S2,D18: Adios Amigos

We’re at the end of the road and my students are off on their flights back home. A good time to reflect on how far we’ve come. To recap, I led 20 students to Spain in the pursuit of understanding what makes Spain so darn healthy. And I’ve come to a new conclusion this year that seems so obvious. The factors that determine one’s “healthiness”overlap directly with the factors that determine one’s “happiness”. 

For years, I’ve followed the research of Dr. Robert Lustig who has written a book on the four C’s of happiness (https://robertlustig.com/4cs/). Coping, cooking, contributing and connecting. Lustig’s research shows these four things result in lasting feelings of happiness as opposed to short-term feelings of pleasure that come from things like sex, drugs, money, and material gain. And there’s physiological evidence to support this work. When I made this connection, a light turned on. Let’s dive in.

Coping. Check! This is a low hanging fruit and something we tend to overly focus on in western cultures. Coping is about self-care with sleeping, physical activity, and stress management as examples of coping. In Spain, both the physical environment and culture make it easier for one to achieve these health behaviors on a regular basis.

Cooking. Check! As we’ve discussed, cooking with friends and families is a regular occurrence in Spain. And the types of foods that are cooked and consumed tend to follow the Mediterranean diet, which is uber-healthy. So I guess double check!

Contributing. Check! Spanish government is more socialist than many countries. Taxes are higher but they go towards supporting resources that are available to all including fancy trains, excellent schools, and public art, which just makes the whole journey so beautiful.The social safety net is very strong, resulting in fewer people falling through the cracks. And there’s just a general sense that giving to others is the right thing to do here. “A rising tide lifts all boats” and all that. 

Connecting. Triple Check! Spain is a uniquely social place and is literally built on the idea that humans need to connect often and deeply. Both the physical environment and culture lend themselves to supporting social cohesion and social capital. 

Over the past 18 days, my class has experienced all four of these things in abundance. We’ve been extremely physically active, mostly due to the walkable environment. I’m averaging 17,000 steps/day and haven’t so much as sniffed a gym in Spain.We’ve cooked together and shared many meals together. We’ve supported each other. And we’ve connected.

Aayusha, Ava, Alyssa, Claire, Emma, Ellie, Elly, Eli, Ella, Hallie, Maisy, Molly, Kat, Leah, Lexi, Lily, Lexi, Paige, Tiffany, and Sam…20 amazing students who I now consider friends. And that’s what this experience (and life?) is all about, isn’t it?  The relationships you build. I can’t wait to see what they do to make this world a healthier and happier place. 

I hope it involves little boats. And tapas. And Tinto de Veranos. ;) 

If little boats don’t bring your stress down, I don’t know what will!

We hiked TWO mountains together on this trip…take that nature!

We cooked ourselves some paella. A little crunchy, but damn delicious!

Connection. ❤️🇪🇸

S2, D17: God’s Architect

 If you are in Barcelona for more than 5 minutes, there’s a solid chance you’re going to hear the name Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi was a designer, an architect, and a very proud Catalan. Gaudi is likely the most famous architect in Spanish history and his presence can be felt in many areas of Barcelona. He is most widely known for his work designing Sagrada Familia, which is the most widely visited church in the world. Our team had the opportunity to visit multiple Gaudi sites and from my rudimentary perspective, it’s easy to understand why he is so revered here. He even earned the name “God’s architect” which…you know…is pretty good I suppose. 

Our first visit was to a place called Park Güell. This is actually more of a garden than a park. It was originally designed to be a neighborhood full of homes, but this plan flopped and didn’t come to fruition. Today the park is a combination of flowers and structures designed by Gaudi. What makes his work so interesting as his focus on including natural elements into his designs. Gaudi felt that nature was perfect and  if he could design anything that resembled nature (e.g. a snail shell, an ocean wave, a tornado, etc…) then he was in a good place. I can get behind the school of thought. 

