19 - London pride.

My love for London cannot be hidden -although I can easily hide myself in London-. However, I know that for most people it is a love/hate relationship. Foreign people has it as a favourite short-term holiday destination, being considered a vibrant place, full of life and culture and beauty. On the other hand, I feel that many British have a sense of anti-londonism because their capital turns out to be anything but British. Quite a paradox.

The city of the anonymity, home of Jack the Ripper, afterwork pub culture, markets, tattoes and piercings, Erasmus parties, high heels and tight dresses, double decker buses, free entry museums and, of course, the mist and the rain.

In August I had the chance to visit the Museum of London with my Spanish friends and, at times, by myself walking at my own pace. I could then experience and carefully "taste" the reproductions, drawings, audios, videos and stories that the museum offers to the attentive visitor. 
I certainly have my own thoughts and favourite quotes about London. However, I feel the urge to remember and to write down what different people have previously said about the city, which was exhibited in the museum. 

Here are the top ones:

She swarns with people of all ages, natures, sexes callings... She seems to be a glutton, for she desires always to be full. (Donald Lupton, London and the country Carbonadoed, 1632)

London never stands still. Buildings rise and fall. Its character evolves. The choices Londoners made in the past affect us all today - just as our choices will help shape London´s future. (Panel from museum of London)

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. (Samuel Johnson, 1777)

I still think the parade of peoples and colours and tongues just about the best thing in London. (Glynn Roberts, 1933)

'(...) That I love London so
Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner
That I think of her wherever I go
I get a funny feeling inside of me
When walking up and down (...)
(Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner, Hubert Gregg, 1947)

(...) I love dis great polluted place
Where pop stars come to live their dreams
Here ravers come for drum and bass
And politicians plan their schemes (...)
(The London Breed 1988. Benjamin Zephaniah)

18 - Keep calm, you are British.

The British have always fascinated me. Why, I don't know, because there is nothing really special about them. Maybe because they are backed up by a very long and exciting history and tradition or because their culture was the first I discovered in depth in my life. (By the way, the Americans don´t have as much to offer with regards to history, but they are second on my podium of liking).

For many years, I have been thrilled to read books and essays about the British culture and educated myself about their way of living, behaving and speaking. I´m currently reading "The English. A field guide", written by Matt Rudd. He presents the different scenarios of the life of a British person and it turns out to be entertaining and informative , but it´s not exactly my cup of tea. A similar book I enjoyed from beginning to end was "Watching the English. The hidden rules of British behaviour", Kate Fox, which I found hilarious and very useful for my general knowledge. Other books I´d suggest for further reading are "English Hours", a classic from one of my favourite writers, Henry James, and "Notes from a small island". The latter is worth a read! It was written by Bill Bryson, an American author who lived in Great Britain for twelve years and narrates his cultural shock when he first set foot there.

This is me in Playa Las Canteras, LPG.

However, there is no better way to know the British than doing what they do and enjoying what they like. Like the famous proverb states: "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". And so I did.

Sharing household and driving along the same motorway (my heavens, we are driving left!), making my way along the dodgy streets of Hackney Wick as well as the solitary roads of Newton-le-Willows, enjoying exclusive English tea in Fortnum & Mason and mulled wine in Shropshire, playing hockey and wagering money on horse races, complaining about anything and everything and praising the sun if i was lucky to see it in action, watching Dragon´s Den and turning on the option of subtitles for American movies. All those experiences helped me to understand the British. Wait, no!! To adjust to them, because there are certain things that are beyond my Spanish mind.

Carpeting the bathroom is something really out of the question.
Stripping off when they see the slightest bit of sun is kind of drastic.
Saying sorry so many times that it is no longer an apologizing gesture, but a national tic, is very sad.
Being so famous for beer drinking, but being unable to come up with the brilliant idea of serving smaller glass sizes at the pub.
Saying something and meaning a completely different thing, messing around with the foreigner. "You alright?", but they don´t give a damn about you. "Goodbye darling", but they didn´t, don´t or won´t ever love you. "It´s fine. Quite good. It´s nice", but they mean it couldn´t be worse.

Oh well, it is not easy to make your way in the world of the British, but I still love them. And I will continue learning from them and sometimes... making fun of them.

Despite all our differences, they have always treated me well in their own country, during my University years, my business travels and my crazy adventures. So I should do the same in this little island I´m settled in now, where very frequently, English speakers try to find their way to communicate with the Spanish local.

Cheers! (Thanks for reading!)

* I am very aware that Britain, or Great Britain is not equal to England, but I hope you do not get hurt if I use the term British and Britain to refer to the English and England

17 - Madrid, I miss you too.

