Happy Turkey Day in Spain!

A couple of weeks ago Lauren and I offered to host Thanksgiving at our apartment for all our fellow Teach in Spain folks around the Cadiz area. Of course, being hosts this meant that the bird was our responsibility. Lauren took care of asking for a 4-kilo turkey at the local open air market last week (she said she kept feeling like she’d signed some turkey’s death warrant – it probably wouldn’t have gotten the chop until Christmas otherwise), and I grabbed a bucket from the local equivalent of Meijer to brine the turkey in. Lauren took care of the sweet potatoes (she also brought some to her class to sample – they loved it!), I covered the mashed, friends brought stuffing, salad, pasta, bread, apple pies (delicious!) and drinks.











































































Jell–O substituted for cranberry sauce, and we had minor electrical problems a few hours before the food was to be served. Apparently you can’t use the stove AND the oven at the same time in our apartment. (Sidenote: Lauren and I have come up with a response to anything here that we believe works in an inefficient or nonsensical manner – raise your right fist in the air, shake it, and shout “Spain!”)

The nice Spanish couple in the apartment below us helped us figure it out (“Wait for the oven to cool down for ½ an hour, turn everything off, then try the circuit breaker again.”), for which we will be forever thankful and will also bring them a bottle of wine, which we are currently not lacking in. In Spain, whenever a guest doesn’t know what to bring, wine is always a good fallback.

Our apartment isn’t huge, but we wanted to share Thanksgiving with friends we had met in Spain, so we told everyone to invite a guest. We had a range of people come, from roommates of friends to the random guy from Iceland that we met on the train on the way back from Granada who seemed in need of some friends, to Lauren’s tutoring student. It ended up being one of the most international Thanksgivings I’ve ever been at. Total guests numbered at least 20, with representation from the USA, Spain, France, Iceland, Sweden, Czech Republic, and the Dominican Republic. Here’s a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us in Spain:


Happy Thanksgiving from Spain! from Catherine Steiner on Vimeo.

P.S. Being a history major, I wanted to emphasize the history and culture of Thanksgiving when I taught about it to my classes this week (how it started in 1621, but wasn’t declared a national holiday until 1863 by Abe Lincoln, how the Native Americans helped the pilgrims get food). It turns out that history is history, however, and it didn’t really get too interesting for them until I started emphasizing points such as “half the pilgrims DIED that winter”, or told them that the Macy’s Parade floats were taller than their school building and showed pictures as evidence. I wish I had video-taped their reactions to the float pictures…I think they were even more excited than when I had given them candy for Halloween.

Dear Spain

Dear Spain,

I think you and I are going to get along just fine. Despite your 8:30 – 2pm banking hours (hours during which I am traveling your trains and teaching your children, or hoping to be doing anything other than standing in line at the bank).

Yes, despite those hours between 2 and 5 when I come back from school AND HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD to do stuff like buy groceries, visit museums, get my residency card and you choose instead to close your business doors and promise that you’ll be back open around 5pm…despite those, I like you. You know what? I think it’s beginning to grow on me. I’ve never had time like that before where I am forced to not “get anything done”.

Yes, Spain, I think we’ll be just fine. Even though the teachers at school told me it only would rain for about 20 days out of the year here, and about 15 of those have already happened, I still think I like you. Rainy days can be ok (unless you need dry clothes).

Spain, even though your dog-owners often don’t pick up after their pets, leaving me to dodge street doo-doo on my way to the train station in the mornings, even then, I think we’re gonna be ok. I’ll get some boots.

And even though your pigeons leave their own gifts almost everywhere, I’ve learned, Spain, that it’s best to walk down the middle of the street and not the sides so as to avoid the-gift-of-the-pigeon. Also, I’ve learned that a 2-euro investment in some baby wipes to carry around with me everywhere is one that gives a good return.

Yes, Spain, although you don’t believe in central heating and Lauren and I have fought turning on the space heater because it might shatter our dreams of what you were supposed to be (sunny 70s! beach every day!), I do like the fact that you’re helping me to use less energy. Even if it means that heating up the shower-water involves a minor combustion reaction every morning.

Spain, you have a lot going for you. You have these amazing little towns like Arcos de la Frontera, probably put up on a cliff for some defensive reason back in the day, and which now might make even the most determined traveler think twice about how much walking they’re really up for. You also have these amazingly sweet people, including the old sculpture artist, Fernando, down the street who enjoys talking with Lauren and me every time we pass by. He’s so kind. Also, you have the eager flamenco teacher, Maria Jesús, who can still smile at the end of the night after teaching 4 American and 2 French girls how to dance flamenco, even when they make the same mistakes over and over again (one American in particular). And have I mentioned your children? Spain, your children are so cute!

España, I really LOVE your pastries too – napolitanas and cañones are hard to resist. Also, I love the fact that I can buy Nutella really, really cheap here. A confession, Spain: Lauren and I have a shelf that we’ve designated as the “chocolate” shelf. Don’t tell anyone!

Spain – you are pretty amazing. Sorry for the times I get upset with you. I’m still adjusting, but I think really, you and I will be just fine.

Besos,

Cat