Hard at Work

Last week was such a whirlwind of interviews and activities, I'm trying to figure out how to write about it all without making it into a novella. On Monday, my friend Greta wanted to go up Mt. Igeldo. I hadn't brought my camera the last time I went, so I thought it would be a great idea. Marlee and I lugged the camera and tripod along the beach again (they only seem to get heavier as the trip goes on). This time we were smarter and took the fundicular up to the top. It was a 1.30 well spent. At the top of the mountain was a very sad amusement park. They had log rides, bumper cars, a house of terror and other rides, but there were only a few people there and none of them were their for the park. Everyone up there (all 7-10 people) was there for the view. We could look out over San Sebastian and all the mountains that surrounded it. Unfortunately, all the mountains were a bit hazey so we decided not to film. It's frustrating when you get somewhere beautiful, but the conditions aren't right to film. It's even more frustrating when you've been carrying a camera for 2 hours just to film it. But now I know it's completely worthwhile so the next cool, clear day I will go up and film.

On Tuesday, Marlee and I took a bus up to Igeldo (the neighborhood, not the mountain) because I had read that they had a number of other competitions like the lumberjack one that I filmed. We were supposed to go to a sidraria to film, but the events in Igeldo only happen once a year, so it was more of a priority. Unforunately, once again we got all the way there and couldn't film. This time it was because I had recorded the info incorrectly and the activities were on Wednesday, not Tuesday. 

Wednesday I woke up sick. I think it was from sharing a drink with Greta, who was sick, but she insists that that could not be the case. According the Greta, a very smart, 25 year old Italian, viruses cannot be spread through sharing drinks, though they can be spread through kissing. She actually claims that the wind on my bare throat got me sick. I think this is amazing! This is a great example of something that we take as common knowledge, but certainly is not. We learn in kindergarten that you can spread germs through things that you touch, but I guess that is not the case in Italy. I love these little reminders that even though globalization is making countries more and more similar, I am still in a place that thinks differently than I do and holds different facts to be self-evident.

So Wednesday I went to my first interview of the week with a bit of a cold. I wasn't feeling very up for it, but I had waited a month for the interview so I wasn't about to miss it. The interview was in the Gipuzkoa Delegation which is an old majestic building that looks out onto a beautifully manicured park with fountains and waterfalls and tons of blooming flowers. It is conveniently 3 blocks from my apartment so I get to see it all the time. This was the first time I got to enter the building. I was really excited to see what the inside was like. The first thing I notice was the security. They aren't messing around here. I had to talk to people at the front desk and then I had to explain what I was doing to the security guards, who searched me, x-rayed all of my stuff and then made a copy of my ID. This was one of the first times when I really became aware of the ever looming threat of terrorism here.

After I got the ok from security, I had to find my way to Augustin Arostegi's office. Spain does not start with floor 1, as we do in the US, but rather with floor 0. So Augustin was on the 2nd floor which means he's on what we would call the 3rd floor. This is vital information if you're deciding whether to use the elevator or get some extra exercise. I went for the elevator because I'm getting all the exercise I need carrying my equipment on flat surface. I followed signs to the Office of Tourism and External Relations, but signs suddenly stopped and I was lost in an elaborately decorated, vast hall. After walking around for a while, I found someone who showed me where Augustin's office was (the only office without a sign--even the copy room had a sign!). His was spacious and very modern, which was a nice juxtaposition to the traditional building. I was pretty impressed by the office and even more impressed that he has a secretary who brought us tea and coffee for the interview.

I was told to interview Augustin because he is the Director of Tourism and External Relations for the province of Gipuzkoa. He has a lot of experience with bilingualism and gave me a great interview. I asked him my basic questions about how he identifies himself, how he defines Basques and Spaniards, his thoughts on only teaching Euskera in schools (which is the case here) and other questions about bilingualism. So far I haven't gotten any trend responses. Some people are Basque first, then Spanish, while others are just Basque and still others identify themselves as more international citizens. The new question that has been getting some great responses seems kind of funny: What team were you rooting for in the EuroCup? I decided to ask this because I noticed how many people were cheering for Spain during EuroCup. Generally, most people here think of themselves as separate from Spain, but many of those same people were cheering for Spain to win. Augustin, on the other hand, said that he supported Italy, then Russia, then Germany--all the teams that played against Spain. I'm going to keep asking this question because it brings out another side that is sometimes hard to get at with these short interviews.

On Thursday, Marlee and I woke up at the crack of dawn to get catch a bus to Bilbao. I had an interview in the old part of town with Mertxe Mugika Balangzategi. She works at the headquarters for AEK, a network of euskaltegis (schools that teach Euskera to adults) that are in all 7 provinces of Basque Country (Spain and France). She apparently had a bad experience with a Wall Street Journal journalist so she was a bit apprehensive about doing an interview with me. Luckily, she, like everyone else I have interviewed, sees that see that I am hear to make a film that celebrates the cultures here, not criticize them. We had a short interview because she seemed a bit nervous in front of the camera. She spoke really rapidly and fidgeted  a bit, but she still had great responses and gave me even more people to contact.

