September 13th- September 14th 2010
Our Last Days in Morocco
Day 4
When we got back from Marrakech we decided to take a formal tour of the inside of the Mosque Hassan. They had tours in every language and we were so lucky to find out that there was an English one available when we got there. We had to take our shoes off before going in, but the inside of the Mosque was absolutely beautiful. The religion professor on SAS happened to be in our group and had gone to Marrakech with us so her and I had bonded for a bit and kept asking the guide questions about the mosque and the Muslim religion as a whole. We learned about the separation of men and women within the mosque and how different areas are allowed for different sexes. I also learned that in Morocco women have choices on how they want to cover up (either just covering their head or their entire face). Our guide considered Morocco a liberal Muslim state where women are given more options and liberties, which I found interesting because I felt as if they were still pretty suppressed by the men. After the tour I decided to go back to the ship. I still wasn’t feeling to great and wanted to rest as much as I could.
Day 5
On our last day in Morocco I went to go shopping in the morning but unfortunately nothing was open or I had bad luck finding a place to go. Since it was our last day in Morocco I wanted to shop for more souvenirs, but I did not really have the option. I met up with some other people and we decided to go to the infamous Rick’s Café from the movie Casablanca. This restaurant was only recently put in because of the movie and did not even really serve Moroccan food, but it was fun to go to. After lunch I saw a small souvenir shop that was open as was able to buy a few more things (I was most excited for my teacups to match my teapot!)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Marrakech- Camels and Delicious Food
September 11th- 13th
Marrakech, Morocco- On the morning of September 11th, we all met for our Semester at Sea Marrakech and Camel Riding in Palm Groves adventure. I do not know exactly how everyone around me was feeling but I was a bit nervous. The news isn’t exactly the easiest thing to get while you are at sea. Sure we have a few sites that are free for us to use, but to get them to load, not shut off, and see everything can be quite the task. When I had my cell phone I was able to have my news forwarded to read in the mornings, but without that I’m basically unaware of many US and global events. The day before we left for Marrakech (the morning we arrived and had our logistical pre-port meeting) the Executive Dean of SAS warned us about the Priest(?) in Florida who was planning on having a demonstration on 9/11, burning Qurans. Because we would be in Morocco, a predominately Muslim nation who are not very fond of United States citizens, they told us to be careful. This made me a bit nervous. Sure I am culturally sensitive and did not think the Moroccans would do anything to act out against us, but I was still a bit nervous. It was really frustrating to hear this news and to know that a religious figure would consider this action, especially when we were in a Muslim nation ourselves. Needless to say we were fine and only experienced ‘regular’ actions and behavior by the locals towards Americans. (I didn’t experience it myself but I guess some girls were spit on, people were chased out of shops, and some verbally attacked.) Fortunately, I had a positive experience in Morocco, but I will come back to that later.
Anyways, we all met up at 8 in the morning reading for our adventure to Marrakech. The bus ride took a few hours, but about halfway there we stopped at a little café called Oasis for pastries and orange juice. For some reason Morocco has some of the best orange juice I have ever tasted. It is fresh squeezed but very unique compared to the fresh squeezed at home. If you ever get a chance to go to Morocco I highly recommend you try it, just don’t forget to not have ice! The weather was quite hot, but I was still comfortable. It was strange how warm it would get throughout the day and even though I would be sweaty, the heat never made me really uncomfortable. When we started to get closer to Marrakech, the view outside of the bus was hard to ignore. There were a lot of sandy colors (mostly browns, reds, and oranges come to mind when I think of Morocco), but there were some palm trees (could have most likely been planted more recently since they did not seem to be part of the natural habitat or ecosystem). Before we knew it, there were camels randomly sitting on the side of the rode in the dirt, just waiting around. Many of them did have people with them, as if they were preparing for tourists to come ride them. I wondered if any locals would come ride the camels, but I am almost positive they were just for show. When we got to the camel trek site the other busload of students had taken all of the camels. To our surprise our bus was preparing to ride either dune buggies or 4-wheelers through the desert/palm groves! Kelly and I decided to team up together and I would lead us through the path. After that particular adventure I had probably half an inch of dirt all over my body! It was pretty crazy. We ended at our lunch spot which I don’t even know what it really was. It seemed to have been an old small village/house thing that was all outdoors except for two rooms. One of the rooms is where we ate lunch. It fit about 80 of us with cushions all over the ground and small tables set up randomly for the communal dishes.
