I have finally passed the three-month mark of my time abroad, and my first phase has come to an end. I have been trying to get this blog post out for what feels like forever and I am at a place where I can reflect on my time in Spain. The past few weeks have been very busy and before then, I was full of uncertainty. I had thought I would be departing to Morocco on the 14^th of December but it has been announced that they will be keeping their borders closed until at least February. This news was very saddening as I was supposed to spend half of my time in Morocco and had based much of my project on comparisons between Spain and Morocco. I am now on the complete opposite end of Europe, in the UK. It was a very last minute decision and thankfully I found someone to stay with here, so everything has fallen into place quite quickly. Who knows how long I will have to stay here with all the uncertainly COVID brings us, but there is plenty to learn here as well.

Leaving Granada was difficult — I felt sad to part with a city that I had made so many memories in and leave people that I had grown to love. Living in the same area my whole life, I have never had the experience of creating deep connections with people and then having to leave. It is the nature of traveling alone, constantly moving and finding alike people — some that you will see again and others you may have met for the last time. I am so thankful to have spent so much time in Granada. I really feel like I got the chance to really understand the area. I knew my way around and developed an attachment to certain places.

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My last two weeks in Spain I spent at one of the most magical places I have ever been. I stayed on an organic avocado farm in the mountains, right outside the pueblo of Jete. It was about an hour south of Granada, but a completely different climate and landscape. In those two short weeks I learned so much and got to know my amazing hosts quite well. Jete is in a micro-climate, which is why they can grow fruits like avocados, mangos, oranges, and chirimoyas (custard apples). It never gets below freezing (great place to be during winter) and the views were just spectacular. We would begin working at around 8:00 am, which I did not really mind because I got to see the spectacular sunrise every morning. There is nothing better than getting to see the sun come up over the hills, watching how they would turn from blue to pink, and eventually a golden yellow.

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The work hours usually consisted of picking avocados, sorting them to get ready to ship, and other random tasks around the finca. Some of the work was more difficult and quite labor intensive but I always enjoyed it and felt satisfied after a day of work. My hosts were very nice, funny and so knowledgable. I also felt I had the most practice in Spanish here than I had anywhere else during my trip and it was nice to be able to put into practice what I had learned. I am so glad I got to know them, I only wish I had more time to spend there. 

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My Observations of Foodways

As I have talked about before, Spain is a place full of history; it is all there, right in front of you. You can see it in the architecture, the landscapes and its people. The most exciting for me is how prevalent its history is in its cuisine. Through the typical Spanish dishes and how they have developed their flavors, you can easily see how historical events and mingling between cultural and class groups has created what we see today as Spanish cuisine. In November when I was living in Granada, I made an effort to explore the typical dishes of the Andalusian region in order to understand the different facets of Spanish cuisine. By analyzing Spanish cuisine, you can see how trade routes, conquest of land, and human interaction have played out over time in Spain.

Spain is critically situated at the bottom of Europe, on the Mediterranean. Even though it is on the westernmost edge of the continent, it serves as a gateway between the rest of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It was a destination on the Silk Road dating back to the Phoenicians in 400 CE. Once colonization began in the Americas, Spain was at the forefront of taking goods from the Americas to Europe. This made an enormous impact, not just in Spain, but in the rest of the world as well. Due to these factors, Spain has had access to worldly products for centuries.

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What I found interesting was how many of the Spanish staples in their cuisine came from elsewhere. Garlic from Asia, saffron from the Middle East, potatoes and tomatoes from the Americas. These are crucial to their cuisine today. Almost all the recipes I made or ate utilized at least one of these ingredients. In the south, you can also see the Arabic influence in many of their recipes, how they cook them and what ingredients they use. 

Side note: There is a lot of Arabic in Spanish as well. For example many words that start with ‘a’: Andalusia, aceite (oil), acetuna (olive). There are other words like Berejena (eggplant), Ojala (I hope), and many more. 

What I have learned about Spanish cuisine, is the beauty in simplicity. A commonality I found was that most dishes are made of similar ingredients, cooked in different ways. Most of the recipes focus on the flavors of the ingredients rather than on added spices. Most often I found dishes are seasoned with solely salt and pepper — which may sound as if the dish would be bland, but it is just a different way of cooking. Take for example, a Spanish tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas). It is just potatoes, eggs, salt and olive oil (sometimes onion). It is so simple and seems bland on paper, but if cooked right it is an amazing dish! I attempted this one, even though it seems so simple — I completely failed. The most difficult part is flipping it. Since the tortilla takes up the entire pan, you have to flip it over onto a plate and then carefully slide it back into the pan. I did not have a big enough plate; so I just ended up with a broken mess that became overcooked. My host made one and wow, it BLEW mine out of the park! It was almost triple in height and was still moist. Even a dish this simple has become one of the national dishes of Spain. 