Next, we visited Sagrada Familia. This place is simply amazing. It’s a cathedral that has been under construction for over 100 years. (And I thought it took the city too long to fix that pot hole in front of my house!) The detail of Gaudi’s work is almost over overwhelming. Scratch that, it’s over overwhelming… but in the most amazing way. The entire façade of the church is covered in natural elements, including bugs, flowers, fruit, stars, etc. (I think I caught a bowl of broccoli in there somewhere .) There’s symbolism and storytelling embedded in his work. And at the end of it, you wonder how this guy had the time to think of these things and turn those ideas into reality. Turns out he never married and was a bit of a workaholic until his untimely death. In the last year of his life, he actually moved into Sagrada Familia. On one of his daily walks he was hit by a tram and died a few days later. An unfortunate ending, but his work continues as Sagrada was picked up by other architects and is now scheduled to be completed by 2033.

Gaudi’s work is like something I’ve never seen before. He was an artist in every sense of the word. But he was also extremely progressive and considerate. He designed his structures to be environmentally sustainable, and even thought about how his structures could handle rainfall and conserve water for the people living in the area. He was clever.  Sagrada has different colored stained glass windows on the east and west sides of the building. So when you enter the building in the morning, the experience is entirely different than an afternoon visit. 

We were also fortunate to hear from a local professor, Dr. Oriel Marquet on Barcelona’s urban planning strategies and how they influence the hair health of Barcelonians. In many ways, it feels like Gaudi’s forward thinking design has had a ripple effect on the design of the city. Barcelona is considered one of the most walkable cities in the world. They have streets that accommodate cars, bikes and buses. They have led the world in implementing super blocks which limit car travel in certain neighborhoods with intention of supporting ability. They even have policies to reduce noise pollution, which helps ensure all residents are able to get their beauty sleep. 

Collectively, my impression of Barcelona is that it is a very well design city. It’s a city that is designed to ensure the people are well. And seeing this gives people like me, who are in the business of promoting wellness, a lot of of hope. When buildings and cities are designed properly, it ensures all inhabitants have access to health supporting resources. And this makes the healthy choice the easy choice. 

The crew posing in the Market at Park Guell. That’s a lot of mosaics!

More from Park Guell.  Looks like a gingerbread house right?

Casa Bottlo…notice the skeletal pieces on the facade. 

Casa Vicens. Very cubie. Makes me think of Tetris.

Sagrada Familia. It’s a lot bigger in person.

This is the orange/red light that you feel in the evenings. This is meant to depict the season of fall.

The three-dimensional crosses on the church were designed to emphasize the idea that God lives in all directions.

Dr. Marquet dropping some knowledge on young minds. 

S2,D16: Markets = Life

 Today we had class followed by a visit to a local market. Class for this experience are nothing like the classes I hold while at the university in a typical semester. Rather than me lecturing on while students do their best to feign some level of interest, classes here are simple and to the point. I do not have a text book or PowerPoint slides. Just a simple agenda of topics to discuss. The city is our textbook. Discussions revolve around our observations and give students an opportunity to reflect on those observations. We focus on learning.  And I don’t have to drag it out of them! Perhaps it’s because they’re more interested in the conversation we are having. I’m learning it’s also partly due to their comfort level with me and their peers. Students are willing to put themselves out there which is wonderful to see. I love seeing these kids come out of their shells.  This all makes me wonder how I can bring some of this back to my typical classes. This is something I’ll be considering on the long flight home. Tapas during class perhaps?! 

Our visit to the market was wonderful. There are two kinds of markets in Spain. There are markets that locals visit to purchase the foods they need to take home and prepare meals. The second type of market is the more commercialized version, tailored to the desires of tourists. These markets tend to have takeaway options, but also include full restaurants and bars embedded within. Their are places to sit and enjoy the delicacies you find. Both are lovely. We visited the old style market and were introduced to the experience by a local tour guide named Anna. 

We learned that markets are the heart and soul of cities in Spain. This is where the life is she said. “If you want to understand a city in Spain, visit the market and the cemetery.” I thought this was strange at first, but there’s a lot of truth to it. Life and death. Local markets are filled with vendors who are experts in their fields. They get to know their customers on a first name basis and often times hold demonstrations and cooking classes on the weekends for folks who don’t know how to use the products they’re selling.  In Spain, markets include everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, to fresh seafood, to olives, to cured meats, and even sweets for dessert.

