Castella and Catala

School is back in session, and so my formal education has commenced yet again (more or less). My classes include Art History, Spanish History, Castella, Castella Lit., Catala, Geography, Math, and English. A quicker summation of what I'm learning right now: how to understand my classes (except for English...that's a little bit easier).
         A brief explanation about Castella and Catala: Castella is the variation of Spanish that is taught at MVHS and all of the other schools which teach Spanish in the US. Catala is the official language of Catalonia (the region/desiring nationhood area I'm in) and is the language spoken by the general population in schools and in the streets here. All of my classes except for English and Castella (Lit) are taught in Catala. This is a very hot topic right now: recently the leader of Spain is pushing for Castella to be the only language used in the schools. Clearly this is not going over very well in a region that has wanted Indepence for hundreds of years. "Freedom Catalonia! Jo soc Catalan (I am Catalan)!" These are the phrases that reflect the sentiment of the people here.
         Catalonia is really growing in my heart, and so is Vic. Vic is a small city of about 40,000 inhabitants. There is a very nice park and the public transportation systems are close to my house, as well as the Plaza Mayor. The Plaza Mayor is the central square with many businesses surrounding an enormous, sandy, open area which mostly is a playground for small children, and houses the mercado on Saturdays and Tuesdays, as well as other large events throughout the year. There are many offshooting streets from the Plaza Mayor. Some of these streets are extremely narrow and cobbled with stones from days before ancient Roman times, and others are much more modern in the standard European style (multiple roundabouts and no straight path anywhere it would seem). I LOVE the fact that I can walk just about everywhere.

Other Highlights of my Week: Attending a Pablo Casals tribute concert in Barcelona (the program was exactly the same as the personal concert he played for the Kennedy's at the White House. That concert was a very important historical event for many reasons; google it if you have time); starting orchestra; walking through the cemetery (they stack the bodies here); Musica Viva (a giant music festival that features many artists that are lesser known); my host family; and starting school (especially learning about the differences between British and American English).

Sidenote: My school (in translation) is the Institute Callís. There is a gate that is locked in front of it most of the time, except during break at ll-ll:30 and the beginning and end times of school (8:00 and 2:30). Every other time a person wants to enter they need to buzz the office and state what they want through an intercom. Is it only estranjeros that say "necesito entrar"? By the look on the man's face in the main office, I believe the answer to that is yes.