Hablando con confianza

When I got to the airport in New York City, no one spoke English.  I didn’t know anything anyone was saying, but there was a certain consolation in not knowing.  No unnecessary anxiety or problems were being filtered through my mind.  It was an exciting feeling but also an isolating one.  I still managed to get where I needed to go despite not knowing the language.  Something ironic about language is that it’s usually the context that helps communicate–whatever is behind the language rather than the words themselves.

When I landed at the airport in Cusco, I felt like a celebrity.  There were a lot of people holding signs, yelling names, and pushing each other.  My host mother was screaming and holding a sign with my name on it.  She immediately recognized me and pointed to the gate.  We got into the taxi.  She asked if I knew any Spanish and I said I knew a little.  The cab driver’s smile reflected in the rearview mirror.  The rest of the ride home was silent.

This was over a month ago.  And today, if you asked me how much I know, I would say the same thing.  But I’m not so sure that’s a true statement anymore.

There have been plenty of moments when I have told myself I don’t know enough to hold a conversation– and so I didn’t.  I felt safe if I didn’t try to talk at all, but I also wasn’t learning anything.  I find that the more often I go into a situation thinking that I am going to be open to talking and listening, the more often I actually do well in understanding conversations.

Learning a language is directly related to confidence. If you speak the language–even when you feel like you don’t know how–the worst that can happen is you leave the other person feeling completely confused, but at least you tried, and you probably made them laugh which is always a good thing.  Most often, they will correct you in an attempt to help you.

Two things to remember:

1) Push yourself to speak the language.  Try to use it whenever you can.  I often find myself talking more than I would normally just to see if I can find a new way to speak in Spanish.

2) Learn to be ok with all the words you don’t know, and learn to be ok with silence.  There are going to be moments when you simply just don’t feel like talking, as you would with people who speak the same language, it’s important to remember that if you have the mindset that you need to be talking at all times, you aren’t going to be enjoying yourself, and the conversation won’t flow naturally.

Learning a new language has given me a whole new appreciation for language.  Everywhere I go, there is the opportunity to learn.  I read billboards, advertisements, labels, flyers, and listen to people talk.  I might not have any idea what they are saying, but just hearing the words helps me become familiar with them.

To simplify, it’s really all about taking care with your words and not being too hard on yourself.

La Musée des Beaux-Arts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_des_Beaux-Arts_et_d’arch%C3%A9ologie_de_Besan%C3%A7on

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One of first Museums I’ve visited in Besançon, Beaux-Arts is located in the square called “Place de la Revolution”.

 

 

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(Place de la Revolution)

 

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Below are some of my favorite Paintings/Exhibits/Sculptures

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(Monkeys cater to cats, snipping and trimming their faces)

 

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(Cloth tightens around the body like skin, holding it still and preserving its place in existence)

 

 

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(Skeletal remains embedded in rock and earth)

 

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(Composed of really small tiles)

 

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(Finally, some cool stairs I noticed on my way back)

 

Dijon (28 Septembre)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dijon

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Welcome to Dijon, France!

Offering more than just Mustard, Dijon contains shops, market places, parks, fountains, festivals, and a delicious selection of eateries.

Upon arrival, we went to the welcoming center for a map and found…

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(The real deal)

 

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(Local tram system)

 

Our second stop was the park.

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(Greeted by a pensive polar bear)

 

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(Serpents feed the fountain – soothingly rhythmic)

 

Finally, as we entered through the giant arch we moved into the masses, finding ourselves among street shops selling everything from scarves to chocolate to cleaning supplies.

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Ultimately, I would describe the experience as:

 Faces bobbing through narrow pathways, corridors, arches. Pouring through, desiring-feeding-feeling the cemented walls. Sweet sharp Scents rise with the boulangeries carried by the crowds.

Wave like, humanity washes itself upon the streets, waxing-waning with the day.

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Faire une randonnée (Hiking – Bregille)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bregille_(Besan%C3%A7on)

Just twenty minutes by bus, Bregille is one of the many hiking hot spots in Besançon. Boasting beautiful views of cascading green hills and small suburban towns. Easy to manage trails weave through the mountain.

Though, proceed with caution because it’s unavoidable to get caught by thorns if you stray from the larger pathways. Every few feet there’s some jagged brush or tree willing to pull you back.

Regardless, the views were stunning.

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(Lunch and relaxing)

 

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Forget what you think you know about changing the world

Today I walked into one of my classes to find a woman I had never seen before standing at the front of the room.  She was talking with my professor, and the level of her voice told me that she had something to say.  Something she wasn’t afraid to say.  Her confidence was apparent within moments of entering the room.  She had the piercing presence that effortlessly attracted the attention of everyone around . . .

When everyone (all six of us) came into the classroom, my professor introduced her as the founder of a project known as “Rainforest Flow.”  We had watched a video about this project the previous class.

