Spanish husband: Cariño, ¿lo tienes todo?  No quiero tener que volver a casa a por algún artículo olvidado como la [...]]]> This Sunday I would like to tell you about another useful Spanish expression: mira a ver.  In a nutshell, this expression equates to something like “look and see” in English.  Let’s look at a sample dialogue:

Spanish husband: Cariño, ¿lo tienes todo?  No quiero tener que volver a casa a por algún artículo olvidado como la última vez.  (Honey, do you have everything?  I don’t want to have to come back home looking for some forgotten item like the last time.)

Spanish wife: Sí, creo que sí… pero, ¿dónde tengo el móvil?  (Yeah, I think so… but, where’s my cell phone?) 

Spanish husband: Pues no sé, ¿no lo habías metido en tu bolso?  Mira a ver….  (I don’t know, didn’t you put it in your purse?  Look and see….)

Spanish wife: Sí, tienes razón, aquí está.  (Yeah, you’re right, here it is.)

And that, my friends, is an explanation of this little “frase hecha.”  If you’ve enjoyed this post, you may wish to check out prior Spanish Sunday posts or the Learn Spanish category.  Don’t forget to keep checking back for more Spanish tidbits each week!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

I went to a Semana Santa (Holy Week) procession here in Burgos yesterday and have placed the video of it above for you to take a look at.  Semana Santa in Spain is always something curious for Americans like me because the processions that are celebrated here are not like anything that [...]]]>

I went to a Semana Santa (Holy Week) procession here in Burgos yesterday and have placed the video of it above for you to take a look at.  Semana Santa in Spain is always something curious for Americans like me because the processions that are celebrated here are not like anything that we have in the States. 

I still remember the first time that I saw a Semana Santa procession here in Spain.  It was back when I was living and studying in Valladolid in the year 2007.  It was actually a bit of a scary experience for me… after all, I wasn’t expecting to see people dressed like the Ku Klux Klan walking through the streets of Spain.  In fact, I remember that the absolute first procession that I ever went to was with an Irish friend of mine who, like me, also had never seen a Semana Santa procession before.  In my mind’s eye, I can still see the “cloaked individuals” coming out of that church in Valladolid, slowly making their way into view, and my Irish friend saying to me with a look of astonishment on her face and a thick Irish accent, “Oh my God, who are those people???” 

It’s true that as an American (or a foreigner in general), Semana Santa processions shock you at first.  There is silence everywhere, some spectators cry when they see the images of Jesus Christ pass by, and the people wearing their robes and cone-shaped hats do strangely resemble members of the Ku Klux Klan.  Yet, once you know the history behind the holiday it converts into something much more interesting culturally – at least I think it’s interesting.  After all, seeing all this happening has taught me something about how religion is valued and integrated into Spanish culture. 

For your information, the characteristic cloaks that are worn during the processions come from a tradition dating back centuries.  Many years ago, the people who walked in the Semana Santa processions in Spain were considered to be the “worst” sinners of the town.  In order to have God forgive them of their sins, these horrible sinners volunteered to carry Semana Santa “pasos” (the large wooden statues of Christ) in their churches’ Semana Santa processions.  But, there was a problem: the sinners didn’t want to be recognized in the processions because someone could see them and realize that they had done terrible things.  Thus, the cloak and pointed hat were born to allow the penitents of Semana Santa to demonstrate their penance while still disguising their identity.

If you’d like a little more information about Semana Santa in Spain, check out this Wikipedia Article.  You also may wish to look at my YouTube channel for more Semana Santa Videos or check out my Semana Santa photos on Picasa. 

In the comments of this post, I’d love to hear about your first reaction to Semana Santa in Spain… either from seeing it in person or from watching the video above. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

I thought I would write this post for those of you who want to learn more colloquial Spanish to tell you about an interesting word with a double meaning that is used often in Spain. The word is enchufe.

You see, enchufe literally refers to an electrical plug or socket; however, [...]]]>

I thought I would write this post for those of you who want to learn more colloquial Spanish to tell you about an interesting word with a double meaning that is used often in Spain. The word is enchufe.

You see, enchufe literally refers to an electrical plug or socket; however, it is also used in Spain to refer to someone “on the inside” who pulls a few strings for you.  For instance, when you’re looking for a job in Spain, Spaniards say it’s a good idea to have a person acting as your enchufe within the company to put in a good word and pull a few strings for you. If you want to get elected, you’re also going to need a good enchufe or two.

An example of this term in a Spanish sentence is as follows: Lo consiguió por enchufe. This phrase would mean something along the lines of he (or someone he knows) pulled some strings to do/get it.

I hope someone has found this little tidbit interesting… as more unique and useful phrases come to mind I will post them to the “Learn Spanish” category of this site. Thanks for visiting!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

A lot of my regular readers have asked me to recommend some books/tools that they may be able to use to help them hone and practice their Spanish skills. It is for that reason that I’d like to tell you about a great book entitled “The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice” by Ronni [...]]]>

A lot of my regular readers have asked me to recommend some books/tools that they may be able to use to help them hone and practice their Spanish skills. It is for that reason that I’d like to tell you about a great book entitled “The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice” by Ronni L. Gordon and David M. Stillman.