A friend sent this to me when I was packing, ready to move far away from Madrid. Great idea if you want your friend to shed tears around the room. 

All capital cities put a spell on us, including Madrid. 

I have always loved to explore off-the-beaten-track areas. The dirty and tiny bars, the green spots to lay and get a sun tan, the narrow streets in the city centre, the parks, the viewpoints to admire the city skyline at dawn... How many times have I taken my “guiri” friends or strangers to all those hidden gems and shared with them my tips and secrets about this city that has adopted me for thirteen years? So many. And I will always be grateful to heart to Madrid and its dwellers (despite what is said about the Madrileños, that they often look down on people).

With this idea in mind, I started thinking about the perception that I keep of the city from my perspective as a Spanish person not born in the capital, and also about the impression that people from other nationalities who have lived here have.

It is very interesting to give voice to those who have no previous deep knowledge on a certain culture and local customs, and ask them to share their impressions after a few months.

Therefore, I chose a small group of young Americans I met in Madrid some years ago while they were doing an exchange program and coming to the city for their very first time. 

I asked them to share with me some negative and positive features that they would highlight about their experience in Madrid -first thing that would come to their minds withouth over thinking. 

Therefore, four American college students are given the opportunity to travel to Madrid during a semester to get to know the culture, the language, the people, etc. Nowadays, they are immersed in the American culture again.

The automatic thought that brough them back to their time in Madrid had the following results/reviews.

1) Positive- amazing city, friendly people, so much to explore/see/do. Awesome nightlife, great food, and fantastic public transportation both in the city and to outer areas.

Negative- Madrid is expensive! Also, based on my time there, there were a lot of demonstrations/strikes.

2) Positive- how clean and easy the metro was to use around the city.

Negative-  how difficult it was for me to find peanut butter.

3) Positive- I loved going to intercambios to practice my Spanish. This was one of my favorite experiences, and it helped me to meet many friends.

Negative- I’m not a party-scene person, so it was difficult adjusting to the late-night start of the bars/discos. I prefer going out for a drink and going home by 11 at night, which is when a lot of the parties begin.

4) Positive- I loved how easy it was to get around the city. Exploring every neighbourhood, getting lost on the way but discovering places, food, bars was the best part of my time in Madrid.

Negative- I had a hard time finding food I really loved. Mostly because I love spice and Spanish food is much more mild than what I'm used to.

16 - Hot topic: religion and culture.

Everyone knows how the railway system works in England; delays, works, cancellations...

Recently, I got a ticket from Paddington station to Canterbury and 'surprisingly' my train was delayed, and delayed... again and again for about an hour. Fortunately, those 3600 seconds allowed me to analyse the other commuters that were also expecting the right departure time to show up. All of a sudden I was surrounded by burqas, niqabs, hijabs, kippahs, tallits, saffron clothes, and probably many hidden crosses.

I am aware that nowadays religion is a hot topic like politics and age; avoided in general. However, I realized at that time how much it is closely related to the topic of culture, and how it actually helps to understand it deeper. Knowledge on religion is also important regardless of whether we personally think it has played a positive or negative role. Religion takes place in history, shapes minds and even has an effect on how people approach each other. Even though God´s effect on human´s lives and minds has been pushed aside when it comes to understanding countries and individuals, we indeed need to keep in mind the roots and religious beliefs. Whether you like it or not, it is necessary to measure and understand today's culture by doing research on the history and faith that certain groups have professed, and the impact that those values have on our daily lives. Morality, Ethics, Philosophy, Law, Religion, etc.

In such a diverse society and global world where one doesn´t have to travel to Rome to find a Catholic church or travel to Jerusalem to come across a synagogue, it is essential to understand and be informed about religion and its traditions.

By ignoring religious education, the new generations will be unable to understand the motives behind Gandhi´s actions, nor analyse in depth the “Pietá” of Michelangelo, appreciate the magnificence of Notre Dame in Paris neither understand the importance of the Parthenon for the Greeks and the spiritual impact of the Egyptian pyramids. Of course, they will not understand a thing about the “Divine comedy” of Dante, nor Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol”.

15 - Knowledge and experience.

Two images. Two meanings.
Two words working together or separately.

Pay attention and draw your own conclusions.

And then, maybe, take action.

14 - Me and the metro.

Soon I will be moving to a place with no underground system whatsoever. There will be many other differences I will notice there but, to be honest, I will profoundly miss the metro. I love this sticky, crowded, smelly, noisy means of transport. Are you looking for an adventure? Do you need a storyline to write about? Do you feel lonely? Do you want to laugh out loud? Are you a trend hunter? Travel by metro and the ride will cover all your needs.

