Tag: How To’s

The Rookie’s Guide to Tapas

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Tonight, for the first time since I arrived in Spain, I felt like I was in Europe. And it was all thanks to tapas.

Earlier this week, our first week in Spain, some friends and I were keen to try some tapas, that all-important Spanish ritual of eating and drinking that seems so simple yet, somehow, the Spaniards have perfected to a near art. Oh, you can imagine the anticipation as we crowded into the center of a tapas bar that was just opening for the evening. That was short-lived. It only took us a hot second to realize that we had no idea what we were doing, and then scuttle back onto the street. How does one do tapas? We looked at each other quizzically, and decided to work the question over with some helado (ice-cream), which, incidentally, is never a bad idea in Santander, but that’s another matter.

For those of you who are new to the Spanish culinary scene, let me bring you up to speed.

WHAT?

Tapas are small plates of food, typically consisting of jamón (cured ham), queso (cheese), huevo (egg), patate (potato), or maybe some variation of pescado (fish) commonly piled on a slice of pan (bread).

That is the traditional variety, but some more “cutting-edge” establishments are serving up favorites from Latin America, including pint-sized burritos à la Mexico and Argentinean empanadas.

Something similar, often confused with, but slightly different from tapas is pinchos, or pintxos (in Basque). Pintxos are a bit smaller, or more delicate, and much more work intensive, with a lot of care going into details and presentation. The best are said to be found in San Sebastian.

WHEN?

Tapas are usually eaten either just before lunch (1 pm – 3 pm) or just before dinner (6 pm – 9 pm). The idea is for the light meal to hold you over until the appropriate dining hour arrives. This is especially nice for foreigners who are not used to the Spaniard’s late mealtime hours. The food is also meant to accompany your pre-dinner drink. A Spaniard would never drink on an empty stomach – they know how to hold their alcohol.

WHERE?

While tapas can be found at most restaurants, bars, and cafes in Spain, some establishments specialize in tapas.

Tapas can be found all over Spain, although they prefer the above-mentioned pintxos in Basque country. I hear that in Granada it is written into law that every round of drinks ordered must be accompanied by a free plate of tapas. I, for one, am intrigued.

WHO?

Friends and family go out for tapas in groups of three or four. This is because tapas are typically eaten standing at a counter or gathered around a small cocktail table – there’s simply no room for more!

HOW?

Now let’s get back to the million-dollar question: How does one do tapas?

My friends and I chose to solve this riddle by asking our professors to recommend a nice tapas place for first-timers like us. Maybe they would come along and show us the ropes? Our simple request for a nice place to eat culminated into a verbal ping-pong match between our two professors (it was quite exciting) with the end result being that tapas should be included in our curriculum. ¡Vale! That was an unexpected, but very welcome outcome. (All the same, my friends and I considered ourselves muy suerte (smooth) for getting the ball rolling on that one.)

So, the next evening, after touring the Catedral de Santander to appreciate the various examples of roman, romantic, and gothic architecture found there, our class of twenty stood in the drizzle on a street corner while our professors spoke just above the sound of city traffic to communicate to us the ritual of Spanish tapas. As you can imagine, we were all a bit mystified. Soon we found ourselves trailing the streets among the Spaniards in search of our first tapas experience. This is what we found:

Tapas is something akin to a moving cocktail hour (or two). You travel with your group from restaurant to bar to etc.

The norm is to visit three places in an evening. At each locale, every member of your group samples one or two tapas and a drink (the Spanish drink of choice is wine). While everyone orders one tapas a piece, it is understood that each tapas will be shared amongst the group.

Tapas are customarily ordered at the bar. There will be a crowd of people instead of a line, so be prepared to jump in when you are ready to order. There may or may not be a menu. If there is no menu, then you may choose from the tapas that are on display on the counter. Either way, try to know what you want to order before the server gets to you. Neither the server nor those waiting behind you will appreciate you taking the time to peruse what’s on offer. Oh, and one person orders for everyone in the group. Don’t be nervous if you aren’t sure what to order. I’ve asked several Spaniards what their favorite tapas is and every single one of them has reported, “They’re all good!”.

