Some Things, Like Lady Gaga, Are Just Universal I Guess..?

After having been here for six weeks I feel like I have become accustomed to the Spanish culture. I know that I will be served more meat each day than I usually have in a week. I know that on the bus, there is absolutely no concept of personal space. I know it is socially acceptable for people to stare. I know that when I make plans with someone at 7:00 that usually means they will show up at 7:20. Everything is so very different but finally I have settled into a routine. I go to school and pass the same people going to work on the streets, sit with the same students on the bus, and generally go through the same routine. I know I’m not quite a Spaniard but I was starting to think I was finished with surprises. Differences, I have come to expect.

One morning, as usual, I walked three blocks down to the corner café near my bus stop. I love this café because there is always a sense of calm and peace in the air. Usually there are two to three men sipping on their morning coffee with a piece of toast as they chat about their families and the news. Every morning I would listen to them as I reviewed my homework for my 9 am class. This morning was different.

I came a little earlier than usual because I had to finish some reading before catching the bus. I opened the door and the café was deserted. I couldn’t see anyone. All I could hear was the sound of radio stations coming in and out and finally it stopped. Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” came in clear. Then suddenly… it came in LOUD and clear. Diego, the owner of the café and a mere 5’ 6” tall, had been hiding behind the counter playing with the boom box. He stood up, still not seeing me in the doorway, and started to bust some moves like I have never seen before. He moved his hips every which way and threw his hands in the air. I didn’t know what to do! Should I go? Should I stay? But before I could decide he twirled around and we locked eyes.

“Qué tal…?” I said, with a quiver in my voice.

He looked mortified! He immediately stopped dancing. I felt horrible for ruining his fun.

“Me encanta esta canción también, la tengo en mi Ipod” I told him, trying to make it a little less awkward.

When he heard this, a smile grew on his face and he waved me up to the bar. The song was still booming so I thought I would dance my way up to the counter in an effort to break the ice. He must have appreciated this because it was as though I had invited him to our own 7 am dance party. We briefly grooved for 30 seconds before he cranked on the espresso machine and started my coffee.

I had never talked to Diego for very long. I only had a comfortable routine with him that we performed nearly every morning. For some reason, I already felt like I knew him before this morning. I knew what to expect. This morning, I faced one of the most surprising of surprises. I would have never pinned 55-year-old Diego for a Lady Gaga fan. I had put him in my “stereotypical Spanish man” box. He looked the part and I had never bothered to get to know him. After our encounter, we chatted for nearly 30 minutes. I discovered a lot about Diego that I didn’t know before. I also discovered that I can’t settle down into any routine. I will never know exactly what to expect. There will always be surprises. And some things like Lady Gaga, are just universal.

Can you guys think of a situation where someone surprised you by stepping out of the character you believed him or her to be?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9IQ9Y93XBk