I purchased this book after completing four years of high school Spanish to review what I had learned over the past four years. I more or less felt as though I already had a good understanding of basic grammar; however, I wanted to “revisit” some of the things that I had learned and go more “in-depth” with the language. Over the summer between my high school graduation and my first year at college, I read this book cover-to-cover and, by the time I entered college in the fall as a Spanish major, this book had put me light-years ahead of my peers.  Don’t get me wrong, I attribute much of my Spanish success in college to my high school teacher; however, I feel as though this book really did help out quite a bit as well.

Just so you know, this book is not for those of you who do not speak much Spanish at all; instead, it’s for those of you who already know the basics of the language and want some review of what you already know as well as an introduction to some of the more complex parts of the language. The cover of the book actually says it’s for “intermediate and advanced learners” and I’d agree with that.

The book is laid out in chapters and each chapter presents some grammatical points and then gives you some exercises in which you can practice what you’re learning. The answers to all the exercises are found at the end of the book. One nice thing about the grammar explanations is that they’re clear and concise – the authors tell you what you need to know and show you how the rules work without going into too much detail and boggling your mind. I’m told that the newest edition of the book also comes with an Audio CD that includes practice exercises. Since I bought my edition a few years ago, I do not have that CD. Still, I’d be willing to bet that it compliments the written practice in the book nicely and probably even helps with pronunciation and listening comprehension.

Whether you want to read this book cover-to-cover like I did or prefer to have it as a simple reference for when you forget a rule, I think that “The Ultimate Spanish Review and Practice” would probably be beneficial for those of you who have an intermediate level in Spanish. The book gives you a good amount of grammar practice without going too deeply into the more obscure aspects of the language.

I hope sharing my opinion has helped someone. Feel free to leave your comments about this book (or any other similar one you’d like people to know about) on this post. I have linked to this book on Amazon throughout this post so that you can go there and read more about it.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

January is fast approaching and it’s time for many college students to leave the USA and begin a semester abroad in Spain.  I should know: I was one of those students who was leaving the country to do a semester abroad last year at this time.  I know firsthand how hard [...]]]>

January is fast approaching and it’s time for many college students to leave the USA and begin a semester abroad in Spain.  I should know: I was one of those students who was leaving the country to do a semester abroad last year at this time.  I know firsthand how hard it is to put your entire life in a suitcase for six months and, since many of my readers are college students who are going abroad this year to study in Spain, I thought I would share a few “words from the wise.”  I’ve actually gotten quite a few requests via email for a post on this subject, so here it is. 

When I went to Spain to study abroad for six months, I was allowed to bring two fifty-pound suitcases, a carry on, and a personal item.  The baggage allowance, of course, depends on your airline and flight details.  I suggest checking with your airline before you leave the USA to see how much luggage you’re allowed to carry.  You should also make yourself familiar with the rules on the Transportation Security Administration’s Website (TSA).  Of specific interest to you is the “Travelers” section of the TSA’s site and the list of prohibited items.  As you probably know, the TSA is the agency that screens your baggage at the airport and says what you can (and can’t) bring aboard an aircraft.  Be sure to pay special attention to items that can’t be placed in carry-on luggage but can be placed in checked bags.  Also remember the regulations regarding liquids. 

Now that you’ve contacted your airline to see how many bags you can bring and have read the TSA’s website to make sure that the contents of your bag is ok, you probably want to know what you should bring with you for your six months in Spain.  Below, I’m going to compile a short list of things that I think you should keep in mind when you pack for your study abroad experience, or any trip to Spain for that matter.

Clothing: Clothing in Spain is expensive, especially jeans.  Thus, you should try to bring as much clothing as you can with you so that you don’t have to buy a lot there.  If you’re wondering what type of clothing to pack, I can tell you that when I was abroad last year I generally wore jeans and a t-shirt to class with sneakers.  For going out at night, I usually wore a nicer pair of jeans, real shoes (not sneakers), and a shirt with a collar.  Girls typically wore the same types of clothing to class (jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt) and when going out they generally wore either a nice pair of jeans or a skirt with a nice top.  Remember, Spaniards love to go to bars and discos and dance a lot… keep that in mind when you’re packing.  Bring clothing you can go to bars and dance in… and bring REAL shoes (not sneakers) for going out at night.  In fact, some bars and discos don’t let “sneaker-wearers” in. 

Remember, clothing in Spain is kinda expensive so try to pack as much clothing as possible, especially jeans (jeans in Spain can cost $80.00 a pair).  Of course, you’re not going to be able to pack everything and there probably will be some items that you purchase in Spain.  “Springfield,” “Zara,” “Pull and Bear,” and stores of that like are good clothing stores in Spain in which you can buy stuff comparable to the “Old Navy,” “Gap,” and “Aeropostle” brands that we have in the USA (“Springfield” is probably the cheapest of the three stores).

