Civilizing Seville

Spain, according to Spaniards, is often despectively excluded as a true part of Europe. As they tell it, citizens of other countries in Europe are constantly throwing around the cliche that "Africa begins south of the Pyrenees". This may be true, though I have never heard any European say this.

Any European besides a Spaniard, that is.

The Spanish have got an inferiority complex, it would seem. This is not a difficult thing to understand, as while the British, French, even the Italians, were all treating themselves to some form or another of democracy, the Spanish and the Portuguese, both south of the Pyrenees, were enjoying themselves a good old-fashioned dictatorship until the mid 1970's.

Portugal, under Salazar, and Spain, under Franco--both struggled beneath the yoke of totalitarianism, and both spent the eighties like stunned kittens blinking at the light, trying to figure out how to become the truly first world countries that they should be.

The truth is that they have done quite well. I have no statistics for you, and I am no historian, so perhaps some of my suppositions are a bit shaky, but I think that they hold water pretty well.

Spain, and Portugal, are both still mired in the mud of patronage and networks of good-old boys, but they strive forward admirably, leaving a not-too distant past of poverty, illiteracy, and general backwardsness.

The funny part is that people, at least some people, at least some people here, don't seem all that happy about some of the advances being made.

When I first came to Spain, in 1999, and again in 2000, people smoked on the buses, in hospitals, in taxis. They smoked everywhere. Internet in the University was a mystery, and the computers were slow and antiquated. The streets in the vicinity of the major tourist monuments of Seville were jammed with cars--dangerous and annoying and generally unsightly.

Today smoking is at least somewhat curtailed in places such as those mentioned above. There is no longer a smoking session on long-distance buses (it was the back of the bus before), and the University here seems, at a quick glance, to be packed with new and real purty computers. And most importantly, the main street here, La Avenida de la Constitucion, which runs in front of the Cathedral (the third biggest in the world), is now reserved for pedestrians and sleek new trams.

And all I hear are complaints. One guy complained about the mayor, saying how terrible he was, complaining about him having ruined the Puerta de Jerez (once a traffic circle around a fountain, now pedestrian as well). When I dared to disagree with him, he pointed animatedly at the paving stones, saying, "But look at these stones! These don't go with Seville at all!"

Another woman looked at me and rolled her eyes when I mentioned the tram. "Oh," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm and mockery, "We are so European now."

And to be honest, I don't get it. The city looks great, the street is clean and pedestrian friendly. Locals and tourists alike seem to be enjoying its views while walking it. Cafes and restaurants are abundant, the trains (not yet being used, still in testing) run smoothly, ringing bells as they do.

And all that I can figure is, these people are pissed because they want Africa to begin after the Pyrenees. They don't want to be like the others, even if that means not improving their cities or adapting at all. And after all these years, all the complaints I have heard about their European reputation, many seem sad, percieving that they are losing it. I have got to hope, though, that some people here are happy about changes....

But who knows? I will keep researching and let you know.

A few other notes before I leave.

One, in response to Jerz's recent comment--Yes, the chains are taking over Europe (though it is nice to hear that Starbucks is failing in Italy). But, he's right--these places exist on supply and demand. And they are always, always, packed. Spanish seem to enoy a Big Mac more than any American I know, and prove their love with their presence.

Two, the program with Abbey Road, my work and reason for being here, is going well. We are being housed in a lovely student residence (dorm) in the center of town. We all have AC, TV, and WC on site. The students seem great (they just arrived yesterday), and our program schedule is exciting and filled. The weather is perhaps the only downfall, as the days seem to be steadily staying at 100 degrees.

That's all for now. I hope that all are well. More soon.