This particular Moroccan meal almost perfectly reflected the Mediterranean diet with lots of grains, veggies, nuts, and olives. The food came out in stages. First we had hot mint tea poured out of the teapot in front of you. I later learned that some people show their respect for you by how high they pour the tea for you. I kind of really wish I had known before so I could see what my respect level was ☺ Even though it was extremely hot outside and we had all been sweating, the tea was still so delicious and we could not stop drinking it. Next we had fresh made bread with a ‘Moroccan Salad.’ The fresh made bread was always delicious (like all the Moroccan food I ate). When I go out to dinner back at home in the US, I can usually say no to the bread they bring, however, in Morocco I could not turn it down. You could actually taste how fresh it was and it tasted so different to the bread from home. The salad was a big bowl with five different sections of food inside. There were carrots, beets, green peppers, potatoes, and cucumbers. These vegetables were so fresh and tasted so different then the vegetables from home. Probably because they are actually fresh and not grown with chemicals like some vegetables are in the United States. The spices and herbs that the locals use to prepare their food also gave it so much more flavor then we are used to. Next part was the main dish. The chef’s had prepared large bowls of couscous for each table with garbanzo beans, carrots, caramelized onions, some other vegetables, sweetened raisins, and chicken. This is where the Moroccan meal became unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could have eaten this dish with no problem, picking out the pieces of chicken inside of this large dish, but that isn’t what they wanted me to do. Instead, the cooks had prepared the exact same meal for me in what they may have considered to be a smaller bowl (still giving me enough food for like five people). It was absolutely delicious. The variety of flavors was unreal. Of course I kept eating when I was completely stuffed because the food was so good! Finally the main dish was cleared, but then a plate of fruit was served as something sweet to eat after the big dish. It was then time for dancing! We danced to traditional Moroccan music that the men played out on the patio area of the village. While everyone danced and played, tea was again served in order to help our bodies digest the delicious Mediterranean meal. Last, but not least, a peanut butter tasting cookie was passed around with the tea for one last bit of sweetness before we were off. Needless to say the entire meal was made to perfection. Obviously I am obsessed with food but I had to give you a description of actually how good it was! I am definitely having Moroccan food nights at my house next year and all are welcome!
While we were leaving our lunch experience, the locals began to wrap our heads up in turbans for camel riding. Riding my camel was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It was so strange and unreal, but I totally loved every moment of it. It is really hard to believe though that people use camels to cross long distances in the desert. Experiencing that feeling for just forty-five minutes was long enough and to know that people actually do that for days is mind-boggling and probably really uncomfortable. We came back to the hotel afterwards and were able to nap for a bit before getting dinner. Dinner was free at the hotel so we enjoyed the Moroccan buffet and again had delicious food. Our tour guide had informed us of this festival that was occurring that night for the end of Ramadan and so a large majority of us decided to go. I have no idea how to explain it but it was like a Moroccan Renaissance Fair with buildings that looked like palaces, tents covering dining spaces, camels walking in an arena sort of place, belly dancers, horse acrobats, fireworks, and even a magic carpet. Words can’t even really do justice in explaining that festival. It was so different and strange but really fun at the same time.
The next day we toured Marrakech. We went to the mosques, olive gardens, an old palace sort of place, until we ended up at the markets for lunch. After we ate we went to a Moroccan herbal pharmacy where I was blown away by all the herbal remedies. Needless to say I spent wayyyyy too much money there but I couldn’t help myself. We later went to the market, the medina, and the souks where I was able to use my great bargaining skills. I bought a few things there and I enjoyed spending time in the souks. Many of the people I was with did not like it in there and left because they felt violated for being pressured to shop. It did not bother me and I just went about my business talking my way through things. Not only were their clothing, craft, and jewelry shops, but there was food such as fresh(?) hanging livestock, spices, and almost any type of food you could imagine. Plus there were men with snakes and monkey’s trying to get tourists to take pictures with them and then charging them for the picture. Oh and apparently one of the ladies who works on the ship was bit by one of the monkeys! Creepy, right? Overall I really enjoyed the whole shopping experience and wish I had more money to keep shopping, but I had left it on the ship and it was time to go. We had dinner again at the hotel and later enjoyed the Moroccan hookahs on the roof deck of the hotel.
In the morning we left Marrakech and went back to Casablanca. I did enjoy my time in Marrakech, but I wished I could have seen Fez as well. I wasn’t feeling well (still sick with a cold) so instead of booking a train ride to Fez or staying in Marrakech, I decided to go back with SAS. Marrakech was a cool place; the only problem I found with it was that it was a bit on the touristy side. I felt like almost everything was created for tourists, but at the same time although it seems to have been that way, a lot of it was actually just how they lived. The market wasn’t created for us, but instead something that has been a part of their culture for years. It just seemed to be made for tourists since there were so many in that particular area. I enjoyed my time in Marrakech and Morocco in general and know it is a place I would like to visit again in the future.
Marrakech, Morocco- On the morning of September 11th, we all met for our Semester at Sea Marrakech and Camel Riding in Palm Groves adventure. I do not know exactly how everyone around me was feeling but I was a bit nervous. The news isn’t exactly the easiest thing to get while you are at sea. Sure we have a few sites that are free for us to use, but to get them to load, not shut off, and see everything can be quite the task. When I had my cell phone I was able to have my news forwarded to read in the mornings, but without that I’m basically unaware of many US and global events. The day before we left for Marrakech (the morning we arrived and had our logistical pre-port meeting) the Executive Dean of SAS warned us about the Priest(?) in Florida who was planning on having a demonstration on 9/11, burning Qurans. Because we would be in Morocco, a predominately Muslim nation who are not very fond of United States citizens, they told us to be careful. This made me a bit nervous. Sure I am culturally sensitive and did not think the Moroccans would do anything to act out against us, but I was still a bit nervous. It was really frustrating to hear this news and to know that a religious figure would consider this action, especially when we were in a Muslim nation ourselves. Needless to say we were fine and only experienced ‘regular’ actions and behavior by the locals towards Americans. (I didn’t experience it myself but I guess some girls were spit on, people were chased out of shops, and some verbally attacked.) Fortunately, I had a positive experience in Morocco, but I will come back to that later.
