It's Illegal... sorta... technically

Laws are made to be followed.  They set a guideline for what is allowed and not allowed and for what it good and bad. Unless you live in Spain, then the laws are more or less suggestions, or legislations made to make the masses happy, but in practise are not respected or enforced.

I can give you various examples.

1.  Botellón.   Botellón is basically just a term in Spanish to mean drinking in the streets.  When I was studying abroad I obviously thought this was the greatest thing in the world.  You save money by buying your own beer, wine or liquor and take to a plaza or park bench with friends and pipas and enjoy yourself without the smoke of the bars and the over priced drinks.  I will admit that drinking is a big part of spanish culture, but not in the same way as in the United States.  The legal drinking age is 18, even though many start much younger than that, but the majority of Spaniards don't abuse alcohol the way most American highschoolers and college students do.  They drink and have a good time, but they aren't out of control wasted, throwing up and falling down all over the place. They are exposed to alcohol at a young age and never seem to get carried away with that priviledge.


Well, botellón seems like a wonderful idea, but the government did decide to do away with it to discourage underage drinking, and with hopes of making the streets cleaner and quiter on weekends.   The main problem, they felt, was that people who went to the botellón left all their bottles, cups and bags on the ground and the noise of that many people concentrated into a small area was a nuisance to neighbours. So it, like smoking in bars and selling illegally in the streets, became illegal.


Low and behold, that didn't stop youngsters from getting together  with a bottle of Brugal or La Negrita and a couple liters of beer in the same old hangouts as before.  Llaw enforcement didn't take a stand against the offenders and the practice continues, albeit not as wide spread as before.  Granada, for example, has a parking lot designated for botellón.  It's near the highway far from the centre, there aren't a lot of apartment buildings in the immediate area and it's easier to control one botellón site than multiple ones throughout the city.

2. Smoking in public places.  I lived in Sevilla in the fall of 2005, and although I had grown up in a family of smokers it has always been something I can't stand.  The smell of it on your clothes and in your hair when you leave a restaurant or bar and the sting of your eyes, especially if you wear contacts.  The worst of it, though, are the adverse health affects.  We all know smoking can lead to different types of cancer.  And not just first hand smoke, but second hand smoke.  So it was to my delight to be told back in 2005 that as of January 1, 2006 smoking in ALL public places in Spain was going to be eliminated by a new law.  That's great I thought.  Just as I'm about to return to New Hampshire, Spain takes the steps to make itself a healthier country.

However, it was to my dismay to discover that this new law had some loop holes, which bar, pub and club owners used to their full advantage and when I returned in 2007 smoking continued to take place in many public areas.  What a disappointment!! The majority of restaurants, bars and pubs allowed smoking, and now even boasted  signs which read "Aquí se puede fumar"  or Smoking is allowed here!  Yippy! What a shock it was to go from the smoke free bars in New Hampshire to establishments which advertised the acceptance of this vice.

Even though the law had loop holes, the main reason why smoking continues in these places is because there is no one to enforce the law.  There are no inspectors which make surprise visits or police officers who fine offenders, so everyone just assumes its socially acceptable to continue breaking the law if no one is going to act out against it. 

The word on the street, now 4 years after the original law, is that come January 1, 2011 smoking will be banned from bars, clubs, etc.  We'll see what happens, but I personally don't expect to see a drastic change in the amount of smoking occurring in public spaces.

3.  Street performers and vendors without city permits along with beggers are technically all practises which are illegal in Granada.  This was made a law back in the spring to clean up the city streets and also earn a profit from the vendors' and performers' permit fees.  There was a big to do when the law was passed, and street vendors of all kinds and performers good and bad gathered to protest at the town hall against the law.

It was passed regardless of the protest, and I expected to see a big difference in the types of characters I encountered on the streets on my way to work.  Still, the very next day I saw the northern africans with their sheets of copied CDs and DVDs, immitation purses, belts, watches and sunglasses lined up on the sidewalks inciting passersby to take a look at what they had to offer.  The man who plays the violin and his wife who sells flowers where still standing on the corner of my street doing business as usual.  The middle-aged woman who sits on a cushion in front of the church on Gran Vía begging for change for her suppossed 3 children (although it's obvious she colours her hair and I doubt any money she makes goes towards a good cause) was still there with her basket and cardboard sign.   The local cops continued on with their daily routines without even hesitating to fine or arrest these persons blatantly breaking the law.  It seemed as though nothing had changed.  In Mirador San Nicolas the hippies and gypsies continued selling their leather goods and playing flamenco on the guitar for the tourists who visisted.

Essentially, nothing had changed.  And once again nothing will change until law makers and law enforcement agree to work together to follow the same set of rules.  You can't just make a law to make a law because it looks good on the books, and then not expect people to obide by it.  What sense does that make??

These are just some of the reasons why I don't really respect the law enforcement in Spain. Don't get me wrong, I obey (most) of the laws, but there's that time old saying "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."  If Spaniards are going to drink in the streets, then so am I and I'm going throroughly enjoy myself! Besides, Spanish laws are just suggestions really, just guidelines, like the instructions for IKEA furniture.  The instructions come with the package but we all know we're gonna put it together without even glancing at the directions.  What does it matter? No one's going to make us do it.

The holidays are hard when you're far away...