Actually, OMG, the initial idea of the blog came to me and has been written during my daily metro trips to and from work, which means that I will need to find new ways of inspiration in the new city...

When I turned 18 I moved to the big city: Madrid. After unpacking all my stuff during a terribly hot day in July I decided to spend my first day following a self tailor- made route as if I were on a hop-on, hop-off tour of the city. I was excited to use such an accessible transport and be able to discover so many diverse parts of the capital of Spain. I had an incredible day exploring on my own every corner from the eyes of a local and a 'foreigner’ at the same time – until I got a fine because I had purchased the wrong ticket…
Since then, during my rides I have watched improv shows, concerts of all genres and make up live sessions. I have witnessed love-hate dramas, booze episodes, thefts, family rows, compliments, jokes, embarrassment. I think all of us could write a whole book with what our eyes of commuters have seen and our ears have heard.

The metro in Madrid has witnessed my graduation at university, my becoming a woman, my first steps of my career. My fears, my loves and my tears. Thirteen years full of adventure. I will miss you, my travel buddy.

Since my very first contact with the metro in Madrid, I have got to know many cities and its people by its means of transportation.
I was told that Budapest has the first electric underground line in Europe, and I indeed suffered from this old system when my foot was caught by the automatic doors.
Vienna has a clean and sophisticated underground, a reflection of the valuable architecture that this city has to offer to the traveler.
Being such a crowded and extensive city, Paris has a tangled mess system of lines where no printed metro maps are provided for free, despite the high rate for a single ride.
My expectations on the subway in New York were high, being so present in the movies and being such an important part of the American pop culture! I felt happy inside the yellow wagons as if I were J. Lo from the Bronx. Old but authentic as it is. I was disappointed not to find a vending machine outside every station. How am I supposed to legally enter the station if the machine is located inside the barrier? I also noticed that if you take the subway towards the wrong direction, it is impossible in some stations to cross to the other side without going out and paying again. Besides that, I love to have that experience on me.

Considering how small the city of Lisbon is, I was quite happy with the wide platforms. Very neat, cheap and easy to find your way around even if you don´t speak the language.
I don´t remember using the underground in Amsterdam where cycling seems to be the fastest and most eco-friendly means of transport, but I do have the Berlin metro sound stuck in my mind. The same sound effect that the techno music producer Paul Kalkbrenner used in one of his well known albums.
Regardless how many times I have been in different parts of Italy, I must admit that I lack the knowledge of its underground culture. I guess I always went for the tram, so I could admire the beautiful architecture of this country.

However, there is one and only underground in the world with a proper name: the London Tube, partially closed down during weekends and terribly crowded at rush hours. An insane maze of lines that can coincide within the same platform. My advice: mind the gap and watch the screens carefully. Drastically small, annoyingly touristy but full of history and stories. It should be the eighth wonder of the World.

Last but not least, I invite you to watch one of my fav videos from Sesame Street to finish this short story about my perception on the metro system.

I hope you enjoy it!

13 - Esta es la vida del sueño errante: living in a foreign land

A perspective on cross cultural relationships.

 It is a complex situation that, unlike our parents and grandparents, we have to face. Living in a globalised world where travelling is accessible to anyone, affordable to virtually any pocket and study abroad programs are so popular, people are more and more used to have cross cultural relationships of any type.
I guess, dear reader, that you have also attended one of those language courses in another country (let's say England, for instance) where people from all over the world gather together to improve their English skills. It can be indeed the most enriching and the funniest experience of your entire life. It is like personalizing one of those jokes: 'A Spanish, a French and an Italian enter a British pub... ' and you can easily guess that one of those cultural misundarstandings will happen next.

Among international groups slip-ups are expected on a regular basis, but cultural differences must be accepted. Nobody gets hurt or rather everyone becomes more understanding when in an strange land for everyone (let's say London, for instance) Americans use their hands to eat chicken, the Spanish speak loud on the bus, the Indians cook funny scented meals, the Japanese sniffle in public instead of blowing their noses… In such a melting pot where international people live together facing the same cultural shock but from their own perspective, cross cultural differences are better understood as a matter of social justice.

 The major problem arises as soon as a narrow- minded native joins the international- cultural exchange, unaware and even intolerant towards everything differing from his own language and beliefs. Needless to say, I have many native American and British good friends. We only communicate in English and they are understanding if I make a cultural or grammar mistake, since it's me making a big effort for the sake of our friendship. But this has not always been the case for everyone.

