Hola Amigos!

Last Saturday was my first indulgence in a Spanish film called Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All about my mother). It was an Oscar winning film for The Best Foreign Language Film in 1999. It sets in both Madrid and Barcelona but Barcelona takes precedence over Madrid. Controversial by nature, this film directed by Pedro Almodóvar Caballero portrayed the issues of transvestism, homosexuality, AIDS, drugs, prostitution, and those kinds of societally stigmatized things.

Although I don't think that this film is the best film to give a person who is going to study abroad in Barcelona the impression of how Barcelona is, I feel the director did a good job showing the struggles that Manuela, the main actress, had to go through after his son's death and the strengths that she garnered to move on with life.

On a closely related note, while watching the movie, I wondered what I would do if I were put in the situation of Rosa, the HIV positive nun/social worker who bore the baby of Lola, the transvestite who also impregnated Manuela 18 years ago. Lola ran off not long ago, and Rosa was not in good terms with her parents. In these circumstances, how do we remain positive? Hmmm.... Anyway, all's well that ends well. Although Rosa died of childbirth and Lola died of AIDS, their baby whom Manuela adopted as her own, neutralized the virus that grew in him. She returned to Barcelona from Madrid to attend a convention as the medical world was intrigued by the "miracle". The dark tragicomedy flowed and ended so well that I actually didn't feel appalled by its extreme focus on the grim side of the world.

A little debriefing here; I watched the movie in the theater in Christina's friend apartment with a bunch of Barcelonans and a few other Americans and other internationals. It was awesome being around Spaniards and being able to watch their explicit Spanish gestures and listen to them speak in Spanish and Catalan, not that I can tell the difference. But, it was still cool to be able to get to know some Barcelonans before even going to Barcelona. The nice thing is that Toni, the party host whom Christina introduced me to was going back to Barcelona in Spring '09 and he would take me around Barcelona! Awesome!

Hola Catalonians!

After the movie, we went to Toni's place and just hung out with the others. I really enjoyed the conversations I had in the party. It was so fun! Gracias Christina! Hostia!!!!! Wahaha....

I have no idea how these things seem to happen at the perfect time. It is just amazing. Maybe it is true that one is only 6 persons away from the person you would like to meet (from some book - I have no idea which; if u do, let me know). Don't ask me how he get the number 6 and why. I have no idea. I would also like to know whether the Law of Attraction is really taking place.
Ah, I just felt so great about it. I am more than grateful about the experiences that I have had here in the states. =D