We had the opportunity to taste some of the local cheeses, olives, and cured meats at a local market.  We ended our tour by going to a local restaurant that is supplied by this market. The specific type of restaurant we visited is something called a Pinxto Restaurant, which is unique to the Barcelona area. Pinxto’s are like little snacks on skewers that you might get on the go. They vary but could include things like a slice of fresh bread, topped with a local with cheese, olives, and tomatoes. Or something more savory. Usually a person will go and grab two or three pixto’s and pair it with a glass of wine, beer or cold beverage. Brilliant! 

To round out my market experience, I went to La Boqueria market which has been rated as the best market in the world. This market used to be for locals, but has slowly transitioned to a market for tourists. Don’t tell the locals, but I friggin love it! It is indeed alive and full of an extremely diverse group of people.  Today for lunch, I had a steak skewer, an empanada, and a cup of the most amazing sliced mango I’ve ever had. All for about €10. Local, delicious, and inexpensive. What’s not to like?!

Inside of the old-school market. Very nice and relaxed. 

Many markets have little chapels inside them. Maybe to protect the food?

The façade of this market was designed to depict the chaos and life that lives within the market.

Pinxto is Spanish for “delicious on-the-go snack”. That’s probably not true…but it should be. 

La Boqueria…you got your fruits and veggies…

You got your fishes…

And of course you got your sardines and spices…?

S2, D14: Father’s Day Off

 I wasn’t going to post anything today. I had the day off today.  It’s also Father’s Day. And for the second year in a row, I’m without my wife and two kids. A streak I’m not all that proud of.  I spent most of the day wondering if my being away from my family three weeks a year is worth it.  And one of my students tonight actually asked me that very question. In that moment, I blurted out “I don’t know”…and then immediately regretted saying it. 

On the one hand, this is a great gig. I get to live in two of the most beautiful cities in the world and experience all that they have to offer…while also being paid! (Cue the violin right?) This is also one of the most rewarding professional experiences of my career. Academia is rife with feelings of imposter syndrome. You’re constantly surrounded by brilliant people at all times and it can be humbling. But in this role, I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and that I’m pretty good at it.  I feel like I’m having a positive impact. I can see lights turning on within these students that will never turn off. 

But on the other, I do all those things without MY crew. Tonight my son needed me and all I could offer was a few words over the phone. I’m missing ball games, movie nights, and goofy conversations that I’m not going to get back.  It’s a mind job of the Nth degree. I hate that I have to leave them to do this. 

But tonight, this amazing group of students took it upon themselves to invite me to dinner and celebrate my Father’s Day. All 20 of them.  They bought me a Coke with my name on it, made me a card with handwritten notes, and even paid for my dinner. It was too much. The notes are kind and genuine.  I’ve written before that Sundays are for family in Spain. And while I’m not with MY family (and these students are not with their fathers), I so appreciate spending this Father’s Day with this new family we’ve created. 

S2, S12: Exercise & Sport

We are in Barcelona and we’ve kept busy! One day one, we visited the Olympic Village and Museum of Barcelona. The Olympics were held here in 1992 making me the only person in this group who actually members watching the Barcelona Olympics. Whatever.  For those of you old/cool enough to remember, this is the Olympics to feature the dream team, arguably the greatest basketball team ever. assembled. That’s right Gen Z!!  Importantly, this was a time in which Spain had been freed of the fascist government of General Franco and was ready to demonstrate their new fancy democracy to the world. In an effort to demonstrate their inclusive culture, the Barcelona Olympics was the first to hold the Paralympics and featured a Paralympic archer who shot an arrow to light the torch. The Barcelona Olympics was also the first international event to ban smoking outdoors, which is not a small thing in a country like Spain, where you smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. 

While many cities that host the Olympics tend to overspend their budget by building massive facilities that sometimes go unused following the event (Qatar, cough, cough) Barcelona decided to retrofit an existing early 1900’s facility to host their event. The stadium is now is the temporary home of the Barcelona football club and hosts many other concerts and sporting events. It’s also now  home to one of the most amazing gardens I have ever seen. It’s like a jungle! Ironically, Guns N’ Roses just held a concert here last week…Welcome to the Jungle indeed! 

