I can't believe we are here for a month. Sometimes (a veces) it is like one year but sometimes like we have arrived just now (ahora).

We met again with the people from the On-Arrival Training. I understood again it doesn't matter where are you from, (oke of course matter from where I am, what it is mean be Hungarian, what is my culture. I feel myself more closer to our traditions than before. And I am so interested in the Spanish-Andalusian culture, too.... ) we are together, we are young people (juventud) from all over the world and it is amazing. Be a part of it. There is different motivations to started to be a volunteer abroad but sometimes you can find a same walk of life. And it doesn't matter where do you live, we have the same problems, feelings, ideas... This is the connection between us. 

We walked around the Alhambra, cooked Italian pasta in Maracena, drank beer in a bar. 

This week we met again :D We went to the Granada Beer Festival. 

Marion from France slept in our flat. She taught us yoga. Didi and me practiced before, too. But now we decided we will by a yoga mat and practice every day. Yoga with Marion it was really relaxing. I am so grateful for our conversations :) 

Last week with Didi we went to Malaga, too. To enjoy the beach (playa) and met with Tiziana, from Italy. We talked a lot and after we enjoyed the yoga class on the beach. The teacher (profesor), Tina was from Sweden, now she is studying in Malaga. 

I have a lot of experience inside, but briefly this was my feeling about the first month. I am really grateful (agradezco) to be here and take a part of it. 

One thing is hard for me even now... the Spanish :D Last week we helped in an event and all the day it was in Spanish. I thought that end of the day I will crying :D but nooo. It was hard and I understood just the 10% I think..., but I wrote every easy words in Spanish, what I heard during the day. I was my language game for me that day.  But I think I will be better and better :)

Nadia teach us a lot about the Spanish culture, music etc. She has a playlist on the youtube and she sheared with us. And we learn a lot from Julia, too. 

(Now I am writing this and I am hearing the music (música) from the street- no words can describe my feeling even if it not on my face :D)

La Semana Santa en Andalucía es muy espectacular. Pero cuidado porque no es para personas a que les gusta el silencio y la tranquilidad (como yo) o que padecen de claustrofobia. El año pasado vi mi primera procesión en Málaga. Recuerdo muy bien los primeras asociaciones con Ku Klux Klan (por la vestimenta de los nazarenos), la sensación que venga el fin del mundo (por la música) y el fuerte olor de incienso. Y lo más importante es que mi amiga (se llama Rita) y yo no sabíamos qué está pasando. Justo regresabamos de un paseo de la playa, disfrutando el sol y tal y de repente ... KU KLUX KLAN Y ENORME JESUS ACERCÁNDOSE. Nos quedamos sin palabras. No sé como se hacen los entierros en España, pero esta procesión parecía mucho a los de los pueblos en Bulgaria. Y a nadie le gusta recordarse de entierros...

Después me chocó la enorme "figura" (paso) de Jesus que se acercaba navegando encima de todo el gentío. Pensamos que ya todo acabó. Pero no - apareció segunda "figura" (paso) de la Virgen, que estaba llorando...

Después vi todas las procesiones en Madrid, porque vivía en el centro y pasaban por nuestra calle. Pero como todos saben, las procesiones en Madrid no son nada grandes. Entonces sabía que en Granada iba a ser diferente. Sabía que no me gustaría pero quería verlas porque es parte de la cultura española (y no solo, leí que hay procesiones en América Latina) y es una experiencia increíble.

¿En qué consiste una procesión durante la Semana Santa? Es un cortejo que pasa por las calles organizado por los hermandades o cofradías. Ellos sacan los pasos o tronos por las calles representando la Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección. La procesión se inicia con la Cruz de la Guía, que es portada por los jóvenes de la parroquia. Tras ella van los nazarenos o penitentes que se visten de túnica y un capuchón que oculta su rostro. Suelen portar cruces o cirios. La primera imagen normalmente es el paso o trono del Cristo. Después sigue el paso de la Virgen acompañado de las mujeres de mantilla. Y al final la banda. 