Anyways, we all met up at 8 in the morning reading for our adventure to Marrakech. The bus ride took a few hours, but about halfway there we stopped at a little café called Oasis for pastries and orange juice. For some reason Morocco has some of the best orange juice I have ever tasted. It is fresh squeezed but very unique compared to the fresh squeezed at home. If you ever get a chance to go to Morocco I highly recommend you try it, just don’t forget to not have ice! The weather was quite hot, but I was still comfortable. It was strange how warm it would get throughout the day and even though I would be sweaty, the heat never made me really uncomfortable. When we started to get closer to Marrakech, the view outside of the bus was hard to ignore. There were a lot of sandy colors (mostly browns, reds, and oranges come to mind when I think of Morocco), but there were some palm trees (could have most likely been planted more recently since they did not seem to be part of the natural habitat or ecosystem). Before we knew it, there were camels randomly sitting on the side of the rode in the dirt, just waiting around. Many of them did have people with them, as if they were preparing for tourists to come ride them. I wondered if any locals would come ride the camels, but I am almost positive they were just for show. When we got to the camel trek site the other busload of students had taken all of the camels. To our surprise our bus was preparing to ride either dune buggies or 4-wheelers through the desert/palm groves! Kelly and I decided to team up together and I would lead us through the path. After that particular adventure I had probably half an inch of dirt all over my body! It was pretty crazy. We ended at our lunch spot which I don’t even know what it really was. It seemed to have been an old small village/house thing that was all outdoors except for two rooms. One of the rooms is where we ate lunch. It fit about 80 of us with cushions all over the ground and small tables set up randomly for the communal dishes.
This particular Moroccan meal almost perfectly reflected the Mediterranean diet with lots of grains, veggies, nuts, and olives. The food came out in stages. First we had hot mint tea poured out of the teapot in front of you. I later learned that some people show their respect for you by how high they pour the tea for you. I kind of really wish I had known before so I could see what my respect level was ☺ Even though it was extremely hot outside and we had all been sweating, the tea was still so delicious and we could not stop drinking it. Next we had fresh made bread with a ‘Moroccan Salad.’ The fresh made bread was always delicious (like all the Moroccan food I ate). When I go out to dinner back at home in the US, I can usually say no to the bread they bring, however, in Morocco I could not turn it down. You could actually taste how fresh it was and it tasted so different to the bread from home. The salad was a big bowl with five different sections of food inside. There were carrots, beets, green peppers, potatoes, and cucumbers. These vegetables were so fresh and tasted so different then the vegetables from home. Probably because they are actually fresh and not grown with chemicals like some vegetables are in the United States. The spices and herbs that the locals use to prepare their food also gave it so much more flavor then we are used to. Next part was the main dish. The chef’s had prepared large bowls of couscous for each table with garbanzo beans, carrots, caramelized onions, some other vegetables, sweetened raisins, and chicken. This is where the Moroccan meal became unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could have eaten this dish with no problem, picking out the pieces of chicken inside of this large dish, but that isn’t what they wanted me to do. Instead, the cooks had prepared the exact same meal for me in what they may have considered to be a smaller bowl (still giving me enough food for like five people). It was absolutely delicious. The variety of flavors was unreal. Of course I kept eating when I was completely stuffed because the food was so good! Finally the main dish was cleared, but then a plate of fruit was served as something sweet to eat after the big dish. It was then time for dancing! We danced to traditional Moroccan music that the men played out on the patio area of the village. While everyone danced and played, tea was again served in order to help our bodies digest the delicious Mediterranean meal. Last, but not least, a peanut butter tasting cookie was passed around with the tea for one last bit of sweetness before we were off. Needless to say the entire meal was made to perfection. Obviously I am obsessed with food but I had to give you a description of actually how good it was! I am definitely having Moroccan food nights at my house next year and all are welcome!
While we were leaving our lunch experience, the locals began to wrap our heads up in turbans for camel riding. Riding my camel was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It was so strange and unreal, but I totally loved every moment of it. It is really hard to believe though that people use camels to cross long distances in the desert. Experiencing that feeling for just forty-five minutes was long enough and to know that people actually do that for days is mind-boggling and probably really uncomfortable. We came back to the hotel afterwards and were able to nap for a bit before getting dinner. Dinner was free at the hotel so we enjoyed the Moroccan buffet and again had delicious food. Our tour guide had informed us of this festival that was occurring that night for the end of Ramadan and so a large majority of us decided to go. I have no idea how to explain it but it was like a Moroccan Renaissance Fair with buildings that looked like palaces, tents covering dining spaces, camels walking in an arena sort of place, belly dancers, horse acrobats, fireworks, and even a magic carpet. Words can’t even really do justice in explaining that festival. It was so different and strange but really fun at the same time.
The next day we toured Marrakech. We went to the mosques, olive gardens, an old palace sort of place, until we ended up at the markets for lunch. After we ate we went to a Moroccan herbal pharmacy where I was blown away by all the herbal remedies. Needless to say I spent wayyyyy too much money there but I couldn’t help myself. We later went to the market, the medina, and the souks where I was able to use my great bargaining skills. I bought a few things there and I enjoyed spending time in the souks. Many of the people I was with did not like it in there and left because they felt violated for being pressured to shop. It did not bother me and I just went about my business talking my way through things. Not only were their clothing, craft, and jewelry shops, but there was food such as fresh(?) hanging livestock, spices, and almost any type of food you could imagine. Plus there were men with snakes and monkey’s trying to get tourists to take pictures with them and then charging them for the picture. Oh and apparently one of the ladies who works on the ship was bit by one of the monkeys! Creepy, right? Overall I really enjoyed the whole shopping experience and wish I had more money to keep shopping, but I had left it on the ship and it was time to go. We had dinner again at the hotel and later enjoyed the Moroccan hookahs on the roof deck of the hotel.