To pay for the bill, everyone throws about 5 Euro into the proverbial pot. This will cover everyone’s drink and tapas. Nobody is allowed to count out who-owes-what. If you do not partake in a round of tapas, you do not need to contribute to the bill at that establishment, that’s fine.

But please, above all else, take your time and relax. It is tempting and all too easy to finish off a quick tapas in a few minutes – but don’t. A good way to slow down is to watch how much is left in your glass compared to what is left on your plate: is your glass half full but your tapas nearly non-existent? Then now would be a good time to take a breath and enjoy. Watch the scene around you, or indulge in some conversation – you know what to do.

Tapas is simple, and Spaniards understand this. And that, dear reader, is the beauty behind the art of tapas.

Emily Bowman, DUSA Student Blogger

Tapas sitios in Santander (recommended by my professors, two locals) 

Casa Lita – Paseo de Pereda, in front of the monument to los raqueros

 Bodegas Mazón – Calle Hernán Cortés, close to the intersection with Casimiro Sainz

Cañas, Vinos y Tapas – Calle Hernán Cortés, close to the intersection with Lope de Vega

Días de Sur – Calle Hernán Cortés, close to the intersection with Lope de Vega

Cervecería Cruzcampo – At the corner of Calle Hernán Cortés and Lope de Vega

Bodega Cigaleña – At the corner of Eduardo Benot and Emilia Pardo Bazán

Los hijos de Florencia – At the corner of General Mola and Eduardo Benot

La despensa – At the corner of Daoiz y Velarde and Pancho Cossio

Casa Ajero – At the corner of Daoiz y Velarde and Pancho Cossio

La Bodega Conveniente – In the Plaza Cañadío

Marcelino – Calle Pizarro, close to the intersection with Santa Lucía

Mesón Ramapalay – At the intersection of Gómez Oreña with Daoiz y Velarde; next to the Plaza de Pombo and the church of Santa Lucía

Café de Pombo – In the Plaza del Pombo

Luzmila – At the corner of Hernán Cortés and Marcelino Sautuola; in between the Plaza Porticada and the Plaza Cañadío

La Casa del Indiano – Inside of the Mercado del Este

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Safety and Security Abroad

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As many of us enjoy summer travels or excitedly prepare for Study Abroad this fall, I’d like to take a moment to consider our safety. In light of recent tragic events, we’re reminded that while it’s seemingly impossible to control everything around us, it also reinforces the need to take precautions to ensure our safety and security.

On the Move

You will most likely be walking or taking a lot of public transportation while you are abroad. Even though you won’t be behind the wheel, you still need to know where you are going, and how to get there, before you set out. You might be concerned about standing out as a tourist by carrying around a map of the city or the public transportation routes. However, I doubt you’ll mind too much when you get on the wrong train and end up 40 minutes south of your flat in a part of town you’ve never seen before (I’ve done something like this too many times to count). It’s pretty easy to get directions off a smart phone, but keep in mind that your phone provider will charge you exponentially to use data while abroad, so have an alternate option available to you.

Also, use the buddy system, especially at night and early in the morning, or when you will be travelling through area’s where you know you will be a target. If you can’t help it and will be travelling alone, let someone know where you are going, preferably two people – one from the place you are leaving and one who you will meet at your destination.

If you do get lost, ask someone who looks official – a station guard, a clerk at a nearby store, a policeman, etc. – to point you in the right direction. Do not be afraid – or embarrassed – to ask for help multiple times until you get to where you need to be.

