La Temporada de Navidad Está Aquí

Another month has ended and I have to write this blog post before this weekend because I'm going to Lisbon.  Then I have to write that blog post before my family comes to visit me on the 21st.  December is turning out to be a busy month!

That's an empty stadium you're seeing

First I would like to talk about the soccer game I went to.  Or in English the football match.  I'm learning a lot of English English here.  Anyways, the two teams that were playing were Badajoz and Coria.  The game was interesting to say the least.  First, let me say that they are extremely level teams.  That being said, I'm in Spain, so I am biased and expect everyone to play like Messi.  Well, these teams played like our high schoolers play, but they are getting paid.  I mean to say that they kicked the ball to the middle of nowhere, they were so close together I could "put a blanket over them", and they missed shots that were right in front of an open net.  Crazy.

However, just like a high school team, the fans had a lot of hometown pride.  They brought drums and banners and made signs that said: "One team. One city."  One man, who I'm going to guess was pretty drunk, was going around yelling screaming Es nuestra ciudad! It's our city!  The aficionados, the fans, made the experience.  They all came together on a Sunday afternoon and yelled obscenities at the árbitros, referees.  During the half, they let all of the kids in the stadium run on the field and kick soccer balls around.  It was very cool to see the people of city come together in the same way Needhamites watch Wellesley lose in the Thanksgiving Day Parade (even though I heard this year that they actually won :( ).

Me winning in Risk

My best Spanish Tortilla (so far)

I have also been learning Spanish through the culture and through games.  Some of my Spanish friends are really into games and they taught me how to play Risk.  I learned words like: ¡Toma! ¡Chupate dos! ¡Fuera! and they got to learn how competitive I actually am, which turns out to be really competitive.

Town Hall

Cortes Inglés

Otherwise, I haven't been up to anything significantly different, so for the rest of the blog I want to show you some pictures that are making me really nostalgic.  Christmas in Spain is huge.  Well, not Christmas day itself, but the holiday season from Noche Buena, Christmas Eve, until Epifanía, Epiphany (the day of the three wise men).  The latter is actually when kids open all of their gifts.  They have to wait all the way until January 6th.

Plaza de Conquistadores

Plaza de España

Ever since the start of December, Badajoz has been abuzz with lights and, get this, carnival rides.  The night life here is so crazy that even at 10 PM on a school night, kids will be playing in the different plazas, or town squares.  It's a great way to bring family and friends together as well as a great way to promote shopping.  So sprinkled through this blog post are some of decorations! Enjoy!