In the morning we left Marrakech and went back to Casablanca. I did enjoy my time in Marrakech, but I wished I could have seen Fez as well. I wasn’t feeling well (still sick with a cold) so instead of booking a train ride to Fez or staying in Marrakech, I decided to go back with SAS. Marrakech was a cool place; the only problem I found with it was that it was a bit on the touristy side. I felt like almost everything was created for tourists, but at the same time although it seems to have been that way, a lot of it was actually just how they lived. The market wasn’t created for us, but instead something that has been a part of their culture for years. It just seemed to be made for tourists since there were so many in that particular area. I enjoyed my time in Marrakech and Morocco in general and know it is a place I would like to visit again in the future.
Salam Wa Aleikum!
Casablanca, Morocco
September 10, 2010
Sorry to be so behind on all of my blogs! Spain and Morocco were literally back-to-back so it was really difficult to keep up with everything on top of being super busy with school when I am on the ship. Overall, I really enjoyed Morocco, or as they say Maroc. It was a very interesting place unlike anything I have experienced (I have a feeling I am going to be saying that about all the places we are going). We were prepared to not be liked but the locals, for only 16% of the Moroccan population actually has a favored view of the United States, so I caught myself saying I was from either England or Canada a lot. The people were nice I thought, but not ridiculously over the top nice, but they were very hospitable. Of course it depends on each individual, but I personally did not have a bad experience while I was there. The only thing I would have changed was being with such a big group of Semester at Sea students. It brought almost too much attention and not a lot of the locals liked it. I would, however, love to come back to Morocco with my family, particularly Beth and Levin, and see Morocco through their eyes.
The strangest thing about Morocco was that almost nothing (except restaurants) had a set price. You basically had to bargain your way through everything. From taxi rides to shopping, there was not a set price and you could almost always guarantee that half of the price they start with is even too much. It is frustrating that they will try to rip you off the whole time, but it is already so much cheaper than anything we would pay for back at home that you start to feel bad for complaining. It was really difficult to shop or even get around at times because I don’t speak either French or Arabic, and although a majority does speak English, they do not if they don’t want to. I felt really bad and in a way disrespectful since I can only speak English and Spanish. I couldn’t even communicate a little in their languages but now I am more eager to learn other languages so that can be prevented in the future.
We arrived in Casablanca at 10 o’clock in the morning, ready to enjoy the day. I grabbed my green scarf, wrapped my shoulders and head, and viola my homemade burka ( I cannot think of the name of one only made for your head so burka will suffice for now) was ready ☺ We first decided to go to the Mosque in the town, Mosque Hasssan II, which is in a competition for the second tallest minaret in the world (second to Mecca and in competition to the Abu Dhabi mosque). There were so many people there since it was the last day of Ramadan. We marveled at the French architecture of this beautiful building and listened as the call to prayer was being sounded. Our next stop was the medina, which is basically the shopping center of a town in Morocco. It is like a marketplace with anything you can think of available to buy. It is all outside but the shops get so close together that at times you feel enclosed. Earlier that day during the SAS logistical presentation of Morocco we had a special presentation of photography in Morocco (and possibly the rest of the world). Unlike the United States where photos can be taken of anyone at anytime, in Morocco, you must ask for permission to take a photo for they see it as taking away their soul when you snap a shot. This became a lot more noticeable in the medina. There were some crazy sights there and any time I wanted to take a picture the looks I received from the locals told me it was not worth it. There were people everywhere, kids of the ground, adults too begging for money, fresh livestock just chopped up and ready to be sold, and stores after stores selling a wide variety of things. The smells were strong and changing up every so often. There were definitely some times that I did not think I could handle the smell anymore, but weirdly enough you start to get used to it. It was quite a scene as we got deeper and deeper in the medina. We lost track of direction, unsure of where we had ended up, but luckily (well luckily can be debatable here, since I would totally have rather been with 2 other people) there were ten of us so we were safe. I didn’t buy much that day, just a beach towel for necessary purposes, but instead I just soaked everything in.
We then went to dinner at a restaurant called La Fleur and it was packed with locals inside and out. I did notice the immense amount of men compared to women at these restaurants but that was more so during the day then at night. The food was absolutely delicious and I have a new obsession with Moroccan food, especially couscous. That was basically our day in Casablanca- chaotic, but extremely interesting and worthwhile.
September 10, 2010
Sorry to be so behind on all of my blogs! Spain and Morocco were literally back-to-back so it was really difficult to keep up with everything on top of being super busy with school when I am on the ship. Overall, I really enjoyed Morocco, or as they say Maroc. It was a very interesting place unlike anything I have experienced (I have a feeling I am going to be saying that about all the places we are going). We were prepared to not be liked but the locals, for only 16% of the Moroccan population actually has a favored view of the United States, so I caught myself saying I was from either England or Canada a lot. The people were nice I thought, but not ridiculously over the top nice, but they were very hospitable. Of course it depends on each individual, but I personally did not have a bad experience while I was there. The only thing I would have changed was being with such a big group of Semester at Sea students. It brought almost too much attention and not a lot of the locals liked it. I would, however, love to come back to Morocco with my family, particularly Beth and Levin, and see Morocco through their eyes.
The strangest thing about Morocco was that almost nothing (except restaurants) had a set price. You basically had to bargain your way through everything. From taxi rides to shopping, there was not a set price and you could almost always guarantee that half of the price they start with is even too much. It is frustrating that they will try to rip you off the whole time, but it is already so much cheaper than anything we would pay for back at home that you start to feel bad for complaining. It was really difficult to shop or even get around at times because I don’t speak either French or Arabic, and although a majority does speak English, they do not if they don’t want to. I felt really bad and in a way disrespectful since I can only speak English and Spanish. I couldn’t even communicate a little in their languages but now I am more eager to learn other languages so that can be prevented in the future.