Her name is Nancy.  An older woman from Connecticut.  A fashion photographer for L.A. and New York City.  She’s photographed Tyra Banks.  Cameron Diaz.  Anthony Hopkins.

She began talking about how in her late-thirties, after becoming a successful photographer, she wanted something more out of life.  She wanted to search for inner truth.  She came to Peru to find a shaman deep within the rainforest.  Along her journey there, she talked with the local indigenous people.  She asked them what they wanted most in their communities, and the response that was repeated again and again was WATERClean water.  She was inspired to help the indigenous people learn about santiation and hygiene and to help make clean water accessbile to those who asked for help.

She was a very empowering speaker.  She mentioned all of the opposition she faced when creating this organization.  People told her it would fail–that she was crazy for even thinking she could help–she only had a 2-year Art School degree and everyone else around her–the ethnobotanists, the medical anthropologists–all had PH.Ds.

After living in the rainforest for over a week, and being in Peru for three months, she came back to the States and created “The House of Children” and within 45 days it was registered as a non-government organization.

What she said during that hour was only secondary to how she made everyone around me, including myself, feel.

Something inside this woman knows.  Listening to her talk, I feel like the fog has cleared and a mountain has appeared through the mist–the question has revealed itself:

What are you going to do to help the world?

This question always seems so vague and lofty, and really, I don’t think there’s any one wrong answer.  Yes, throwing away your gum wrapper will in some way help the world.  But there is something deeper beyond it–it’s a daunting question.  Our insecurities and feelings of unworthiness rise to the surface.  When we think of it, most of our shoulders cringe and shrivel up–hearts caving inward.  We feel like we have to do a hundred things to make the world a better place.    Me? what am I gonna do to change the world?  How can I possibly help? I’m only one person.  (We like to think that the more we do, the better the world will be.)

Yes, you ARE one person.  Isn’t that beautiful?  Now you can either stop there, and sit with your arms folded and think how you aren’t “good enough” to change the world, how you don’t “know enough”, or maybe you don’t “have enough” to give the world, OR you can decide to walk straight into the fears holding you inside your own guilt.

I personally don’t “know” how I am going to help the world, but I can say, after hearing this woman speak, that something shifted in me today.  My journey to Peru has just reached a new level.  One quote that Nancy said that resonated with me:

“The only sustainable thing we have is human relationship.”

“Trying” to change the world just to “get somewhere” couldn’t be any more egocentric.  Our minds would like things to be the way we think they should be–that is rarely, if ever, the case.  Everything is always changing, and it’s frustrating to know that you may be of little help.  We shouldn’t underestimate the value of an open heart, an open mind, or an open ear.  Listening, feeling, talking, laughing, being in the present moment.  These are just a few things that every person enjoys.  Who doesn’t like to feel like they belong somewhere?  Ultimately for any change to really occur, we have to dissolve and rise above the barriers between ourselves and others that our minds have created out of fear and “individuality”.

We are all scared, lost, and confused in some way or another.  The most valuable thing you can give the world is your openness–your willingness to surrender and come down from the dark castle of your mind and into the warmth of a smile.

 

 

P.S. Here is the link to Nancy’s Project:

http://www.houseofthechildren.org/

 

 

Simple Student Things

I’ve just entered my second week of classes, while I’m sure my New Paltz counterparts have already been given notice of their midterm assignments and exams. Lucky me! As I mentioned in my previous post, the courses I’ve chosen are all intriguing and, thankfully, my professors all have easy-going teaching styles. Classes here are separated into lectures and tutorials/practices, meaning and, though I’m not sure if this is common, they meet in a three-hour block with a 15-minute break in between. The hour and a half of lecture proves well for taking notes and the other hour and a half tutorial is more for interactive; I retain a lot of info in this style!

Since the residence hall is about five minutes away from the academic buildings I have class in, I use my three- hour break between classes to prepare some lunch and take my mini-siesta ;).  I didn’t have class today so I woke around noon, sent out a few important emails, watched Adventure Time online, and Skyped with one of my best friends…a nice and relaxing day! Later on my new Australian friend Bridget and I went for a walk through Getafe. Given the days still loom around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun barely sets shortly after 8 p.m., it’s hard to pass up on the opportunity. We walked along Calle Madrid, one of the main streets along the campus, to discover a side of Getafe I hadn’t seen in the three weeks that I’ve lived here. Past the first rotonda (the circular street form) is a whole street of restaurants, bars, and different stores. The ayuntamineto (townhall) is also this way; it’s worth taking a walk over.

