From the minute we arrived in Spain I realized that this whole survival thing might be a tad trickier than I expected. When the customs agent didn't speak English, I began to regret my decision third trimester of sixth grade when I registered for French 1a. After two days of confusion, broken conversations in Spanish and English, with the occasional Frenchman around to help me out, the definitive moment of the language barrier remains this:
Duy, two girls from Kansas we met in the hostel, and myself in a bar after the Barça/ Real Madrid game. The bar was clearing out as people headed to clubs and discos where the game wasn't being shown, when all of the sudden I hear a familiar bass line. Immediately happiness strikes the group. The first verse comes and we all sing in unison, "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train goin' anywhere". Immediately this middle aged man sitting next to us turns and sings, "Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit, he took the midnight train goin' anywhere".
I've never been so happy to hear Journey. The song ends, bro-style hugs are given to all who joined in, and then the middle aged man starts speaking to us in Spanish. Fail.*
*Though he quickly realized that we knew every word not because we're avid Journey fans, but because US citizenship for my generation requires the knowledge of those lyrics. He switched to perfect english, as it turns out he was from Tijuana.
This week has been filled with moments like this. Those brief moments of understanding have become so extremely precious. When English speakers find each other it's a big deal. A reunion of sorts. It truly is amazing how much we take for granted comprehension and understanding of each other, and how beautiful communication truly is.
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