 I wish, dear dominant native figure laying on your comfortable sofa at home, that you would experience how it feels to live in a foreign country, how it sounds to have feelings but never be able to find the right words to express them, how it feels to wake up every morning looking at an unfamiliar sky, how it sounds to be asked for legal identification wherever you go, how it feels to be in real need of friends because many people speak but not so many are eager to listen, how it sounds to notice you cannot follow the jokes and people have no time to explain them to you so there is no laughter in your life anymore…

I wish you put on the shoes of the immigrant in your country, walk a mile, or a thousand, and then, kindly, open your door widely.

12 - Happy Fourth of July!

I wish I were in New York City right now… or in Boston, like my sister.

Globalization grants us permission to celebrate this big day in any country outside the United States of America. Even though the differences are remarkable, indeed, many will head to the store Taste of America to purchase the ingredients to prepare an “Independence Day recipe”, to inspire the patriotic spirit. Others, myself included, will participate in one of those events in which the red, blue and white will mark the appearance of the participants. The biggest event on the American calendar cannot be forgotten by the lovely Spaniards, who give shelter to hundreds of Yankees (colloquial term used in Spain to define someone from the Northern part of the US) every year.

Who wouldn’t resist living the American dream for one day with a Spanish twist?

Having praised the American super big holiday I must add that Spaniards have fourteen days off per year, in addition to the government-stipulated holiday period of twenty-two days. Nobody knows how to celebrate our traditions like we do. One will definitely find less flags, very few red and yellow t-shirts and no Spanish National anthem in the streets. However, the visitor won´t be disappointed by our folk music, sangria and tapas, beautiful traditional costumes, popular games, delicious pastry, etc...

I would like to mention the event held on my birthday, 24th June, at midnight: the bonfires of Saint John (Hogueras de San Juan). It is a popular festival that takes place during the shortest night (23rd) and continues during the longest day of the year (24th) to welcome the Summer´s solstice. During St John´s eve fireworks illuminate the sky and bonfires the earth. The experience gets even more intense when the clock strikes twelve, just before the music resonates in our ears, the brave young people gather together to jump over the bonfires. Such an heroic deed has a purifying symbolism, burning the problems away, although I have always done it for the thrill of my birthday party. 

We Spaniards make a big deal of all our celebrations, being a core element of our culture. Make sure, then, not to miss them if you come along to my country! At any time of the year there will always be something going on!

11 - Ode to America

America, I love and hate you. What are you really like? Certain loves are
poisonous, yet one cannot or is not able to give them up. I can't make up my
mind about you as I have fallen for you.

My youth was spent learning about your not very long historical past and
present, your motivations, your geographical lines, your heroes, your humour, your body language. I dedicated you my career by sending you the greatest treasure of my homeland, our children, so that you might fill any gaps in their make up by encouraging and fostering
enthusiasm in their upbringing. Like a protective mother I hid your flaws
whenever foreign lands attacked you. I cried myriads of tears over your
honour, showered you with kisses like a lover, and put all my trust in this
long distance friendship.

I am aware of your jealousy due to the fact that I paid too much attention
to my neighbour Britain. Yes, that constant big whinger. I cannot
deny that it really captured my heart with those grey skies, brick
buildings, inspirational stories, acres and acres of green land, polite
manners and precise, clear accents. Being close by, London was always there
when I needed it. After all I could only contact you on my sleepless nights
since the moon closed your eyes when I mostly needed to talk to you. Does
distance make the heart grow fonder? None of us can say for certain that to
be true but you cannot hold a grudge against me since my love for you was
always real and ever present in my mind although at times I couldn't find
the appropriate words to express it. How have you repaid me for those years
of unselfish fidelity and support? I wonder... I know I have found in your
people the respect, love, support, encouragement and honesty, possibly
rooted in your own diversity, that I might never have found in my country,
and I shall always be profoundly grateful for that. Yet you were mean to me!
You never told me that there existed extreme people running for the thrill,
walking in a dream, one day the sun is shining, next day it thunders. You
have most certainly given shelter to a bunch of paranoids hiding under a
mask of sanity. Had I known that all those years ago...

I always admired how you feed your crew with a large dose of optimism,
friendliness, high self-esteem, hunger for adventure, target driven,
acceptance of other people, ability to start all over again after a failure,
etc. The land where there is space for anyone and everyone, the obese, the
obsessed, the paranoid, the alcoholic, the immoral, the suicidal, the
wanderer, the broken family. The non expected child and the single mother.
The brainwashed and the scholar, the blind believer and the nihilist. The
black and the white. The suits and the tank tops. All are welcome and
equally accepted in the gang. Your life is your own business, you have the
freedom to walk on the wrong path, to be the architect of your own life, you
overuse 'I' and 'me'.
You are granted an enormous freedom, a strong sense of individualism, a
bunch of emotional and mental issues, a free license to carry guns. There
you go. You have created individuals who live a life like parallel lines.
As for Europe, my sweetheart, the picture is different. Spain is different,
I am different. Therefore do not try to judge me in the same way you judge
your compatriots.

