Nochevieja, Celebrating Like a Spaniard

A little late in the year for talks of New Year celebrations, but never too late to learn some new traditions!

New Year's Eve throughout the world is quite the spectacle, but never have I seen a spectacle as large as in Spain.  This year was my first New Year's Eve away from home, and I got to spend it with my boyfriend's family and friends in Santander learning how to ring in the new year like a Spaniard.

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I was first most surprised by how family oriented this holiday was compared to the United States.  Unlike in the USA where I either celebrate at my house with my mom and a few friends or at a friend's party, my boyfriend's whole family got together for a huge family dinner (very similar to their Christmas Eve here).

We arrived at their grandfather's house for around 9:00 pm, perfect timing for a Spanish dinner, and spent the time playing games and planning on how my hair would be done for later that night.  Yes, you heard that, how my hair was going to be done...but more on that later.

Bringing two cultures together with pie!

As the clock struck 10:00 we all gathered around the table for a huge dinner of langostinos, pâté, anchovies, cured lomo, salad,  piles of bread, cochinillo (suckling pig/piglet), and cordero (lamb).  Finished off with dessert of torrijas (like a very sweet french toast) and apple pie I made to share some of traditional USA culture.  As usual everything was delicious and I rolled away from the table with a stomach too full for my own good, my typical state after big Spanish family dinners.

Now with an hour to spare before the twelve chimes from Puerta del Sol, the hour of the peinados (hairstyles) began.  In Spain once midnight strikes it's very common for teenagers/young adults, who are of drinking age or atleast pretend to be, meet with their friends to go out.  One of the ways to do this on New Year's Eve is to have a cotillón, a party where a group of people rent out a bar for one pre-paid entrance fee (normally anywhere from 35-70€) and stay and drink there until the bar closes around 6:00 am.  In Santander everyone is dressed to the nines for these cotillones, the men in suits and the women in nice dresses, some even with their hair styled.

My fabulous hair-do

As it was my first, and maybe last cotillón as many of our friends aren't feeling cotillones anymore, we wanted to go all out.  The BF's aunt used to be a hairdresser and she fabulously styled my hair and his sister's.  While we were being "beautified" he was on grape duty.  Counting out grapes for all the family members and making sure everyone had the twelve grapes in time for the twelve chimes, probably the most well known Spanish New Year's tradition.

Unlike watching a giant crystal ball drop in Time's Square, well they have a small ball drop, everyone gathers around the TV, with grapes in hand, to watch the center of Madrid and wait for the clock to strike.  Once the clock strikes numbers appear on the screen with each chime, telling when each grape should be eaten.  I'm proud to say I ate all twelve grapes in time, good luck and prosperity for the new year!, though it did help that we had seedless grapes...  Regardless, we toasted the new year with cava, gave besos to the whole family, and enjoyed all the fireworks being set off near the house.

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Now that it was after midnight we were in a time crunch to finish getting ready to meet our friends in the center for 1:00 am.  We were dropped off by their father who agreed to pick us all up the next morning in the center around 7:00 am, a reasonable party end in Spain.

Altogether the cotillón was fun, not the greatest music unfortunately, but after being in Madrid it was great going out with all our friends from Santander.  And like any great Spanish party, we ended the night (began the day?) with chocolate con churros.

When we woke up later that day we went back to their grandfather's house for a New Year's Day family lunch of delicious home-made Paella.  A few games later, more like the same game of Risk for a few hours, we all went to the cinema to catch a movie (Keanu Reeves's 47 Ronin) together.  The perfect way to relax after a long night, and to remember how much I love the Spanish importance of family.  There's nothing better than family time!

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How was your New Year's Eve?  Have you ever celebrated it as part of another culture?

Nochebuena, Papa Noel, and a Snowless Christmas

I knew one day I wouldn't be able to come home for holidays; after all we all grow up, we all move away from home, and we all start our own lives.  I just never imagined the day would come so soon and that we would be separated by a whole ocean.

When I accepted the position to teach abroad in Madrid I made the conscious decision that I would not be home for Christmas.  Flight prices are so expensive this time of year, I didn't know if I would have my resident card in time, and it just seemed easier to stay in Spain to celebrate.

Christmas morning!

In retrospect, more convenient: yes, easier: no, rewarding and worth the experience: definitely.

