Doing the Vaughantown Salsa

                                                             El Rancho de Aldeguela

This morning we left Madrid for Torrecaballeros, and our Vaughantown home away from home, El Rancho.   When we arrived our rooms were not yet ready, so we went straight to an orientation session, then a 3-course lunch (with wine).  The Vaughantown Salsa is what they call the process of making sure there is a mix of Spaniards and Anglos at each table.  Pete, the MC, demonstrated how one would salsa over to a table where you think you see an available seat, only to discover that there are too many Spaniards/Anglos and you have to salsa over to find another spot.  You don't really have to dance, but Pete did.

Over the course of the next six days, we will have a series of one-on-one conversations with Spaniards, we will have telephone sessions, conference calls, and group activities.  Today we have done a couple of activities to get to know each other a bit.  After our lunch at 2:00 pm, and our siesta, we reconvened at 6:00 pm (from now on it will be 5 :00 pm) for a group activity involving some familiar mixer-type games, like finding someone in the group with a tattoo, or someone who speaks more than 3 languages, or has an unusual hobby.  This particular game served a second purpose in ferreting out special skills or talents that the MC can use during the week for the entertainment portions of our program.  I have been selected to take part in a little skit tomorrow involving some sort of cowboy song, but I'm told I don't have to sing.  I have to say four words, but I haven't been told my line.  My rehearsal time is 1:00-2:00 tomorrow, right before lunch.

Our second activity this evening was the two truths and a lie game, where you make three statements about yourself and the others have to figure out which one is the lie.  I have the distinction of being the only one in our group of five to fool everyone with my lie.  They all believed I was lying when I said I had eaten barbecued beaver - but it is actually true. The lie was that I was born in Germany.  The first one-on-one sessions are taking place right now, but because there are more Anglos than Spaniards, some of us have a free time hour.  Dinner is at 9:00 pm.  And so will go our days:  breakfast at 9:00, whatever tasks you are assigned until lunch at 2:00, siesta until 5:00, group activities and entertainment until dinner at 9:00.

One view of my room, with its dark wood beams, sitting area, desk and a door that opens onto.....

                                                                 ....this view.

The food is excellent.  We have a choice of two first courses, two main courses, and three desserts, plus coffee or tea.  If it gets old having 3-course meals every time, you can request a salad or something lighter.  There is no smoking anywhere except outside, which makes me wonder why I found this is in my room:

                                               a No Smoking sign....and an ashtray.

Three of the Spaniards are named Alberto, two of the Anglos are named John, and two are named Eugene and we have two Sues.  We are trying to make a couple of the Albertos be something else, but so far they are resisting.  So, just like in grade school, we have Alberto L, Alberto A, and Alberto R.  I don't remember which is which, but if I just say, "Alberto" they will all turn around and then I can just point. 

Time to get back to the lounge so we can be told which restaurant we are eating at tonight (there are a number of them on the property)!