Independence

Something I have been thinking about the last few days:

Americans are obsessed with our independence. Our independence from England, our independence to do whatever we would like whenever we like. Woman's Independence from men, there is even a song about that one, all sorts of independence we love. Here in Spain being an independent person is completely different.

My host parents have a 30 something year old daughter who has been married for over 7 years now. An American, or at least I would think she would be living on her own and semi independent with her husband at this point, wrong. In fact she comes to her parents house everyday for lunch and sometimes for dinner. I understand close families, I know plenty from home who all eat together once or twice a week, but everyday seems extreme to me. You have your own home, a husband and one would think a life away from your parents. There is nothing wrong with it but it is a completely different world when it comes to independence.

During our orientation before we left the United States I remember Jamie telling us that the hardest part of these 5 months will most likely be living with a family. I did not completely understand him at the time. For me, I have been living away from home for over 2 years now. I cook dinner myself, I clean when I have to, and I wash my clothes when I run out of clean ones. Now I realize here I eat whats on the table, even if it makes me sick, I don't even have to make my bed because no matter how much I try my host mother comes in and makes it for me everyday. When I offered to do my own laundry she seemed kind of insulted and insisted that she do it instead. I am not going to argue about my laundry and my bed being made. However after a while I do want to go somewhere without anyone knowing where I am and I do want to cook what I want and eat what I want.

A few days ago I sat in the cafeteria at school and looked around, feeling very old by the way everyone was acting at the table with their friends. The funny thing is most college students here are actually older than me. As I looked around the room and talked to my friend I realized how much I have grown up and become independent living away from home. I realized most college students have not lived away from home, most likely have not done their own laundry, and have not cooked for themselves either. The guys most likely will never cook, clean or do their laundry anyway. In this culture the woman will do it for you. In fact if you ask most women if they work they will tell you they do, when you ask what they do they will tell you they clean the house and cook.

It is a completely different culture, but I am very happy to have the ability to have my independence without my parents ever batting an eye at me.

One random thing I learned today: A rum and coke is called a cuba-libre, the best rum comes from Cuba and the land of coke is the land of the free (libre).

Adios!
Erika

ps- I booked a trip to the Canary Islands for Carnaval for those of you not familiar. The Canaries are part of Spain but off the coast of Northern Africa. Carnaval there is the best in Spain and is suppose to rivial those of Rio (Brazil), New Orleans and the likes!