Friday, I met up with a friend of Monica's to talk Spanglish with. She also brought along her son, who is about my age. They were both extremely nice and we went to a coffee shop and talked for an hour or so. We spent the first part talking in Spanish and the second part in English. I think the Spanish part went over better. I think it's hard for Spanish people to understand my American and quasi-Southern accent. I tried to talk slowly, but it was easier for me to say something in Spanish and them respond in English.
It was funny how chill the mom was about her son's partying. He told me that he was really tired because he had been up late drinking with friends. I looked at her expression and she was just smiling and had this kind of "oh, young people" look on her face. As awesome as my mom is, she definitely would not be like that if I were out late drinking.
I was planning on going to a Spanish book club meeting afterwards, but I checked Facebook for to verify the time and place and realized that they had changed the time. It's harder for me to read their online Spanish because it's more colloquial, so I had missed that fact. Ah, communication.
Speaking of communication, Carmen and I had a problem with the rent payment. I had to pay her a deposit before coming here to secure my place. That deposit will either be returned to me when I leave or I can use it to pay for my last month. I didn't understand that until Friday. I thought that the deposit I paid was the rent for January, so I thought I was good until then. A few weeks ago, she kept asking me about the rent and so I was really confused why. I paid her and just thought I'd paid early for February. Nope! I had actually paid her for January.
Well, Friday was the 1st so she expected a payment. However, I thought I was good until March. When she asked me about the rent, I was really confused. She explained it to me, using different means until I actually understood. I was close to tears. She wasn't angry, but kind of frustrated and exasperated that I hadn't asked her to clarify before then. I didn't because I thought I understood. I hate disappointing people. So, after meeting with Monica's friend, Carmen and I went to my bank's atm and withdrew what I could for that day, since I have a debit card with a maximum withdrawal per day. I paid her the rest the next day.
On Saturday, I went downtown with Carmen to run errands with her. She had to return a sweater, I had to buy a bus ticket and pay the rest of my rent, and she had to buy food. We went to two marketplaces. The first was one that I hadn't been to with her before and the second was the one we went to last time.
The first market was obviously a newer building than the other. It blended with the city well, but it wasn't as pretty on the inside. It had two levels. Carmen went shopping and let me look around. I went downstairs and discovered this group of performers who were making their way upstairs. I followed them and got up really close. I'm linking the video I made.
Two of the people performing live in our building, according to Carmen. In the video, it's hard to see the band but they had trumpets, saxophones, trombones, a couple baritones, and some other instruments I didn't recognize. There are several saxophone features, which made me think of my brother, Hank, who plays saxophone. The dances performed are typical of Navarra.
The performance in the video for Pamplona's Carnaval, or at least I think it was. I think Carnaval happens several times a year here. Today, Sunday, was a festival for San Blas. I'm learning little by little about this Catholic run nation, so forgive my ignorance. If I understand correctly, each day has a saint as well as every church. Today, for whatever reason, they have a festival for San Blas, "san" meaning saint. Carmen didn't know the reason for it. I guess it's just a tradition and after while you forget the original reason for it.My Catholic friends (you know who you are) likely know much more about this than I do. I apologize for what I get wrong. All cathedrals have images of Christ and Mary; however, each has their own patron saint. There is one for San Fermin, the patron of Pamplona and the namesake for the "Running of the Bulls" festival. The festival for San Blas takes place outside of his church and they hold mass in honor of him throughout the day.
We went inside the church, which was ridiculously packed, and it was at the tail-end of a mass. They served communion and it was just amazing to hear the story of the last supper in Spanish. You kind of forget after a while that what we say is a translation of Jesus' Aramaic or Hebrew and therefore it's the same it other languages as well. Of course, I knew all this, but it's just different to see it in practice. I didn't take the communion for two reasons. One, it was really crowded, and, two, I don't think I'm supposed to because I'm not Catholic. Catholics believe the bread and wine is converted into the literal body and blood of Christ and since I don't believe that, I don't think I'm supposed to take it.
I've heard one of my really good friends who's
Catholic say that. Right, Katie?
Carmen and I went downtown and vendors were all set up in front of the church of San Blas. They were selling all sorts of things. There are specific sweets for this day as well. The most popular are the "roscos," which sort of like a donut but smaller.
Unfortunately, we didn't stay very long because it was really cold and windy. However, I caught a nice glimpse of a Spanish festival.
The candy that you see hanging from the stalls reminded me a lot of "Ring-Pops." I don't know what they're actually called, but I call them "ring-bracelets" because essentially that's what they are. They also sold rings on a stick. Whichever you prefer, I suppose. The kids were just holding the ring bracelets and not actually wearing them. Silly kids.
Later today, Carmen and I are going to make torrijas (pronounced "tor-ee-has"), which are absolutely delicious. She made me some for my birthday and makes them every once in a while. This time she's going to teach me. She makes them whenever she has to much bread and it's going to go bad. Kind of like when we have too many bananas so we make banana bread. The torrijas remind me of the delicious french toast my dad used to make me when I was younger. Hint, Dad, you should make me some when I come home.
Well, that's my weekend in a nutshell!
Oh, if the video above for whatever reason didn't work, here's the link: http://youtu.be/-5zZ4tCmBq8
You've got the most basic Catholic beliefs on communion right. As for the Festival de San Blase, it was his feast day. Every saint has one: it's a day where the saint is celebrated. It's kind of like celebrating your friends and family on their birthday, anniversaries, etc. Some saints are more familiar than others in some places(think Saint Patrick, Saint Valentine, Saint Peter, Saint James, Saint Mary Magdalene, or San Juan Diego). Churches here in the States celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Blaise as well. Here's something I pulled from Wikipedia: "In many places on the day of his feast the blessing of St. Blasius is given: two candles are consecrated, generally by a prayer, these are then held in a crossed position by a priest over the heads of the faithful or the people are touched on the throat with them. At the same time the following blessing is given: "May Almighty God at the intercession of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, preserve you from infections of the throat and from all other afflictions". Then the priest makes the sign of the cross over the faithful."
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