In the evening, we were fortunate to go on a two hour biking tour of the El Born neighborhood and the iconic Barceloneta beach area. Those who know me know this is one of my most favorite activities. It’s the best way to see a city in my opinion. It’s also a great way to lose a student so this brought me a bit of anxiety. (Keep your hands on the wheel Ellie!!) This would not have been possible in Madrid. While Madrid is a very walkable city, it is definitely not bike friendly. Well, Madrid streets resemble wide sidewalks, Barcelona Streets include lanes for cars, buses, bikes and sometime trams! It’s an urban planer’s dream. After our bike ride, we felt it best to partake in beach festivities and enjoyed a pitcher of deliciousness that combined some sort of mango juice with cava, which is the Spanish version of champagne. Magic in a glass after a hot ride.

On day two, we took a day trip to the Santa Maria Mountserat Montasery. This is considered to be one of the most important areas of the entire Catalonian region as it is the site in which a statue of the Virgin of Montserrat was found in 880 (not a typo).  In 1025, the monastery was founded which still is active today with about 70 monks living in the abbey. Catalonians are a proud people who speak their own language (Catalan) that combines Spanish, French and Italian. Many Catalonians would prefer to separate themselves from Spain as they feel they could easily sustain themselves. There is an ongoing beef here that likely will not be resolved anytime soon. 

After a 3 to 4 mile hike around the region, we stopped for lunch at a nearby restaurant. This was not any restaurant but rather a picturesque farmhouse located on an olive farm. This is a place you would see on the movies. I wasn’t sure if I was in Spain or but the Italian countryside.  We were presented with multiple Mediterranean courses which included fresh vegetables, delicious breads, cured meats, paella, crème brûlée for dessert, and espresso of course. 

One might think after a full day of hiking in the sun and filling our bellies to the brim, these kids would sleep on the hour long bus ride back home. One would be wrong! The students decided to serenade us by singing the entire catalog of the a cappella soundtrack from the movie Pitch Perfect. This is a unique group of humans. They all seem to enjoy each other’s company and genuinely care for each other. As Ice Cube would say, today was a good day.

On the front steps of Olympic Stadium. “Do you know where you are?!? You’re in the jungle baby!!”

The Olympic torches used to transfer the flame for the Games.

The Stadium Olympic torch lit by a Paralympic archer in ‘92. Where did the flaming arrow land?

The W hotel on the Barconelets beach. Looks like a sailboat eh?

The statue of the Virgin from 880. People were smaller then. 

The president of FC Barcelona just so happened to be at the monastery celebrating Barcelona’s 125th anniversary. It’s common for fans to walk 46 km from Barcelona to this annual festivity.

One of the many crosses hung on outlooks in the region. 

Students enjoying a hard earned lunch at Masia Vinyanova. This place is just magical. 

 

S2, D8: Healthcare for all

Today we visited a private hospital in Madrid and were lucky to hear from Dr Cardinal Fernandez Pablo, a clinician and Director research at a local university. Our objective was to learn more about the Spanish healthcare system, and how it differs from the system we have at home. The differences are dark and the outcomes are not surprising.

The United States is the only country in the world who uses a private market based system where individuals receive care based on who can afford it. I’ll say it again…we are the ONLY country that files this system.  Spain follows joins Denmark and other Nordic countries that use a Beveridge model for health care is publicly available and funded through taxes. There is a third model that France, Germany, and a few other countries use called the Bismarck model, which is paid for employees and employees, insurance is required, and hospitals are private but highly regulated. 

Spain has both public and private hospitals. Everybody has access to the public system. Public hospitals Offer all essential treatments, but they can’t take a while to get into. If you have minor issues and you want to be seen quickly, your best bet is to go to a private hospital. The cost for private hospitals is somewhere around €50 per month. 

Spain view healthcare as a human right I consider all things that impact help to be part of the health system, including car, safety, environmental safety, food safety. They extend far beyond just having a place to go when you get sick or injured. 

