Carolina Connections

When I tell people I'm from "carolina del norte," I never expect them to know where that is. Everyone knows the big cities...NYC, LA, DC. But North Carolina?? Wrongggg.

My stolen sillyband...looks a lot like NC, no?

From day 1 in Spain, I've met plenty of people who have some attachment to the state. I've made a list of what I can remember...I guess it just shows I miss home a little:

1. My old roommate Amar was seeing a girl who grew up in NC, went to ECU, and just moved back to attend grad school at NC State. Turns out I don't know her, but we have some friends in common!
2. At orientation in Madrid, there are Fulbrighters from Davidson, UNCG, UNC, Wake Forest, and Duke.
3. My current roommate Chrstina lived in Greeneville for 1 year when she was a kid
4. Dr. Miro will be going to UNC in 2012 to research the Emergency Department Residency Program
5. Dr. Hernandez is heading to UnC in May to attend a conference on rheumatology
6. I met a girl wearing an old school Larry "GrandMaMa" Johnson Charlotte Hornets jersey. This doesn't belong here, but it was hilarious

Santander

Santander lies on the northern coast of Spain, on the Atlantic Ocean. It's known for it's beautiful sandy beachs, rocky costline, cliffs, and, at times, dreary weather. The plan this weekend was to be outdoorsy, and we were able to do just that.

We explored most of the coast, up to a sweet lighthouse hanging on one of the cliffs. The waves crash harder there...makes me miss the Atlantic just a little. There's also a large castle on an opposite cliff which was built for an English King in the 1800s...this helped spark tourism to the city.

We went climbing Thursday evening at a local bridge. We met up with 4 other Spaniards who were also scaling the 50ft bridge side. Other than a top-rope, we were clinging to small mortar holes and rock overhangs on the side of this bridge. I haven't climbed like that in years. My roommate Jose also climbs, so the next free weekend we'll make our way around Barcelona to do so. After climbing, we met up with Roger's ultimate frisbee team for some night sessions. I've never played ultimate frisbee, nor was I ever a huge fan, but I had a lot of fun, and met some cool people. About 2/3 of the folks were Spaniards, with the remainder being American Auxiliares (similar to the Fulbright English Teachers, Auxiliares are from all over the world and teach language to schoolkids in Spain).

Friday we set out on an excursion to a pueblo outside the city. There's a 150ft freestanding rock formation in the ocean that we want to work our way up to climb. It's pretty sick, but I don't think I can complete it in one piece. After exploring a small cave by the water, we made our way back to meet up with some of our friends from Madrid who made their way up. Friday night turned out to be awesome. I ran into 10 people I met at orientation and spent the night out with them. A light night led to an early morning plane back to Barcelona...

Alicante

I decided to take the train to Alicante, mainly because there aren't really any cheap flights there. Alicante lies on the eastern coast of Spain, about halfway between Barcelona and Sevilla. Many people recommended the city, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

Alicante doesn't have much to see...it's like the rest of Spain on the Mediterranean...beautiful beaches, mountains inland, and perfect weather. What enticed me was this city in no way felt like a tourist town. My friend who I stayed with lives in the barrio which is filled with nightlife and great resturants. I like to think of the city as Spain's college town...most of the inhabitants were Spaniards or ERASMUS (European Exchange Students) and the city catered mainly to them. It's one of those cities where if you lived in for more than 2 weeks, everyone would know your name. I like that about the south...people are nicer and approachable.

The main attraction in Alicante is the palace on the top of the mountain, overlooking the beach. The view was beautiful, and highly worth the climb. Other than that, I was able to see most of the city during a moderate run.

We also ventured to two other nearby cities...Bennidorm and Altea. Bennidorm is where Europe "summers." The city is relatively new with highrise apartment buildings very unlike Spain. As summer is now over, so too are the tourists. Altea is home to the largest Norewegian population outside of Norway. It's quite a city with tiny white homes all over the place.

Shopping...kinda

I'm not a big shopper. Most of the clothes I have were purchased by my mom or sister…I accredit them for my taste. But in an effort to fit in a bit more, I started making what I call "European" additions to my wardrobe. A few problems with this:

1. Clothes in Spain are fairly cheap. And cheap price is, unfortunately, synonymous with cheap quality. Sure they are trendy, and they are designed to do just that. Last as a trend, fall apart after 4 washes, requiring you to buy new stuff next season. That's fine, but I'm used to buying things that last. My favorite shirt is probably 10 years old. Nothing bought in Spain will last that long.

2. Sizes. I hate trying on clothes. Sizing here varies tremendously from store to store. They have different size socks, and a medium is more like a small. And if you pick up the wrong size, go home and try it on, and come back to exchange it, you're outta luck. Returns/exchanges aren't very common, so make sure you like what you are buying…you're getting exactly (and only) what you paid for…

3. I will never, til the day I die, understand why there are 3 H&Ms, 3 Zaras, 2 Cort de Ingles, and 3 Mango department stores all within 100 yards of each other. Seriously, I can walk out of Zara and see the competing Zara across the street, five stores down. It makes no sense, but what do I know…

4. We all know Europeans dress fashionably (read: differently). That's great, except I have a personal problem shopping in a store where I can't tell where the men's section ends and the women's begins. It's especially difficult with pants. Skinny jeans are in for men, as are baggy-ish jeans for women. When you put them right next to each other, the poor American will get confused…

The Art of the Puente

I'm not sure if "puente" has any real meaning, but next to actual holidays, it is Spain's favorite day. Well, that's because puentes are actually the day next to the holiday.

