That is how the story time chant goes for our 3-5 year olds. It's a CD track with this delightful British woman who has the most soothing and calming voice. I love it. It's my second favorite English chant/ song after "Cheeky's Jungle Jam".
Yesterday, I did a lot of things. I called up my hermano with my phone card. I gave English classes. I tried a new dish: huevos al flamenco. I was hoping that would involve some dancing. It was potatoes and green beans cooked in olive oil with fried tomato and an egg over-easy on top. It was delicious, but there were no dancers. My school had an afternoon of activities playing basketball and football (soccer) against another school, so obviously I went. I bought a precious children's book in Spanish. I spent time with my friend Oliva. I bought some felt to make crafts because it's both fun and trendy here in Spain. I went to my intercambio night - one hour of Spanish and one hour of English at a local bar. I made soup. I burnt a space heater (and left one of the prongs in the outlet because the plastic on the plug melted - yes, I can say that in Spanish now).
In the midst all of these daily activities, I found myself sitting in the bookstore with tired feet and a tired back from walking a lot. Oliva was looking for a book for school and I was waiting.
The bookshop was off the beaten path. I sat there, surrounded by the sounds of Andalusian Spanish, engulfed by Spanish literature of all types, observing customers and waiting. I realized that I love this. Spanish, in that moment, felt like a warm blanket that has a funny smell, cozy and warm but sometimes you get so distracted by the smell that you can't think about how pleasant it is to be wrapped in the blanket. I think being comforted by Spanish is a small victory on the road to bilingualism.
I really want to visit northern Spain. At my intercambio group last night, I was speaking with people who speak more standard Spanish. I realized that my Spanish is becoming more regional (though it still has a looong way to go). I have mixed emotions about this. When I spoke with them, I could stop worrying about my accent and simply speak Spanish. It was genial! I was dominating all forms of the subjunctive. I told Fabiola today that I know better Spanish than I speak, but I just can't always do it. She seemed surprised.
I have mixed emotions about picking up a Spanish dialect because that means committing. It means deciding to shift gears to be present here in a way that will result in other people and options being isolated. It also means my language will be more regional. I hate deciding things. I want to speak Andalus and standard Spanish, but I'm not at a point where I can move freely between the two. I feel like this decision is symbolic.
3 comments:
Remind me to tell you the story of the British lady in the Russian/English movies.
I just typed that sentence all lower cased, then became appalled at how I even got lazy typing, like it's so hard... I changed it.
He wore the Elf costume. That's all I'm gonna say.
"I have mixed emotions about picking up a Spanish dialect because that means committing. It means deciding to shift gears to be present in a way that will result in other people and options being isolated...I hate deciding things."
Language factors aside, this is my life at the moment. I also hate deciding things and I am in a place where some decisions need to be made.
I am happy to hear of your pleasant experiences in Spain. Last night I had a Christmas experience in Derby. I love Christmas. That is all.
That would definitely be a difficult decision to be at...either option you have will turn out well, there will just be a few little different pros and cons for each...
And, I must say, I love the smelly blanket metaphor; amusing, yet oh-so-true...
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