Silencio

Sinceramente como un peqeño infierno. Primero porque las calles están llenas de gente y el tambor de las bandas se oye por todos los lugares en el centro. Soy una persona a que le gusta el silencio y la tranquilidad que son dos cosas imposibles durante la Semana Santa. Es una fiesta de muchísimo interés turístico, por eso mucha gente viene para ver las procesiones. Si quieres darte un paseo te encuentras con una procesión. Muchas veces literalmente no puedes alcanzar a tu casa o el lugar adonde vas. Tampoco puedes cruzar la procesión, porque la gente lo considera como falta de respeto. Que no es nada de eso. Es que simplemente no quieres ver y tienes miles de razones. Yo misma ví cuando unas personas cruzaron la procesión y la gente se enfadó y empezó a gritar... ¡Cada persona es libre de elegir quedarse y ver o no! 

Además la música de las bandas provocaba en mí un sentimiento de tristeza. Toda la riqueza, el esplendor, la magnificencia eran demasiados para mí. Yo aprecio las cosas sencillas y simples. Yo que yo veía todo el tiempo era una ostentación por la parte de Iglesia (como una institución) que mostraba cuánto poder tenía para organizar eso. Por otro lado - las procesiones son un negocio grande y atraen muchísimos turistas. Y claro - la religíón. Esa parte no la entiendo, porque en mi opinión las procesiones no muestran nada de fe. Pero cada persona decide cómo representar su creencia. Yo respeto la tradición, la religión, admiro la gente que participa en el cortejo y camina horas y horas y la gente que lleva el trono que pesa muchísimo y que ni me lo puedo imaginar cómo lo hacen.

Y al final aunque sea interesante, con todo mi respeto no pienso estar otra vez en Andalucía durante la Semana Santa.

Hola!

During the holy week we staid in Granada and enjoyed the unique (unico), most traditional (tadicional) celebration in Spain. Enjoyed or didn't enjoyed?!  All medals are two sides. There are two sides to every question. 

Easter (Pascua) week is celebrated in every city (ciudad) and village (aldea) in Spain, eminently (eminentemente) in Andalusia. Semana Santa festivities are vary (modificar) by every region. All day and night the street (calle) filled with the beat of the drums, masses of colourful (vistoso) flowers (flores), and the consummate art of religious sculpture all combining to produce a highly moving atmosphere (atmósfera). Each of the procession typically boasts two intensely adorned floats, one of the Virgin Mary and the other one of  scene from Christ's Passion. 

First you can see the La Cruz de Guía. They lead the entire procession of nazarenos. The cross are carried at the front. After come the nazarenos, They are members of the hermandad (brotherhood).

They dress in robe and cone shaped hood. (Capirote, Túnica) The very long candles are carried by nazarenos. We saw children (Mondaguillos), too. The dressed like priests. Ciriales are carrying silver staffs with candles. During the procession (and after, too) you can smell the insence (incienso). It is most often burned in mental containers which hang by a rope or chain.

The pasos are physically carried on the neck, shouldres of the costaeros. They are hidden inside the platform of the paso, so it seems to walk alone. The capataz is the person who directs the costaleros carrying the float. Women and girls dressed in black traditional Spanish costume carrying candles. The music is very important, too. The banda de música the band that accompanies all of the procession except or the silent one.

First of all for me it was the first time I have seen a celebration (celebración), like this. So it was really awe-inspiring (grandioso). On Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) and Monday (Lunes Santo) we saw a lot of procession (procesión). There were a lot of people but we had place to move from one place to another. It was a little bit (un poco) much for me. Too gilded... Every day... But I can admit, this is a really important (importante) traditional here. And the power of the people how waiting (espera) to see the sculptures (escultura) it is really amazing. We waited together, we were together and for me this feeling was uplifting. Every year a lot of people from all over the world come here to see this ceremony and I could take a part of it. I was a little bit sad because we didn't see the procession of Los Gitanos, which is really special here, in Granada.