For instance, Tuesday, Oct 12th was a holiday here in Spain. I'm not completely sure if it was to commemorate Columbus Day or a festival in Zaragoza, but it automatically made Monday, Oct 11th the puente. And on puentes, people don't work. Many shops are closed, business take off, and people enjoy the long weekend.

Apparently if a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the puente will automatically be the Monday or Friday. The Monday puente is ideal when you couple it with the customary Friday half-day. If you plan it right, you're looking at a 4.5 day weekend.

I asked my roommates what happens if the holiday is on Wednesday. They laughed and said "que piensas?!" (what do you think?!?)

Down to Business

It's been a little over a month and things are finally starting to sink in/settle down. There are still plenty of distractions (fiestas), but I'm getting into a little "routine," especially at work. My goal for the first 2 months while I'm studying/completing applications is to get about 20 hours of work in at the hospital, and scale up to a full-time schedule eventually.

I'm working directly with Maria Asenjo, the Cap'de Econoadministritiva in the Emergency Department, roughly the same position as an Administrative Director. She's very smart (MBA from ESADE), very well connected (husband is the CEO of another hospital outside BCN), and extremely nice. Unfortunately, she is also very busy, especially with all of the changes that are going on in the department.

Since my unofficial title at the hospital is "Interno de Econoadministritiva," I've been asked to help conduct a few analyses for a few of the physicians in the department. One, which has been quite interesting, is the economic cost of psychiatric overdose patients. I'm working specifically on one case, organizing direct and indirect costs, and analyzing the outcomes of procedures. It's interesting because the patient has tried to committ suicide 3 times, with her latest try destroying her liver. Because she was young, she was put on the top of the liver transplant list and had an operation within 2 days, while others on the list wait months. Because of the reimbursment structure, the hospital lost a lot of money on this specific patient, who will likely (statistically speaking) try suicide again. Moreover, this patient used resources which could have been spent on others. Public healthcare draws lines, and while I'm not drawing it, the research I'm doing will help to quantify the resources spent to keep these types of patients alive.

Another study I'm involved in is on the cost of Acute Heart Failure descompensation in Spain. I'll be crunching numbers again, but it looks like I have the opportunity to be published in 3 articles while here on my Fulbright (the 2 mentioned above and one of my own). I guess that's pretty exciting, even though I never saw myself as an actual researcher.

What's funny is I'm realizing that help isn't free, even in Spain. I'm apart of a barter system and where I give a little, I get a little. For helping Maria, she has offered me use of her cabin in the mountains for a ski trip this winter. My roommates were stoked to here this, especially as we began planning a few trips together. Dr. Miro has baited me with all of his connections and the opportunity to visit other hospitals, including one in the Canary Islands, San Sebastian, Cordoba, and Alicante. I can't say no to that...

This weekend has been fairly chill. I've been cooking a lot more and got back on my running regiment. I'm signing up for a lot of upcoming races across Spain as it will be a great opportunity to supplement my travel. Talk soon

Casual Sunday

The past few days have been a whirlwind. I feel like so much has happened, but nothing at all. A few quick stories:

On Tuesday, I arrived at the police station to apply for my NIE (Residency Card). This was my second attempt, and although I got there at 7:30am (1.5 hours before they opened), I found myself somewhere around number 150 in line. Great. I humored myself, got in the second line, and crossed my fingers I would be seen before my 11am meeting at the hospital. Unknowingly, I sat next to a fellow American student who was studying Spanish at the University. She was number 1 in our line. I was number 77. Great. We talked a little about our experiences in the city thus far and what exactly brought us here. This was her second go-round in BCN and she was accustomed to the pace. Unfortunately, she was missing an important form (the Empadronamiento mentioned earlier) that was required for the NIE. I knew my meeting at the hospital was much more important that obtaining my residency (I've been waiting 2 weeks to meet with Maria, the Economist/Administrative Head of the ED), but I was so close. My American friend saw my unrest and out of nowhere, traded numbers with me. Not two minutes later, they called my (her) number and I was off. I thanked her immensely but never got her name. Phantom American friend...if we ever meet again, I owe you a cafe amb llet! When the lady in the office looked through my papers, she gave me a little trouble for not having any documentation from the hospital. I actually have this, just forgot to print it out (oops). I pleaded with her, showed my dimple/half smile, and 10 minutes later, received my NIE (errr certificate...I have to go pick the actual card up in 30 days at some office on the other side of town).

