Blog Post 3: Challenges/Comical Misunderstandings

 It is safe to say that this past week and a half in España has humbled me in a variety of ways that I did not know I could be humbled in prior to this experience! Having never left the country before this, I could not comprehend the frustration of struggling to communicate with others for simple everyday tasks. I find myself anxious to enter stores, cafes, bars, etc. because I am worried I will either sound insanely stupid and incorrect, or be at a complete loss for words in my attempt to communicate with individuals about my needs and wants. This is a challenge I never accounted for in the United States, given that I grew up around all English speakers, and never traveled outside of the states. While this is frustrating and challenging, I also have found a new perspective of looking at conflict, where I have began to take on the challenge and try my best to incorporate what I have learned in my everyday experiences without the constant fear of sounding stupid or being incorrect.

    Thus far I have enjoyed my experiences living with a host family, as I find it has been extremely helpful in expanding my Spanish skills, as well as culturing my to new foods, traditions, and customs. At dinners with Mol, I have began trying to incorporate entirely Spanish sentences and stories, although I sometimes need assistance and talking at an extremely slow pace! I cannot guarantee any of these sentences are grammatically correct or sensible, however, it feels a lot more validating to connect with Mol in a way she understands and let her know I am trying my best to adapt. 

    This struggle of communicating oftentimes comes with misunderstandings along the way. When we landed in Madrid, it was much easier to encounter individuals that spoke English pretty well, considering what a a large city packed with tourists. It came to my surprise when I went to order dinner at a restaurant in the city.. I saw the word 'steak' that I was able to identify in Spanish, so I went for it. The waitress did not speak a lick of English, so as she responded to my steak order with a million fast-paced Spanish words and questions, I started to give up and used the (what I though was safe response) of "sí, sí, sí"! While we sat and waited for our food, I was salivating picturing the steak I was about to be served. To my surprise the waitress came out with a platter of.. something. "Gracias", I said as she places what looks like a completely raw, freezing cold, uncooked patty of some sort with an uncooked egg yolk on top. Turns out the questions the waitress asked me that I did not understand at all were confirming with me that I wanted steak tartare.. meaning RAW meat. I had NO idea this was a thing, let alone an edible dish? However, now I stick with the old reliable "croquettas" or "tortilla" because they are guaranteed to be cooked! I learned from this experience to never order an item that you don't understand all the words of and not to say Sí when you have no idea what is being said.