While it was at times really hard being away from my family (a.k.a. on Christmas Eve I might have cried the whole bus ride home from the downtown area...), I was extremely lucky to be invited to spend the holidays with my boyfriend's family in Santander and had a home away from home.  Plus the added bonus that I got to see what Christmas was like as part of a Spanish family.

One of the things that pleasantly surprised me the most was the extent of the public Christmas decorations.  In both Madrid and Santander there were Christmas lights on all over the main streets and plazas; I was amazed when December hit and the streets were lit up every night.  While Madrid, as the capital, certainly had more lights I still found those in Santander impressive.

Town Hall of Santander

The plaza of the Ayuntamiento of Santander was lit up with tree lights, the reyes magos (wise men), and reindeer; not to mention the carousel and Mercado de Navidad in the Plaza de Pombo.  I guess I found all the holiday decorations strange becauses of all the controversy at home about decorating for Christmas and excluding other holidays.  It's become such a taboo subject in some public places like schools that I was not used to so much "Christmas", but being away from home I loved all the extra holiday spirit!

One tradition that was definitely new for me was Tardbuena. When December 24th roles around all the young (drinking age) people, at least in Santander, celebrate Tardebuena.  Before having dinner and spending the evening with their families, they spend the afternoon drinking at different bars with their friends.  And when I say the afternoon I literally mean from noon to seven bar hopping decked out with noisemakers and santa claus hats.

When I asked my friends about this tradition they said it's something that is a relatively recent addition to their holiday celebrations, maybe five or so years old.  While it may just seem like typical Spain going out and partying, it's more than just getting drunk before your family dinner.  It's about including your friends in your holiday celebration and celebrating being a "family" with them.

I found on my first Tardebuena that it was the perfect way to fit in 'friend-time' during the busy family holiday season.  Unfortunately for us though, and in true Santander fashion, Tardebuena ended in a rain-out as we tried to run to the bus stop without being soaked.  I failed and made the bus looking like a wet dog...

My second Spanish family

After everyone goes home, or is picked up, the real Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) celebrations began.  Finally, with dry hair, I got dressed for the night and we all went to my BF's grandfather's house in a village just outside of Santander.  Unlike most holiday celebrations at home there were not appetizers served while everyone was waiting around for dinner to be cooked, you just have to be patient and wait for food (very un-Spanish!)  This wait is even more noticeable by the fact that dinner was not served until 10:00 pm, an ungodly dinner hour for most Americans.  But absolutely worth all the delicious Spanish foods!

[If you want to learn about some of the traditional Spanish Christmas treats read this post by blogger Cat from Sunshine and Siestas: A Field Guide to Spanish Christmas Treats, I particularly like marzipan and turrón the most.]

A little piece of home!

When we did finally commence eating, our first plates were: langostinos (prawns/large shrimp), pâté, anchovies, cured lomo, salad, and of course piles of bread.  I'm not a huge fan of pâté or anchovies, but I love langostinos and I had a super Spanish lesson on how to peel them with a knife and fork.  I'm proud to say that I was mostly successful!  After the first plates came the meats: cochinillo (suckling pig/piglet) and cordero (lamb).  And finally dinner was followed by New York style Blueberry Cheesecake from the BF's cousin, assorted Christmas cookies I made with the family, and drinking and games until four in the morning...  I kid you not.  Let's just say this grandma started to fall asleep after midnight.

Christmas morning after waking up, not so bright and early, we gathered around the Christmas tree to open our presents from Papa Noel.  Papa Noel is very similar our 'American' Santa Claus and is a relatively new part of the Spanish holiday traditions.  In fact, many of my students and friends still receive most (if not all) of their presents from the Three Wise Men on the Epiphany on January 6th.  Nowadays in the BF's house they give most of the presents on Christmas and only a few on the Epiphany.

Christmas boxer sharing the spoils

Our piles of presents were all sorted and marked by our respective slippers, and like at home, we each took turns opening the gifts.  The BF's family was super sweet and even had some presents for me!  It was really thoughtful because I thought I was only going to have the gifts that I had gotten when my mom put Christmas money in my account for presents.

After the present extravaganza was finished we got ready to head back to their grandfather's house for Christmas day lunch.  We all filled up on more langostino, baked pasta, more meat, and leftover desserts from the night before.  Part of the family's holiday tradition was that after every Christmas day lunch the cousins all go out to the cinema to catch a movie, so while we digested we caught a showing of the second part of The Hobbit.

But even though "Christmas" was technically over, the celebrations were not.