I know we always walked on an unequal path since it was me who adapted to
your language, tamed your tantrums, put up with your materialistic nature...
and still sent you my love. Yet you are too far away. It has been two years
since I last looked at your deep brown eyes. And I'm just tired out when I
have the evidence these days that you cannot even get over yourself!

Christian Bale portrayed your attitude perfectly in ' America Psycho', ' I
know my behaviour can be ... erratic sometimes...

PS. (I beg your pardon, dear Americans, but do not feel offended by my words that have a meaning that I am only able to understand)

10 - Is English language changing?

An image is worth a thousand words

9 - La defensa de mi madre por la lengua castellana o - how you should meet my mother -

Mi querida madre, española de pura cepa y con estudios superiores, pero a punto de cumplir 70 años, mira con actitud de indiferencia este comic y añade: ¡pero si no se entiende nada, hija!.

Esta viñeta debería provocar especialmente una cierta sonrisa a las nuevas generaciones, puesto que intenta resaltar hasta qué punto en estos últimos años hemos incluido con la mayor normalidad cientos de palabras inglesas en nuestros vocablo español, hasta tal punto que las metemos con calzador en nuestra conversación. Quizá para aparentar que nos hemos subido al tren de la globalización o simplemente porque es lo que se estila en este siglo XXI.

Mi madre, que ha sido en su vida ejemplo a seguir en muchas cosas, ya sea por desconocimiento de la lengua inglesa o porque es una mujer que se aferra a las tradiciones de su propio país, no ha dudado en elegir siempre la versión española, poniendo ese sello castellano tan propio que ha marcado mi tierna infancia y juventud.

De este modo, en mi casa, se sirve un buen bocata de jamón pero no un sandwich de jamón y queso. Mi hermano siempre ha traído a casa algún que otro amigo un poco estrafalario, pero ¿qué es eso de que son unos frikis? Mi padre siempre ha sido puntual a las reuniones de trabajo, pero nunca ha mencionado haber asistido a ningún meeting. Todavía recuerdo la cara de mi madre cuando descubrió mi piercing, puesto que para ella más de dos pendientes en el cuerpo es multitud. Aquel grandioso día en el que le quitaron los brackets a mi hermana, después de cinco años compartiendo piso con tan odioso aparato dental. La primera vez que mi abuela acertó a escribir su primer SMS, aunque acabara enviando el mensaje a la persona equivocada. Esas celebraciones familiares de verano que terminaban con un fresquito smoothie, porque los batidos siempre fueron tradición en casa Merino.

Y ya en la adolescencia esa larga espera de quien sería mi primer noviete en el hall de mi casa a la expectativa de que yo apareciera con mi nuevo look de pelo liso, que acompañado de un blazer y los jeans de moda, realmente consiguieron ese efecto cool tan esperado de top-model.

¡Tantos y tantos buenos momentos de mi vida enmarcados por esas castizas palabras!

Realmente, ¡bravo por mi madre!, puesto que se ha ganado un puesto entre los más venerables miembros de la Real Academia de la Lengua Española, haciendo que ese proceso de “anglo-invasión” no perjudicara nuestra paz ni comunicación familiar. 

Aunque desafortunadamente, mi madre ni siquiera recibirá un whatsapp de una amiga que le diga que tiene una hija tan fashion que se dedica a escribir frikadas sobre ella, ni nunca llegará a saber que fue mencionada en un post de este blog…

8 - Part two. This word called love

Dutch
Gezelligheid The warmth of being with loved ones.
Geborgenheid The feeling of safety that comes from being with loved ones.

Greek
Erwtas To fall in love with someone. It is the first very strong feeling you have for someone.
Agape It is a feeling of love that comes after experience with your beloved person.

Hungarian
Szeretet It means love but I with a much more deeper and wider meaning than in English

Urdu
Ishq It roughly approximates to love, but actually is a feeling that transcends love. More spiritual.

And last but not least, a funny one:

Japanese
Bakku-shan A beautiful woman looked from behind, not from the front.

7 - Part one. What is it with this word called love?

Love is probably one of the most popular, and manipulated word in Western songs, poems, movies and books- but, do we truly know the meaning?  It is much easier to talk about heartaches and breakups than about positive love. Why is that? Because it is more complicated to communicate and put into words the positive feelings that other people arouse in us. When it comes to criticizing, hating, showing up our anger, our left side of the brain becomes terribly active and we turn into the poets and rappers of the new era! However, does "the cat got our tongues" if it is love what we want to express?

