Fiesta Nacional 2010

The first week of classes at UMA were tough. It took me a while to figure out which classes to take, and filter through conflicting time slots. The Spanish don't really understand the Major and minor system that we have in the States, so I'm having to go between two faculties between 11:00 and 21.30 Monday through Friday. The best thing about my first week of classes, however, was the fact that I had a school holiday in the middle of the week, and a five-day weekend that followed. I didn't realize what the occasion was until my German friend Alex invited to the festival in Nerja.




12 October marks the Spanish Fiesta Nacional. It was on this day that Jana (my best bud in Málaga) and I took a bus to Nerja, one of my now favorite beach cities in Southern Spain. The photo above is from the bus ride over. It appeared as if the driver had fallen asleep! After an adventure in transit, we met Alex at a house on the outskirts and joined a group of Spaniards in celebrating the national holiday. The people that we met were very inviting and welcoming, and served us paella, tortilla española, and a variety of other dishes that they cooked over an open fire on their back porch. [Comedic side note: THEY HAD A ROOSTER!!!] We ate our fill and spent the day laughing, toasting, and conversing in Spanish.



After the house party, we all loaded up in our host's cars and rode to Nerja's city centre where people were dancing in the streets! Between the music, the dancing, the drinks, the traditional garments that the people were wearing, and the good company that I was in, the Fiesta Nacional proved to be the best time that I've had in Spain thus far.



As the night came to a close, we stepped into a more familiar scene: Fair rides! We rode this big tilting orbital called "La Olla" that tossed us around like popcorn in a kettle [bringing us closer to our new friends than we thought we would ever be]. The only downside was that it tore my new Zara jeans!




After trading contact information, we all went our separate ways. Although I'm still struggling to acclimate to University life at UMA, one thing about that first week is certain: the Fiesta Nacional of 2010 will forever live in my memory as one of the best nights in my life.