One Month Down: A Reflection

As of today, I have finished my fourth week of school. After a very emotionally overwhelming first week where I just wanted to quit, things have settled down and the students have become more used to me. The second ESOs even beg to go with me! (And I love them, too!) I’ve almost been here for as much time as last time I was here. Although times definitely get trying and school can be overwhelming, I would say I’m overall enjoying myself. (Thanks, mom, for making me stay). So to celebrate one month, I’ve developed a list of unusual and surprising things from my time here.

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Castells: The Catalan Tradition of Human Towers

Human Towers

By far one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life are castells, or human towers. It’s a tradition in the Catalonia region of Spain. Groups, or collas, come together and build these gigantic human towers with a base, or pinya (literally pineapple), the climbers to form the middle layers, and small children that climb to the top. Yes, SMALL CHILDREN. Like under five years old. In Tarragona, there are two collas: Xiquets and Jove.

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La Diada

Supporters of independence for Catalonia

In the United States on September 11, we mourn the horrific tragedy that occurred on that terrible day in 2001. In the region of Catalonia, it is the National Day of Catalonia, or La Diada, which also is a remembrance day, the day that Barcelona fell to the Bourbons and Catalonia was forced to become a part of Spain.

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