True or false, something I learnt from my Linguistics class at college is that a culture is somehow shaped by the richness of its vocabulary. There aren't many  words to describe snow in Spanish as it might snow only once or twice per year. However, the Eskimo language has around 50 words to describe it.

How many words does the English language have to describe love? Interesting...

Something that has always struck me is that Americans love their jobs, love popcorn, love their grandma, love their wives, love their jeans and love travelling to Miami. Isn´t it really complicated to understand them? It looks like they understand by context the level of “likeness” that “love” entails, but to the international community this can be very very tricky. Really, I don´t want my boyfriend to compare me with popcorn. And I don’t want him to love his grandma as he loves me.

I must admit I have always found myself at a loss when trying to express my feelings towards a native English speaker. Sometimes to say I love you is too much, but sometimes it is not enough. Mostly, because Spanish (from Spain, not South America) doesn´t overuse that word at all, which makes it more powerful when it is finally said. Me encantan los vaqueros, me gustan las palomitas, quiero a mi mujer y le tengo cariño a mi abuela. “I love you, my friend”, has caused me too much unnecessary trouble, because what I really meant was “te tengo cariño y te aprecio”. Where is the boarder, then?

At this point I might well agree with what Robert A. Johnson wrote in his book: “Of all the Western languages, English may be the most lacking when it comes to feeling”.

International love is not easy, despite what Pit-bull might have said, but still I´m totally up for it! :)

Let´s finish this with another short compilation of untranslatable words, this time related to love and feelings (See next post)

6 - Part two: Untranslatable words.

 

German
Feierabend. That is a term for the free time after a working day AND the end of the working hours.

Greek
Παιδεία (pedia) Means education, but including being a good person, respectful to other people, to nature, to everything, showing love, good social manners . It also includes good academic education.

Italian
Cazzimma. It is the act to make a perfidy against something that is very important to the other.

German
Fernweh. It´s a composition of the words "distance" and "pain" which describes the desire of constantly wanting to travel the world and go far away from home as if it would hurt not being able to leave from home.

Dutch
Utwaaien. To take a walk outside to clear your head.

Turkish
Delikanli. Young and kind people. Living life with honesty and respect for all others, with justice.

Russian
Мировоззрение ([Mirovozzrenie]) World view, something like philosophy

Portuguese
Cafuné. Caressing your lover´s hair or tenderly running your fingers through the hair.

Saudade. It is a state of melancholy

Chinese
加油 jiayou. When used as verb, means add fuel or oil. We use it in an extended way. Sometimes we comfort or courage people when they are disappointed or sad or losing faith in something using this word as the meaning of "don't give up" "C‘mon, mate, you can do it, give it your best shot" "put more effort into it".

Rumanian
Barosan. Adjective. Cool and popular guy with luxurious cars, clothes and belongings, attractive to all women.

Hungarian
Elmosolyodik. Smile. Not only smiling but also the process when you burst into a smile.

French
Dépaysement. In unfamiliar surrounding. Not being in your country or your comfort zone.

Dutch
Natafelen. To keep sitting at the table and socialise after a meal.

Spanish
Friolero. Adjective. Sensitive to cold weather.

5 - Part one: Untranslatable words. Lost in translation.

Those who can fluently communicate in two or three languages may better understand this sentence.

At University my Spanish classmates and myself had a tendency to mix our native language with English words in our conversations. It turned out to be quite natural to keep switching when we thought our idea would be better expressed and understood in English. This is actually something very common to bilingual people speaking in informal interactions. There is even  a technical term for it: code switching.

Fluent communication, and a rapid understanding of the message, is crucial to all species. Being aware that the language we want to use lacks a word for the idea we have in mind can be quite frustrating for the speaker. Thus, we are constantly seeking for the best way to articulate what we want to say, even if that includes borrowing from other languages.

Let's take the word "background", for example. It is a common word that I frequently use when filling out school applications. However, when attempting to translate it to a Spanish student, I oftern find myself struggling: bagaje, historial, conocimientos adquiridos, experiencia....- I would definitely use a whole sentence to make him/her understand what he is required to say/write. Spanish doesn´t seem to have a word that accurately expresses just what the English word "background" does.

My fellow translators would agree that our field has been undervalued in recent years. Very few individuals who speak two languages are able to master the science of translation. Expressing a feeling, an idea or a grammatical entity in a language which doesn´t have an equivalent for it is a real challenge that not many are prepared for. Remember that a good translation is that which maintains the essence of the initial meaning.

