9 processions today....with start times ranging from 1pm-9pm. It's pretty much been raining all morning, and apparently at 6, theres less of a chance of rain. Well, the first 2 cancelled, the 3rd tried to be valiant, but it started raining harder just as the jesus paso got to the church door and so they cancelled (this was after an hr delay), the 4th is gonna run behind a procesión at 9pm since they have practically hte same exact route and there's not supposed to be rain then. The 5th cancelled, although, the sun just came out and I think they might be able to ask for a change (they can ask for extra time to decide...but usually are granted no more than 15min, bringing total decision time to 1hr and 15min after scheduled "salida"). The 6th is waiting to make its decision (was supposed to start 20min ago...and in 20min the rain chance lowers and theres already sun, so most are hopeful it'll run). Adn the last 2, most prob will run unless the forecast changes suddenly,which doesnt usually happen here. So they'll start at 7:45pm and then other at 9:05, immediately followed by the other that was supposed to start at 3:10pm. Anyhow, that's the story for now...and like I said before: you can track it here, you can even watch some of it live or see scenes from last yr which will give you a good idea of what these things look like and what the music sounds like: http://www.giraldatv.es/semanasanta2012/ enjoy.
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So I realize we're in April, and I haven't updated here since Christmas break and people keep yelling at me for not knowing what's going on, so here's a mega update while I have a small break bc of Semana Santa (or Holy Week). Imma try and go in order as much as possible....so here we go with January... and *warning* I take breaks in the middle so I apologize now that it doesnt "flow" well...
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Soooo, here's the rest of my holidays in a nutshell:
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So yeah, that's everything I guess. Oh pics of the Cabalgata are up...NYE, well, I gotta wait for the pics from everyone else's camaras, haha.
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So...it's vacation time!
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Alrighty, so thats that. Happy 2012 folks! and Merry Late Christmas.
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| Date: | 2011-12-16 00:29 |
| Subject: | |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  suddenly just got super tired |
Alrighty, so here's a mega-update (true novel style):
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Hope you enjoyed.
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Ok, so here's some more details on Sevilla Life Part Dos.
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So that should keep you stalkers quieted for a while.
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| Date: | 2011-11-03 16:14 |
| Subject: | Renfe |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: | lil tired |
Ok, so the train stories....
Well, first let me tell you its not even a 15min ride....so I didnt think tickets would get checked. And on my way to the school Monday they didn't; however, on my way back, they did. There was a mom with her college aged son sitting next to me. Dude goes to take their tickets, and well the son has a bono bc he goes to Sevilla everyday, and she thought they could use this for her also. He told her no, obvisouly, and she goes on to say, this never happened to me, etc etc. He's like it's the rules anyone would tell you, I'm sorry I have to fine you...I think its something like 80euro. She's getting all hissy saying that she's not one of those people trying to manipulate the system or anything, and she's done this all the time without a problem, etc etc. He asked her for her ID to write out the lil paper...she didn't wanna give it to him, but he demanded it and she got all huffy bc she didnt want to and he said it's the law bc she could make up whatever name and not pay it, so they have to check it. So she gets all mad and asked for his name, but all he can give her is his work number on his name tag. She was hot, got off at Santa Justa and I'm assuming went to go pay a fine....all for 1.20euro ticket...and one stop for them. So that was interesting since I'd never seen anyone get a fine on the train before....or at least I thought that was interesting, until I went to school on Wed. Again they check tickets, and this one dude doesn't have a ticket. He's a real attitude and you can just tell he's not a very considerate person, so seeing that he'd be a problem the lady just told him he has to get off at the next stop...well apparently that wasn't good enough for him and he was yelling at her saying stuff like the other lady, it never happened before, there's no time to buy a ticket,...then said something about her being extra mean to him or something. She said she's being super nice to him and isnt fine-ing him, just making him get off. We thought it was all over and that was that, but then he yelled something super duper mean at her, and she walked over and pulled him up by jacket and was like you dont say that to anyone, whatever what, and she may have given him a lil slap, and by that time we had another Renfe employee and at least 4 men go over there, bc that man was about to strike her. So then the dude is arguing with all the other men about hitting woman bc theyre all yelling at him that you never even raise a hand to a woman, and he's all like well she's hitting me and so it shouldnt matter. Do I just sit here and let her bang up on me and go to the hospital, but I can't protect myself just bc she's a woman (and let me tell you this was no lady, she was a big fat woman who looked very man-ish). And of course the other renfe dude is like, well now you got your fine and is writing out the ticket. Well they calmed him down, or so we thought. Then after like 30 secs of silence, he yells at the woman again, the woman now is like it's over dude, we're done and he's still trying to go after her, but the other renfe dude is blocking him still writing the fine. He gets him to sit down, and it seemed like it was done. I thought he was gonna get off at the next stop like I was (umm, the trip has a total of 2 stops for me) and I was like crap...bc this guy is a real champ. But he didn't. I suppose he stayed in his seat, but who's to know. But that was the renfe morning drama....
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Ok, so I realized I haven't posted in a while...but, I ended up getting my visa in no time and returned to Spain on the 26th of Oct.
