Spain – Fake Flamenco

Spanish: Non-Binary Life in a Gendered Language?

What pronoun would a non-binary person use in Spanish? In 2020, the Royal Spanish Academy* posted the word, “elle” (inclusive language like they) on their site as Under Observation**. People around the world wondered, will he (él) and she (ella) have a new non-binary sibling? Will Spanish become more inclusive? Unfortunately, so far the answer […]

Catalunya, Nature

Longest Scientific Expedition You’ve Never Heard Of…

In a year long expedition to study polar ice from 2019 to 2020, international scientists lived on an ice-breaker ship purposely trapped in the Arctic ice. We saw a documentary on public television about their day to day life as the winter ice shelf pushed them 3400 km (2113 mi). Their foray into polar night […]

Humor, Spanish Culture and Language

April 1 and Day of the Holy Innocents

I’m happy to report that we have made it safely to Caracas! Tomorrow we’ll check out the botanical gardens, the Teleférico (aerial cable car) and the Museo Bolívar. We love Venezuelan food, we’ve tried it in Madison and we know this will be a tasty trip. It’s so amazing how we traveled the 2500 miles […]

Spanish Culture and Language, Study Abroad

Open the Door: Study Abroad

What do Amanda Gorman, Ang Lee, Harper Lee, and Vera Wang have in common? All four studied overseas! Amanda Gorman studied in Spain during her junior year at Harvard. Filmmaker Ang Lee from Taiwan studied in New York. Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird studied a semester at the University of Oxford. Designer […]

history, Spanish Culture and Language, writing

First Paper Mill in Europe

The Spanish and Italians vie for the title of first producer of plant-based paper in European history. Spain claims the year 1056, Sicily 1102. If 1056 is dismissed due to “limited evidence,” then Valencia is second, with its mill in 1150. I believe the Spanish claims, it is logical that the Muslim Caliphates brought paper […]

Architecture, photography, Spanish Culture and Language, Study Abroad, travel

Throwback Thursday: Day Trip to Segovia

Segovia has a marvel of Roman engineering from the second century! The elegant granite block aqueduct is made without mortar and still standing with a few small repairs. It is 28.5 meters tall, around 94 feet at its highest point. We traveled there our second to last trip together during the 1987 Toledo Program. Our […]