Hello All,

Well, like last weekend this weekend will be dark, cloudy and rainy. I really wish that we could have the sunshine back.

I went to a cafe to have lunch and when I nicely asked the lady for a meal she looked at me and said "no" with a mean face. I asked her if she doesn´t serve lunch and she said they serve food after 1pm. I turned around and cursed at her in English under my breath. Go ahead and lecture me how I was wrong, but I am sick of getting treated like this. I bet she was probably lying, expecially since she was busy talking to another lady. This is not the first time.

I am sick of the people here sometimes. When you go shopping they act like THEY are doing you the favor and most of the time don´t bother to help you. When I am on the metro they just push me aside without saying "excuse me" and look at me like it was my fault for being in the way. The taxi drivers don´t even bother to be polite, neither are the waiters.

What they don´t realize is that a lot of money coming into the city comes from foreigners and tourists. And they don´t give a shit. The work mentality here is "tommorow, tommorow".

And then they complain about the competition. Chinese people are setting up businesses here, and business is also taken overseas. The Chinese shop owners are so much nicer than the Catalans.

I also don´t understand them sometimes because they want us foreigners to get to know their culture and learn Catalan, but they do all their advertising in Catalan. Maybe they should advertise their Catalan classes in English or Spanish. Perhaps when they perform in the street they should ask for money in Spanish or English so we understand exactly that they want money. Many foreigners here don´t speak Catalan. And because of their attitude against foreigners , the foreingers don´t want to learn. I can´t blame them.

I don´t dislike Catalan people. They are just more difficult to get to know and very nationalistic. They think that their culture is the best. They generally won´t really make an effort to get to know you. You have to make the effort to get to know them. However, if you make a Catalan friend, you have a faithful friend for life. Ask any Catalan and they´ll tell you exactly what I just said.

One one hand, I can understand their attitude against foreigners. Catalonia is their region and the Spanish government has been trying to erase their language and culture throughout history. They have always had to fight to preserve their culture. I can understand that they may feel invaded when foreigners move in and don´t make an effort to learn their culture. However, this is 2005, not 1895. People are immigrating all over, not just to Spain. Besides, Spain needs the immigrants that are coming over for labour. The Spaniards and Catalans are´t gonna be the ones to mop the floors and pick fruit.

When you deal with the Catalan public it can be difficult, and they are demanding and short. But when I talk to Catalan people individually and ask them about Catalan culture they are nice.

Okay, enough ranting. Speaking of Catalans I have a Catalan student for English this evening. I read an article that it is easier for Catalans to learn English from Americans rather than the British. I agree. I taught pronounciation yesterday and the guy had an easier time pronouncing the words with an American accent instead of a British one.

Okay, Ciao.