And the outcomes? Spaniards live longer healthier lives. Infant mortality rates are lower. Vaccination rates are north of 95%. And freely available mind you. The cost of care is far lower and the percent of GDP spent on healthcare in Spain (9.3%) is half of what it is in the United States (17.8%) meaning we spend way more on our healthcare for much worse quality care. 

As I’m writing this, I’m reading about the first cases of measles to present themselves in my home state of Iowa. Spain, and all other developed countries in the world do not have measles outbreaks. Why? Because RFK and the agencies he now runs have sown doubt on the safety and efficacy of vaccines. They ignore long established scientific literature, showing vaccinations are both safe and effective for preventing measles and other communicable diseases that we had previously eradicated. Vaccines don’t cause autism. They cause adulthood. It’s time we stop playing politics with our healthcare and go back to relying on evidence and science-based practice. 

Dr. Pablo explains the holistic viewpoint of healthcare shared by Spaniards. 

This table presents the numbers when comparing the US, France, and Spain. This numbers speak for themselves. 

S2, D10: Classes that Cook Together…

 Our time in Madrid has come to a close and we are off to Barcelona for phase two of this journey. And you know what that means dear reader. It’s train time! Woowoo!!!! (Insert train arm gesture) 

On our last day in Madrid, we took a cooking class where we learned how to make Spanish tortilla, paella, and Tarta de Santiago (Spanish almond cake). Cooking classes are an excellent investment. You learn quickly that cooking is more than just following a recipe (or not following it in my case). It’s an opportunity to connect with family, friends, and one’s roots. Similar to the grilling culture in the US where the process itself often doubles as the main event. (“Looks like that one’s burning buddy.” - Annoying Armchair BBQ Guy) 

Spanish tortilla (our starter) is a simple dish made of potato, eggs, olive oil, and possibly onions depending on which side of this most serious debate you fall. (I’m an onion man and I’m damn proud of it!)  The dish can be found at all Spanish restaurants and is acceptable at anytime time of day. It’s also quite inexpensive costing 3-5 Euro. It tastes and looks like kiche or egg bake if you will. It can be runny or firm to your preference (I’m a medium well guy and I’m….!!!). And Spaniards have strong opinions on this like most things. 

The paella was the star of the show. Paella is a common dish that nearly all families make on a regular basis, usually Sunday. And everyone’s grandma makes the BEST paella. ;) It’s named for the pan used to make it (a paella pan…good!).  It’s thought of as “rice with things”.  “Things” usually include whatever was available in abundance and generally include protein (seafood, pork, chicken, rabbit, snail) and vegetables (peas, carrots, onions, peppers, etc). It’s like stir fry…but don’t call it that for God’s sake! The process starts with browning the veggies  in olive oil. Next you add saffron and spice into the oil which gives both flavor and color.  Then the protein is added. Next the broth (in our case a broth made with prawn heads…that’s right) and then the rice. Bomb rice is a short grain rice that absorbs liquid well for a great flavor. A key to this meal is how long to cook the dish. The browning can go on for a bit with the intent of ensuring the liquid is absorbed and developing the crispy goodness that sticks to the pan. I’m told people will fight for these bits of culinary delight. I get it. 

Lastly we made a Tarta de Santiago cake with almond flour, egg, cinnamon and sugar. The cake is topped with powdered sugar speckled onto the cake with stencil of the St Santiago symbol. This is easy and a very nice ending for the meal. 

After cooking, we eat together and enjoy each other’s conversation. The meal, while delicious, is really a means to an end. The end being the opportunity to connect and share with those close to us. And our group has become remarkably close on this trip. I know more about these students after 8 days than I do most students I spend a full semester with. This makeshift family is now off to Barcelona (BY TRAIN!!!) to experience a new city and to close out our journey. I’m ready.  Vamanos!! (Let’s go!!) 

Early steps cooking the Spanish tortilla. 

The Things that go in the paella. 

Our instructor approved of our paella. I think. She didn’t speak any English but she smiled. 

Baking the cake is an important step. 

Ain’t she pretty? 