Toiletries: In general, you can find the same soaps, shampoos, contact solutions, etc. in Spain as you can in the USA; however, that fact does not hold true for deodorant.  If you’re particular about the type of deodorant you use, take a lot with you to Spain.  In fact, Spaniards don’t seem to use the “roll-on” type of deodorant at all (they prefer the “spray-on” variety) and I had to have my mom mail me over some “Old Spice for Men” while I was studying in Valladolid because I didn’t like the Spanish spray stuff.  Don’t let the deodorant thing worry you though, you can find almost any other beauty product you need right in Spain and it will be the same or similar to what you would find in the USA.  I recommend going to a place like “Todo Cien” (the Spanish version of “Dollar General”) when buying toiletries in Spain because they’re much cheaper there.  You could also go to one of the many “Chinese Bazaar” shops scattered throughout all major cities in Spain.  When packing, bring enough toiletries to get you started and then buy more when you get to Spain and get settled in. 

Expensive Items: Film for cameras, batteries, and other electronic devices like radios and MP3 players are a little more expensive in Spain than in the USA.  If you use a lot of batteries or film, it may be worth it for you to bring as much as you can from the USA to save money.  The exception to this rule is cell phones.  See below for what I have to say about them.

Cell Phones: When I was studying abroad in Spain for six months, I bought myself a prepaid cell phone at an Orange store.  Prepaid phones are very popular and cheap in Spain and are carried by Orange, MoviStar, Vodafone, and many other companies.  I purchased my phone from an Orange store for around 39 Euros.  I then added money as I used minutes in much the same way that a TracFone works in the USA.  To get a prepaid phone, you can go into any cell phone store and ask for a “móvil de prepago.”  Balance, in Spanish, is called “saldo” and you can add “saldo” to your phone at any time by visiting the store in which you purchased the phone. 

Remember, A cell phone is good for calling your friends within Spain; however, you’re going to want to use phone cards and a land line to call home to the USA.  It’s much cheaper that way (phone cards in Spain get GREAT rates to the USA… buy them in a tobacco shop or a locutorio… they’re called “tarjetas telefónicas”).  Another alternative for calling to the USA from Spain (or to Spain from the USA) is Skype.  It works quite well and is very affordable, as long as you have a computer and internet access. 

Photocopies of Documents: You should also pack some photocopies of your passport, visa, credit cards, etc.  The photocopies will come in handy if you lose the originals and need to have them replaced.  The Embassy of the USA in Spain can help you if you lose a document. 

Inglés, por favor: When I went to Spain, I had near-native proficiency in Spanish.  Nonetheless, there were times when I wished I could hear/read/see/speak my native language: English.  I recommend bringing along some books, CDs, DVDs, etc. in English for the days that you just want to hear your own language. 

Paper and Pens (if you’re taking classes/studying abroad): This sounds strange, but paper stores in Spain follow the traditional, closed all afternoon and all day on Sunday, schedule of all other stores in Spain.  If you’re arriving in Spain on a Sunday and starting classes on a Monday, you won’t have time to get to the paper store and buy a notebook and pen for class.  Bring at least one notebook to get you started, you can buy more once you get settled in. 

Money: When I go to Spain, I always bring my ATM Card and just take money out at the ATM (I always stop at the ATM inside the airport right after getting off my plane).  ATMs are easier to find in Spain than places to cash Traveler’s Checks.  Just be sure to call your bank ahead of time so that they know you are going to be using your card in Spain.  Also be sure to ask them if your card will work in Spain/Europe (4-digit pins are best on ATM cards that are going to be used in Spain).  As far as credit cards go, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in Spain.  American Express is less common. 

Voltage Converter: Remember that Spain uses a different voltage than we do in the USA.  You’ll need a voltage converter for any electric device that is not dual-voltage.  Most laptops, however, are dual-voltage and only need an adapter for the plug, not a whole converter.  If you go to Radio Shack, the sales associate should be able to tell you what you need to use your electric devices in Spain.  A good travel store should also be able to help you find the right converter/adapter. 

That’s basically all I can think of right now.  I will add to the list as more items come to me.  If you have any questions about this list or think of something I forgot, feel free to leave a comment below. 

Hasta la próxima,
–Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com

Things in Spain go slow… about as slow as this snail.  As I mentioned in my first post, I’m currently getting ready to apply for a scholarship from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia to go back to Spain and teach English.  The scholarship application was supposed to be online [...]]]>

Things in Spain go slow… about as slow as this snail.  As I mentioned in my first post, I’m currently getting ready to apply for a scholarship from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia to go back to Spain and teach English.  The scholarship application was supposed to be online by November; but, of course it’s not online yet.  So… as far as an update goes, that’s where I’m currently at.  I’m waiting, waiting, waiting for the application to go online. 

I guess it’s true what they say: “Las cosas del palacio van despacio….”

Hasta la próxima,
–Chris
http://www.abroadinspain.com