A Hurricane in Montserrat

Staggering winds change plan

Historic art tour postponed due to unforeseeable weather

Chase Gunnell

The Daily Evergreen

Published: 02/05/2009

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BARCELONA, Spain – It was one of the worst storms in recent Spanish history, unleashing hurricane force winds on Barcelona, killing more than 10 people in northern Spain and southern France and causing billions (of euros) in damages.

And we were stranded at a train station, 50 kilometers outside the city, high in the mountains of Catalonia.

The morning had started peacefully enough. Though heavy winds were rocking our apartment building, my friends and I had no intention of canceling our trip outside the city to the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria de Montserrat (www.abadiamontserrat.net).

The abbey, first built in 1025 AD, is more than 4,000 feet up in the Montserrat, or Serrated Mountains. Reached now either by a meandering tram or a set of cable cars, it has been a popular Christian pilgrimage site for centuries.

Home to La Morenta, or the black virgin, a 12th century sculpture of the Virgin Mary that is regarded as the patron of Catalonia, the site is revered by the Spanish people as one of the holiest places in Europe. The monastery itself has even been rumored to be the hiding place of the Holy Grail.

The wind was nearly blowing us over as we boarded our train, but being naively bold Americans, we had no intention of letting a little breeze stop our expedition.

After an hour’s ride, we stepped off the train at the base of Montserrat to see cable car lines swinging wildly in the howling wind, quickly dashing our hopes of a ride to the top. Not only were the cable cars closed, but the tram tracks had recently been buried by rock slides.

Our hopes of a Saturday spent walking through the centuries-old abbey may have been dashed, but unwilling to go home, we decided to indulge our vagabond sides and simply follow the train to the end of the line.

But first, lunch. The café was tucked away behind the train station. Standing guard outside was a pair of dogs that seemed fully capable of eating American travelers, and the shack itself could have easily been part of the set for “Hostel.” Despite the place’s appearance, the bocadillos, (sandwiches with Iberian ham, eggs, cheese and tomato spread) were delicious and the owners were extraordinarily welcoming.

We boarded the train once more, heading northwest into the mountains. Exploring the hamlets of Sant Vicenc de Castellet and Castellbell i el Vilar, we discovered an aqueduct built by the Romans and investigated the crumbling ruins of a Spanish plantation, while quenching our thirst with cheap Estrella beer at every local bar we passed.

The afternoon found us tiredly returning to the train station, only to find a uniformed conductor shaking his head. No more trains, the storm had blown trees down over the tracks. No more buses running either.

The Spanish transportation system is impeccable. But here, far outside Barcelona in a tiny town where our English stood out like a sore thumb, we were completely marooned.

So we did the only logical thing, we started walking. An hour of trekking later and one town over, we followed signs to another train station that supposedly led to the city. But things still weren’t looking good. The station was deserted, just a maze of empty tracks and walls of wild graffiti.

Of all the people we could have met in a deserted train station, in a wind storm, in the mountains of Catalonia, “Lefty” was the last one I would have imagined.

“I’m from New Hampshire, how are you guys doing?” were the first words I heard the man say as he came around the corner and spotted us sprawled and looking lost next to the tracks.

“Lefty,” as he introduced himself, had come to Spain from the states almost five years ago. He worked as a jazz musician in Barcelona for a while before he moved to the peace and quiet of the village, where he said he made an honest living as a “gardener.”

Lucky for us, “Lefty” knew the only taxi driver in town.

Two hours and 70 euros later, we were back in Barcelona, toasting to our adventure and watching the sun fall below the stormy horizon of the Mediterranean.

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/27642

The Speech Heard Around the World

The Speech Heard Around the World

Europeans react favorably to Obama's inaugural message

Chase Gunnell

The Daily Evergreen

Published: 01/29/2009

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BARCELONA, Spain – Elevator rides in my apartment building can be awkward. The machine is ancient and it would probably be faster to take the six flights of stairs.

My Spanish neighbors are very nice and exceptionally courteous, but when they’re crammed into the elevator with my roommates and me, I can’t help but wonder if they only regard us as those loud Americans who are always playing music and filling up the recycling bin with wine and beer bottles.

But the day before Barack Obama’s inauguration was different.

Returning from class, one of my roommates and I stepped into the tiny elevator with an older Spanish gentleman we had never met. Dressed in a fine gray suit and tie, he could have easily come from any corporate boardroom in the city. Hearing us speaking English, he asked in slow, polite Spanish if we were from England. No, we replied; “Estados Unidos.” Upon hearing our nationality, the man did something highly uncharacteristic of a somber Spanish professional. He raised his fist in a clear sign of victory and said one triumphant word: “Obama!” We couldn’t help but smile and respond in kind. The man went on to excitedly tell us, in a mix of Spanish and English, that he would be closely watching the inauguration the next day.

