Spain Is Different: Three Cities, Three Languages, Three Cultures, One Country
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We will briefly look at the history of the Iberian Peninsula and then focus on Madrid, San Sebastian, and Barcelona, delving into their cultures and personalities and their influences on the country. Our first session will be an overview of Spain and an introduction to the regional differences. The rest of the sessions will be devoted to each city, first Madrid and Castilla, then San Sebastian and the Basque Country, and finally Barcelona and Catalunya.
Lucie and George Semler have roots in Blue Hill and have lived in Spain for 56 years. George coached ice hockey in all three cities for the first ten years and since then has written extensively on Spanish history, food and culture, while Lucie taught ESL and did translations. Our four children grew up speaking English, French, Spanish, and Catalan. Basque, apart from a few words, eluded us.
Syllabus/Reading
Readings: We will post links and readings for each session.
Session 1: The Iberian Peninsula, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors, Hapsburgs, Bourbons, and more
Session 2: Madrid, the capital of Spain, the keeper of the Spanish Language, the center, open, lively, generous
Sessions 3: San Sebastian, the “kitchen of Spain”, the heart of the Basque Country, strong, collective, hearty, jovial
Session 4: Barcelona, the “European” city, individualistic, acquisitive, reserved, cultured
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