Page 23 - ThePhoenix1996-97

Thursday.Octobend, 1996-Page 11 Carlson returns from six month exploration of the sights and sounds of the Spanish culture By NICKI KASSOLIS to Carlson. One such tradition is StajfWriler the celebration of Holy Week, a The streets of the city are filled festival in which people spend with people. Festive decorations much of their time in celebration. adorn every street comer and shop. Since 99% of the Spanish popula- Men and women walk around in tion is Catholic, this religious cel- trajes de flamenco, dancing, drink- ebration takes center stage in ev- ing, and celebrating life. The ery aspect of life for an entire week. people of Seville are enjoying Carlson described the festival as themselves at the traditional Feria "the most beautiful thing I've ever festival, and taking in all of the seen." Statues of Jesus and the sights and sounds of this Spanish Virgin Mary, decorated with cultural experience is WMC senior, candles, gold and silver, were car- Ingrid Carlson. ried throughout the entire city as Festivals and celebrations, the the passion play was acted out. cities and the towns, the people and Carlson's semester in Spain in- their way of life all highlighted the volved adaptation to other aspects experiences Carlson had when she of Spanish culture, including their spent last semester abroad in Spain. food. She says in Spain they eat a Carlson has a dual major in politi- lot of "meat, olive-oil, garlic, rice, cal science and Spanish. For six eggs, and ham," with lunch being" months she studied at the Center the biggest meal of the day. Gen- for Cross Cultural Studies in erally lunch is eaten in the late af- Seville. The school is run by ternoon and then a siesta, or nap, Americans, and though all of the is taken after eating. "For three students areAmerican, Carlson was hours in the afternoon, everything required to speak Spanish in her is closed," says Carlson. She found classes. that in Spain, individuals are not as Americans are more open and smiley and the Spaniards are very friendly, but with an air of sophistication about them Ingrid Carlson Taking classes with other neurotic about food as Americans, Americans did not prevent her from bur yet they remain very slim. experiencing the Spanish culture Comparing the Spaniards 10 the and way of life. While abroad, she American people, Carlson says lived with a family in a middle- "Americans are more open and class flat. Carlson describes her smiley and the Spaniards are very family as being "wonderful," and friendly, but with an air of sophis- remembers how the "senora" tication about them." She adds that would make her do shots of sherry Spanish people are not as con- at lunchtime to keep her warm on sumed with commercialism and cold days. money as Americans are. She says Carlson lived in the city of that the Spaniards find joy in do- Seville which was a location full ing things. During Carlson's stay of tradition and history. "All of the people would often tell her, gold that Christopher Columbus "Americans live to work, but Span- brought from the New World was iards work to live." delivered to the river, el Rio While abroad, Carlson took in Guadalquiver, which was right near many of Spain's tourist attractions my house," says Carlson. Thus, including castles built by the Moors every time this senior looked into and Tarifa, the wind surfing capi- While in Spain. senior Ingrid Carlson learned more than history and language. She developed a deep the river she thought of Columbus ta! of the world. She visited the appreciation/or a culture unique/rom her own and his impact on the history of Rock of Gibraltar, which is located America. only eight miles from Africa, and an Highlights from President Bob Life in the cities of Spain dif- that allowed her to see Africa, fers from life in the cities of event Carlson describes as "amaz- America. According to Carlson, ing." was a Chambers' office "In America, people move out of For six months, Carlson the cities and they are not a nucleus part of a culture which remains dis- semester as both KASSOLIS of life, but in Spain all different tinct from the American culture. NIKKI SlajfWriler president and if given professor and when the Board of Trustees met in the choice, classes live in the inner-cities, mak- She lived as a Spaniard for a se- The title of the class is Mod- he wouldn't have it any other way. a unique meeting to approve the ing them vibrant." Spanish cities mester and her experiences have ernization vs. Tradition; Japanese- "I [teach the class) because I love campaign's goal, to raise $40 mil- stand as the center for social as well changed her. "Enjoying life is a American Literature in the 20th it, it's the single best thing I do. I lion between now and the end of as cultural aspects of life. People higher priority now," she says, "I century. The course focuses on the went to college forever to become this century. Chambers feels con- in Seville don't go out until 9 p.m. take time to go drink some coffee evolution of Japanese literature a professor." fidant that this goal will be and then stay out until I or 2 a.m. or have a glass of wine with my throughout this century. And if you achieved, since "we're dealing with , Chambers must As a professor, on the weekdays and 8 a.m. on the friends." Even though Carlson has walk into the classroom on a Tues- find the time to grade papers, while a manageable number." weekends. The city of Seville has returned to the WMC campus, the day afternoon, don't be surprised keeping up with his reading. As Two separate organizations do- more bars than any other city in life she knew in Spain, the festi- to see Robert Chambers, President president of the college. he stays nated a total of$l million to WMC Europe. vals and the celebrations, the of WMC, in the front leading a busy with the school's largest fund- over the summer, giving the cam- The Spaniards look to their cit- people and the places, the language paign the added boost it needed. A ies as centers of history, culture, and the history, will forever remain group of students in a literary dis- raising effort ever, The Capital second gift for the new biology fa- cussion. and traditions. Spaniards take great apart of her life. Campaign. The plans for the cam- cility came from the Howard " pride in their traditions, according Chambers plays a dual role this paign were finalized in mid-July Continued on page 12