what have you done lately?

Saturday afternoon, March 28, already.
First eight hours of sleep in a long time. Finally getting some headway on "American details"... but then I scroll this list quickly in my mind and think, eh, mas o menos. Not so much, but getting there.
Here in Madrid, for the weekend, which is Nice! Just to enjoy the weather and local familiar sights (not sounds so much- traffic, city bustle, construction...) but, to just have a bed and room of my own. This last week has been busier than usual, with a second round of midterms and good grades that affirm hard work and dedication to studies.
I am most of how I've caught up to the Arabic II class. Reading, writing, speaking- little by little (aschweya aschweya) I learn a new beautiful language and another way in which millions of people express themselves. From speaking Creole, Spanish, English, now Arabic and a little French, the importance and relevance of understanding language and context, lexicon and diction mmm, seems innumerable. I think of water and how various streams run in and connect, then too, follow their own bends and wash away rocks and pick up mud... ideas of connectedness and uniqueness. These abstract thoughts dance like lightning bugs on a summer night, just after dinner and watermelon.
I look out my window, the sun bright against stones and bricks of the building across the street. Soon, I have to go out into my neighborhood, meaning just step outside and observe, write, interview people/business owners for an anthropology study/project/paper on the dynamics of my neighborhood. I've been dilatory with the assignment so after this - I gotta make like a tree and leaf. Which, brings me to some more good news ;)

Earlier I mentioned how elated I am in my Arabic class, the professor, Muhsin Al-Ramli is fantastic! He is a poet and writer from Iraq... Al Jazeera is coming to our class on Monday to video-interview him while teaching. He was the first to translate Don Quixote from Spanish to Arabic and is a kateeb meshoor (famous writer) around the world. Because I'm in this class I've connected with students from Saudi Arabia- and we laugh over my pronunciations and this past week two sweet friends took me out to lunch at a (mumtaz! fantastic) Lebanese restaurant. If you know me, I am all about the Lebanese cuisine! mmm.
My amigas, Doaa and Reemo are so sweet! Some folks I heard from before I left Madrid said, oh its near impossible to break into the full-time student or non-American cliques at SLU Madrid- but I feel I have broken those boundaries. I know a handful of full time students, a couple Spaniards, and I try and branch out, look for and go with the similarities, the common humanity and yes, of course, they are varieties and differences, unique facets of each of us- but ..."i continue to reach upward".
This is life giving.
Also! Wednesday morning I received and e-mail from a female English teacher at SLU Madrid looking for a female student to have a conversation in English with a female Spaniard (15 y. old). I thought about it, first, and then replied within the next few minutes, Yes! I would love to take this opportunity. I had my first English conversation session with this intelligent, bright young student! In this way, I feel more connected to authentic Madrid-Spanish life. I went to her home, we talked in her room. I listened and asked questions about her school, life, etc. These human to human connections are beautiful, invaluable.
This is life giving.

It can be easy to judge and criticize. In conversation last night over this topic, of course it is easier to see how myself and person V are different. By whatever means visual, physical, emotional, mental abilities/details etc. carve out a gap and then put a glass lid over to solidify such characterization and divide. But, no matter what language, what size, height, smell- we must learn to listen, respect, understand and love or we will perish as fools (MLK infusion). This is not a too high human philosophy this is reality, step by step. I write it because I am learning it, and squirming to live it.

No doubt, no doubt. I am positively influenced, and seek to learn and understand by any all and non stimuli. Silence and noise. What are my filters? Biases? Prejudices? I can always ask questions. And as I continue on, I strive to humbly feel awareness, to imbibe it and pee it out- absorbing the nutrients and purities and releasing it...

On the last note, a bit quirky but involving a brief story with the universal health care system in Spain (Madrid, specifically) - I had this awful rash, on my right ankle, under my armpits and en la zona intima- kind of sweat gland areas you could say, and I went to the hospital yesterday with a friend who is fluent in Spanish, English (French and a couple other languages) and we waited for about 2 1/2 for a brief brief brief consult- where the doctor looked at the rash patch of my elbow joint (inside area) and next thing you know I was getting a shot in my lower left back- yes, almost where you'd find the derriere. So, haha, I am very happy to share with you that- I am better already! And Insha'Allah do not have to go back on Monday for more waiting and (free) care.

And last night, I met my friend Polo- a fantastic young man (ok, he's 22!) but I met him 4ish years ago in Port-au-Prince Haiti, on an incredible, serene mountain called Gwojean. He's been studying philosophy, politics and business systems in Malaga (a southern area of Spain). He came to Madrid for a conference today... and last night we met up for a little bit and Polo, it was so great to be with you, ti zanmi Polo! Wow, it really did mean so so much to connect with an old, deep friend. Just to share common ground and understanding of what we've seen, felt, lived before... thank you Polo.

Well, I do believe that is all the babble baddle I have saddled, I gotta sciddadle and riddle the raddles in my neighborhood- play the fiddle and chew the faddle. That kind of thing.
Give me a email ring song sing or a pong ping fling of anything-

love you always, with peace
RL Gorley