The Most Difficult Aspect Of Talking To Spanish People Isn't The Vocabulary, Necessarily, But The Cultural

The most difficult aspect of talking to Spanish people isn't the vocabulary, necessarily, but the cultural differences. 

For example, I use "creepy" and "awkward" very often, it turns out. These words don't exist in Spanish, and I've failed to explain either one adequately. 

Merry Christmas!

(Feliz Navidad)

(Salamanca, 10/07/11)

Puente de Enrique Esteban.

(Salamanca, Fall 2011)

Salamanca's a conservative city, but that doesn't stop the liberal-minded people from speaking up (loudly). 

The first poster includes pictures of almost every European politician, including both spanish presidential candidates and the pope. Fascism is an incredibly touchy subject here, as Spain's only 30ish years removed from Franco. In fact, you're considered fascist if you fly the national flag if there isn't a soccer game that day.

The second picture says "Cancelled because of animal cruelty". 

(Firenze, 08/23/11)

End of the Ponte Vecchio.

(Corniglia, 08/27/11)

I encountered the blue door halfway down a steep, winding staircase that eventually led to the Mediterranean. Had I opened a door, I would have seen a house perched upon the rocky cliff, maybe with a leathery old Italian man watering the flowers and his wife picking lemons out of their tree. 

Instead, I continued on and took too many pictures of the pristine teal sea.