We arrived in Casablanca at 10 o’clock in the morning, ready to enjoy the day. I grabbed my green scarf, wrapped my shoulders and head, and viola my homemade burka ( I cannot think of the name of one only made for your head so burka will suffice for now) was ready ☺ We first decided to go to the Mosque in the town, Mosque Hasssan II, which is in a competition for the second tallest minaret in the world (second to Mecca and in competition to the Abu Dhabi mosque). There were so many people there since it was the last day of Ramadan. We marveled at the French architecture of this beautiful building and listened as the call to prayer was being sounded. Our next stop was the medina, which is basically the shopping center of a town in Morocco. It is like a marketplace with anything you can think of available to buy. It is all outside but the shops get so close together that at times you feel enclosed. Earlier that day during the SAS logistical presentation of Morocco we had a special presentation of photography in Morocco (and possibly the rest of the world). Unlike the United States where photos can be taken of anyone at anytime, in Morocco, you must ask for permission to take a photo for they see it as taking away their soul when you snap a shot. This became a lot more noticeable in the medina. There were some crazy sights there and any time I wanted to take a picture the looks I received from the locals told me it was not worth it. There were people everywhere, kids of the ground, adults too begging for money, fresh livestock just chopped up and ready to be sold, and stores after stores selling a wide variety of things. The smells were strong and changing up every so often. There were definitely some times that I did not think I could handle the smell anymore, but weirdly enough you start to get used to it. It was quite a scene as we got deeper and deeper in the medina. We lost track of direction, unsure of where we had ended up, but luckily (well luckily can be debatable here, since I would totally have rather been with 2 other people) there were ten of us so we were safe. I didn’t buy much that day, just a beach towel for necessary purposes, but instead I just soaked everything in.
We then went to dinner at a restaurant called La Fleur and it was packed with locals inside and out. I did notice the immense amount of men compared to women at these restaurants but that was more so during the day then at night. The food was absolutely delicious and I have a new obsession with Moroccan food, especially couscous. That was basically our day in Casablanca- chaotic, but extremely interesting and worthwhile.
Human Condition in Spain
September 8, 2010
I was sad to leave Spain, especially Barcelona. It was so strange going on the ship the next day and waving away to this wonderful country, knowing that our first port was over with. Being in Spain allowed me to meet a lot of great people, both locals and other Semester at Sea students. My time in Spain provided me with the opportunity to see things differently and how a particular society with so many similarities to my own world in San Diego could also be so different. Unlike many of the ports we will be visiting in the next few months, Spain was an easy transition for many of the students in Semester at Sea. There was not much of a culture shock and some of us, including myself, did not have problems communicating with the locals. I did not feel too much like a foreigner and could almost blend in if needed. As sad as it is to admit, many people in the countries we will be visiting are not too fond of Americans. In fact, some may even spit on Americans, but that will have to be addressed at a later port. It becomes frustrating when locals ask where you are from and the last thing you want to say is the United States because you don’t want to automatically be judged. In Spain it was more neutral and could have gone either way if you said you were from the US. I didn’t stand out since “white people” are actually common in Europe; therefore they weren’t always quick to judge. The way tourists, particularly US citizens, are perceived in the varying countries can possibly be better understood when analyzing the human condition in each country. Each port of call varies on the scale of human rights from very free to no freedom at all. Human rights is just one factor when analyzing the human condition of a country but it can also tell us a lot about the people and why they may act a certain way. For this particular blog, I am going to examine the human condition in Spain and share with you what I found to be different and similar to life we are familiar with at home.
Many of the local people I met in Spain were very similar to other Europeans I have met in the past, however, it did differ than the places I have been because of the Spanish flare. After meeting some of the locals whether at restaurants, bars, or just walking around town, it seemed like many were middle class. I did not run into many people that seemed to be completely wealthy but instead all had the c'est la vie sort of attitude and kept to themselves. However, I did run into many people who I would assume were poor. Both on the streets of Barcelona and Cadiz, I found people sleeping in parks (not casually but instead as if it were their home), begging on the street, and, as I mentioned in a previous blog, gypsies who had nothing acting mentally crazy while walking on the street. When looking into a country’s Gini coefficient (measuring inequality with 0 being perfect equality and 1 being total inequality), Spain is the most equal out of all our ports of call with a coefficient of .32. Compare that to the United States. We in the US are third in inequality out of our ports of call with a Gini coefficient of .48. This most definitely correlates with our rising gap between classes and difference between incomes of the top one percent of our nation compared to the rest of the country. I mean the top one percent in our nation is making 28% more than the middle percent of the population. Inequality is a huge issue in the US and I do notice it more back at home than during my time in Spain. I think Spain’s Gini coefficient accurately reflects my observations on the economic human condition in the country. The majority of the people all seemed to be at an economic level where basic human needs plus a few luxuries were sustained.