Being myself lost in translation so many times encouraged me to carry out a research on those words which seem untranslatable. Hence, I asked several of my international friends to choose a word in their native language and define it in English. The process was very fun and enriching, and the findings were a linguistic lesson to me.

I paid closer attention to the words related to feelings, but I'll leave that for another post.

4 - Outsourcing & managing multicultural teams.

A few months into my previous job, I was informed by the management that my entire team would be dissolved at some point and our positions would be outsourced to a team of Argentinians based in Argentina. At that juncture, I decided to quit and look for better opportunities as I was anxious about my future. Most of the other team members were sacked about a year later.

As per global trends, it can be seen that many companies outsource their teams to countries like China and India to reduce overall costs as salaries offered to employees in these counties are much lower than in the West. Managing them in another country is no hassle as a manager is sent over to directly monitor the new team and to aid them, thereby helping them to adhere to company goals and policies.

Although the idea of relocating to a different country to work seems daunting at first, I think it would be a wonderful experience and we should embrace change. The only concern that I would like to raise now is the fact that big multinationals that set up offices abroad expect team members to follow the exact ways and methods with which they function at the headquarters. The gist of my argument is that although relocating and working in a new country is thrilling, what we are witnessing in the recent times is also a cultural invasion masked by a business strategy.


The following video clip describes and sums up my thoughts.

As seen in the clip, the protagonist is sent to India to manage the customer service call centre that his company had established there. He assumes that his new team fails to reach their expected targets due to their lack of knowledge about American culture and therefore, are not able to empathize with the average American customer. 

As the movie progresses, it is revealed to the audience that the real problem was due to the manager's inability to motivate his team, his unawareness about Indian culture, the people and their thought process.

 

On how many occasions have we experienced the authority of our superiors at work when they imposed certain methods and strategies? This approach to dealing with employees and team members results in dissatisfaction and anxiety at both ends.

Considering the cultural context of this issue,  this becomes even more sensitive. When it comes to working with people from a different culture in their own country, it is extremely important to be aware of cultural differences, without which one may come across as an unapproachable authoritarian figure.

 

Cultural awareness in the business setting is most important and relevant now than ever, as several companies are outsourcing jobs to people across the globe. Companies must train their senior employees and managers to think from another person's perspective and adopt suitable strategies related to specific work environments.

3 - Broad strokes of reality.

I recently came across with the following image. What do you see?

 

Right. Most of us would agree that it is a face looking to the left.

 I believe in first impressions because they provide me with much information about a new place or person. Gestures, colours, words, looks, etiquette, smells, noises, atmosphere… ; all those carry a meaning and have an effect on my mind when I am trying to get to know something or someone new. They are like broad strokes that result in a final idea in my mind. That image I have created based on those impressions will be taken to heart as long as I don´t receive any evidence to the contrary . As an example of this I am aware that a book´s cover might be misleading at first glance, but I accept it at face value.

Now, take a closer look.



What if I say it is all about a word written in vertical?



Yeah, we are all liars.

Better said, reality is the liar, sometimes, and it enjoys playing a trick on all of us.

 

2 - Dali, stereotypes and other curiosities.

The fact that we came from different educational, national and cultural backgrounds therefore holding very disparate opinions actually meant a far more enriching experience for both of us. We spent many hours in that small room sharing tears and laughter, love and hate, words from the heart and white lies, and friendship. 













Once I was asked to stop talking because something amazing became suddenly apparent. A Dali painting was hanging in the room, right in front of our eyes yet we had never noticed or sensed it around us. It showed beautiful swans in an unwelcoming lake and forest, and a human figure turning his back onto them. The weird thing was that the reflection on the lake's waters was not of swans but of elephants! What none of us had realised until then is that sometimes we believe that we are sending others a clear cut impression of our true selves but what they themselves perceive is something entirely different in shape, colour and even identity. How impressive is that!

I applied this epiphany to the area of cultural awareness, how our whole cultural and educational upbringinging shapes our minds from the very beginning leading us to form stereotypes about natives from other countries. I am not a believer in fate and determinism so I hold the strong opinion that each one of us has the capacity to liberate ourselves from pre-determined classifications of judging any person standing before us. Are all Germans inflexible, all Spaniards loud and lazy, all Americans overweight, all Argentinian men flirtatious, all Swedish cold as ice? I agree that there is some truth in stereotypes which are generally based on actual experiences plus a common perception of that particular culture as a whole. We should never forget however that our world is filled with unique individuals that can't just be put as a single entity inside a jar under the exact same label.

