|
Thursday, March 07, 2002 I'm into another bout of intensive Spanish classes, two weeks' worth this time. Here's a truth: throw a bunch of people from different points on the map together in a room, it can prove real interesting. This group consists of five Germans: Jan (from my January classes), a 22 or so year old German guy and three German women -- Stephanie, Sandra, and one who started with our group today whose name I don't remember right this nanosecond, all around 23 or 24, all bright -- a smart, multilingual, late-forty-something Italian woman named Livia, and a Japanese 20-something woman named Aya. Jan wasn't in class today -- just me and a room full of intelligent, attractive women. Not what I would call a hardship. The group edged its way into a discussion about immigration -- something Germany has had difficult, complex dealings with in recent years -- producing a long, intense exchange between the three German women and Livia (married to a German), Stephanie and Sandra pretty much going head to head at one point. Spain also has complicated immigration problems, from Africa, South America, Eastern Europe, and I noticed that our instructor, Raquel, mostly just listened, as did Aya and myself. It got me thinking about the long, slow changes that have resulted from massive immigration to the States. It's been interesting to observe the same kind of process underway here in Spain from the perspective of a furriner in the country's capital. Spain has both an extremely strong, well-developed streak of progressiveness, which a lot of the well-educated population takes pride in, and a strong conservative element. The two engage in a near-constant dialogue -– at times a loud, heated, uncivil dialogue -– with various representatives taking up various causes at different times. A few months back a huge controversy mushroomed over groups of illegal South American immigrants who had taken refuge in churches in Barcelona. When it became clear that the government had every intention of shipping them back across the Atlantic, they began hunger strikes, and the two sides pushed their causes via the media which, being the media, was happy to funnel all the noise and drama to the public at large. The situation ultimately limped to a close, the government apparently getting the better of the situation. It's odd being here in one of the European countries which shaped and influenced so many of the cultures on the other side of the Atlantic. The States are essentially a culture of immigrants and offspring of immigrants (some might include the indigenous peoples in North America in that description), a strikingly different perspective from over here, the land mass that was the launching point for the conquistadores. Me, I tend to think we're all immigrants, showing up in this life from what I'll call points unknown, stumbling our way through our years, often conveniently forgetting that we're actually all family. All of us. But that's a rant for another entry. Tomorrow I head up to Pamplona for the weekend, my first excursion north. A friend who teaches in the University up there apparently has a lot of activity and good eating planned for me. Don't know whether I'll get to a computer to inflict any of the proceedings on you. Will find out when I get there. Later. rws 2:02 PM [+]
Comments:
Post a Comment
|