Thursday, November 26, 2009

Our Catalan Neighbors

I'm pretty sure that we have neighbors. Or at least someone moves the blinds up and down every day. Growing up watching Mr Rogers definitely was not a good preparation for living in Catalunya.

First of all, there's the walls. Big giant walls, ready to stop the Moors in case they decide to invade again. Armored windows and doors with various hidden security features.

Then there's the people. People in Catalunya are much more closed to outsiders than other parts of Spain. I find talking to Catalan people a bit like trying to eat tuna without a can opener. People are very reluctant to share any personal details, which makes it hard to carry the conversation beyond the usual pleasantries.

People willing to talk tend to be complete outliers (ie crazy), or are not from here. The ex-pat bubble looks more and more inviting...

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