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So that's that folks.
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So here's an update and a half for ya....
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Well, so there's the fun update. When I know more about the visa and what day I'm leaving, I'll be sure to let ya'll know.
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ok, so it has been brought to my attention that I haven't updated this in a while and people have no idea hats going on over here. Truth is, there's a ton of stuff going on...soooo much that I barely responded to emails either. So it's been sooooo long this I wrote here, that I had to read the last entry to see where I left off, haha.
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I think that's all I got...or at least all I remember now, but it should keep you going for a min. It took a while to type and the fact I had time to do it is also a miracle. Basically I woke up too late and didnt have time to go to the gym and shower before my class this morning, so here I am. Yep..that's all.
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Ummm, so work wasn't that hard to return to and I of course welcome a routine and something to do. So nothing to report there....what there is to report though is that yesterday (Wednesday) Agustín informs us that he's moving out next week. He wasn't looking for a place or anything, but then on Monday a friend of his said he was looking for someone to live in his piso bc he wants to break his contract and move in w/his girlfriend. So yesterday, Agustín went to look at it and decided he liked it, and he thinks he'd prefer to live alone and slightly more in the center (since he doesn't know Sevilla at all...he always has to ask me directions and things). So he's paying Paco til the middle of Feb, so like a month extra. He said he'd commit here for a year, but as we have no written contract, things like this are possible. It sucks, but it's life. Paco is quite pissed though. So now the hunt to find a new roomie. It doesn't affect me in any way financially, and even though he wasn't my fav personality, we lived together in a harmony that I kinda got used to and liked. Oh well...let's see what happens. Oh, and there is some new school news. A girl from Liverpool (England for those who are geographically challenged) is at our school for the month of January doing an intern. So it's kinda nice to speak english sometimes. She doesn't have that strong of a British accent, but it's there. HAHA. So yeah, that's new there. Otherwise, not much going on.
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Ok, Sooooo....
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Oh and this morning I uploaded a few pics to my picasa page. Paco's dad is gonna give me the rest of the photos from the NYE dinner soon, so I'll put those up later...and the cabalgata. Ok, well, that's all.
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Ok, so like all big updates, I don't type it in one sitting, so it's possible that it'll be kinda jumpy, with no flow...although, I think even writing it in one sitting it'd be the same. Ok, so here I go:
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So I guess that's enough....I can't think of any more anyhow. Oh except, shoutout to the Saints. I have watched all the games this season, except for this past Atlanta one...starting at 2:30am, it's difficult. But I did watch a re-cap and woohoo for the PLAYOFFS!
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| Date: | 2010-12-03 11:57 |
| Subject: | La Puta Caja |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: | blah...about to go to the gym |
Ok, so I dedicate this entry to complaining about Spain:
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Ok, sooo that's that. Now you have an update. HAHA.....or but within in the last 30sec I was informed that Correos is open on Sat morn. What'dya know.
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DUDE WE'VE GOT A HAM LEG. Our kitchen is finally a legit Spanish kitchen! In other news...
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Ummm, so I guess that's it.
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| Date: | 2010-11-13 19:21 |
| Subject: | es lo q hay! |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: | oooo, Sat night |
Soooo....ok, I'll start with Halloween and finish with my trip to Nijmegen. It's gonna be quite a long entry, and well, since I won't have time to sit here and write everything, it'll prolly be sorta scatterbrained and maybe even repetitious since I'll have to write a lil, leave it open and continue life, then write a lil more. Alrighty...
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So that was the NL adventure.
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| Date: | 2010-10-26 19:34 |
| Subject: | |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  a bit chilly |
There's nothing really exciting to put here...
- I need to buy shampoo, other hair product, and toothpaste...and I've needed to buy said items for like a week now and haven't gone. It's prolly gonna be out in 2days, so I guess that'll be when I go.
- It's cold here today. The weather changed like 2wks ago, but yesterday it was oddly warm, today, oddly chilly. It even smells like fall today.
- Our internet doesn't work, so we're stealing it. It went out last night and we thought maybe it was the wind, but still not here today. Says full signal and we've tried all the unplugging, restarting, etc thing you can think of, and nothing works. Guess we'll have to make a call.
- Halloween is on Sunday. Spain half-asses this celebration, so I'm just gonna party for the puente and not for this English speaker holiday.
- I go to the NL next Thurs. Maybe Gato isn't coming...trying to work something out with the university since he has a test on the day we leave.
That's it.
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| Date: | 2010-10-21 18:40 |
| Subject: | It's a Boy! |
| Security: | Public |
| Mood: |  finally almost 100% |
Don't mind that title, it's just an inside joke with some peeps here, involving my coffee mug. Yeah, let your imagination wander...wander far, and still you won't even be in the same galaxy of where this came from. Anyhowwwwwwwwwwww, so I think I left off on my Bday.
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I guess that's all going on...less interesting vocab lately...or at least written. I'm thinking back on stuff I've learned and it's in the memory. Maybe I'll try to think of some stuff later to update it a lil more.
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acrojen85's journal
ready to see some pasos!