In your City

While everyone looks forward to feeling at home in the city where they have gone to study abroad, you don’t want to experience the rude awakening that you are still very much a foreigner in a strange place. The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has a pretty good list of tips to stay safe on the street:

  • Don’t use short cuts, narrow alleys or poorly lit streets.
  • Try not to travel alone at night.
  • Avoid public demonstrations and other civil disturbances.
  • Keep a low profile and avoid loud conversations or arguments.
  • Do not discuss travel plans or other personal matters with strangers.
  • Avoid scam artists by being wary of strangers who approach you and offer to be your guide or sell you something at bargain prices.
  • Beware of pickpockets. They often have an accomplice who will:
    • jostle you,
    • ask you for directions or the time,
    • point to something spilled on your clothing,
    • or distract you by creating a disturbance.
  • Beware of groups of vagrant children who could create a distraction to pick your pocket.
  • Wear the shoulder strap of your bag across your chest and walk with the bag away from the curb to avoid drive-by purse-snatchers.
  • Try to seem purposeful when you move about. Even if you are lost, act as if you know where you are going. Try to ask for directions only from individuals in authority.
  • Know how to use a pay telephone and have the proper change or token on hand.
  • Learn a few phrases in the local language or have them handy in written form so that you can signal your need for police or medical help.
  • Make a note of emergency telephone numbers you may need: police, fire, your hotel, and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
  • If you are confronted, don’t fight back — give up your valuables.

Party Responsibly 

It’s tempting to drop your inhibitions when you go abroad. Have fun, go out to pubs with friends, and dance at all the discotecas if you want, just make sure to watch yourself.

The establishments you might be tempted to visit in your host city are those catered towards tourists . These, unfortunately, are not always the safest of establishments and can attract some pretty seedy clientele looking to take advantage of inebriated youth from out of town. And I’m not just talking about the girls – guys are just as vulnerable as girls in this situation.

First and foremost, watch your drinks (if you choose to drink). You know the drill: always order your drink yourself and watch the bartender pour it in front of you. For whatever reason, tourist bars tend to add more liquor to their mixed drinks than what you would get at your local spot State-side, so make sure you see exactly how much alcohol is going in to your glass.

Once you have your drink, keep it close by your body at all times, and try to keep your hand covering the top of the glass. This will hopefully prevent anyone from spiking your drink. And like I said, guys are just as vulnerable. When I was travelling in Peru three of my friends had their drinks spiked while they were out – two of them where guys. People mistakenly believe that only women are at risk of being drugged, but men are often targeted, and then robbed.

If you do feel like you have been drugged, go to a hospital. Give the doctors as much information as you can provide, then contact your in-country program coordinator to let them know about your condition.

If you and your friends frequent the same bars and clubs over and over again while you are abroad, get to know the bouncers and bartenders that work there. If they are good at what they do, once they know you (and see you as a regular customer) they will watch out for you.

What if something does go wrong while I’m abroad?

If something does happen while you are abroad, you should first contact your in-country program coordinator. Your first reaction may be to call your friends and family, but to be honest, there isn’t much that they can do (except worry) from back home. Take down all of the contact information your program coordinator gives you at your orientation. Four numbers you should definitely have are:

1)   Your study abroad program’s on-site address and phone number(s)

2)   Your host family’s address and phone number(s)

3)   The local emergency phone numbers (police, fire, medical)

4)   The closest U.S. Consulate’s address and phone number

Keep them in your phone’s contact list, and written down in a second location, in case your phone is lost or stolen. Sometimes, those numbers become your lifelines.

The U.S. State Department has a very good resource for student’s who need help in emergencies while studying abroad. See their website (below) for more information.

This is hardly an exhaustive list of safety measures to take while studying abroad. Behind every safety warning is a call to be prepared and aware. Pay attention to your surroundings, especially the people around you, and prepare yourself for a misstep or mistake that could land you in trouble. This isn’t meant to scare you, but to prepare you for a true adventure. Enjoy yourself abroad! You will have a much better experience abroad knowing that you are safe and secure in your new surroundings, prepared to tackle any unexpected circumstances that may come your way.

Good Sources

More tips on how to keep yourself, your friends, and your belongings safe abroad!

http://www.hercampus.com/life/how-stay-safe-while-traveling-abroad?page=3

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/76192

http://studentsabroad.state.gov/index.php

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html

–  Emily Bowman, DUSA Blogger