This week in barcelona

Ola!

Esta semana voy a la escuela espanola! For you Americanas this means - "This week I am attending spanish school!"

David and I enrolled in a two week intensive spanish class for beginners at a wonderful, and small, language arts school called "Version Orginale"

This is a very clever name for a school, because here when you are looking to see an American film in the theaters in English, you look for the words "Version Original" which means, the film is not dubbed, but rather the sound plays the "original version" or as we say in spanish "version original" and then there are spanish (or in some cases here - Catalan) subtitles.

Our teacher Christina is wonderful and I can not get over how much we have learned in one week. We are attending classes from 10am-1:30pm. In Spain, people have lunch anytime 1:30pm-3:30pm. Most stores are closed 1:30pm-5:30pm. Most restaurants are closed 3:30pm (or 4pm) till 8 or 9pm when they reopen. So you can imagine, that is the part that has taken the most getting used to. Restaurants in the U.S. are usually open for dinner 5pm-9pm or 10pm (the latest during the week in pgh). Here, they are closed 5-9pm.

This is a picture of our neighborhood. It is called, Eixample. See how big it is?!?

Below is a more detailed image and you can see how each of the "squares" in the photo are a "block." Each block in Eixample is built using the same plan: a square with an empty area in the middle. 

In addition to attending school, David and I are both trying to get work done. David started teaching his classes this past week. He teaches on Monday and Wednesday afternoons/evenings. 

I am having a harder time getting work done in the apartment during the day, as Travis and Julie are using the living room/dining room as their classroom. The good news is starting March first I will have a small office to go to during the days, so that I can EDIT THE MOVIE!  

You will all be happy to know that Travis is doing really well at "school."His tutor Julie is very patient and kind and he seems to be learning a ton! Everyday they have science and math and reading, but they are also focusing each week on a special topic. 

So far, he has had one theme week on Gaudi and this week's focus was Egypt. He will update his blog with info about Egypt this weekend. Next week is the Middle Ages. They have been doing experiments in Science and reading a great deal and playing interactive games on the computer related to his theme each week. 

Travis also attended a movie making "after school" class this week, at the American School of Barcelona. While it is a bit of a trek to get there - a 20 min metro ride + 20 min bus ride, the faculty and administration there have been so welcoming to us and Travis LOVED IT. So we enrolled him. It will be once a week, so a nice chance for him to connect with other kids, learn something of interest to him, and hopefully make some friends too.  The teacher is a nice british guy and Travis was recruited into a group who are making a 5 minute film called, "Larry Potter" - so this feels like a recipe for success. 

Well, that is about all for this week's update. We love you all. And are ever grateful for this opportunity to unplug from our everyday, and experience this different and beautiful place and culture, and de-stress a bit from our regular work and school lives. 

Sabbatical Journal - 1

One finds oneself doing things, one had not imagined, on sabbatical. For one, there are no clothes dryers in Barcelona, it is not the custom, so while working on my feminist film about women presidents, most days I find myself hanging my little boy's underwear and sheets on the line to air dry, becoming expert with clothespins as I look out at the other señoritas, each of us on our terraces in the morning sun. I find it oddly meditative.


Also, this makes me wonder about U.S. energy consumption. I can't help notice that the dishwasher and laundry machine use less water here then in the states. And of course, then there is the air drying laundry....we have a fourth floor apartment with a small terrace that we thought we would have our morning coffee on, but honestly serves as our humble laundry room. But that's okay because really we are in Barcelona, right?

Boulangerie (bakery) located WAY too close to our house

While our carbon footprint may be diminishing - our CARB consumption is significantly expanding. All of my vows of a carbless existence hit the pot when each block has no less than two boulangerie (bakeries) and it seems like a national insult to walk by without getting our daily baguette...and a bottle of wine...and chunk of cheese, of course to go with it.

Like other times when we have rented a house - on the vineyard or on vacation - the first week has been filled with constant trips to the grocery store as we realized what we "must" and "don't" have - from the exotic (hearts of palms, olives, pate) to the old standbyes - milk, oj, cereal, yogurt - and all the million other things in between - toilet paper, soap, hand soap, laundry soap, shampoo, fabric softener, oh how many different kinds of soap one family needs to stay clean! And we need hampers, and paper towels, and hangers, and ketchup and you see it really all adds up fast!