Every year the BF and his friends have a Christmas dinner where they get dressed up, go to a nice restaurant for a special menu, and participate in Secret Santa.  Since this was my first Christmas here it was also my first year to be a part of the festivities.  Luckily I was given a good friend and I surprised her with a hand-knitted hat and jewelry.

This year we had the dinner on the 28th, the holiday of 'Día de los Inocentes,' the Spanish equivalent of April Fool's Day.  Let's just say the waiters' had a lot of fun making jokes when they were serving us...  The food was good, the wine was flowing, and it really meant a lot to feel like a part of the group.  As the 'foreigner' in a group it can be easy to feel left out even if no one means it: someone tells an inside cultural joke that you don't get because you didn't group up there, a song from the 80's comes on and the whole bar starts rocking out without you, etc.  

But my point is, that it's days like that Christmas dinner when you see the effort someone took trying to buy you the perfect present (an assortment of baking supplies, cupcakes for everyone!), that you realize just how much you're loved.  And that's when I realized everything.  

I was home for Christmas.  It just took a while to realize you can have more than one.

How was your Christmas?  Do you have any special holiday traditions?

Cantabria in Pictures

This week I'm taking a little mini-vacation to visit one of my childhood friends from Maine.  Our families have known each other for the longest time and we used to spend our summers together when my grandparents owned a family cabin in gorgeous rural Maine.  While I'm away I'm not sure about the reliability of the internet I'll have there, so I planned out a couple of posts to keep you all occupied (you're welcome).

My boyfriend is from Santander and it's an absolutely gorgeous, and often forgotten, province in Spain.  I've been lucky enough to spend my past two summers living with his family and experiencing all Cantabria has to offer, hello Altamira-one of the most important cave for caves in all prehistoric history!  Without further ado, here is personally my favorite place in Spain: the beautiful northern province of Cantabria.  Enjoy!

San Vicente de la Barquera

Parque de la Magdalena

Playa de Mataleñas

Romanesque Church of Santa María de Retortillo 

Roman city of Julióbriga

Valderredible, Cantabria

Rock Church of Arroyuelos

Near the Astronomic Observitory of Cantabria, Valderredible

Liencres

Puertochico

Santander

Palacio de la Magdalena

Cabárceno Natural Park

Isla de Mouro lighthouse

Cabo Mayor

Picos de Europa

Cliffs of Portio

Cliffs of Portio

Universidad Pontificia de Comillas

Have you ever visited Cantabria?  What did you enjoy the most?

Spainless Summer

With summertime right around the corner (or you know, officially today...) I'm having a hard time coming to terms with my current summer plans.  For the past two summers I have been lucky enough to call Spain 'home.'   But not this summer. *insert sad face*  My boyfriend is finishing up his semester studying abroad in China and will be traveling around Asia before he returns home to Spain in August.  Not to mention I'll be working throughout the summer saving up the last bits of money I can scrape together before I move to Spain sometime in September.

Puerto Chico, Santander

Parque de la Magdalena

So next Monday when public schools end here and I am finished working with the kids, it's official.  I will begin my "Spainless Summer."  But you may ask, "but aren't you going to Spain for a full year?!"  Yes I am, but it's just not the same as summertime in Spain!  There's just something entirely different and beautiful about being in Spain in the summer months.  Especially in the northern regions of Spain known as 'Green Spain.'

While it truly is wondrously green in this region of Spain, it gets that way by raining quite frequently throughout the year.  Until the magical summer months where from June through August, at least in Santander, it is its driest.  This is when everyone flocks to the beautiful local beaches, enjoys the festivals and fairs, drinks in the streets, and basks in the generally glorious summer weather.  Here are some pictures of the beautiful coastline throughout the summer (in case you didn't believe me):

Llanes, Asturias

But why would I miss the coastline of Spain so much when I live in the 'Ocean State?' Well the summer is a wonderful time for traveling in northern Spain and I miss the culture and history you constantly encounter.  In the summer there are so many local festivals and many of the people are very in tune with their local history and customs.  It was not uncommon to stumble upon a festival and see people dressed in the traditional clothes of their region.  This is so unlike anything here because most of us have a mixed heritage and don't often celebrate where we came from in such a distinct way.