There are still a few areas of Getafe I have yet to visit, but it’s nice to live in this tranquil area and still be an easy 20 minute train ride from the center of the city. Located around the town are bikes you can rent for a small price and ride around 24/7; conveniently, there’s a whole row of bikes part GBICI right outside our residence hall! This bike initiative is just one of the many “green” efforts on behalf of the town and Madrid as a whole. Perhaps my next sight seeing of the town will be by bike :D!

The signature Getafe "G" located at one of the rotondas.

The signature Getafe “G” located at one of the rotondas.

A beautiful brick wall covered in different greenery, one of many fountains, and little girls!

A beautiful brick wall covered in different greenery, one of many fountains, and little girls!

One of the bookshops located along Calle Madrid/Toledo

One of the bookshops located along Calle Madrid/Toledo

Where else would you find great books about the city you're in?

Where else would you find great books about the city you’re in?

A look down one of the streets close to the town hall.

A look down one of the streets close to the town hall.

 

 

Une Semaine

Sleep deprived and hungry, we finally arrived at the train station after about a twenty-four hour excursion from the States, to Paris, to Besançon.  With broken French we moved our way through a three hour train delay. Stairs clanked as tired arms pulled and pushed bags through foreign chatter.

Now having spent a week here, I’ve been able to explore the place that I’ve worked so hard to travel to. The city is a beautiful collection of Roman and Spanish influenced architecture. Cobble stone streets weave their way through centre ville, where cafés and shops greet citizens and wanderers. You can see that each building has its history.

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(The view from my window)

Though upon arrival it was sunny and hot, I’ve discovered it rains quite often. The weather quickly turns, and you would be wise to always have a raincoat or an umbrella. So when one of my friends left her umbrella on the bus, she quickly ran to buy another one, only to leave that one on a bus again… ah, c’est la vie.

Since settling in I’ve been able to visit the Citadel, an enormous Military construct now turned into a Museum and festival gathering location. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citadel_of_Besan%C3%A7on)

There’s art, a zoo, an aquarium, a world war two museum, a bug and arachnid building, and an eatery (for those who are famished from the hike up). The view is amazing. Describing it doesn’t do it any justice. So I’ll show you!

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In The City That Siestas

Siesta: An afternoon rest or nap.

Coming from the “City That Never Sleeps” (New York, of course) makes it odd to encounter shops and restaurants that close for a few hours in the middle of the day. Although I’m an avid fan of la siesta when I’m in the Dominican Republic for vacation, they strike me a bit inconvenient as a student. Nonetheless, I’ve started getting accustomed the Spanish lifestyle.

To be clear, I live in Getafe which is in southern Madrid. It’s a peaceful, residential neighborhood with it’s differences from New Paltz. The population consists of a lot of families and older people, which definitely provides a new-comer like myself with a sense of safety/security. As in most of Madrid, there are always people in the streets: walking their dogs, riding bikes, chatting away in small groups, jogging, etc. There are also fountains in abundance, providing a really fresh ambiance. To my knowledge, there are several bars the students like to go to ( El Refugio is a name I hear a lot) and for grander nights out, students flock to central Madrid (Sol & Atocha are “the spots” for clubbing. Key example is “Kapital“, a seven-story megaclub is student-magnet.) But overall, Getafe is a great place to air out the mind after a day of classes.

This past Saturday, I went on a day trip to Toledo with a classmate from the Spanish intensive course I’m taking. The coolest part was we decided to go the day before and bought bus tickets at the station Saturday morning for about 10 euros each! Toldedo is beautiful. I felt like the place wasn’t real, like I was on a huge movie set. The city ascents not so gradually, so getting to the center required a steep walk, but walking through the narrow, cobblestone streets was worth it. My mate and I walked through the Lonely Planet’s acclaimed “open-air museum” that is the city and took in the sights. Toledo is a declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of it’s past co-existence of Christians, Jews, and Muslims; we encountered mosques-turned churches, synagogue-turned-church-turned back to-synagogue, and the like. Prior to visiting Toledo, I had also heard about it’s specialty in making marzipan (a sweet, almond-meal treat), so we made sure to pick up an artisanal batch! After a filling almuerzo (lunch) at Restaurante Palacio, we visisted the [free!] Museo de Santa Cruz and finally snaked back downhill to take our bus back to Madrid. T’was a successful day.

Tomorrow is my official first day of classes, so I should get some rest. In regards to the course selection process, I had a much easier time signing up for classes than most other students. Course registration opened at 9:00 a.m. last week and in 6 minutes, I had all the classes I wanted. Most other students who waited till about 9:30 a.m. had a much harder time registering due to the overload of the system…so, I strongly advising being ready to sign up for classes to avoid being locked out of classes.  I have an awesome schedule with Mondays and Fridays off: hello four-day weekend! Tomorrow I have “History of Spain” and “Photography: Theory and Practice”, both in Spanish, so cheers to the actual beginning of my semester!

The main avenues right by the Fernando De Los Rios residence hall.