I am not complaining, just wanted to give you a clear picture of sabbatical life. So far. School for Travis began today and he had a great first day. His tutor Julie is smart and creative and energetic and so they seem well matched. They had a very productive first day filled with science and math and art and reading and they both seemed quite happy (and relieved) that it went so well.

Someday it will be warm enough to wear these...

Barcelona is a curious city in regards to weather. Most days it is beautifully sunny with the clearest blue skies one can imagine. But the wind is also fierce. Perhaps because it is a port city. So the sun and the sky and palm trees make me think it is a beach day. But the wind chill in the 40s reminds me otherwise. As you can see, I did not have room in my luggage to pack many winter clothes because i had other packing priorities...:-)

We are having fun though doing things like....sleeping in. Incredible! I think jet lag had something to do with it, but week one we gave ourselves permission to "be on vacation" and we all stayed up late and slept past 10:00am and wow what a difference this makes in one's world view.

Hospital St. Paul located around the block, quite beautiful.

This week as we begin school mode and work mode things are slowly moving back to a regular time schedule. Travis's home school schedule beginning, David's class schedule beginning, and me back to working on the film. Though time is a crazy thing here too. Most stores are open 9am-1pm and then open again 6pm-9pm. Or if it is a restaurant, they are open 1-3pm and then again 9pm-midnight. So, it took some getting used to, but we are slowly getting the hang of it.

Most people here speak Catalan with a little spanish. We speak English with a little Spanish. But hand gestures and large expressive eyes seem to help break the language barrier. David and I begin spanish classes next week for real!

View from the top of Casa Mila

The public transportation is WONDERFUL. Travis is already an expert at the metro and we are all learning our way around. It is a great city for kids this age because Travis (and his tutor) can get around so easily without the need of a car at all (and us too). The metro system here is very clean, safe, and efficient and so are the buses. Next week we hope to connect Travis with some after school classes (and classmates!) at an American School here.

So, all in all, expat life is really wonderful and such a great experience for us as a family. Already Travis seems more independent and confident and the journey seems to be very good for him.

More soon...Heather

Barcelona - Week One

Casa Milla
Hello friends and familia - we are now safe and sound in beautiful Barcelona. It is not quite hot here...yet (it has been in the 50s all week) so we still need our coats and gloves. But it is also very sunny. So, we have winter coats and sunglasses on most days. Travis has been adjusting very well to our new apartment and new city and his new tutor/travel nanny Julie. Here are some photos from one of our first outings, to Gaudi's Casa Milla. 

Casa Milla Roof

As you can see, it is quite beautiful and has the most wonderful many leveled roof with sculptures all about. Each fixture actually serves a critical role in the building - as exhaust for air, or fireplaces, or some other ventilation need. Incredible!




Our visit here was Travis's first request and it did not fail to delight and impress us all. Check out Travis's blog next week for a report on Gaudi and the Case Milla. His blog is at www.travisworldofwow.blogspot.com but he told me to tell you he will be updating it next week as he is "still doing research." Ciao! H, D, & T

   

Today I met a real life hero

Today I had the chance to interview one of my (s)heroes, Eleonora Menicucci. She is the Minister of Women's Policy for Brazil. She and Presidenta Dilma Rousseff were revolutionaries together fighting against the dictatorship and when they were both in their 20s they were inprisoned and tortured. They were cell mates in prison and now Dilma is Presidenta and she has appointed Eleaonora as Minister. If you need some inspiration just click here to read more about these incredible women. I am so honored to have this opportunity to meet and speak with them in person.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/24/brazil-s-strong-stance-on-women-s-rights.html

And here are pictures of Veronica and I with the Minister (in front of the Presidenta's photo) and pictures of Brazil's beautiful and impressive capitol city Brasilia.

Rio - a review

Rio was quite wonderful. The crew includes myself, Heather Arnet (writer/director/producer) and Veronica Marques (Producer for ELAS in Brasil). Veronica is also the current Director of Communications and incoming Co-Executive Director of ELAS the women's fund in Brazil. We are joined by Nathan Golon (Cinematographer/Director of Photography); Emilia Freire (Line Producer), and interns Louisa and Carolina who are have been managing the logistics of everything on the ground. And in Rio we are also joined by our driver Marcus, security guard William, and Sound Assistant Junio.