In addition to the economic condition of the Spaniards, I also observed the human interaction through my contact with the locals and how people were treated in general. I found Spain to be a generally friendly place. People greeted one another by exchanging kisses on both cheeks with neither age nor sex having an impact. It was just normal. Also, I felt very welcome during my time in Spain, however, I did feel more comfortable in Cadiz then I did in Barcelona. Don’t get me wrong, I completely enjoyed Barcelona and I now consider it one of my favorite cities I have been to, but the way people interacted there was different than the way they do in Cadiz. Because Cadiz is simply a port city, not many people go there to vacation. Therefore, tourists aren’t as common, possibly making the locals a little friendlier especially when the tourist speaks Spanish. I found that the locals actually enjoyed speaking to me in Spanish and would prefer if I spoke that instead of English. Although my Spanish wasn’t perfect by any means, they respected the fact that I was trying and would communicate with us more when we spoke their native tongue. I actually found myself being complimented at times on my horrible Spanish because I was making an effort. Barcelona was a little different than Cadiz when it came to speaking Spanish and respecting tourists. Maybe it is because Barcelona is swamped with tourists all throughout the year, but I did not feel as respected there as I did in Cadiz. Locals again were nice but whenever they wanted they could pull the whole “I don’t understand your Spanish, I only speak Catalan” card. After being pick pocketed at a club in Barcelona, my friend from Semester at Sea who is from Guatemala was trying to help me find my things. We went up to security and tried to talk to them (Irene speaking the whole time since Spanish is her first language), yet they told us they didn’t understand and we would have to call back the next day. Other times I found the locals to be extremely kind and speak the same Spanish we know. It honestly depended on the individual and if they liked you or not. Overall, I felt as if my experience with the locals was very positive and I enjoyed getting to know them.
I was sad to leave Spain, especially Barcelona. It was so strange going on the ship the next day and waving away to this wonderful country, knowing that our first port was over with. Being in Spain allowed me to meet a lot of great people, both locals and other Semester at Sea students. My time in Spain provided me with the opportunity to see things differently and how a particular society with so many similarities to my own world in San Diego could also be so different. Unlike many of the ports we will be visiting in the next few months, Spain was an easy transition for many of the students in Semester at Sea. There was not much of a culture shock and some of us, including myself, did not have problems communicating with the locals. I did not feel too much like a foreigner and could almost blend in if needed. As sad as it is to admit, many people in the countries we will be visiting are not too fond of Americans. In fact, some may even spit on Americans, but that will have to be addressed at a later port. It becomes frustrating when locals ask where you are from and the last thing you want to say is the United States because you don’t want to automatically be judged. In Spain it was more neutral and could have gone either way if you said you were from the US. I didn’t stand out since “white people” are actually common in Europe; therefore they weren’t always quick to judge. The way tourists, particularly US citizens, are perceived in the varying countries can possibly be better understood when analyzing the human condition in each country. Each port of call varies on the scale of human rights from very free to no freedom at all. Human rights is just one factor when analyzing the human condition of a country but it can also tell us a lot about the people and why they may act a certain way. For this particular blog, I am going to examine the human condition in Spain and share with you what I found to be different and similar to life we are familiar with at home.
Many of the local people I met in Spain were very similar to other Europeans I have met in the past, however, it did differ than the places I have been because of the Spanish flare. After meeting some of the locals whether at restaurants, bars, or just walking around town, it seemed like many were middle class. I did not run into many people that seemed to be completely wealthy but instead all had the c'est la vie sort of attitude and kept to themselves. However, I did run into many people who I would assume were poor. Both on the streets of Barcelona and Cadiz, I found people sleeping in parks (not casually but instead as if it were their home), begging on the street, and, as I mentioned in a previous blog, gypsies who had nothing acting mentally crazy while walking on the street. When looking into a country’s Gini coefficient (measuring inequality with 0 being perfect equality and 1 being total inequality), Spain is the most equal out of all our ports of call with a coefficient of .32. Compare that to the United States. We in the US are third in inequality out of our ports of call with a Gini coefficient of .48. This most definitely correlates with our rising gap between classes and difference between incomes of the top one percent of our nation compared to the rest of the country. I mean the top one percent in our nation is making 28% more than the middle percent of the population. Inequality is a huge issue in the US and I do notice it more back at home than during my time in Spain. I think Spain’s Gini coefficient accurately reflects my observations on the economic human condition in the country. The majority of the people all seemed to be at an economic level where basic human needs plus a few luxuries were sustained.