Oh you know, just exploring a stone church

As for history, my town back home was only founded in the early 19th century, before that there were no permanent settlements in the area. Santander however has existed since the 12th century, even though it wasn't officially recognized as a 'city' until the late 18th century and like many cities in Europe, you don't have to travel very far to see some ancient ruins. Everywhere you go in Spain you are reminded by how 'old' Europe really is; many of the countries, structures, customs, and cultures have been in place for centuries.  I remember my Spanish friends dismissively introducing me to the 'new' part of the city by saying, "Oh, it's only been here for a few hundred years. It's really new." Back home anything that is a few hundred years old is practically considered ancient! Most cities in Europe are have been around longer than our country has even existed.

Not to mention it's so easy to travel between countries when in Europe. Visiting Spain in the summer has allowed me to easily country hop and see different sites in Europe. Traveling in the United States is quite different because it's so much larger and everything is more spread out. A five hour drive in Spain gets me from Santander to Madrid, here that would only be from Rhode Island to Maine.

Casually in some Roman ruins...

Guaposss

But the biggest thing I will miss during my 'Spainless Summer' is my wonderful friends across the pond.  By the time I arrive in Spain it will be a full year since I have seen them all.  They have been a huge part it what has made these past two summers wonderful; from the first day I met them all at the airport with a banner welcoming me to Spain, to the last time I left with tears in my eyes.  They may have started out as my boyfriend's friends, but they have become some of my dearest friends.  They patiently encourage force me to practice my Spanish and always make sure I feel comfortable and included.

In Spain I got to see them every day and I've come to define summer as being my time with them.  I'll miss the backyard barbecues, the lazy beach days, the late night kebabs, the spontaneous adventures, and the laughs we shared.  More than a group of friends, they've become my family when I'm thousands of miles away from my own and everything I know.  Last summer I spent my birthday at Sanfermines and they surprised me with a wheel of cheese and sang happy birthday in the middle of the park.  Then threw me a surprise party back in Santander.  Their constant care and consideration has made my visits to Spain more than a trip to Europe, but a visit to my second family.  And not having them this surrounding me this summer will be the most difficult thing to come to terms with.

I'm so lucky to have them all!

 Now that it's officially first day of summer, I must come to terms with the fact that I will not being going to my 'summer home.'  In my mind part of me still thinks I'll be on the plane in a week or two and see those lovely faces inviting me to some tapas and cañas.  But I won't be spending my summer enjoying the free beaches of Santander, or having my ice cream buddy Pedro convince me that we need more llaollao, or going shopping with my girls, or having Julio yet again try to teach Spanish games (sorry Julio, I'll remember how to play one day!), or any of the other things I have come to associate with summer.  There really is no denying that I've been incredibly lucky to have had all of these experiences for two summers in a row.

Basking in Parque del Retiro, Madrid

BUT

Perhaps a trip to Block Island with my Dad
to visit my Great-Aunt...

I'm not moping around about my 'Spainless Summer.'  I mean I'll be there for a whole year starting in the fall making memories and this summer gives me the chance to spend time with my family and friends before I leave.  I'll be babysitting two wonderful kids who I will miss so much in the Fall, enjoying my last tastes of home, and it also doesn't hurt that summertime in Rhode Island happens to be gorgeous.  My 'Spainless Summer' means I'll get to enjoy the Fourth of July for the first time in a few years, have a real blazing campfire perfect for some s'mores roasting, go crazy on all the rides at the Washington County State Fair, and takes some long awaited road trips.

Or a road trip to my friend in Maine.

Overall, it means I'll get the chance to do many things I love about RI in the summertime, but haven't gotten to do because I haven't been here.  It may not be the kind of summer I've gotten used to, but it's the kind of summer I have grown up on and love with all my heart.  This could very well be one of my last summers I'll get to enjoy in the 'Ocean State, ' depending on where the wind takes my boyfriend and I with future work offers.  So I want to enjoy every second of it, even if it means having to fork over $60 for a beach pass... *ugh*

There's so much I want to do and so many people I want to see before I leave for Spain.  I have many amazing friends right here whom I love dearly and have been there for me for many years.  Spending this summer at home has turned into a blessing in disguise, giving me the means to say goodbye to everything and everyone I love before I take this next step in my life.  I may not know where I'm going, but I know where I came from.  And it's a pretty great place.

I plan on volunteering with WaterFire as much as I can...

Roasting some marshmallows...

Enjoying RI's beautiful beaches...

Or taking in a baseball game. (GO RED SOX/PAW SOX!)

I want to put some more miles on my kayak...

Devour delicious, delicious wings...

AND GOOD BEER!

Have you ever had a 'second home' for the summer?  Do you have any summer plans so far?