The following day I found that, to my dismay, my first political science class coincided with Obama’s oath of office. I seriously contemplated skipping, but as it was the first day of a class in a foreign country I thought better of it.

Three metro stops later, I walked into my classroom to find CNN.com projected broadly onto the wall, and my professor eagerly beaming up at an image of the packed National Mall on the screen.

“This is a global politics class,” he said in shaky English. “I thought it would only be appropriate to watch this today, as it is so important to our world.” We devoted the entire class period to watching and discussing the opening addresses, oath of office, and the poetry readings afterward. I was thankful I didn’t stay in my apartment to watch it on my laptop.

During the presidential campaigns, John McCain criticized Obama for being a “celebrity” in Europe and overseas. He argued that his popularity outside the U.S. had no real bearing on his ability to be commander-in-chief, and that it was merely a trend.

Looking at this historic American event with a Spanish set of eyes, I strongly disagree. After experiencing the inauguration from a European perspective, from talking to countless Spanish bartenders, professors, my neighbors and many more about Obama, I can truly say that today I am proud of my country. And for once, so is Europe.

The Bush administration spent eight years degrading America’s image abroad. While the expectations set for Obama may be impossibly high, his election to our nation’s highest office has already produced a heady victory for our country and its international relations.

What’s more, the hope and excitement in a new America that Obama has sparked in the citizens of foreign countries is a triumph for me, and every other American living abroad.

To see the unbridled elation in that Spanish gentleman’s eyes when he mentioned my country’s new president gave me hope for a brighter future in America, Europe and the rest of the world.

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/27492

The Language Barrier

Facing big changes while in Barcelona

WSU junior struggles with language barrier

Chase Gunnell

The Daily Evergreen

Published: 01/22/2009

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BARCELONA, Spain — Located on the Mediterranean Sea in northeastern Spain, this city of roughly three million people is famous for its sprawling boulevards, picturesque beaches, historic art and architecture, and as the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia.

And for a little more than a week, it has been my new home.

Waiting at the Metro stop this morning, I went over ideas in my head for this first study abroad opinion column. Should it be about my tortuously long red-eye flight from Sea-Tac to Spain? Or the incredibly ornate architecture of Antoni Gaudi and famous works of Picasso I've seen around the city? The nightclubs and discothèques that never sleep? Or maybe the flawless ease of the city’s public transportation system?

As my Metro train arrived at La Barceloneta station, I headed off to my first class of the day. A group of Spanish children sitting next to me presented the perfect topic, a problem that has continually plagued me since day one in Europe.

The second I sat down, the kids began pointing and chattering. My blue North Face jacket was about the same as wearing a neon sign that read “Americano.” Suspicious of being laughed at by a gang of 12-year-olds, I attempted to listen in on the conservation. Only a few phrases later, I was left in the wake of the swiftness of Spanish conversation. Stepping off the Metro, I wished I had paid more attention in my high school Spanish class.

The language barrier. Everywhere I go, I’m reminded of the gap created by my stumbling Spanish and the rapid-fire pace at which the locals speak their language. No other obstacle has been more hindering or stressful since my arrival.

Many Spaniards speak English, but odds are those fluent in English are not waiting your table, filling your drinks or driving you around. And just when I feel I’ve got a grasp on a few relevant Spanish phrases, the citizens of Barcelona throw me a curveball: Catalan.

Barcelona was long the capital of the independent state of Catalonia, and the locals here are as proud of their traditional language as Cougars are of crimson and gray (at least when our sports teams are winning).

The “Freedom for Catalonia” graffiti found around the city and the fierce rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid “football” teams are clear examples of the citizens of Barcelona’s desire for an independent state of Catalonia.

Unfortunately for me, their reverence for Catalan as well as Spanish has made communication all the more difficult. Whether it’s ordering meals at a tapas restaurant or directing a cab driver to my favorite nightclub, my sluggish Spanish and the abundance of Catalan-infused language has proved to be quite a challenge.

Nonetheless, it’s a challenge I’m eager to overcome. Moving halfway across the world, from small town Pullman to an enormous city, and experiencing a different culture and language, all while maintaining a full-time university schedule may be difficult.

However, the beaches of the Mediterranean are just outside my apartment door, the beer may be expensive but it's better than Busch Light, and the sun is shining. I'll trade falling on ice every time I walk to class for a frustrating language barrier any day.

So tune in Pullman, as I keep you updated on my travels through Europe on a college student’s budget. I have trips planned and European Football games to attend, beaches to enjoy and many encounters with the culture, art and cuisine to experience.

And maybe with some luck, and the help of my beginner Spanish class, I’ll eventually be able to communicate with the locals beyond “hola,” “gracias” and “adios.”

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/27448