So now you know the cast of characters. :-) Everyone has been wonderful to work with and so welcoming to us. In Rio we have interviewed many incredible women. Here are just a few highlights and photos below from our week in Rio:
- Day One: We interviewed Delanie Costa from IBAM who has held candidate trainings for women and is on the Board of UN Women & has amazing knowledge of women's political trends in Brazil. Then we interviewed Marta Rocha, Chief of Police for all of Rio and discussed her long career in the police force, her experience as the first woman Police Chief of Rio, and we visited a women's police station, especially created to be a place where women can come to report sexual assault, rape, or domestic violence and receive support and assistance from female police officer and specially trained male police officers.
- Day Two: We met with Candace "Cindy" Lessa, the Board Chair of ELAS who has also worked with Ashoka, and is a leader in the development of social change philanthropy and the non-profit (or as they call it here "the citizen sector") in Brazil.
- Then we went to interview Tia Surica at the Portela Samba School. Surica is an Internationally famous singer and samba dancer and she has been instrumental in the development of this school - one of the oldest and most famous in all of Rio. We watched Surica sing and dance with the children at the samba school and talk to us about the critical role samba plays in the culture of Rio and in these children's lives. AND the role it had in empowering her to become a successful woman when her beginnings were so modest.
- Day Three: We met with a political science scholar who has written books and made a documentary about the role of women in the construction trades and development of Brazil. She has also written books about the representation of women in government and was a tremendous resource to us, giving a historical perspective to the importance of Dilma's presidency. Then we visited and interviewed Lillian who lives in and runs a business in a Favela and is a grantee of ELAS.
- Day Four: day We met with Fernanda Keller, 10 time winner of the IronMan triathlon she is an incredible inspiration. So strong, so smart, so beautiful. She spoke of the power of sports to transform her life, and the lives of other women and girls, and how important it is to have a dream and to work hard and to go for it!
- Then we interviewed Eliane Potiguara, who is a writer and activist for the rights and legacy and rich history of the Indigenous People of Brazil. She is a very spiritual woman and this meeting was very powerful. She told us how she was speaking on behalf of generations and generations of ancestors. We spoke of the role of indigenous women in politics in Brazil now and into the future.
- Then we met with Benedita da Silva. WOW! First black woman elected to Rio's city council, then to Congress, then to the Vice Governorship of Rio, then Governor of Rio, and now the Federal Senate. She participated in the crafting of the new Brazilian constitution and she was instrumental in both Lula and Dilma's presidential campaigns. I look forward to coming back to Brazil to volunteer on her Presidential Campaign after Dilma has been re-elected to a second term of course!
And these are just some highlights of the 14 women we interviewed in Rio. Now we off to Brasilia and will write more from there. Love, Heather

In Honor of Kasandra Wade

Those of you in Pittsburgh know that today there is a candle light vigil being held for our friend Kasandra Wade who was killed by her ex boyfriend two weeks ago, leaving her son motherless & our community shattered. That day she called 911 but when the police came - her ex said to them from the window of her apartment that everything was fine. That they did not need to come in. And without even seeing her they left. The next day they found her dead. Her ex shot her & then later that day he shot himself. The "What Ifs...." plague us.

I am in Brazil. Here I have met with the female Chief of Police for all of Rio (who is a woman), I have visited "women's police stations" that serve women & where female police officers are in charge, I have heard & learned so many new perspectives on how the women here are struggling & problem solving these complex issues here. I will write more later tonight. But for now here are pictures of Veronica & I with the Police Chief & at the women's police station. I have told all of them of Kasandra & while you in Pittsburgh are at the rally. We will be thinking of her & all of you from the other side of the Equator.

Day One - beautiful!

Day One - beautiful!
From the plane I could see Rio beneath...green, mountainous, mysterious.
Veronica is the most gracious host. She picked us up at the airport and has everything so organized for this wonderful adventure! Here are some photos from the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel.
Day one has included a quick film shoot at the airport, some downtime (a mid-day post-plane nap),  then a fantastic production meeting with Veronica and Nathan reviewing tomorrow's filming schedule and the production overview for our week in Rio. And now we are off to dinner.