I am intrigued how much we expect our new foreign friends to conform to our particular stereotypes of their distinct backgrounds and cultures, how much space and opportunity we allow and offer them for their true, inner 'selves' to be revealed to us, to surprise us in its authentic uniqueness irrespective of what nationality they belong to.


Something else I also ponder, how much we expect and desire them to be just like us…but I'll leave that for another day.

1 - Spain is different!

Talking to him:

 

-        So, where are you from?

-       Brooklyn.

-       No, I mean, you must have an origin from another country… [he has dark skin]

-       Ah, you mean my nationality? Ethnicity? My parents are mostly Jamaican, my grandma´s father was a Dutchman, and some English in there, as well.

-       Ah, yes, sorry, we don´t use that terminology here…

-       Haha, Spaniards are funny!

 

Funny or not funny, whether you like it or not, we don´t talk about ethnicity. Spain is filled with native Spanish and we consider ourselves white -not Galician, Catalan or Canary Islands white- until Summer comes and we get a nice brownish color which vanishes again in winter. Still, we are not interested in colors, but in individuals whether they are red, black or yellow. Therefore, ethnicity is not small talk for us. Do not blame us for not being familiar with topics of ethnicity which has nothing to do with being open or not to the idea of immigration. We just haven´t got a clue of what you are talking about!

 “Spain is different”, and not only because the politicians of the 60´s communicated that motto. Come and visit us, and you will see for yourself why we are so proud of being different. Some would still say that we are stuck in the past, others that we are keeping our doors of globalization closed. I guess that has a name –jealousy-, because the sun helps us blossom and flourish every year in a delightful way.


Globalization has had an impact on us: Chinese stores, American pancakes, Irish pubs, French wine, Holi runs, Hookah bars, language exchange cafes… and we are truly happy for getting the flavor of different cultures in our own country. Despite what has been said, we like variety and experiencing new things, even if it is just to confirm that we still prefer ham and tortilla over any other delicious international meal. Young Spaniards have gotten on the train of this state-of art new world, but still, we have beautifully managed to maintain our purest Spanish traditions and customs. To us, there is a hidden pleasure in going back to Spain and finding that our ways of living, praying, partying and eating are just the same. Oh, home, sweet home!

 What is it what we feel so attracted to? Well, you better know some of our customs before the culture shock hits you when visiting our country for the short or long term.


Yes, we are emotional, although we don´t get carried away by our feelings. Giving two kisses on the cheeks is a friendly gesture and we usually maintain eye contact to show that we care for you by paying full attention. We are actors by nature, so it is not only what we are saying but how we move our hands, our eyebrows, make noises… let the show begin! Communication is crucial to us, and we prefer to make it work over a long (long) meal or tapas & beers gathering and covering small talk and deep topics. Just make sure you save the day if you are going out with a Spaniard and take into account that dinner is not served until 9sh.

  Do also think twice before asking us “how are you?” It is not a “fine, thank you” answer for us. We might well spend five minutes talking about our ups and downs of the day! And we expect you to do the same.

 If you want to make Spanish friends, well that is not difficult at all because we are very friendly and approachable… I mean, if you want to make good friends, try to understand us instead of forcing us to follow your ways. We are loyal out of care and love so we don´t need to follow a code of honor. Gossiping is very common, which makes us quite judgmental and unpredictable and suspicious to others, but at the same time we are very understanding of others' mistakes, and we forgive easily if you know how to make the right gesture to gain our trust back. We do believe in second chances.

 In Spain there is a feeling of lack of self-confidence and we are not good at selling the best image of ourselves, and we all know that there is no success without a good marketing campaign. We are not lazy but Spanish don´t give importance of work over family, friends and social life. But rather, working to live, not living for work.

Trust me, I don´t remember last time I had a nap, even though I´ve got two hours lunch break. But it is nice to have enough time to get away from the office, rest our minds and bodies out of the office, and enjoy our three course meals with our colleagues.

 This could be a never ending list, but just remember: Spain is different, so are the Spanish!

Intro

Some people call me Star.

My nickname on the internet is PostNubila_sun. For those non-Latin speakers it means 'After the clouds, the sun'. After dark times such as the medieval era followed the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. That is to say that there is always hope.

I´m certainly an introvert, an idealist, a romantic by heart, but always pragmatic and down to earth, and this is not a paradox.

I must begin with an apology. Honestly, I won't be writing for you. I will write this for me. Writers make a living out of this, except those poor but great chaps such as Poe and Blake that gained their reputation only after their lives. My purpose is to put on paper what is going on in my culture-oriented mind. Translating my thoughts and breakthroughs into words. I wish I could be another Conrad, mastering literature in a second language!

Needless to say, it would be nice if anyone were to come across my words, and they were of any help for them.