A good thing about living in a country with so many different types of people is that you learn to tolerate and accept different races, beliefs, and ways of life. Since America is such a huge mix of people from all around the world, we're exposed to all sorts of different people. Most of us realize that even though this person doesn't do things the same way we do, that doesn't mean that he's doing it the wrong way, or that he's stupid and should change his ways. I'd say that's not the case here. Because everyone here is Spanish, and all of their relatives are Spanish, and everyone they know is Spanish, they're not exposed to so many different people, and are therefore not as accepting. I remember being quite shocked and upset when my host dad asked me if there were Jewish people at my school, and when I told him not many (that I could think of), he said it was better that way. I'm not Jewish, it just made me mad that he would say that about people he doesn't know. One time Abby and I were with some friends in Peralta for the town festival. We were walking down the street, and two Muslim guys were walking behind us. One of them burped, and the girl we were with said, "Ugh, gross. Those aren't our guys, they're not from here."
Another thing is how women are treated here. I know that there are still a lot of countries like this, but coming from a country where women have all the same rights as men, it's hard to get used to women being a lower class. The other day Abby, Kat, Kalin, and I were eating lunch with a family and we were talking about how a guy in Pamlona had killed his girlfriend and then himself earlier that day. The dad tried to justify it because she was a woman. He was laughing, and said he was joking. Would that idea even enter my father's mind? I'm pretty sure it wouldn't. Women cook, they clean, they serve the men their food, and they also work (this last fact has only been true for the last 30 years in Spain, though), and still Juan (I'm not going to mention real names here) still calls his wife "woman" instead of her real name.
Okay, enough with that essay that I just wrote. I'm off to Abby's house now. Later tonight we're going to a free dance class that's being offered in her town. Should be fun, I hope.
Wow, what an interesting blog! I travelled out of the U.S. for the first time last year and hope to do it again. I went to The Netherlands.
Keep up the great work. I live vicariously through your posts :)
Alley
Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Posted by: Alley | Friday, 18 February 2005 at 08:37 AM