Por ejemplo,
in Spain:
el ordenador: computer
el móvil: cell phone
la fotocopiadora: copier
but in Latin America:
la computadora
el celular
la copiadora
These are super simple words, but it just gives an example of some of the major differences between spanish spoken in the United States and Latin America and spanish spoken here in Spain. A huge difference that obviously everyone knows is that Spain uses vosotros. In Granada specifically they also have a very strong accent and almost speak with a lisp.
I also learned some very interesting and maybe somewhat helpful things today in class regarding health, of the public kind.
Firstly, there is no "911" number. There are separate numbers you call depending on the emergency.
116- general
061- emergencies having to do with the heart (por ejemplo: el ataque cardiaco)
016- something with mujeres (I didn't understand this one but I'm assuming it has to do with like giving birth.)
I thought that was very odd. I think it's organized, but you really have to think and in a crisis most people are panicked enough.
We also got in a heated conversation about healthcare. The only word that any of the other international students knew about anything regarding our health care was "Obamacare". It was so hard, especially being a nursing major and this topic heavily future effecting me, to describe what I wanted to say in Spanish. Many words to describe the way out healthcare works and the changes it is going through go way beyond my simple vocabulary. I tried, but failed. Needless to say (and not to my fault, if anything I tried educating them) other people outside of the US have a very altered view of the reality of our healthcare system. Although with everything going on, many Americans don't know what exactly our healthcare is. Anyways, that was a very exhausting conversation to have. I did learn more about Spain's healthcare, as well as some other European countries. It seems to me that most people don't use the hospital, or just any healthcare services. I'm not really sure how everything works, but I did get good perception of the people. The people think it's good because it covers lots of people but they know the quality sucks. However, they have never known anything better (seen the newest technology), so it doesn't really matter. I plan to research and learn more about how everything works.
But I have noticed that in general, people are just healthier. So, maybe they don't need it as much. I don't know.
I really need to learn medical terms in Spanish though. I feel as though that would be very helpful.
Speaking of helpful, I did learn some phrases that could possibly help me with my profession, like in an emergency or something like that. I can now ask someone of they need help, ask for help myself, and ask how I can help someone. There are different words to exemplify urgency.
Por ejemplo:
¿Cómo puedo ayudarte?
This is a simple phrase to ask how you can help someone, but I wonder what the formal frases are to which I would need to use, such as in a CPR situation.
Although, I don't see their legal system as being as anal. By this I mean, someone wouldn't sew someone for not saying the right thing, or for saving them, etc. However, from what I have received about their legal system, when you break a law it's serious business. However, to get caught breaking laws or such things, is very hard. The policia seem very nice and helpful. They are nice and to be honest : super hot. Like, they are all in tip top shape, which I think is awesome. They mean serious business.
I'm really getting used to everything here.
I love it, and I love learning new things everyday.
Another fun activity/day to mention is the fair. Okay, so I have not been to the fair since like 6th grade. Actually, I hate the fair. You know, crappy rides that are portable, cotton candy, turkey legs, it's all there.
However, the fair (la feria) here is much much different. Firstly, it is a specific characteristic of the holiday Corpus Christi. It's really a thing in Granada during this holiday time. It always comes around during the time of this holiday.
It's a huge event with many things to do, and it is not culturally at al like ours. First of all, the dress is much much different. (But, people here in general just always dress so much nicer.)
My favorite is when the girls are wearing the traditional "Seville" type flamenco dress. There were so many of those dresses and I love it. Yeah, people dress like this for the fair.
Because, along with crappy rides, games that rip you off, and bumper cars that could probably give you whiplash (like way worse than American ones but I loved them), there is also many tents, with many themes, for dancing and partying. By tots of tents, I mean LOTS. There was one for like every type of music. It was hilariously awesome. That was probably my favorite part. And you can just hop from one to another. It's like mini discotecas, but for all ages alike. It's fabulous! I wish our fairs were like that.
I spoke a lot of Spanish that night, as I went with Danyell, her boo, and his friends. They are super cool, too. Like, they are from Morroco and speak like many languages. I also learned how to write my name in Arabic. That is so cool. Also, I learned a lot about the "Arabic" culture. I put that in quotes because that's like saying someone is white. I mean, Arabic could mean a lot of things as well as not a lot of things. Confusing, I know. But, I really just learned a lot. I mean what Americans label people that look like that as Arabic, encompass so many people. Again, it's like saying someone is white. Also, the Muslim religion I learned is a lot like the Catholic faith here. There are many people that call themselves catholic, but do not practice. Same with being Muslim. It's more like a culture thing. For example the guys we were with were Muslim, but didn't practice. Technically, they can't drink (or eat pork but they don't eat pork) and they do it anyways. Like, it's totally different. Not everyone that is "Muslim" is like everyone else that is Muslim, just like with "Christians", we just can't understand that because religion to us is not a culture thing, it's an actual religion that we actively practice. It's just very different. And I love different. I love learning about people that aren't like me.
Speaking of Morroco, I'm going there this weekend! Yeah, no big deal just going to Africa tomorrow. Aka I'm super pumped!!!! Like, I'm going to a completely different continent tomorrow! I'm so cool I know. Anyways, I'm really excited about that!!!
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