It an other respect Thursday, Friday and Saturday was a unexpected (imprevisto). So many people on the streets. You can't move... We wanted to see the La Aurora procession at a special (especial) place but we couldn't go there because (porque) the people blocked the way. There were people how were waited 2 hours just that they can see the pasos primarily. We just wanted to find the way, and we spoke there 5 minutes (minutos), but the people were so angry (enojado), what we want to do there... So it was really crazy. Of course we saw the procession at an other place, but Nadia wanted to show us the best view to enjoy that. (On Friday (viernes) Nadia told us that with her kid happened a little mishap at home and they needed to go to a doctor, but it was really hard to find the best way. They can't move easily... So if somebody need critical care and don't know how it is going.. It is really annoying)

After that we went to Nadia's house and we ate pizzaaaa. We played with her kid. She was really funny (cómico). She danced (bailar) and sang (cantar) :D 

My favorite was he silent procession, the Silencio at Thursday (jueves). The street lights along the route are turned off and the procession takes place in absolute silence. Or not... Because I thought there will be really silent, but of course there were a lot of people, so there couldn't be absolute silent. In spite of this it was penetrative. 


I don't know if I want to visit again the holly week here, but I am sure I would like to see the procession of the Los Gitanos. So I hope I can come back next year for a few days during the Semana Santa. 

:) 

Our On-Arrival Training was organized in Jaen from 31st of March to 5th of April. It was really useful and interesting (interesante) for me. I went with Didi, and at the bus station of Jaen we met with the other volunteers, too.

There were about 20 volunteers from Andalusia. Our group was really diverse, intercultural. People came from Italy, France, Belgium, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria and I was from Hungary. :D The coordinator team was absolutely perfect.(perfecto)

In every room were slept two people. My roommate (compañera de cuarto) was a really nice girl, Jacqueline from Mexico. She spoke just a little bit in English and I spoke poco a poco in Spanish. It was funny to understand what we want to say, but we enjoyed it. And for my Spanish knowledge was useful, too. Of course we used the Spanglish, too. During the week I talked with all of the people even if it was just some words. It was interesting to hear why people choose the EVS and hearing about their life. I realised there a lot of common things between us and the same motivation to try something new and be volunteer abroad (en el extranjero).

On the training, first of all, we needed to introduce ourselves. Before, when I had to speak (hablar) in front of people I was nervous, but (pero) I felt oke I can do this and yes I did it in Spanish :D Oke, it was just 3 sentences, but in the beginning I think it is better than nothing.

The first night was organized the 'Fiesta Intercultural'. I brought traditional cloths and sweets (dulces), sausage, book (libro), handmade book-marker, postcard (postal) from Hungary.  I think my short presentation was successful. I was afraid a little bit, but it was a different feeling than before. It was a better emotion. We had special piononos from Granada. We tasted all the special foods from all around the world. And I knew that the Nutella is from Italy :D We talked a lot, and there was a game, to catch one paper from a hat and show that was written on that. What I caught? Of course: traditional dance :D So, I showed some steps, and after that we danced together. It was really funny (divertido) and I think the others enjoyed it, too.

Every night we had different activities. We learned flamenco ( I loved it), went special restaurant, chill...

 Alessandra my first (primera) and best Spanish teacher (profesora) was really nice. For that time I am more motivated to learn.

the EVS voluntary work, ourselves... It was in Spanish but most of the time was translation in English. Because of the Spanish it was hard for me, but I think I developed my skills. We had

One of my favorite session was about the stereotypes (estereotipos) of your country and what is among these. I realised that I know something (un poco) about my country, but not enough and I would like to be more apprised of Hungary.

We talked about the prejudice (prejuicios). It is a very important subject I think. I thought I am not preconceited, but I am... The training was really instructive. Oke maybe we won't be  the best friends, but we need to try (intentar) to know each other more and after that we will see it is work or not. But just for she/he has an other style, hair color etc and we don't speak with his/her it is a stupid thing...

I learned a lot about myself, too. I spoke in front of the people. I enjoyed the group-work, too. Everybody could say her/his opinion and everybody listened. Every opinion was important.

We had time to visit (visitar) the city (ciudad) and make a lot of pictures, drink (beber/ tomar) a beer together.