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The Spanish tortilla was developed by people in the lower class as an effort to make eggs stretch further and provide more sustenance for long workdays. It is interesting to think about the dynamic between classes — in that many of the “national dishes” were created by the poor and brought into wealthier homes. There are many more examples of this in Spanish cuisine like Migas (made with stale bread and variable veggies and meats), Gazpacho (cold tomato soup) . I also think this simplicity in cooking could have come from the fact that most of these dishes were taken from the lower classes, as access to spices would be limited to the upper class — since most would have had to be imported. This makes me wonder how many other famous dishes originated like this. I had thought that really delicious recipes came from expert chefs, but is makes more sense that these recipes came from regular households.

The next dish I made, Arroz con pollo, is a dish I grew up eating. It has always been a comfort dish of mine. I was surprised to find that it was not just a Mexican dish, but originating in Spain and has different versions throughout Central and South America. The warm chicken, flavorful rice, and sweet peppers all come together to create a cozy dish. In the Spanish version, the main difference I found was the use of saffron, which is one of the spices I have noticed is used quite often in Spain.

I also made Pisto and Huevos a la Flameca, which are very similar dishes. They are both based on a tomato sauce with sweet peppers and onions. Where they differ is the Huevos a la Flamenca have potatoes, jamon iberco and chorizo. They were both quick meals, made in one pan, and very tasty when served with egg. The fact that these are all a take on simple ingredients and made in one pan, lead me to believe that these also originated from the lower class and was adapted later to the whole of the population. Pisto is said to have originated from a dish with Arabic origins, al-buraniya. The original dish was made of eggplant, garlic, and olive oil. Overtime, tomatoes and peppers became the base of the recipe. Through this one dish, you can see the exact path it followed along side Spain’s historical development. First brought over during the Umayyad occupation, and then the ingredients were later affected by the colonization of the Americas. 

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The way their cuisine has developed is endlessly interesting to me. It is so cool to see the pathways of people through these dishes and really shows just how complicated Spain’s history is. The true Spanish culture is more of a mix than people may think — more than I originally thought. There are no homogenous “Spanish” people, as well as no homogenous culture as everything varies from region to region. When I was in Galicia in the north, my host would say that the north and south of Spain are so different that they might as well be different countries. With different groups emigrating and immigrating over time, you find this place has become an intersection of culture, which in turn has formulated a culture full of depth and contributed to the rich Spanish culture we see today. 

Final Reflection

My time in Spain has been an unforgettable experience. So far I have had very positive experiences and I really feel like I am on the path I have always wanted to be on. Traveling alone has so far been a very empowering and eye-opening experience for me. I truly feel like I am growing and learning something every day, even if it’s something as simple as a new word. I am also learning about myself, my limits, and what it means to truly be living away from familiarity. I cannot be more grateful or happy that I am able to be here. It is an honor and privilege to be able to do this, especially during our uncertain times.

It is somewhat odd being in an English speaking country. It is interesting, I feel like I have a newfound confidence speaking in English from being in Spain. It sounds odd, but after having to compress your thoughts into the small vocabulary I have in Spanish, it is refreshing to be able to communicate my thoughts, and know exactly what I am saying. Language barriers are hard, and it really puts me into a position I have not had much experience with. Even with the difficulty, it is so fun and interesting to learn a new language. It is such a vast subject and there are so many nuances in language you really don’t notice until you start learning a new one. It is such a challenge and makes you open your eyes to the possibility and the diverse ways we can communicate as humans. I wish I had more time to work on my Spanish, but I am hoping I will be able to pick back up where I left off when I get back.

Even though I am on a solo trip, it seems as if I am more surrounded by people since I am constantly meeting new people. When traveling you tend to meet people who are also traveling or on similar journeys. With that, you have a common ground to start off on and you tend to develop deeper friendships faster. I have met some people in the past months that I hope to know for the rest of my life. It feels good; especially after months in lockdown where I found I was not able to make connections as easily. 

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I also have realized that the sharing of knowledge goes both ways. Coming in with an academic mindset, I usually expect to be taught: sit, listen, and absorb the wisdom of others. In reality it tends to go both ways. I have talked a lot more about where I am from and been able to share the knowledge I have (some knowledge I didn’t even know I had). It’s nice being able to share my perspectives and lend knowledge that people may not have ever had the chance to learn. 

I am sad to leave Spain, I feel like I have not had enough time. These past months have flown by and I still feel like there is much more to experience and learn. I am looking forward to coming back but for now I must leave it behind and enjoy my time in the UK.

Sources will be added soon!