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VaughanTown Newsletter 4: ...about Spain• ALittleonSpanishHistory• TypicalSpanishFood• PataNegra
00 /AñosEscolaresenelExtranjero–E.S.O&Bachillerato
Diferencia AcademicaHaymuchasdiferenciasentreelmodelopedagógico/académicoespañolyeldeotrospaísesangloparlantes(HighSchoolamericano,IGCSE&A-Levelinglés,Junior&LeavingCertificateirlandés).SibienelnivelacadémicoenEspañapuedesersuperior,elénfasisdelmodelopedagógicoenestospaíseseselusodelaeducacióneneldíaadía,unsistemaqueenfocamaslapuestaenprácticadelosconocimientosdecadaestudianteysuexperienciaenelmundoreal.Proyectos,presentacionesyprácticasformangranpartedeestemodelo.Alestudianteseledaresponsabilidadeindependenciaparahacersuspropiasinvestigaciones,sobretodoencuantoalosdeberesserefiere,loscualesconllevanunagranimportanciaenelresultadofinalacadémico.
01 /VaughanTown
A Little on Spanish HistoryIn Richard Vaughan’s words: “Spain is a veryinteresting country. It’s a masculine country.WhenErnest Hemingway was in Paris, with his ‘lostgeneration’writersandartists,hewasinviteddownone year to witness The Running of the Bulls atPamplona.ThatstartedalifetimedevotiontoSpain.He dumped France on the spot, with its plush,femininelandscape,itsaromatic,feminineperfumes,and its sweet, feminine accents. Instead, he optedfor theharsh,masculine ‘machismo’of theSpanishlandscape,thecoarse,simplenobilityoftheSpanishpeople and, especially, the gruff Spanish, or ratherCastilian accent. Unlike Hemingway, Spain was an‘acquired’tasteforme.Ifoundthewomenmasculine.Ittookme6monthstoseetheirbeauty.Ifoundthefoodstrangeandsometimesprimitive.Now,there’snonationalcuisineinmyopinionthatcancompareto it. And most of all, I found the landscape andthe countryside to be rough, scrubby, and veryweathered.NowI love it,especiallytheareaofOldCastile,thestompinggroundsofElCid.Itprojectsanausterepride, likeveryfewlandscapes intheworldcan.Spainwastherichestcountryintheworld2,000years ago. The Romans knew this and spent 100yearsconqueringthecountryfromtheIberiansandCarthaginians. Then, theydeflowered it completely,extracting every ounce of gold, silver, and othermineralsfromitssinews.Asaresult,thepersonalityofthepeople isoneofresignedrealism.Theyhavenotchangedinmillenniums.Curiously,ifyoureadthenoteskeptbyJuliusCaesarinhisIberiancampaigns,hemakes reference to thespecial idiosyncrasiesofhisIberianopponents.Manyofthethingshesaysareexactlythesametoday.It’salmostscary.Ifyoudidn’tknowyouwerereadingthediaryofaRomangeneralfrom59B.C., youmight think itwasapoliticianorgeneralfromthe1930’s.Well,somuchforhistoryandculture.Wewouldliketoincludethingslikethisintheeveningsessions inVaughanTownbutwewanttheSpanishvisitorstodothetelling…notme.”
Vaughan Systems/02
Typical Spanish FoodFor some, Spanish food is an acquired taste. Manypeople, however, say they like it immediately, sowedon’treallyknowwhattotellyou.Here’salistofthemostcommonfirstcourses:Tossedsalad,consommé(withorwithouteggyolkinside),fishsoup,creamofshellfishsoup,beandishes,lentils,assortedvegetables,cannedorwildasparagus,macaroniwithtomatosauceandbitsofsausage,garlicandbreadsoup(Richard’sfavorite),assortedcoldcuts,andmanymorethings.Typicalsecondcoursesinclude:fishofallshapesandsizes(broiled,grilled,orgentlyfriedinoliveoil),thinlysliced beef (usually well-done), pork chops, lambchops,broiledchicken,garlicfriedchicken(nobatter),shellfish of all types, paella (rice with chicken andshellfish), spareribs, steaks (especially fillet mignonandsirloin),breadedvealcutlets, roast sucklingpig,aboiledchick-peadish,etc.Thisisonlythetipoftheiceberg, but you’ll certainly be served many thingsfrom the above. Richard, in particular, likes thewaySpaniardspreparevegetables.HeneveratevegetablesintheStateswhenhewasgrowingupandnoweatsvegetablesdaily.Here theyboil themand then turnthemover in hot olive oil. Typical desserts in Spainincludegypsy’sarm,nun’ssighs,baconfromheaven,friedmilk,saint’sbones,athousandleaves,sweettiles,angel hair, black forest cake and a long etcetera. Ifyoudon’tknowwhatwe’retalkingabout,don’tworry.The desserts in Spain are delicious, evenwhen youtranslatethemliterallyintoEnglish.