After the interview I met up with Marlee and had lunch in the old city. We wanted to get a menu del dia at a restaurant, but they were either too boring or too pricy. We ended up going to Bocatta's, the Spanish version of a fastfood chain. They have hot and cold bocadillos (sandwiches on french baguettes) with your choice of fries or patatas bravas. The place had as much personality as your standard McDonald's, but the food was cheap and it filled us up.

After lunch we headed over to the Guggenheim Museum. I filmed a bit of the outside while Marlee was the designated photographer. When I was satisfied that I had gotten plenty of good angles, we dropped off the equipment inside and took a tour through the exhibits. They had some impressive installations and an interesting surrealist exhibit, but the whole museum was pretty small. We saw everything in a little over 2 hours without rushing at all. I enjoyed the museum, but I think the building itself is the most impressive artwork there.

The same artist who made The Puppy in front of the Guggenheim, Jeff Koonz, made these giant metallic tulips which are also on display at the Guggenheim. The Puppy is a really cool statue covered in plants. The people here call him "Poopy" because they can't pronounce "puppy." I know this has absolutely nothing to do with anything else, but it made me smile and I thought you might enjoy this bit of info as well.
On Friday I once again woke up really early to have an interview with Xabier Mediguren, the president of Kontseilua, a network of organizations which strive to promote Euskera. We were supposed to meet at a really swank hotel cafe downtown. I waited for half an hour (Spaniards are often a bit late) and he never showed up. I called his secretary, who called him and told me that he was travelling without his agenda and had forgotten. He was very apologetic and set up an interview for a few hours later in the same cafe. The next time I went to the cafe he was patiently waiting there for me. We found the brightest spot in the dim lounge of the ritzy hotel and ordered some drinks. We then proceeded to have one of the best interviews I've had so far. He shared personal experiences and facts about the number of Euskera speakers and the history of the region. He was excited and passionate about his work and goals, but not in any way closeminded. He talked solidly for an hour and gave me absolutely fantastic material. The only thing I'm concerned about is the music that was playing in the lounge. I haven't looked at the footage since I've filmed it and I'm a bit nervous that I might have to redo the interview if the music overshadows his voice. We'll see.

Xabier also told me that I should visit the town where he was born. It is a small town with lovely scenery and people who lead different lives than the people in the cities here. The house he grew up in is 400 years old and is now a museum (how cool is that?). His brother and her wife still live in the town and he gave me their phone number so I can go and interview them. I'm super psyched. I just have to figure out where the heck this town is and how do I get there.

On Saturday, Sam and Vas, 2 other IROPers, came to San Sebastian to visit. The weather was gross and rainy, but we managed to have a good time. The plan was for them to come to San Sebastian for a day then we would all head to San Fermin (the running of the bulls) in Pamplona for Sunday and Monday. Our first mission was to get the appropriate costume. You have to have a read bandana for your neck, a red sash for your waist and a completely white outfit. At first I thought that only the runners wore that, but EVERYONE wears it. And it can't be your best red and white because at the opening ceremony everyone throws champagne, wine, ketchup, mustard and flour on everyone else. Luckily the sales have started in all the stores here so it wasn't very expensive to equip ourselves. I then made it my mission to have San and Vas try as many Basque and Spanish things as I could. We started with my all time favorite dessert here, pastel vasco, which is a rich cake with creamy custard in the center. After that we headed into the old town to get some greasy bocadillos and some sidra. I went home and had a bit of a siesta while the boys climbed up one of the mounts to get a view of the city. That night we went out for pintxos and I made sure they tried all of the traditional dishes. It was a great night, but we had to cut it short because once again we had to get up early to catch a bus the next morning.

On Sunday we arrived in Pamplona to see the entire city decked out in red and white. Everyone in the city (save a few clueless tourists) was wearing the prescribed uniform. Even old grandparents and little babies had their bandanas and sashes. We got there in time for the chupinazo (the kickoff ceremony). The entire old part of the city was packed like a can of sardines. Marlee and I weren't very interested in getting covered in ketchup so we watched the boys huge backpack as they headed into the center of the madness. I thought we might be missing out, but I soon realized that there was plenty of party where we were as well. Below is a picture of people arriving and after that is a photo of everyone when the the ceremony began. We definitely weren't alone. Once they shot the rocket to start the fiesta everyone brought out bottles of champagne and sprayed them everywhere. The people next to us even gave us some to drink.

We met up with the boys later and continued to tour the city through the packed crowds. We were carrying a lot of food so we wouldn't have to buy anything, but it made it difficult to get around. We had a great time, but Marlee and I decided to go home that night because sleeping in a park seemed very unappealing and my voice seemed to be getting worse and worse.  We said good bye and good luck to the boy (who were planning on running the next morning with the bulls) and went home to our comfortable beds.

I ended up getting sick the next day with a bad sore throat and no voice. I slept the whole day and now my voice is slowly coming back 2 days later. The boys had  a great run and didn't get hurt. Now that I know what's going on at the fiesta I think I'm going to go back this weekend and film a bit. I really want to see the running of the bulls. I just gotta cover my camera in saran wrap so it won't get ruined in someone throws wine on me.