S2:D6 Madrid Curiosities

Today is not about health. Today is about some of the curiosities and hidden gems we have come across during our stay in Madrid. The city of Madrid has over 3 million people so it stands to reason there’s going to be some weird things found in the city. 

The first curiosity is what is known as the tooth mouse of Spain. When a child loses a tooth, the tradition is for children to place it under their pillow and a mouse named Ratoncito Perez comes to exchange the tooth for small gifts or coins. The fun part about this is there are hundreds of little mouse holes and houses hidden in the city.

Number two our new list is the cookie shop embedded within a no leave monastery named Monasterio del Corpus Christi.  Women who choose to dedicate their entire lives to God enter…and never leave. These women take vows of silence and don’t speak to each other. To support the operations, these women used to provide services like starching clothes. The starching process used egg whites which made the clothes quite stiff (and gross if you ask me).  At some point, this group decided to use the leftover yokes to make cookies. Today these cookies are sold to the public and are quite popular. The process is fascinating. After hitting a buzzer, you are allowed into a small room where you order your cookies. The client places money on a spinning wheel. On the other side of the wheel is a bag of cookies. There is no face-to-face conversation with any of the nuns during this process. It’s like an ancient vending machine. 

And can we talk about Taco Bell? In Spain, when you order a meal at Taco Bell, you have two side options, nachos or French fries!? That’s borderline sac-religious! They make up for it by allowing you to buy a beer with your meal and having an excellent recycling system.  We’re good again TB. 👊

Lastly, let’s talk about rooftops. As in rooftop restaurants and bars. The density of Madrid can make things quite chaotic. The appeal to step away from that chaos whilst enjoying a cold beverage is alluring. In our hunt to find a rooftop restaurant, we found this process to be almost like a game. We’ve been turned away from many places for unknown reasons. Their are long line that never seem to move. There are cover charges that don’t make sense.But there are also roofs that are accessible through dark dingy hallways that most would not suspect would lead to anything. We found one of these yesterday on one of the busiest streets in Madrid, Gran Via which is the Michigan Avenue of Madrid for you Chicago land lovers. Like a speakeasy that leads to a magical place filled with chicken wings and Tinto Verano’s. 

S2, D4: On Time

Time is a fascinating construct. More specifically, how we choose to spend our time. In the United States, time is money. We move fast and work hard to maximize our leisure time. Work time and play time are kept separate. A standard work week is 40 hours in most cases. Lack of time is usually the most common barrier preventing people from engaging healthy behaviors which is reserved for leisure time.  It is unacceptable to be late for anything in the United States. Meals times are very different. In the US, 12 pm is lunchtime (often eaten alone at work) and dinner is between 5 and 8 pm. And don’t get me started on daylight savings time!

For better or worse, time is spent differently in Spain. The work week can be shorter or broken up. Doctors in Spain work 8-3 pm (and also get paid much less). In rural areas, it’s common to work from 10-2 PM, take a 2 hour lunch at home with family, then come back and finish the workday from 4 to 7 pm. In these areas, shops close from 2 to 4 pm. With this discounted schedule, a leisurely lunch is integrated into the workday. Meal times in general are later with lunch at 2 pm and dinner at 9 or 10 pm.  It’s also more socially acceptable to be fashionably late for events in Spain. (Hey, I could thrive here!!) 

In Spain, Sundays are reserved for God and family. After church, most families spend the entire day together, cooking food, which usually consists of paella or roasted chicken. With all the socializing, you might think that Spaniards never work or that they might get sick of each other. But this does not seem to be the case. A student of mine suspects the socializing may be the result of Spains liberation from the dictator Franco in 1975. And there may be something to this. All indications suggest Spaniards relish every moment and prefer to spend their time with other others.

It is also clear that Spaniards are motivated a bit differently. The competitive, individualistic drive to secure wealth does not seem to be as high here. Our program directors reported tmany  prefer a decent paying job that they enjoy over a high paying stressful job. This all comes back to how we choose to prioritize our time. Food for thought. 

