But it got me thinking, the "why haven't you got used to Spanish traditions" question. Because I really do think I've tried my hardest to 'fit in'. As easy as it would be for me to moan that 'oh they don't have this' or ' oh they don't have that'; 'oh we have to do everything ourselves' and 'god, why do they speak so fast', I've tried to keep calm and carry on, as the saying goes. Don't get me wrong, we've all had a little grumble - of course, it was always going to be difficult getting used to the Spanish way of life, but I'd like to think I've done it without whining or complaining (too much!)
And then I thought - here we are getting condemned (possibly too strong a word) for not 'fitting in' with Spanish traditions, when all I've had when I've said I'm from Wales is 'oh that's just a part of England' (as many of my facebook friends and twitter followers will know, this annoys me greatly).
I know her question was meant as tongue-in-cheek, but still. I then asked why it was that so many Spanish people just presumed that Wales was a part of England and she simply replied: "Because we're lazy. Because we're taught in school that the UK is split into different parts but after school it all just becomes England".
Now I'm sorry, but that's not good enough! Although everybody I've met here has been nice and friendly, I just cannot get over such a, dare I say it, ignorant opinion. And I'm sorry, but it is ignorance - I wouldn't dream of saying to a Galician/Catalan person "well, you're a part of Spain therefore that makes you just Spanish", or even to a Galician person "well, you're attached to Portugal so you must be Portuguese", especially after it's been pointed out to me that they're different!
I just can't get my head around it and at times it is upsetting, especially when I'm missing home and am in a 'Welsh' mood, so to speak. Constantly being referred to as something which I'm not can really get you down, even more so because I'm here, in Galicia, a place which I honestly thought would understand more than another autonomous community, perhaps. I don't want to get a reputation and become known as 'the angry little Welsh girl' but I just don't understand how hard it is to realize that in the UK, there are DIFFERENT PLACES.
I think the icing on the cake for me was being asked by someone if I spoke Welsh, to which I replied that I did, fluently, before being TOLD, not asked, that it's a dying language and "what's the point as you can only speak it in Wales". *Newsflash* YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK GALICIAN IN GALICIA. (I didn't want to have to stoop to that level but ...)
As much as I really do love it here in Santiago, this will always be a 'black mark' against the whole experience, especially as I expected more.
I'm going to stop writing now as I could be here for hours, but I hope this has made people realize that I'm not some crazy lunatic who just likes to moan, or is going 'over the top' on the whole nationality thing. I guess for some people, it wouldn't be a problem but this actually upsets me, especially as I miss home enough already anyway. I know I was brought up to be considerate of other nationalities and I can only hope that in the future, the Spanish will also have a bit of consideration when it comes to what countries make up the UK.
Hey, who knows, maybe in years to come my ghost will be found wandering around the corridors of the uni, screaming "WALES IS NOT IN ENGLAND!!!" at students ... You never know ...
Speak up, and keep speaking up Carys. I made a huge effort to pronounce and spell place and personal names correctly, although I spoke no Welsh when I came to Wales. My grandmother had it beaten out of her, and then moved to London as a young woman. I would say, when asked why you don't just follow all Spanish traditions instantly, that you try your best to, but it is difficult to change the habits of a lifetime, just as for them it is difficult to change the habit of referring to Wales as just part of England. Tell them it is as rude to forget that you are Welsh, not English as it is to expect them to be happy if they are told to forget they are Galician. Treat them to some of the reasons Welsh is not a moribund or useless language. Cerdd dant, the eisteddfod, the civil service that has propped up the ENGlish parliament since its inception, code-breaking, code invention, Celtic design, pop culture using the language.… I could go on all day. It is a bastion of hope for the cultural impact of the minority languages worldwide, and should inspire your Galicians! Welsh law was the first law to recognise the rights of women, and has a strong, independent literary tradition. I am proud to be called Welsh. Put on a noson lawen and conduct the entire evening through the medium of Welsh! Refuse to respond to English. Spanish or Welsh only. Accept Galician in equal measure to their acceptance of Welsh - and call it Cymraeg - the language of comrades. Play them http://video.twicsy.com/i/G8b6f or summat if you can't do anything else.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Wales
Thank you so much for this comment, Estrela. I think what makes it harder is that not only am I from Wales, I've grown up with the Welsh language around me; I'm used to hearing/reading/speaking it every day so to come to somewhere where there isn't any at all was a big culture shock for me. Then to keep on being called English feels like the final nail in the coffin at times! But I've explained to so many friends already about the traditions of Wales - how important things like the Eisteddfod (and rugby!) are, how the Welsh have suffered at the hands of the English over the years - take Tryweryn for example, and more importantly how important Welsh is to me. I'd like to think I'm flying the flag for Wales out here!
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