Casualidad vs. Causalidad

9/6/2011   

Calle Colombia 8, Edificio 3, Derecha 1

8:20 PM

Casualidad -- things that happen casually or by accident

Causalidad – things that happen by cause or for a reason.

Following our ignominious retreat from La Casa de las Cucarachas (LCdlC), the landlord was unable to attend to the many-legged invaders, and the college has found us an alternative residence.   We have been granted temporary asylum with one of the “Home-Stay” families.  Although Clara (our home-stay mom) usually houses two students from the International College, she is not doing so this semester, and, since our stay will only be three days, she has welcomed us into her home until our new apartment can be made ready. 

We’re in El Porvenir, another charming barrio of Seville. Both the college where I will teach and the apartment we will soon move to are in this neighborhood.   We were sorry to leave the Alameda de Hercules, and I am sure we will revisit that area for all its charm, but our retreat has given us new opportunities to grow and experience this culture.

Alison's Room at Clara's

During our first 24 hours in Spain, we found that if we could not say what we needed to say in Spanish, someone was around whose English provided sufficient rope to save us from drowning in our ignorance.  For the next three days, it’s a sink or swim world.  Clara is a grandmother.  And she speaks no English.  Nada.  She speaks Spanish.  Fast.  And if we don’t understand her, she talks louder.  Period.  About half of what she says, I can “get the gist,” and the other half, we guess.  When we guess wrong, we look like complete idiots, but sometimes, we guess correctly. 

AJ's room at Clara's

Clara Ready for Dancing

Sometimes, I just smile and nod, and say,”Si, si, si. Claro. ”   I mean, really, bless her heart.  She has given us a place to stay, and she will cook our meals for the next three days; she’s not going to tell us to do anything important.  Right?  What can she be saying?  “Take out the trash.” . . .  “Don’t leave the lights on.” . . . “Pick up your socks”?  I have been saying those things to my kids for years . They clearly haven’t understood a word I said, and the polar ice caps aren’t melting or anything are they? 

Oh?   . . .  Really? 

Well, as AJ says, “Whatever.”