In addition to the economic condition of the Spaniards, I also observed the human interaction through my contact with the locals and how people were treated in general. I found Spain to be a generally friendly place. People greeted one another by exchanging kisses on both cheeks with neither age nor sex having an impact. It was just normal. Also, I felt very welcome during my time in Spain, however, I did feel more comfortable in Cadiz then I did in Barcelona. Don’t get me wrong, I completely enjoyed Barcelona and I now consider it one of my favorite cities I have been to, but the way people interacted there was different than the way they do in Cadiz. Because Cadiz is simply a port city, not many people go there to vacation. Therefore, tourists aren’t as common, possibly making the locals a little friendlier especially when the tourist speaks Spanish. I found that the locals actually enjoyed speaking to me in Spanish and would prefer if I spoke that instead of English. Although my Spanish wasn’t perfect by any means, they respected the fact that I was trying and would communicate with us more when we spoke their native tongue. I actually found myself being complimented at times on my horrible Spanish because I was making an effort. Barcelona was a little different than Cadiz when it came to speaking Spanish and respecting tourists. Maybe it is because Barcelona is swamped with tourists all throughout the year, but I did not feel as respected there as I did in Cadiz. Locals again were nice but whenever they wanted they could pull the whole “I don’t understand your Spanish, I only speak Catalan” card. After being pick pocketed at a club in Barcelona, my friend from Semester at Sea who is from Guatemala was trying to help me find my things. We went up to security and tried to talk to them (Irene speaking the whole time since Spanish is her first language), yet they told us they didn’t understand and we would have to call back the next day. Other times I found the locals to be extremely kind and speak the same Spanish we know. It honestly depended on the individual and if they liked you or not. Overall, I felt as if my experience with the locals was very positive and I enjoyed getting to know them.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Barcelona
9/5- Coming back to the ship from the bar in Cadiz at 3:30am probably wasn’t the smartest idea. By the time I was going to bed it was already 4:15am and I had to wake up at 6:30am for my Barcelona trip, which was meeting at 7am. I woke up to a phone call asking me if I was still planning on attending the Barcelona trip because it was 7:15am and I wasn’t already upstairs… We all finally meet up and made it on the bus, to the airport and into Barcelona. It was beautiful. It was a Spanish influenced Euro version of New York City in my eyes, unlike any placed I have ever seen before, and I loved it. We went to La Rambla where there was everything from small street vendors to extravagant “one man shows” including human statues and dance performances. Such a great area and everything was so alive. We sat down at the end of the strip for a glass of sangria as we watched real life gypsy’s pass by, casting spells on people. I for one was not too excited about that since they were not the same type of gypsy’s I remember seeing on Disney. These women were crazy and would come up to almost anybody in their way. Yet they provided us with some entertainment and I definitely have a new appreciation for people watching :)
After our day out, it was time for our planned Semester at Sea dinner and Flamenco show. The food was incredible. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were eating at a 5 star restaurant for this performance. We had a variety of tapas, all brought out at different times, comprised of the following: an assortment of sliced meats, cheese cubes, peppers that were prepared like the Japanese chili peppers from San Shi Go, potato wedges with a cheesy/mayonnaise sauce, tomato bread, calamari (some of the best I have ever had), all topped off with a special pudding like dessert. Absolutely delish! Oh and to make the whole experience even better, we were eating while sitting on the balcony of the restaurant above the most amazing Flamenco performance. I have never seen anybody move as fast as the dancers did or play guitar with such quickness and passion.
9/6- We started our day off going to Sant Sadurni d’Anoia (these champagne cellars a little outside of Barcelona). I will admit it was hard to focus since my phone and wallet had been stolen the night before and I didn’t get back from the police office until 7:15am and then having our tour leave at 8:30am. Nonetheless, I did my best to enjoy it, because it was such a great trip planned by SAS. We toured the cellars, saw how the champagne was made, and even got to try some before we left. After that tour, we made our way up to Montserrat for lunch and toured the sanctuary.
We arrived at the hotel around 4pm and unfortunately I did not get to nap or spend my time shopping on La Rambla as I had planned the day before. Instead I was able to file a police report on my missing items in case they are to find anything (hey, what’s wrong with being extra protective?) A few of my friends and I went out to dinner at this great Spanish restaurant on the water where we had a mix of tapas and paella. Again, it was delicious. I’m pretty sure I could eat Spanish food all the time. I didn’t have one bad meal during my entire stay, and I ate a lot… :) After dinner, we went out and met up with a bunch of USD people that were studying abroad in Spain. It was so crazy to see them in such a foreign place, and so many of them too! Overall, we had a blast.
9/7- We ended our trip to Barcelona with a farewell tour of the city, including the Gothic Cathedral and Gaudi’s Famous Cathedral- Sagrada Familia. Both were mind blowing but I really enjoyed the Gaudi cathedral more. It was extraordinary. I learned that it has taken years to build because it strives to be the most uniquely designed cathedral in the world.
Viva Espana!
September 5, 2010
Viva Espana! We finally arrived in Cadiz yesterday morning. Libby and I woke up to watch the boat pull into port at 6:45am. It was beautiful. Birds flying on the side of the ship, city lights glowing across the horizon, and everyone was on the deck for this glorious moment. Once we arrived, Kelly and I went out to explore Cadiz and found a bunch of great stores and restaurants. We went to get lunch and ran into 10 other people from SAS. Later a few of us went to the beach. All the local women were topless and in the smallest bikini bottoms ever. So different from the United States. Everyone at home is so conscience about what they look like and their appearance that many would not feel comfortable running around a beach topless and in a thong… But at this beach there were people of all sizes wearing whatever they wanted without any concern of their self-image. I was really impressed and although it was a little different for me, I respected it (in the least creepy way possible).
Later that night we went out to dinner next to the restaurant we had lunch at. Out of the group of 8 we were with, Kelly and I were the only ones who spoke Spanish. Everyone was really impressed with it too! I will admit Kelly’s grammar was way better than mine, but I wasn’t afraid to speak at all. I loved knowing the language, understanding the people in Spain and being able to speak with them. We finally finished dinner around midnight and waited for the nightlife to being at 1. It was so different eating dinner so late and going out even later and then getting home in the early morning… But I really enjoyed it and feel like I could have gotten used to it. Overall I really enjoyed Cadiz, but couldn’t hold my excitement for Barcelona the next day :)
Later that night we went out to dinner next to the restaurant we had lunch at. Out of the group of 8 we were with, Kelly and I were the only ones who spoke Spanish. Everyone was really impressed with it too! I will admit Kelly’s grammar was way better than mine, but I wasn’t afraid to speak at all. I loved knowing the language, understanding the people in Spain and being able to speak with them. We finally finished dinner around midnight and waited for the nightlife to being at 1. It was so different eating dinner so late and going out even later and then getting home in the early morning… But I really enjoyed it and feel like I could have gotten used to it. Overall I really enjoyed Cadiz, but couldn’t hold my excitement for Barcelona the next day :)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Eat, Read, Sleep, Repeat
September 2, 2010
The days have mostly consisted of classes, yoga, reading, eating, napping, reading, laying out while reading, and oh did I mention reading? I guess I’ve never realized that not everybody does their reading for class so I feel like either a total nerd or I may be one of the select few who do well this semester. Staying up until 2ish doing homework is partially, well mostly, my fault since I do decide to work outside and around people. And where there are people there is talking. A lot of it. And I cant really say that I’m not partaking in the chatting, I most definitely am, so I guess these late nights could be prevented. But the tiredness is definitely not only my fault. Tonight will be the fourth night in a row that we are losing an hour… kind of insane. I’m getting used to it though and have figured out how to add naps into my day or know what the right amount of coffee is to keep me functioning.
