Sitges

These photos were taken in Sitges... which is a little city/town about 20 minutes (or so) out of Barcelona. Great beaches!!!!

The pyrennes

Resort called Val de Nuria near the Spanish-French Border. Its surrounded by the Pyrennes and is incredibly beautiful. I missed the snow capped mountains.... the Spring ones are just as good I guess.


Pyrennes...


More Pyrennes...


I'm sure you get the picture...


The resort..


And again...

Blogging

I have a dream... (I really should stop stealing lines).. to become the ultimate blogger. To blog and document every day and every waking moment of this internship. Im working on it. To realise my dream of blog-artistry....takes time, requires dedication and creativity. For now....I'll stick to moments when inspiration hits. Its hard to condense the weeks into as few words as possible.. so I didn't :) here goes....

I'm a mum....

If all faculties looked like this, then perhaps thought of skipping class would never cross my mind. Or at least would cross it less often.


What I love about Spain. Or rather the lab (because Im not sure if this is country wide yet) is the fact that I get there at 9.05am panting heavily, kicking myself for being late because I slept that extra 10 minutes, only to find that I am the second to arrive.

In general the atmosphere is very relaxed, which is characteristic of Spain. The day starts at 9, which I have figured is just arrival time, because the actual work starts at 10 when my supervisor is done with her coffee. (Im not complaining) The project we are working on in the lab involves nucleoside transporters (wikipedia would be good right about now) To tone it down a little, the research carried out is ultimately beneficial in diagnosing the causes of some disease states, in determining drug treatment and the effects that drugs have on cells,genes, interacting proteins and the brain/central nervous system. Their main work is aimed at anti cancer therapy which I am enjoying a lot because this is what I really wanted to learn about. Each of the 16 people in the lab is working on a different part of the project but hey are al interlinked in some way. A typical day consists of separating and analysing proteins, maintaining cells lines, DNA and perhaps the random Spanish lessons from my labmates: these lessons seem to be a source of great joy for some of them either because of the erroneous sounds I make trying to pronounce words, or the expressions and actions that I use when I try to associate the words In any case, we are having a great time.

So... Im a new mum:) Babies already... (Yes I was paying attention during the talk Larissa :) ) One of the greatest things about this internship so far is that I have been growing and maintaining cells. I have had the opportunity of seeing and working with breast cancer cells, pancreas cells, skin cells and kidney cells. This week I had the chance to grow and maintain my own cell samples and I was so overwhelmed I adopted them all. If anybody is interested in being a godparent, or if youd like the opportunity to be an aunt or an uncle, I have about a million vacancies... literally. (They are growing very well and the phrase, 'oh they grow up so fast' just took on a whole new meaning')

The lab is in a great location along the most important street in the city. It is easily accessible and there is a museum right across the street (convenient for the tourist in me) The museum is actually located at the heart of one of the most beautiful parks/gardens I have ever seen. (Which doesnt say much because I havent been to very many parks.... but if I were to take a guess.. Id say this is some good quality gardening)

My apartment in a really central location about 10 -15 minutes metro from all the tourist spots. I have a huge room.... lots of space and fresh air.. which is good right about now in this heat.

The differences....

EEKAYA!!!! No... not some random chant.... it is the inevitable.... the ''ubiquitous'' Ikea. (ee – kay – ah in spanish) I have trouble getting around IKEA in English... so you can imagine the labrynthic nightmare I had in Spanish Ikea BUT I did manage to find the kitchen section after 20 minutes of going round in circles. I don't usually like to ask for directions when I go to a new place. I feel as if it exposes me as being ''foreign.'' I like to blend, to feel as if I have become a part of the society which in a sense I have by virtue of being there. (also handy for warding off those potential pick pockets) So, I like to look like I know what I am doing and know where I am going (even though I am secretly screaming and panicking inside and when this becomes intolerable, then I'll ask)
So differences I have noticed so far.
1)Lunch here is the main meal. Usually everyone reveals a large, cook-book looking, colourful meal (some with names I can barely pronounce correctly) while I munch on a ham and cheese sandwich. I have tried though to shift my eating habits so I have heavier lunches and lighter dinners, for the positive health benefits. I have failed at this attempt so far as I stay up into the late hours and end up eating heavier meals just before I go to bed. I'll keep trying.
2)The lack of security here drives me a little insane. I have now realised how ''psychologically unnerving '' it is not have something as simple as a lock on a bedroom door. Only the front door and back door have locks which, in my opinion, is futile as all the windows are left wide open during the day and at night the back door is left open too. Anyone could technically walk in and walk out at any time and do as they please. I guess the set back though would be that they would have to be spider man as I live on the second floor of the building. In any case, I am so accustomed to having doors locked, windows closed, valuables placed in secure areas that this was and still is a little disconcerting. When I asked a friend about the possibility of having a stranger entering the house, she shrugged and said ''it doesnt happen often, as long as you live on a busy street.. you're fine'' Wow that simple huh? It will take a bit of time for me to get used to that.
3)You say hello.. or rather hola... to almost everyone you meet. People in the corridor, people by the elevator.. sometimes even passers by.
4)Maniacal motorcyclists! There are motorcycles everywhere and it doesn't matter if the pedestrian signal says go.. You may still get run over. That is self explanatory.

