Tag: GW Madrid

By asthaa

I’ve been asked more than once since I’ve been in Madrid how the “situation” is. Am I seeing the protests? Is it safe? The answers to both these questions is yes, but the economic crisis in Spain is deeper than that, and it is not necessarily visible unless you choose to be aware and conscious of it. As students here for a semester, there are a few ways we’ve witnessed the effects of the government’s austerity measures and the public’s response.

We’ve passed by or seen protests more than once. They can be on a smaller scale, like the medical personnel marching in front of the hospital across my home. They can be huge and we later learn about arrests, choosing to avoid the zones in fear of mingling with the police. I attended a protest a few weeks ago and observed some interesting things. For Spaniards, to protest and use one’s right to assemble can be a family activity. I met and saw everyone from college students to grandmothers and their grandchildren in a demonstration. While many of the marches tend to be horizontal, or without a fixed agenda and definitive leadership, some of the people I talked to felt the Spanish government was cutting the most basic functions, like education and support for the unemployed. They felt abandoned and wondered why their tax dollars were not going back to them. The protests were also much louder than any I’ve an experienced in the United States.

...continue reading "Witnessing Challenging Times"

By asthaa

Perched on one of the many mountains and hills surrounding Barcelona, stands as a testament to the beauty that can be found when you mix nature and creative brilliance, specifically that of Antoni Gaudí. There are interesting shapes and curves at every corner and mosaic sculptures that make up seating. Parque Güell is a work of art to walk through and experience. As I peered out to a nearly perfect view of Spain’s second largest city last weekend, I realized I had come to Barcelona with an image tainted by stories of tourists and foreigners on spring break. In fact, I loved the Gaudi architecture, expansive museums, and the sunny beaches. And it was in the library in the Fundació Joan Miró, where I remembered learning about Miró in high school and found myself making connections between my class and the work of the artists of Cataluña.

...continue reading "Madrid: From the Inside and Out"

By asthaa

Have you ever had your breath-taken away by a spectacular performance? By people doing what they do best for a whole audience to marvel? I had the opportunity to see Carmen, a story told through the lens of flamenco, earlier last week and I fell in love. With fast-paced feet and lean, graceful arms, the dancers of Antonio Gades Company conveyed the anger, sadness, and intimacy of Carmen so well that the audience was left clapping for minutes after the show. An ensemble of singers and guitarists completed the story, singing and playing some of the most beautiful music I have heard in Spain.

...continue reading "Flying to Flamenco…But Not Really"

By asthaa

“Sometimes it’s the small things in life.” Spain continues to reaffirm this for me twofold. One of my favorite experiences this week has been making a new friend close to home (in Madrid). On the route to my flat, there are quite a few little shops, restaurants, and bakeries. Last week I decided to bring home some sweets from a pastelería around the corner. As I decided which cookies, or galletas, I was going to take home, the girl who worked there kindly guided me through chocolates and the crèmes. We struck up a conversation about where we were from and whether she lived nearby, and I left the store feeling like I knew one more friendly face in my neighborhood. A couple of days later, I saw her working and stepped in to say hello. Luz told me her name and that she was from Paraguay and we decided to meet up to get some coffee. This simple gesture of making plans with a new friend in Spain on my own was one of the highlights of my week when it comes to engaging more with Spanish people.

...continue reading "Concerning Cookies and Friends"

By asthaa

This week, on a free Wednesday afternoon some of us GW students decided to spend the afternoon and evening in El Retiro, what I think of as the Spanish version of Central Park. As I walked to the park, I expected to finish some homework and perhaps get acquainted with my neighborhood some more. But enjoying relaxing on the grass was not enough for us; we made the spontaneous decision to go boating in the lake in El Retiro. I quickly realized how terrible I am at rowing. Coincidentally, the three vegetarian girls on the trip happened to be in the same boat (both literally and figuratively) and if it wasn’t for my friend Sarah we may have never left the dock and then been able to return. Rowing in El Retiro was beautiful and produced many laughs but it was quite the challenge for me as well.

...continue reading "Language and Learning"

By asthaa

It’s nearly 11 pm and six American college juniors sit in silence staring at the Palacio Real (The Royal Palace of Madrid). Nobody moves for a couple of minutes. As the gold and cream building glitters in the night, we soak in the crowd and scene while our new Spanish friends chat on the steps facing the palace. If someone asked me to pick a favorite image in the past three days, I would choose this one. After an overwhelming two days, on our second night it hit me – here I am in Madrid enjoying myself with a group of extraordinary students from my university, experiencing something completely new yet so familiar. This night reminded me of ones spent on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or an afternoon walking around the Taj Mahal. As a student in D.C. with family in India, it was humbling to see the Palacio and feel how similar these cultures were despite our differences. ...continue reading "¡Bienvenidos a Madrid!"