Someone once asked me if Spain celebrated Thanksgiving.  This person was American and someone I had gone to college with. Don't ya think an American would know the origins of Thanksgiving? Probably my all-time favourite holiday?? Well, in case you're not American and reading this, I will enlighten you with an abridged version.  Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, hence the name, and recognize all the good things you have in your life and be with the people you care about most.

That's what the day is suppossed to mean, anyways.  I know in my family it's always been a filled with lots of cooking, more eating, and a lot of laughter.  My grandfather used to always say grace, and each one of us would say what we are thankful for.  Of course, most everyone says they are thankful for their parents, children, health, and wealth.   I've spent 5 Thanksgivings away from home.  Undoubtedly I'm thankful for my parents, my brother, the rest of my  family and my friends.  But what exactly am I grateful to them for?

I'm grateful for the support my parents have always gave me in all the decisions I've made.  When I got a tattoo, instead of being disappointed, they cracked jokes about my "tramp stamp", when I wanted to go skydiving for the 4th time, they asked to watch the video after, when I told them I wanted to move to Spain for a year, they bought my luggage and fostered my cats, and when I told them I wanted to stay in Spain, they got their passports and came to visit me.  They overcame their own worries to encourage me to do what makes me happy.  I truly appreciate my mom and dad, and I should tell them that every day of the year, not only on Thanksgiving.

SO......Why do we only show the people we love that we care about them when it comes to the holidays?  Why can't we make time during the rest of our busy lives for a phone call just to say hi, or an email to ask how someone's week went?  I live 6 time zones and thousands of miles away from the people I appreciate most, and the occasional facebook message or odd ball email does not a friendship make.  Just like any relationship it takes work, and time.  Everyone is busy these days, but with the advances in technology you'd think people would find it easier to keep in touch, however, we seem to find unproductive things to do with our new found techology (ie facebook, failblog, and various applications for the iPhone or smartphones).

It's hard not to think that you are forgotten about when you decide to move to another continent. The excuses for not writing or calling are always the same, and if I may say so, they're a bunch of crap.  I'm busy with work, I haven't the time, it's expensive, the time difference makes it impossible.  People, we all have internet, whether on a PC at home or at work or on our phones. It takes no more than 5 minutes to write a hello email, and instead of spending those wasted hours looking at photos of old classmates from highschool on facebook, why don't we spend that time writing an email or a message to the people we genuinely care about? 

Like I said, it takes work, and not just from one side, but from both. I'm as guilty as the next with wasting time instead of keeping in touch, and I hate thinking that because it's the holidays I'm now obligated to write those "How are things?" emails, but I'll do even though sometimes it's just hard always being the email writer, and not the email responder.

Americans run on Dunkins

           As an Amerian living in Europe I'm always having to fight against the stereotypes that Europeans have of us Americans.  They think we only eat hamburgers and fries every day. I'm sorry, but burgers are for summer BBQs and furthuremore the origins of hamburgers are not clear, some think it began in North America while others say it began here in Europe.  Also, Europeans think that Americans only eat fast food and there have been times I'm with European friends to go out for tapas and they ask me if I would feel more comfortable eating at Burger King.  The only times in the past 8 years that I've eaten at a McDonalds or Burger King was when I was traveling and extremely short on cash, otherwise I avoid the places like the plague.
           It's frustrating always having to battle against the bad name Americans have aquired in Europe throughout the years due to what they see on TV, in films and from the study abroad students and tourtists who perpetuate the stereotypes. It's unfair to generalize and say that all American's are fat, work-obsessed, fast-food crazed, and egocentric... yes some are fat, some are work obessesed, some love their fast food, and some do think that the US of A is the absolute best place to live and work in the world.  But we're not all like that, I wouldn't even say the majority are like that..
           As an American I'm associated with McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Starbucks and just recently Dunkin Coffee, the european version of Dunkin Donuts. I have to admit now that I unfortunately fall into that stereotypical category of Americans always in a hurry and relying on fast food; I love my dunkins! I was estatic when I was walking to work one day 2 years ago and passed a newly openen Dunkin Coffee on the corner of a plaza which I walk through almost every day.  Then, to my surprise, a second one opened right across the street from my academy!
            Dunkin Donuts has a special spot in my heart, not because I think they have the greatest coffee or that their donuts are the best pastries, but because it was my first job when I was 15 years old and also as a New Englander  I grew up with Dunkin Donuts and NOT Starbucks.  I enjoy not having to worry about preparing my coffee at home before work, that I can just dish out the 1 euro and get my freshly brewed café con leche in the ever sturdy white, orange and pink cardboard cup.  It's true that the coffee here at Dunkins isn't the same as back home, but I love it none-the-less. I love walking with my cardboard cup in hand down the street to my building.  Most Spaniards think it's strange that I take my coffee to go. They would prefer to spend the leisurely half an hour sipping theirs in one of the comfortable chairs in the back of the café.  Well, I'm sorry, I haven't got that kind of time.  I am still American and I am usually always in a rush, and I like my coffee to go. So that's that.  And I like Dunkins coffee to go.  I like having my little bit of home, my comfort-coffee if you will, here in Granada with me and the donuts every now and then aren't that bad either.

        So what for a guilty pleasure? If it makes you happy... and oh it does :-)