Una mezcla del este y el oreste

This past weekend my group visited Granada, a town that exhibits Spain's unique mix of western European and eastern Moorish cultures. We saw the traditional Flamenco dance in a facility that was dug out of a mountain. In Granada, as in many parts of Spain, it's common to find people who actually refine and cultivate caves to settle in. The Flamenco developed in southern Spain over ages, incorporating many sounds of music and styles of dance. On the trip, we also toured a historical convent and a church, both of which had great collections of artwork and historical artifacts. We finally visited the Alhambra, a palace built during the Moorish period. Although the weather could have been better, the trip overall was great. 

No te preocupes.

When I arrived, only one other student from our program was in Alicante. A snowstorm delayed dozens of flights out of Madrid, and although it was beautiful to see the capitol blanketed with snow, nearly everyone was stuck in the airport for the night. Joe and myself were the only two students who opted to take the Renfe train to travel from Madrid to Alicante, the Mediterranean town where I will be spending the next four and a half months. I didn't initially intend to take the train, but because I missed my connecting flight by minutes, all of my other plans fell to pieces, and a sixteen hour trip ended up taking around fifty. 

Joe is a pretty cool guy. He has been studying Spanish for a little longer than me, and we hung out a little on our first night. After telling him my story he let me in on a phrase that's used often here. No te preocupes, meaning don't worry. The phrase is not only said often, but is a way of living. This easygoing lifestyle can play in your favor or against it. For example, on the first day of class, myself along with several other people arrived late. When I apologized, the professor told me not to worry. But I've also made several trips across town to buy a student bus pass only to find that the office has closed early for the afternoon, or a person I need is out and I'll have to come back the next day. 

I've learned a lot about Spain in the few days that I've been here, but if nothing else I've learned that people don't stress over trifles.