I'll start with my change of heart for Huelva. In all honesty I couldn't have been more disappointed with my placement when I first received my acceptance letter to this program. I knew I would be teaching in Andalucía and was very excited about the prospect of living in Granada, Seville, Malaga, Cadiz...etc (pretty much ANY city in Andalucía BUT Huelva). After dreaming about living in Granada for a year and receiving Huelva it was like dreaming of getting a Mercedes Benz decked out with flat screen TVs, voice activated texting devices, a cappuccino maker and personal driver for your 16 birthday but instead receiving a 1992 used Toyota Camry with broken windows, one functional door and tape to keep the headlight in place. My worst fears were realized when I arrived to Huelva in September. Unfortunately, my negative preconceived notions of my new home were true. If had to use three adjectives to describe Huelva I would say small, ugly and poor. Nine out of Ten Huelva’s will be the first person to tell you "Huelva es fea, verdad" (Huelva's ugly, isn’t it?) So I am not offending anyone with my statements, simply speaking the truth. Haven't you ever heard the expression, "the truth hurts." However, despite the lack of beauty in Huelva I have come to appreciate the advantages of a small city and happily call it my "home¨now, for these nine months at least.My first couple months here were not as carefree and fun as I had hoped. Quite frankly, they were a huge disappointment. I was welcomed by rude Spaniards, even crazier men, the coldest winter in 50 years and the near impossible to understand Andalucía accent. However, my attitude has done a 360 and now the thought of coming home in just 12 short weeks is a little sad. Ironic how life works. Just when you feel settled, find you niche, friends and a set schedule, its time to leave. Well I still have three months left but time is starting to fly. Now that the sun is shining (yes, Seattlelites the sun does shine in other parts of the world) and doesn't set
until 8, the atmosphere of Huelva has greatly changed. The streets are coming alive, buzzing with people and Huelva is starting to feel like the Spain I know and love from Granada. I am a regular at Punta Umbria (beautiful beach nearby) and determined to come home with a tan and stop the "eres blancita" (you're so white) comments. Who says that anyway? I frequently walk past people and think "how ugly!" but I certainly don't express these thoughts out loud and to the persons face. Oh the bluntness of Spaniards...if you can't beat them...join them. And believe me, I do. Now when people stare I stare back and say "boo" right as the walk past...my favorite is when people jump. Didn't their mom teach them not to stare?People from southern Spain always claim to be so friendly and open but they must be confused as to what friendly and open really means, because welcoming they are not. Despite being as outgoing as possible I am still yet to meet a Spaniard which I would call a really good friend. Sure I have a ton of people who I hang out with, go for tapas or a drink, but they aren’t like friends from back home. I know many other auxiliaries in Huelva can relate to this....our experience here is NOT like a typical American studying abroad. There are NO I mean NO, yes that’s right, 0 Americans in this city besides the English teachers. Not to say the other auxiliaries aren't nice, but I didn't come to Spain to hangout with Americans. There are 350 million of them in the US so I am trying my hardest to meet locals and form friendships with Spaniards. This is proving to be a little harder than expected as there aren't many students because the University here is very small and many of the students don't even live in Huelva capital. Sure there is a bunch (maybe a hundred or so) or Erasmus students (EU study abroad students) here but peoples who main goal is getting drunk and laid seven nights out of the week aren't exactly the type of people I want to call friends. I guess I took the idea of friendship for granted and anticipated the act of making real genuine friendships much easier than it has proven to be. Any type of close relationship takes time, compromise and sacrifice and I've come to appreciate the friends I have back home. Their is a world of a difference between having ten friends who call you to go out for drinks versus having one good friend you can call at 4 am with a problem and know will always be there for you. None the less, I am definitely not lacking in people wanting to take me out in Huelva, so I guess it could be a lot worse ;)
I know one reason I am really starting to enjoy my lifestyle here is because I have completely changed my mentality. I arrived in Spain with the standard American mindset of the rushed, productive driven, city girl, where rest time is wasted time. While Americans value money and profits, Spanish value leisure and relaxation. What a concept. Can you imagine Wall Street shutting down from 2-6 for lunch and siesta? Please! You can stop laughing now. While the first month or so I found myself mind numbingly bored with my little work responsibilities I am now searching for beach time or a day where I can squeeze a siesta in. I guess that’s what happens to your social calendar when you actually have phone numbers in your cell, something I lacked when I first arrived. Whether its classes particulars, preparing for work, playing tennis, aerobics class, going to the gym, or just running errands, I am far from bored now, quite the contrary!
For the longest time I never understood when Spanish people would tell me they busy....busy with what I thought?? You don't work, you're not in school and you live at home--what could you possibly be busy with? After living here for five months and truly immersing myself into the culture I finally realized what "busy meant....translation--I'm meeting people for coffee--its just they do this with four different people in any given afternoon...you can't walk down a block and not pass at least three cafes. And to think I thought I lived in the coffee capital of the world-Starbuck faithfuls' have nothing on Spaniards. Cafe con leche y Espana are synonomous.After not touching a tennis racket for 3 months (I cannot believe I am about to say this
but...) I kinda started to miss tennis, just a little. Huelva is home to the oldest tennis club in all of Spain. The club has hosted tournaments in which Nadal and Moya have both won. It is your typical country club, complete with a nice lounge, restaurant and patio to enjoy drinks while watching players play. The setting is very nice with four sunken red clay courts in a stadium set-up. Clearly I couldn’t afford the members dues nor starting fee but several members kept inviting me to play and soon enough the President allowed me to be a member for only 30 euro a month! Oh the advantages of being a pretty blonde :) If you disagree with this statement please take your time to delete this address from your toolbar and don’t feel the need to return to read any further blogs, I prefer readers with
good taste (I am joking, of course!) Joining the club has been great! Not only am I meeting lots of people but for the first time in my life I am playing tennis just to play, for fun. Rather than trudge down the steps of the athletic department dreding the next four hours of my life at tennis practice, now I have a bounce in my step when I walk to the club and look forward to playing. Tennis is so much more fun and enjoyable when it’s for pleasure. Moreover, I love walking into the club and being greeted by smiling faces and men eager to play with me. Not to mention, the tennis club has been the first place I have met people I wouldn't be embarrassed to talk to in the states. In this I mean the members of the clubs are composed of educated, cultured and professional working people. A far cry from the rest of the population of Huelva I have met in discotecas. Also, everyone I have met in the club has been so friendly, another stark contrast from my previous encounters with the locals.I have less than three months left in Huelva and plan on enjoying my time abroad as much as possible! For all my Seattle readers the weather is beautiful and our doors are always open for you! :)
Besos,
Ally
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