Help Im Black!

Dear blogreader,

I have been living in Madrid now for four years.I usually praise Madrid for being generally colour-blind.Examples of my daily work and social life are evidence.During weekdays at lunchtime,I eat with colleagues in a restaurant close to work.I have not ever felt special attention,favour or disfavour just because of my race.I dont mean to totally claim that in Madrid race doesnt matter,because I would be lying.It does.If you dont belive me then be a black person or a black person from Africa or a person from Asia or a person from Eastern Europe or an Arab looking for a flat either to share or to own.Even for these groups of individuals there is a hierachy of acceptable races hence if any two indviduals from those races would be the last candidates for accomodation for example,one would fare better than the other.

Well,back to my realisation:Something happened to make me ask the following questions
a)Is it true?
b)If yes/no to the question above,does it bother me?

On Friday at work,I was having one of the lively chats and comments I usually have with colleagues about this and that,when suddenly a colleague mentioned that all Africans are the same.I was gobblesmacked to hear that umbrella statement but proceeded to ask my colleague what he meant.To the question he answered they speak loudly,dress in very bright colours and use a lot of hand gestures.He went on to say that when he sees me he has no doubt that Im African because all my mannerisms and physical attributes yell African from the highest peak of the Sierra Mountain in Madrid!Apparently,he had collected this information and evidence from being on the morning train to work.Come to think of it,I should have mentioned that Africans in the morning's workers train is a different profile to Africans in Canada going to work in their own cars to Africans in the United States going to work in far-away destinations on Air Force One!

I asked this colleague what would be his comment to the remark that all Spaniards are the same?He said there were not and I responded that the same applies to Africans on the train not being represenattive of all Africans(Blacks) on this planet.It then became a more uncomfortable discussion as he went on to assure me that all those attributes werent negative and I need not be ashamed or feel bad about them.I felt absolutely patronised and was flabbergasted.Needless to say,he was convinced I had an inferiority complex about being black and I believed he was ignorant and small minded.I even mentioned our common boss who is Spanish and has a loud laugh and dresses very elegantly every time in a combination of classic colours and bright feminine and flattering hues!

So to the 2 questions above,"Is it true,are all Africans the same?"Do we all speak in boisterous and voices?I know that for a fact to be untrue!
Secondly,how do I feel about people carrying and expressing these stereotypes,well I wish I would let it go.However,for now it bothers me...you know,expressions like to work like a black person in Spanish(Trabajar como un Negro) and many more stereotypes that people live and act out make me shriek.Truth be told,one of my best friends,an Italian girl from Sardegna who also happens to be a psychologist told me that we all carry prejudices one way or another.She also told me I have a laugh from the stomach which is lively and warm like water bubbling in a claypot on a fire (scene from africa:)).We agreed though that nowadays there are not really sweeping descriptions of races,communities and people...Like I told my colleague,apart from my boss with her loud laughing voice,Italians also use hand gestures(perhaps very particular ones,but visible hand gestures all the same)and so do Indian people to express different ideas.

For the obvious and subtle character traits in all of us,I bet we have more or less the same quantities.What do you think?

Till Soon!
Sarah

Welcome Back

Dear Reader,

I had taken such a long sabbatical from writing in my blog and consequently become ancient.I had a lot to do and Im glad I took that step.

In that time I totally took control of my finances.I even took careful note of my salary slip up to the last cent.Suprisingly,around that time my employer made a SAP related mistake reducingfrom me about 17% of my salary.Had I not being in this self-observant period,Im sure I would have missed it.

I also started to go to the gymn.A pasttime I thoroughly enjoyed though it was a trimestral contract at 68Euros per month.The story of how I joined the gymn is curious.The first time I went to ask about how it all works,the receptionist who attended me was aloof and unfriendly.Therefore though I was interested I put off the actual joining to a week later to coincide with the beginnning of the month and also to think about it all.Fortunately,the day I returned I met a friendlier receptionist who also happens to be a gymn trainer.What do you know, she even offered me a zero subscription fee so I paid for the three month's fees on the spot.My time at the BODYFACTORY gymn was enjoyable to say the least.I would arrive from work feeling fatigued with a hint of headache,and going there raised my motivation and energy levels.It was indeed a triumph.Madrid's scorching sun and bubbling heat has put me off gymn for now but Im taking part in the city races now and again.My daily lifestyle which involves taking the Metro and going up and down numerous escalators also helps.

Apart from health,vitality and finances,one of my great feat's has been recognising I have been taking massive bites off my ambitions.Its been in recognising I was approaching an escalation in stress and anxiety due to my many incomplete projects.I have now actively started to say no when I cannot and to also ask for help in my personal and professional life.

In the meantime I will get back to throwing out all trash thats filled my room in the form of daily free city newspapers like Qué,ADN(My favourite due to a columnist called Lucía Etxebarria),20 Minutos as well pamphlets about events and happenings in the city!

Till again(SOON),
Sarah