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#58389 - 11/22/00 01:41 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Jaime Offline
Member

Registered: 08/19/00
Posts: 147
This is not realated to the intial post but I think it is worth sharing...The reason I was impressed with Spanish life and believe that for me it would be of higher quality, is the involvement of family in all activities. While walking around the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca I couldn't believe how many men I saw pushing their babies, without their wives!! I was extremely impressed. The men seemed unrushed, almost pensive, just happy absorbing the moment.
Also, while sitting outside until all hours of the morning, we would see whole groups of adults hanging out together, laughing, talking, drinking wine & cafe, and enjoying the night life with their children! In the US it is unimaginable to go out for a night on the town with your children. In Spain it appeared that the whole family unit did everything together and they were really enjoying themselves. The social structure was just so different. I have to struggle to maintain my youth(24 yrs) while American society keeps chanting buy a minivan and move to the burbs. I just love the Spanish attitude that just because you have a kid, doesn't mean your social life has ended.

It also appeared that the Spaniards were working to live rather than living to work like most of us Americans. Their value system of what is really important in life just seemed more intact.

Does anyone agree??

[This message has been edited by Jaime (edited 11-22-2000).]

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#58390 - 11/22/00 01:50 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Leche Offline
Member

Registered: 10/03/00
Posts: 257
Loc: Boise, Idaho
Jaime....Spain can also be a frame of mind. Life in the burbs is what you make of it!

Leche

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#58391 - 11/22/00 02:20 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Nicole Offline
Executive Member

Registered: 07/24/00
Posts: 583
Loc: Los Angeles
I was also really touched at seeing so many Dad's with their Kids. One thing is though, Spaniards are out in the street much more than Americans, men and women - especialluy in Salamanca (the afternoon Paseo is really something to see, isn't it?). You get to see all that family bonding in public where in the States it happens around the kitchen table at home.

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#58392 - 11/22/00 02:50 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
mclarke Offline
Member

Registered: 09/19/00
Posts: 179
Loc: Arlington, VA
Jaimie

When you come from a country where economic opportunities are not easily available, the U.S. seems to be the best country. This is basically the country where the so called "American dream" can happen. So many people have arrived in this country without virtually nothing but were able to improve their lives economically as well as educationally. I do understand how your husband feels of not wanting to resettle in Spain. With my daughter's Spain experience, my husband somehow reads Spain's newspaper and hinted that he would want to retire in a small village along the Andalucia region. She is very impressed with the family life of the friends she has visited but noticed they are financiall well-off to afford to have a house in Madrid and a farm house or a mountain house. She was lsso impressed how the Spaniars often mixed modern life but still keep most of the old traditions. She likes the idea that these Spaniards know how to enjoy life without being destructive. She often wonders how the economically deprived Spaniards live. I, too would like to live in Spain and not worry where my next meal is coming from like Ernest Hemmingway who just travel and live life in Spain. Her Spanish friends take go to the club to do yoga, swimming, tennis and some dancing lessons just for fun. My daughter reminded me that when she was in high-school, her girlfriends took swimming, dancing, violin lessons not for love of it but for college purposes. She is in Spain doing things for the love of it and not because she wants to look good for futue job applications. She now uses the word "passion". She said that her first job out college will not be based on money but it would be based on passion.
Happy Thanksgiving.

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#58393 - 11/22/00 03:52 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Leche Offline
Member

Registered: 10/03/00
Posts: 257
Loc: Boise, Idaho
My thoughts are that your daughter is leading a very privileged and exclusive life in Spain.

I lived in Madrid for 2 years and found that most of the people I knew and was friends with lived in cramped quarters and did not have alot of disposable income. I believe there is still a upper, middle, and lower class in Spain but the middle and upper middle class is MUCH smaller than here in the US where the middle class is the majority. The standard of living regarding material items and the conveniences of "modern" life is much lower there - even compared with many other countries of Europe. of course this can be a good and a bad thing, and I'm not even taking into account the philisophical questions here.

I did know families that lived in better neighborhoods with nicely furnished pisos (hardwood floors, oriental rugs, grand piano, 1 new car, dishwasher, washer and dryer, big tv, etc) but just their piso mortgage was for nearly $300,000.

Leche

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#58394 - 11/22/00 11:57 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
sheba Offline
Member

Registered: 08/20/00
Posts: 118
Loc: Minneapolis, MN USA
Leche--I'd like to know more about your point of view on this subject. How old were you when you when you noticed this? How did you get the awesome opportunity to stay in Spain for two WHOLE years? What do you think contributes to these class distinctions in Spain? Yeah, it's a lot to respond to, but I am really curious.

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#58395 - 11/22/00 11:59 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
sheba Offline
Member

Registered: 08/20/00
Posts: 118
Loc: Minneapolis, MN USA
Oh and Jaime, what's the name of the restaurant? I would like to go someday soon. Milwaukee's not that far away from Minnesota.

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#58396 - 11/27/00 09:13 AM Re: Open invitation in WI
mclarke Offline
Member

Registered: 09/19/00
Posts: 179
Loc: Arlington, VA
Leche,

Yes, I agree with you that my daughter is leading a very privileged and exclusive life in Spain. For example, she tutors 2 Spanish children whose ages 7 and 11 English and gets paid $25.00 an hour. When she told us about how much she gets paid, I asked what does the family do for a living to afford to spend $25 for tutoring. She said she does not know what the family does for a living but noticed that the family does not live in a building but in a beautiful house outside of Madrid. So far her social circles of friends lead a priveledged and exclusive life. She is trying hard to meet students who come from hard-working families and experience how they live.
Well, I leave for Spain soon - Dec. 28 and I will experience first hand all the things I have read on this forum.

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#58397 - 11/27/00 01:40 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Jaime Offline
Member

Registered: 08/19/00
Posts: 147
Sheba the restaurant is:

Don Quijote restaurant
2624 N. Downer Ave.
MIlwaukee WI
53211
414-967-1322

Also, since so many of you seem to live in California, has anyone ever been to Cafe Sevilla in San Diego? I went with my husband a year ago and the food was good and the atmosphere was great. It seemes like the most popular rest. in the whole city.

If anyone is interested.....If ever in Chicago there are two good Spanish restaurants, Cafe Babareba and Cake Iberico.
Hope everyone had a great Thnaksgiving, Jaime

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#58398 - 11/27/00 01:44 PM Re: Open invitation in WI
Nicole Offline
Executive Member

Registered: 07/24/00
Posts: 583
Loc: Los Angeles
Jaime.

Check out the thread, "Spanish Restaurants in Los Angeles." A few San Diegans expressed their opinions on Cafe Sevilla- seems it has become pretty comercialized...

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