It´s been quite a special experience to live in a Catholic country during the elections of the new Pope. As I like to listen to the radio, my mind was starting to turn crazy from the half hour news telling us nothing, so I was actually quite excited when I heard the famous smoke was coming out white. (A shame it wasn't pink...it´s a girl!haha)
So, let me congratulate the Catholics with the election of a seemingly sympathetic pope, let´s hope he´ll be able do do something about the antiquarian institution he's sat to lead.
As I´m trying to do the most out of this year in Spain, not only being a housewife (boooring!) but also learning new things, in January I appointed myself to a sewing course. It´s great. I´m not very good, and have spent most of the days adjusting old trousers, sewing holes and making skirts shorter – and, above all, listening to the ladies' conversation. An italian proverb always comes to my mind: “Tutto il mondo é un paese” – the whole world is a village. That is, we´re all fundamentally the same, all over the world.
The señoras, all with names that start or end with Maria, talk about their (grand)children, the weather – and above all: diets. “I´m trying a new one, you know, the chorizo-diet” “Oh I've tried that one. It´s good, but the problem is staying the same weight. “ “I think it was horrible. Couldn't stand to eat eggs and bacon all the time” “The thing is, you should eat often, and healthy, like me, I always eat an apple at this time of the day” “Well, let me have some of that apple, it must be magic, because you look stunning!” etc etc. Now, last week, the conversation was a bit different.
MariRosa: So, girls. What do you think. Will there be any white smoke coming out this afternoon?
Marilo: I know I shouldn't say so, but it interests me “un culo”. There shouldn't be any Pope!
Pili: Well, maybe you're right. If they all sold only the rings they are wearing, they could help half of Spain out of the crisis.
Rosamary: Well said. Where´s my needle.
So, much to my satisfaction, I discovered that papal elections are not necessarily as important for the common woman as it might seem from the media coverage. I discovered that Spanish ladies with crazy religious names (Marilo = Maria Dolores = Mary (of the wholy?) Pains) are not necessarily as religious as their names suggest. And I silently confirmed that the world really is a village.