Feliz Thanksgiving, y'all

Well here we are again. I noted some more differences about Spanish life, but uh..I can't remember. SO! I'll begin with something strange I learned about gypsies.

We think of gypsies as these magical people like Esmerelda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame: mystical nomads with an affinity for anarchy or at least their own way of life. But here, I've learned and seen that gypsies are stigmatized: dirty, filthy people who have no respect for the laws and don't keep to themselves as much as I thought. The children don't go to the obligatory years of school and those who do cause problems.  I saw a gypsy wedding on the news. They have to prove the bride-to-be is a virgin.  On the day of the wedding, the mothers and grandmothers go with her into a room. They take a cloth, shove it into her vagina. If it comes out with blood, she's a virgin and the wedding may proceed. If the cloth is clean, she's banished from the family.  For a people with so little rules, to me this seems contradictory.

On the flip side, gypsies often sing and dance flamenco, and it's beautiful. The Esmereldas of the world are called "zingaros" not "gitanos", but the word is the same in our language. Maybe I'll research how they are related.

I have yet to form an opinion on this people. Someone asked me if we had gypsies in America. I replied, "Maybe wannabe gypsies or hippies who call themselves gypsies. but uh...We have the Amish........." Don't judge me. It's the only people I could think of that keep to themselves besides cults and skinheads and well....nevermind.

In other news, I took a trip to Madrid to visit friends and see Harry Potter in English. There are movies that I refuse to watch in Spanish...like Harry Potter. If it isn't a British accent, it ain't right.  So, I went to Madrid to meet Fran, Jose Luis, and David. Jose Luis and I had a pajama party and watched Pretty Woman(which I had never seen) and Steel Magnolias. (I hope you're not embarrassed that I'm telling this to the world, Jose Luis). Chinese food was devoured along with palomitas and a half liter of Coke(I drank the half liter. Danon would be proud. Remember Star Trek night and the insane amount of candy/soda we consumed?...yeaaaah)

SATURDAY! We saw an underground museum of the old metro. It was fantastic. All the original advertisements were in play, but get this: they were tile. Beautiful tiles advertising coffee, watches, gas, etc. Then we ventured to the Archaeological Museum, which was fascinating. I saw La Dama de Elche, the major sculpture for which Spain is known. It was beautiful. The elephant jaws and tusks found in prehistoric Spain, also snazzy.

Snack which included wine and olives, then we went for beers while waiting for our table, for the first time ever I saw prostitutes and pimps, then lunch, nap, THEN HARRY POTTER! WHICH rocked my socks. Botellon and drinking were to be had after, where a man almost fell on our group...strange.

Sunday: shopping and home. Enough said.

Madrid is decorated for Christmas, and I cannot WAIT until Jayce, Cary, and Justin get here.

Thanksgiving came and went without so much as a resemblance to the beloved holiday. I ate a slice of turkey, explained the story of Thanksgiving to my students, and received a Hannah Montana stamp on my hand. The end.


I'm going to posted pictures soon of various places..sooo be on the lookout.

As always (from one of my favorite radio programs), be well, do good work, and keep in touch.