The main avenues right by the Fernando De Los Rios residence hall.

Small streets for lil' ol' me!

Small toledana streets for lil’ ol’ me!

 

Yummy marzipan from one of the many bakeries. Fun fact, we also bought some artisinal treats from covents! Talk about helping a "sister" out :)

Yummy marzipan from one of the many bakeries. Fun fact, we also bought some artisinal treats from a convent! Talk about helping a “sister” out 🙂

 

The hilltop view from a traditionally Jewish area of Toledo called La Judería.

The hilltop view from a traditionally Jewish area of Toledo called La Judería.

 

Tambillo Treasures & Peruvian Time

Tambillo

Before I left for Peru, a friend of mine put me in contact with a woman who lives in Cusco.  She is originally from Tampa, but she is 100% Cusqueña :).  She has been a guiding light for me here in Cusco.  She has introduced me to a local Peruvian Tribal Fusion band named “Amaru Pumac Kuntur” (who actually just made it to the finals of Peru Tiene Talento!!!!) which I’ll explain the meaning of later.  She has shown me around Cusco city and has acted as my Spanish/Quechua dictionary.  By knowing her, I am getting deeper into the heart of Cusco more than I ever would in just four months.

Today I went to Tambillo with Lisa for her friend’s birthday party.  It was about a 20-minute taxi ride up the winding mountain road until we came to a long dirt road. Looking down into the valley, the city of Cusco looked like thousands of scattered Monopoly-houses.

The wind and the sun blinded us.

We arrived at the home of Lisa’s friend.  In the back, there was a sweat lodge in the process of construction where everyone was sitting and enjoying food.  A circular stone-structure with remnants of cloth overlaying in a tipi.  There were just a few of us, and I already felt like I was one of the family friends they had known their entire life.

The Peruvian way of life is much more inviting.  Strangers are simply friends you haven’t seen in a while.  It seems like everyone’s got some catching up to do.  No one is made to feel like an outsider here–simply another piece of the puzzle.  Even the neighbor’s dog came over and was welcomed with chicken bones, chomping down until there was nothing left.

Everything is slower here.  I’ve heard talk about being on “Peruvian Time”, and it’s actually true.  Time works in different ways here.  There is no rush to do anything and trying to make plans will just cause you frustration and chaos.  There is an emphasis on enjoying the present moment rather than sticking to the routine schedule.  America–take lessons, please.  There is hardly any rush to do things here, and things still get done.  This has been a total process of surrendering for me.  Having to take public transportation multiple times a day has taught me how to let go of control–there are some things not worth stressing out over, and it’s important to learn how much control of a situation you really have (and you’ll probably find, surprisingly enough to your mind, that it’s not much).

After we left the party, we walked a little way up the path to a place called Amaru Machay.  Amaru means snake in Quechua (the original language/language of the Incas).  In Inca tradition, there are three worlds: Amaru, Pumac, Kuntur.  These are the worlds of the snake, puma, and the condor.  The Snake is the internal, subconscious world.  The Puma represents the world right here before us: kaypacha.  The Condor represents the higher world.

Amaru Machay  is also called Templo de la Luna.  It is a pre-Inca archaeological site.  It is considered to be the womb of Pachamama (mother Earth).  It is carved inside of a rocky hill.   The opening is in the shape of a vulva.  Inside the opening directly to the right, there is a petrified snake and above that there is a carving of a larger snake.  A crack of skylight leaks in from up above and shines onto a flat altar which is big enough to stand on.  We weren’t allowed to wear shoes inside so I was barefoot.  I felt charged standing upon the altar–pathways in my feet opening up and releasing tension.  This is a very sacred place.  Lisa told me stories after we had left (thankfully) of dark magic being performed there.  People have been lured up there and killed.  Decapitated bodies.  Dead children.  I guess there is darkness to every light.  In any event, there was such a palpable spiritual/magical energy to it that is incomparable.

Peru is a mystery I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of unfolding.

Inside Amaru Machay   Inside Amaru Machay.  Note how the silhouette is in the shape of a llama!!!  What a “coincidence” (not really)

Aujourd’hui

Surfacing now, my once subdued anxiousness and excitement pull me from my bed. Left, right, rollover. Again until I find something comfortable. My mind is too awake to sleep.

Tonight I catch a seven hour flight to France. I still have to pack my suitcase and tie some lose ends; I always get it done. The emotional surge is brought about by the realization of time, that soon I’ll be somewhere entirely new. It’s a faint feeling that I’ve worked on taming these past few weeks. Through all the questions of “Are you excited?” and “It’s almost here! How do you feel?”, my response has been “Enjoying the moment, I’ll be entranced once I’m on the plane.”

That’s how I want it to be though. If I spent my time thinking about the future, I wouldn’t have anything left for the present. Despite this, today is a big exception.