The clouds have decided to part, and León has been basking in warm(er) and sunny days the past two weeks… with occasional rain and clouds too. The weather is beginning to approach the 60s and it is becoming very pleasant outside. Me and some of my friends I met at the language center went for a hike in the hills at the eastern edge of town, and we saw an incredible vista of León in front of the snowcapped mountains to the north. I have begun to experiment in cooking some Spanish cuisine with the first dish being tortilla de patatas. After a mediocre first try, I finally got the process down and made a pretty nice one.
Last weekend, I took a trip to London with some friends, and we got to do some sightseeing around the city. It was very neat, but the most interesting part of the experience was just speaking in English instead of Spanish. It was odd to have to change back after being completely used to using Spanish with strangers. I kept saying “gracias” and “hola” habitually, but when speaking to people I felt very confident to speak without reservation. When learning another language, it can be frustrating when building your vocabulary and not being able to fully express what you want to ask or say because you don’t know the word yet. Being able to do it in my native language fluently though reminds me of how unique and empowering it is to know a language well.
This week, we celebrated National Pancake Day with our friends from Ireland, and we had a good time making food together and continuing to learn more about the nuances between each of our cultures. That same night, Spain celebrated Carnaval, which is a holiday similar to Mardi Gras in the US. We saw a parade with traditional costumes and customs from the region’s cities, and had a good time enjoying the whole town being out. The next day, Ash Wednesday, the town hosts a satirical funeral for a sardine piñata. A procession with music and a crowd is held, and then they burn the piñata at the end in a plaza. Very interesting celebrations, but it was fun to immerse in it and celebrate with the townspeople.
Moreover, this weekend I went skiing for the first time in the Cantabrian Mountains. Though not my best display of athleticism, it is cool that I got to try something new in such a unique place. The next day, the language center hosted a day trip for the students, and it themed around the importance and cultural geography of the central plateau of Spain. We learned a lot about pre-industrial society, travelled to many different cities, and ended the day on the stone walls of a medieval villa that overlooks the plains. I’ve certainly been busy, but I have really enjoyed the nicer weather and being able to spend time with friends. Travelling with friends, whether to a new café or to a new city, is enjoyable and makes for unforgettable memories. With our Spanish skills getting better, you really feel the language barrier beginning to close little by little. Of course, listening to words through regional accents and speaking at full speed is difficult, but it doesn’t feel as hard to communicate anymore.
Pictures:
Myself in front of the south gate of the city wall in Urueña, Spain
Skiing at San Isidro in the Cantabrian Mountain