My culture: Who am I?

So what is my culture. I'm like an ogre.. and ogres are like onions... :) Yes I sprout little hairs when you put me in the sun (I dread to think what Ill look like after this internship in sunny Spain) Sorry if I killed that joke for all the Shrek fans! So here we go....
My culture: Its funny how I usually know what the word culture means... but when asked to describe my own.. I went blank. I had to double check my dictionary to make sure I wouldn't go on a tangent. I think culture is dynamic. Of course there will be the fundamental things... the basis on which everything is built.. but I believe that my culture today is in no way the same as my culture a few years ago or even more dramatically.. yesterday. When I talk about culture in this context, I mean ideals, attitudes and behaviours that characterize who I am. My culture has changed according to experiences, where I have lived, the influences around me. Maybe I'm wrong.. perhaps.. this is not a change in culture but a change in another aspect of life. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Philosophy was never my thing:) Based on this, I'd have to say my culture is a culture clash. My culture is the product of two very different cultures which seem to oppose each other: conservative Shona culture (from Zimbabwe) and the more open western culture. I guess I could say I'm the grey..... the in between. A working balance between the two. I have picked up aspects of both cultures and integrated them to create Chiism: The culture of Chi. (very unoriginal. But best way to describe it) I like the mix.. I feel comfortable in the mix. It can get a bit confusing at times.. when circumstance demands for the western culture to be implemented but the Shona culture prohibits. Then its not so easy to be the grey. These situations usually demand non-grey attitudes: follow one or the other. On careful thought, perhaps I'm still on the journey to working out what my culture is.
I'll describe what I know. To make it easier for myself Ill go with the iceberg model as Larissa suggested. The tip of the iceberg: I am a 21 year old, African woman/girl/being who is incredibly ''religious''. I put religious in quotes because I have my opinions about that which could take up an entire post. So Ill go on. I am firmly rooted in my faith and it is a major part of my life. I am Christian and believe that Christ is my salvation and the rock on which I am founded. I believe that My life is for the glory of God. I strive to be holy because my Father in heaven is holy.. my life should reflect Christ... Its a lifelong goal.... I'm still on the journey. This is a major part of my life and consequently determines a lot of what I do, how I think, who I am. Maybe I just went beyond the tip of the iceberg there:) Oh well.. Ill go on. I am fairly conservative in my ways. I set really high goals for myself both academically and in life in general, not giving up easily and incredibly motivated: I want to make my family especially my parents proud. They worked hard to get me where I am today (besides God) and all I want to do is show how much I appreciate that. I believe in hard work getting me to where I need to get. If I want something I am going to work by all means to get it. I can be impulsive at times (thanks to my dad) and stubborn as rightly pointed out by my best friend and very opinionated. These latter characteristics though only manifest themselves when I feel I'm being provoked in some way. I like to think I'm funny.. only few have experienced this though. This is because my sense of humour is ''wack''! (I think its great) And Chopie (my best friend) is always there to remind me that I'm not funny. What are friends for right. I love to sing, though I think I'm losing it.. and I LOVE .. NO ADORE.. NO THERE'S NO WORD for the relationship that chocolate and I have. Its incredible. I once ate brownies three times a day for three days... the only reason I stopped was because I ran out of brownie mix. Bordering addiction perhaps.I believe in relativity.. everything is relative to something else. Statement I overuse: 'Its all relative' (Courtesy of the Vels.. physics '02-'05) So that's the surface.. now the digging. The stuff below the iceberg...I am incredibly family oriented. I will choose family over most things. (I want to say all) I think that's a very Zimbabwean/African characteristic. Correct me if I'm wrong. Family is placed above everything.. and I have inherently acquired this characteristic. I am a ''people-person.'' I thrive on relationships. The hardest thing about living in Canada so far is having to live with myself at times and learning to appreciate just being me. Loving my own company and dwelling in the abyss of my thoughts. (truth be told I just wanted to use the word abyss there....lol) I come from a big family.. before Canada.. I had no idea what living alone really meant. I put my all into all the relationships I have, When I say my all.. I mean I give 100% emotionally because I want people to see the best of me and I want the best of them. This has proved detrimental and disappointing at times and made me think that maybe 100% isn't worth giving. Or perhaps I give it too freely or to the wrong people. Friendship is of great importance to me. I find it very hard though to trust a second time if there's a ''breach'' in that friendship. Random facts: I cant go more than two days without speaking to Chopie, which has left me broke on many occasions. I talk to one of my brothers every day( except weekends.. unless hes randomly online), the other brother, once every few weeks and my parents once a week! (I wasn't kidding when I said I value relationships)And my beloved Paulinha...(My other best friend) I actually have no words to describe how amazing she is to me :) This friendship.. I cant express with words, because no words are good enough.

