Yo, catalana

There are two things in the world that I know for sure about the way I speak Spanish. One is that I will never get rid of my accent, and the second is that it isn't noticeably marked as American. I don't generally dipthong my vowels, and I tend to pronounce the R's and D's correctly (which tend to be the most difficult consonants to master for some reason). Sometimes Latin Americans have taken me for Spanish because of my lisp, but that opinion usually changes the longer they hear me talk.

However, I've never had a Spaniard tell me that they thought I was a fellow Spaniard until this past week.

Scene:
Friend's birthday party, make some new acquaintances. Apparently afterwards, one of them tells my friend: "Oh, yeah. Diana seemed [insert random adjective here]. She's catalana, right?"

To which my friend replied, "Umm, no, she's American. What makes you think that?"

"I dunno. There's something about the way she pronounces her L's that just made me think she was catalana".
End scene

Ha!

It makes me so darned happy to know that I've got at least someone fooled when it comes to my second language. 

Dear Princeton Honor Code:

I pledge my honor that I have not violated the honor code during this examination.

I still remember these words after so much time, but I have to admit that I feel a bit like I violated you today in Madrid, as I watched a friend text the answers to a test on labor law to his girlfriend. The funny thing is, I don't actually feel like it was a violation, because I recognize that the way of testing in Spain is based on memorization and is completely ineffective in teaching actual skills.

There's no way an honor code would ever survive this country.

Dear Spanish reporters writing books on conspiracy theories about 11M:

I have my own conspiracy theory, and it isn't that the PSOE is linked with ETA is linked with Islamic terrorism is linked with the US government. Rather, given the multitude of books that you have written (and profited from) regarding 11-M, I propose that there is a top-secret consortium of investigative reporters, creating scandals so as to then be able to reveal and profit from them.

Nothing in this country works like it should. What makes you think that anyone would be able to pull such a conspiracy off?

Seriously. Basta ya con las teorías de conspiración. ¡Qué pesa'os sois!

Dear Madre:

I wouldn't worry so much about me running off to Spain and staying there due to some silly guy. I would worry more about the fact that at this moment in time, I want to lock myself in the Biblioteca Nacional and never ever leave.

Isn't she beautiful?

Love,
Your incredibly nerdy daughter