On another note, my classes are all so interesting. The Food for Thought class that I am taking actually forces me to eat local foods in the varying countries and write about it… Hard life I know. I’m learning a lot about global warming, climate change, overpopulation, etc. in most of my other classes, but it’s different than the way I have learned about these topics before. I mean the reading is similar, read a book, analyze the concept, and discuss, but I actually really enjoy reading these texts. Two of the books that I am reading right now, Heatstroke by Anthony Barnosky and Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman, both look at global warming and the need for a revolution but approach it in completely different ways, making them really interesting to read.
I’m no longer teaching a yoga class on the boat. Someone else bet me to it. But I’m actually okay with it because I’ve been so busy that I don’t think I could set a time to do yoga everyday. Instead I just do it on my own whenever I want to and I don’t have to worry about figuring out a routine to teach, I just go with my instinct. Its still hard though to do it on my own and I definitely miss the M Street Yoga Association (MSYA) at home! ☺ I’m trying to start meditating as well and I attended my first meditation class tonight. Some older Asian man teaches the class and walks us through meditation. Pretty cool if you ask me.
Oh one last thing or two last things ☺ Yesterday morning we past Azores, the islands off of Spain in the middle of the ocean. We were passing them at 8 or 9 in the morning so I was trying to wake up to see them. To my advantage, however, the islands were going to be on the starboard side of the ship, my side. I was able to lay in bed and look out the window to see them. I took a bunch of pictures and will post them whenever I get to land (in 2 days). So crazy to see islands when we haven’t seen land in one week! And finally, last night one of the guys on the ship got the captains to turn off the lights on deck 8 of the ship so we could star gaze! The highest deck were allowed to go on is deck 7 but on the front of the ship there is a smaller deck above and they let us up there to star gaze! It was absolutely amazing. The sky was perfectly clear and I could see billions of stars, the milky way, and 5 shooting stars, in the middle of the ocean. It was beautiful! Anyways, talk to you all in Spain! xoxoxo
The days have mostly consisted of classes, yoga, reading, eating, napping, reading, laying out while reading, and oh did I mention reading? I guess I’ve never realized that not everybody does their reading for class so I feel like either a total nerd or I may be one of the select few who do well this semester. Staying up until 2ish doing homework is partially, well mostly, my fault since I do decide to work outside and around people. And where there are people there is talking. A lot of it. And I cant really say that I’m not partaking in the chatting, I most definitely am, so I guess these late nights could be prevented. But the tiredness is definitely not only my fault. Tonight will be the fourth night in a row that we are losing an hour… kind of insane. I’m getting used to it though and have figured out how to add naps into my day or know what the right amount of coffee is to keep me functioning.
On another note, my classes are all so interesting. The Food for Thought class that I am taking actually forces me to eat local foods in the varying countries and write about it… Hard life I know. I’m learning a lot about global warming, climate change, overpopulation, etc. in most of my other classes, but it’s different than the way I have learned about these topics before. I mean the reading is similar, read a book, analyze the concept, and discuss, but I actually really enjoy reading these texts. Two of the books that I am reading right now, Heatstroke by Anthony Barnosky and Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman, both look at global warming and the need for a revolution but approach it in completely different ways, making them really interesting to read.
I’m no longer teaching a yoga class on the boat. Someone else bet me to it. But I’m actually okay with it because I’ve been so busy that I don’t think I could set a time to do yoga everyday. Instead I just do it on my own whenever I want to and I don’t have to worry about figuring out a routine to teach, I just go with my instinct. Its still hard though to do it on my own and I definitely miss the M Street Yoga Association (MSYA) at home! ☺ I’m trying to start meditating as well and I attended my first meditation class tonight. Some older Asian man teaches the class and walks us through meditation. Pretty cool if you ask me.
Oh one last thing or two last things ☺ Yesterday morning we past Azores, the islands off of Spain in the middle of the ocean. We were passing them at 8 or 9 in the morning so I was trying to wake up to see them. To my advantage, however, the islands were going to be on the starboard side of the ship, my side. I was able to lay in bed and look out the window to see them. I took a bunch of pictures and will post them whenever I get to land (in 2 days). So crazy to see islands when we haven’t seen land in one week! And finally, last night one of the guys on the ship got the captains to turn off the lights on deck 8 of the ship so we could star gaze! The highest deck were allowed to go on is deck 7 but on the front of the ship there is a smaller deck above and they let us up there to star gaze! It was absolutely amazing. The sky was perfectly clear and I could see billions of stars, the milky way, and 5 shooting stars, in the middle of the ocean. It was beautiful! Anyways, talk to you all in Spain! xoxoxo
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