I feel I am braver and I am ready to do my voluntary work.

After we came back in Granada, we visited the place where we will working and we visited the University ( Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación-Granada), too.

This week is holy week here, because of the Eastern, Semana Santa. The next text will be about this week. :)

Los baños árabes, que están muy bien conservados.

• Taller de la vida cotidiana en España: hablamos sobre el NIE, los diferentes tipos de policía en España, bancos, seguros, cómo viajar barato en España, etc. 

• Fiesta internacional: presentamos nuestros países, algunos voluntarios habían traído comida o objetos típicos de su país. Después tuvimos que cantar canciones típicas o representar un monumento famoso de nuestro país. A mí me tocó representar un monumento. Elegí el Monumento al Zar Libertador, que se encuentra en el centro de Sofia y es muy famoso. 

El monumento en Sofia

Nuestra representación. ¿Se parece mucho, no?

No fue sorpresa que todos tardaron mucho en reconocerlo. 😀







Taller sobre los estereotipos y prejuicios: para mí fue uno de los más interesantes y voy a describirlo con detalles, porque me interesa mucho el tema. Cada uno de nosotros tenía que contar estereotipos sobre su país o qué imagen tiene su país en el extranjero y explicar de dónde vienen. Lo que yo conté fue mi experiencia en el extranjero que según ella, Bulgaria no se conocía y que se tiene una imagen bastante negativa.

Tengo unas conclusiones basadas en mi experiencia de Erasmus en Madrid, en lo que estudiamos en la universidad y cuando conocí otros estudiantes de Erasmus. Según mi estadística personal Bulgaria y los Balcanes no se conocen mucho en Europa Occidental. La mayoría de los estudiantes que conocí no sabían dónde se encuentra Bulgaria. Muchas veces me preguntaron si la capital de Bulgaria era Budapest (que es de Hungría y de Bulgaria se llama Sofia), si bebemos vodka (que es típica para Rusia y nuestra bebida es rakia), si nuestro alfabeto es el "ruso" (el alfabeto se llama cirílico y se usa tanto en Bulgaria como en Rusia, Ucrania, Bielorrusia y otros), si hablo ruso (yo hablo búlgaro, que claro, se parece al ruso, pero es otro idioma).
Es verdad que Bulgaria es el país más pobre de la Unión Europea (y los Balcanes en general son la región más pobre) y tenemos muchos problemas, pero me parece raro cuando me encuentro con personas jóvenes que no se saben los países de su propio continente! Dejo el tema, por ahora, porque es largo, pero voy a escribir otro artículo solo sobre este asunto.

• Formación lingüística: los clases de español eran muy divertidas, porque aprendíamos jugando y pintando. Aprendí unos trabalenguas como:

O expresiones coloquiales como:

Partirse de risa - reírse muchísimo
Quedarse cortado - sentir vergüenza
Ser un flechazo - amor a primera vista

Cómo me sentí yo durante la formación?

Como he dicho al principio fue una experiencia increíble. Por primera vez aprendí cosas a través del método informal- juegos, diferentes actividades, trabajo en grupos o solos, pintar, hacer sketches, energizer, etc. De esa manera no solo aprendí mucho, sino me divertí de verdad! Especialmente cuando teníamos que hacer un sketch 😀. Al principio me preocupaba un poco y me sentía nerviosa porque por ejemplo no sé pintar bien. O tenía vergüenza de participar en sketshes, porque nunca lo había hecho antes. Pero lo pensé solo al principio. Después me sentí muy cómoda con todos los voluntarios y los formadores y dejé todas mis preocupaciones.
El método es mucho más interesante y eficaz que el aprendizaje formal que todos conocemos en las escuelas y universidades, porque esta semana no estudiamos, sino aprendimos. Que son cosas diferentes.

Y lo más importante - encontré amigos 💓  Aunque seamos de diferentes países y culturas, tenemos mucho en común.



* El título de mi artículo viene de la canción "Volando voy, volando vengo" de Camaron de la Isla. 

Cada mañana escuchamos una canción para despertarnos.