03 /VaughanTown
Pata Negra“Patanegra”means“blackhoof”.ItreferstotheblackmarksonthehoofofsomeSpanishhogswhosehamisconsideredbymanytobethebestintheworld,andweagree.It’sarich,red,curedhamthatliterallymeltsin yourmouth.All overSpain, in almost anybar inmostrestaurants,youwillseehamlegshangingintheopenairaroundthewalls.Don’tworryabouthygiene.Theham is healthy anddelicious. There is abroadspectrum of quality, starting from simple “jamónserrano”upto“patanegra”.Wewouldrecommendthatifyou’venevereatenthiskindofcuredham,thatyouorderonly“jabugo”(pronounced“ha-boo-goh”)or“patanegra”.Thesetwoarethebestinthecountry,a littleexpensive,butworth it.Bothhamsare fromthe Extremadura region and both are from acornfedhogs.Ifyouareinterestedinmorehistory,wouldyouchallangetheSpaniardsatourafternoonTrivialPursuit sessions? Because when playing a Spanishversionofthegame,theyalwaysleavetheVolunteerslookingcluelessabouttheirhistoryandculture,andohmy,theygetcompetitive!
Here are somehelpful links thatwill hopefully giveyouawinningadvantage:
•http://www.spainview.com/history.html •http://www.red2000.com/spain/primer/hist.html •http://www.spain.info/en/conoce/
Well,thisistheendofyetanothernewsletter.WenowleaveyouwithaquotefromourbelovedDonQuixoteaddressedtohistrustedsquire,SanchoPanza:“AmigoSancho,youonlygetoutofthislifewhatyouputin.”
Andwesaytoyouthattherichnessanddelightoftheupcomingexperience inour littlecharmingenclavewilldependtoaverygreatdegreeonthezestandjoyweputintomakingitrichanddelightful.So,althoughit’sstillabitearlytostartpsychingup, it’scertainlynottooearlytoreadupSpain;ontheCelts,Iberians,Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Sephardic Jews, andChristians(thebloodofthiscountry);onAndalucía,Valencia,OldCastile,Catalonia,Galicia,Asturias,andthe Basque Country. 80% of all the conquistadorswhocrossedtheAtlantictoopentheNewWorldwerefromExtremadura,apoor,landlockedregionwestofMadrid,nexttoPortugal.Spainoffersarichhistoryofsplendor,poverty,empire, tragedy,andmuchmore.
Hopefullyyou’llfollowouradvice.Butregardless,youwillseewhatwe’resayingandpartakeinour6daysatVaughanTown.Hopefully,wehaven’toverloadedyouwithtoomuchinformationtodigest.Comingupnext,isthefifthandfinalnewsletterwherewewillimpartafewlastwords.Weaskyounottofear;youwillhavesuchagoodtimethatyouwillendupperformingatthepeakof your capacity; the epitomeof linguisticproductivity.
KindRegards,
TheVaughanTownTeam.
Vaughan Systems / 00Vaughan Systems/04
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VT-Newsletter-4-2013.10
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©Copyright2012Vaughan Intensivos Residenciales, S.L., con domicilio social en C/ Orense, 69. 28020 Madrid, Inscrita en el R.M. Madrid, Tomo: 23.175, Folio: 177, Sección: 8ª, Hoja: M-415365, Inscripción: 1ª.- C.I.F. B-84820919
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