In Zimbabwe, I would be considered ''musalad'' - A salad. lol. Typical expression used for the black person with white tendencies. I went to private schools for all of my nursery, primary and secondary education. I was exposed to largely white populations of students and this had a big impact in the way think, the way I perceive the world and how the world perceives me. I have been called everything from salad to oreo to coconut: black on the outside, white on the inside... and thank goodness there aren't very many other things with this combination of colours.

The best thing about it though is that I am colour blind and culture blind! I have no problems being part of any ethnic group.. I'll find something to connect with. I have had at least one white or non black best friend at all stages of my life and not gender specific either: Jason in nursery school, Martin and Natalie in primary and Paula high school till present.(I used to be a tomboy.. and part of the way I am/dress still reflects this). I find it interesting how in the 'world' I grew up in and in all my experiences, its colour that has determined the cultural differences.

Only in the last 5 years of my life have I been able to connect to the non-salad Zimbabwean side.. thanks largely to Alice (my cousin) who I guess helped in the transition. She's easy going and fits in both spheres.... she made me more acceptable to the ''other side''. (by association.. lol)

And now in Canada.. I miss the Zimbabwean way of life. I am slowly adapting to the western way of life (which isn't a bad thing) but it is becoming more evident how much of a role my root culture plays in my life. So I guess I'm the darker shade of grey.

So if asked to put that into a nutshell, I'd probably say I'm black on the outside. .grey on the inside. An oreo gone wrong? Or a limited edition oreo?..... I'll go with the latter.

In the beginning.....

Spain! wohoo!! Me gusta Espana!!! The first Spanish sentence I learnt.. apart from ''me casa es su casa'' which is one of the random Spanish sentences everyone knows. (I assume) So after a few days of cross country road trips to collect my passport,(Thank you Avik and Tao. You guys are more than amazing and I am more than grateful to have you as friends) I finally made it to Barcelona (pit stop in Amsterdam) Reasons for peanut butter title... keep reading

I arrived and went straight to the lab.. no time wasting.. I want to get as much out of this experience as I can :) The people n the lab are great! They were all so excited to meet me and they are all practising their english.. which they think is pretty cool. Most are phD students and a few post doc students. Very advanced stuff. They are working on transporters in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. Mind blowing stuff!!! On Friday I got to watch one of the post doc's working on breast cancer cells...... the biology nerd in me is screaming AAAWWEESOME!!!!! Day three and already I have learnt so much. Of course coffee was a must because I could hardly stay awake :) I know I'm not meant to be drinking coffee.. but in the interests of making a good impression and not falling asleep midway through an experiment.. it had to be done.

I have devised ways of overcoming the language barrier. Finding new ways of communication can be hard but it can be done. Pointing and babel fish have become the most useful resources. This made me think though... language isn't such a big deal. Communication is not solely in language....(though it is a big part of it) the barrier can be overcome although it gets rather tiring! Consequently as soon as I leave the lab I don't talk much. lol.. this may be a blessing in disguise :) In the past three days.. my standard of English has also declined. I say this because in order to communicate in English (when it is absolutely necessary) I condense sentences.. and am forced to think of the simplest word structures possible. My flatmates speak English too. All except one.. who is trying really hard.. and we're working on it.

So the title of this blog refers to peanut butter and youre probably wondering.. how that ties in with this blog. If you weren't wondering.. start wondering :) Ok so the strangest thing... a very enlightening fact actually is that peanut butter is one of the hardest things to find in Spain. YEP peanut butter!! I spent ten minutes looking for peanut butter in a supermarket and could not find it. I searched all the aisles... including the juice aisles and the detergent aisles just to make sure I wasnt missing some cultural anomaly. I asked my flatmate if she knew where I could find it. PROBLEM: she had no idea what I was talking about! Another ten minutes later after trying to describe this wondrous thing called peanut butter, we had gone from ''Is it toast?'' to her showing me condensed milk! So I gave up.. and decided maybe life without peanut butter wouldnt be so bad.. after all, I am in Spain there are tonnes more ''butters'' to be tried. Culture 101: the spanish don't use peanut butter in any of their dishes and so its not a necessity. People go to the united kingdom apparently and bring the peanut butter back with them! lol! And on my first day.. that blew me away! Here I was thinking I'm in Spain.... duh they'll have peanut butter :) Oops!

So that got me thinking..... Differences in societies and cultures can be in things as simple as peanut butter! What else is below the surface?? What other cultural differences go unnoticed? Aaaa!!! I love this sort of thing! Learning!! Can't wait to see what's next! Bring it on.

For all the football (soccer) fans out there: Camp Nou is about 500m from the lab! :) Yes it was the first site i visited. I have seen a few more.. (pictures to come soon) and managed to get lost!! yaayyy!! (which was one of my missions)

So more to come.. Hope you'll keep reading.. .. and check regularly. I like to write..., when im not lazy, though I often go on tangents and waffle a lot. You have been warned.