That day at the hospital, I had a very fruitful meeting with Maria. It was more of a job interview. We talked through my resume and my experiences in healthcare. I had 0 question time, but she asked me to give the Medical Director of the ED a presentation on some of the work I have done. In English. Sweet...time to prove my worth. Later, I was invited to a meeting with the Chairman and CEO of the hospital. They both looked at me funny, but acknowledged my presence as we talked about flu vaccines.

I stayed with my friends Ted and Isabella for one last night as a couch surfer. As I cooked dinner for all my previous hosts, I decided to grill up a feast for the three of us. Grilled chicken, asparagus, bell peppers, and onions, along with real mashed potatoes, chocolate cake and ice cream. Not very Spanish of me, but it made us all nostalgic for home and the glories for fall football and tailgates.

I (finally, after 15 long days of surfing around) moved into my flat with Jose, Christina, and Elena. They are great roommates and I'll post pics soon. I'm living in the very center of town which has its pluses and minuses. Pluses: I can always find food, there's always something to do, I live a short 15 minute walk from everywhere. Minuses: I can always find food, it stays pretty loud until late, and the shops and their metal shutters open early. Also, I'm right next to the cathedral, with a bell that chimes every 15 minutes. Haven't decided if that's a plus or a minus...

I went to a Spanish rendition of Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet" with a friend from the hospital. I'm trying to take advantage of every opportunity I can to improve my comprehension, including watching Spanish TV. The play was very well done, and I understood about 75% of what was going on. I'm adding the poem on my list of books to read...

The other night a group of us got together to attend the Festival de Les Corts, one of the barrios in Barcelona. Ted and Isabella's friends from San Francisco were performing swing music with the Barcelona Big Blues Band. Barcelonians, both young and old, have an immense love for music. All types of music. My roommates play everything from Jack Johnson to Eagle Eye Cherry (not just "Save Tonight") to Frank Sinatra in the house. I'm starting to think I picked the right city..

Today was Sunday Funday. As part of our tradition, we went out in search for Paella. Izzy worked her bargaining magic (somos estudiantes pobres) and got us bread, salad, paella, drinks, dessert, and cafe all for 10Euros. The sign on the door said 17Euros...
 

2010 Barcelona Air Show

After our lunch, we made our way to the beach for the annual air show. I've never seen so many amazing flyovers in my life. There had to be over 100 planes, jets and 747s included, flying over the Mediterranean. We joined another group of immigrant students in an epic game of beach volleyball, and watched the sun begin to set on our weekend.

This week's goal is to try and form some sort of routine. This will prove difficult, as the next 3 weeks are anything but routine.

Talk soon

La Mercé

 "Many are the visitors who come to Barcelona and quite a few, on a repeat visit, have even succeeded in discovering the most hidden corners of the city. However, only those who have been here during La Mercè can claim to know the city inside-out. This is when the soul of the city is shown in the clearest way. The festival mixes the latest street events, music and dance with deeprooted traditions, including gunpowder and Mediterranean fireworks. Do you really want to get to know Barcelona? We are waiting for you at La Mercè."

That's what the brochure says. I feel lucky to have experienced two of these festivals but feel nowhere near competent enough to guide myself through the city without my iPhone. Here are a few things I learned about the people of Barcelona:

Fireworks off of the Capitol Building...with 100,000+ people below

Fire Walk

1. Barcelonians love fire(works)
The city spent millions of euros on pyrotechnics. There were fireworks on the beach every night, with a grand 1 hour finale at Plaza Espanya in conjunction with a laser, water, and music show which over 300,000 people attended.

One of the traditions of the festival is the "fire walk." This took place at dusk on Saturday on calle de La Laietana. The significance is to show the doors of hell opening and the demons and fire which lie inside. So, demons "escape" from the float and come out into the street with massive sparklers, fireworks, dragon creatures, and flames, making their way to the crowd. I have a burnt t-shirt to prove it.

My man Daby Tourè rocked the stage (clip here)

2. Barcelonians love live music
Every night the festival had live music running on 4-5 stages set up across the city. Music and performances started early in the afternoon and would run non-stop until 3-4am. The guest city at this year's Merce was Dakkar, Senegal, so I was lucky to hear some of their music. Also present was a salsa band, an 80s-90s American Rock cover band, famous Spanish rock groups, a Catalan group, and some Reggaeton. This was the best free concert that didn't cost $10 I have ever been to (funny how I can still laugh at that).

Competicion de Castellers

Homegirl was in the zone. And praying. Bravery knows no age.

3. Barcelonians love to be different
This festival is not national. It's specific to Catalonia, the province/autonomous state where Barcelona lies. One key event is the "castellers," or human towers. I was "lucky" enough to be used as part of the base support for the Castellers de Vilafranca, the defending Catalonian champions. Being part of the base means you have people climb/walk on your shoulders, and should the tower collapse, you help support the fall. I don't think I've ever been as nervous in my life. No training, nothing. A single sneeze could ruin it and cause a poor 4 year old child to come tumbling 9 stories to the ground (which happened to the team before us, but the show went on). Regardless, it was an amazing experience and I was lucky to have participated

There's so much more the festival. I hope you all can experience it one day. A little secret...after Merce last fall, I decided to choose Barcelona as the city to base my research out of. Talk soon.