Yesterday our group spent our Sunday visiting El Rastro flea market, A massive market that’s been held in Madrid weekly since 1740! If you’re in the market for a leather jacket, purse, or soccer jersey, this is the place for you! There are also countless vendors selling clothes, jewelry, furniture, and antiques. Prices are low and the vibes are high. (I should patent that!) 

Following the market, I went solo to the Banksy museum in Madrid. If you’re not familiar, Banksy is the street name for an anonymous artist who has been doing provocative and political street art for the past 25 years. Much of his or her work is anti-capitalism, anti-war, anti-fascism, and pro-environment. Banky’s work has shown up in cities all over the world, including LA, Paris, NYC, the Gaza Strip and war torn Ukraine. While anti-capitalism, Banksy’s work sells for more than nearly any artist in the world. The artist used recent proceeds to purchase a yacht which a donated to a cause to save immigrants who have been drowning in the Mediterranean Sea.  Because it is all public, many pieces have been whitewashed, defaced, or destroyed. The art is not meant for personal consumption or to feed the art market.  Rather the pieces are created for the sole purpose of inspiring ideas and making the world a better place. And in this way they are timeless. See what I did there? ;) 

El Rastro market. If they don’t got it, it don’t exist. 

This piece is found in New York City.

A popular piece found on the wall near the Gaza Strip. Many of his pieces can be found in war torn areas of the world.

Moving from the right to the left, you first think the boy is catching snowflakes but soon realize it’s ash from a dumpster fire. Dark I know. 

Girl painting flowers placed over an existing swastika. 

Girl with balloon is one the most popular pieces. Is she letting go over the balloon or catching it?

S2, D3: GOOAALL!!!

 Soccer (futbol) is king in Spain…and most countries in the world for that matter. If there were a Yankees of European soccer, it might be Real Madrid. They have the most money and can afford to pay the best players.  They have an amazing stadium that is currently receiving a $1 Billion dollar make over so that it can be…even more amazing-er?  The players are considered as gods by fans, not men. And some of the greatest players of all time have dawned the white jerseys. Our group was fortunate enough to attend a legends game which featured recent great players including Raul, Marcelo, and Tony Kroos. While these guys have lost a step, the quality of their footwork and passes is still there. I fear my over 35+ Iowa city men’s league team may not be able to keep up with this crew. ;) 

A Turkish friend of mine has described the sport of soccer as the great equalizer and I think that’s accurate.  It’s a game that is available to all so long as you have a ball and some open grass. It’s not uncommon to see young kids playing with a ball in the middle of the city in Madrid. I’ve played for a number of years and what I like most about this game is the fact that it requires team play in order to succeed. You have to communicate and trust each other. The ball has to be shared amongst all players. When a single player scores, it’s the result of a complex team development. And when a player scores, its lifts the entire team. For the reasons, it is often referred to as “the beautiful game.”

I’m guessing by now you can see where I’m going. The things I like about this game are the same things I like about Spain. Camaraderie. Teamwork. Sharing. This is so much of what makes this place great. 

After the game, I was joined by a few of my students for lunch. We sat, shared some food and beverages, and enjoyed each other‘s conversation. It was hot out, but we were under an umbrella, which was also equipped with a fancy misting machine! (Note: Check dimensions of fancy misting machine.)  I can’t yet tell if these students are just tolerating me and letting me tag along or if they genuinely enjoy my company. I’d like to think the ladder as I’m enjoying hanging with them. It’s an interesting relationship, teacher and students on a study abroad. While they are students, they’re also adults who don’t need to be told what to do.  And while I’m their teacher, I’m also a human living away from my family.  We need each other in different ways and it’s a delicate balance to strike. So far I think this is going quite well and I hope it continues. 

Finally, today is me and my wife’s 17th wedding anniversary! It’s bittersweet. I’m sad that we’re not together. Mostly because I know how much she would love having a full day to explore, adventure, and enjoy the café culture of Madrid. That lady is a sucker for an umbrella,  some twinkle lights, and a glass of wine! I very much look forward to sharing some adventures with her in France when the class is over. Happy Anny Brando!

Bucket list item checked for this guy!

Outside Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. There was a scarf sale. 

I love this team motto. Makes you want to run out there and play doesn’t it?!?!