Fuera!

My relationship with words is really interesting especially a second language. I know the common conception of a word is to think of the word as a fact, data, or some bit of information. In the case of first languages I think that is a perfectly reasonable way to understand words. When you learn a second language, I think something in the brain is different. Words are no longer data they are little bits of life, experiences, moments, and tastes that are first passed through your emotional mind and then spread over the language you have. The richer the experience, the thicker the coating - the sweeter the taste, the more easily recalled the word. So when I'm learning Portuguese I'm not really learning a language. I'm piecing together a patchwork of my experience with Portuguese - that is how I remember the words. (I'm can't believe I'm referencing Eat Love Pray in regards to Lanuage learning) The scene where Julia Roberts is learning Italian with her lanuage teacher is a good example of this feeling.

The first time I "LEARNED" the Spanish word fuera was an emotional experiece I will never forget. Of course I had heard it many times before but this time the word sealed in my mind.

I was studying in Valencia Spain for a semester. This was basically The "Eye opening" experience for me. First time in another country, learning Spanish, different food, culture. So I was already experiening alot of new things none more shocking than the Bullfight.

About the middle of the trip we had a huge holiday for Easter (almost an entire month). During this time there was a bullfight, as is tradition. My expectation for a bullfight was kind of a mix of Madonna's Take a Bow and what I had seen on "When animals Attack TV shows" Well the bullfight was nothing like either of these things.

As ridiculous as it may sound, bullfighters brutally stab a huge animal and attempt to look graceful doing so. One element of the spectale that is hard to express is the absolute nearness of the brutality. I did not realize the size of bullfighting stadium. The arena is so small and closed. I had imagined we would be sitting in a place the size of basketball gym. Actually the feeling is more like sitting in a theater. At this range is is possible to see drops of blood, the edge of the blade, all the muscles on the animal. The absolute intensity of the spectacle is indiscrible. Seeing a bull slain is closest I can imagine to witnessing a murder. I was completely shocked by the experience and that is how I learned the word fuera.


In each bullfight there are typically 4 or 5 rounds. With the death of each bull a new bull enters and a new matador to kill him. On one occasion a bull entered. After being stabbed several times, the bull did not show the same fight as the other bulls. The crowd began chanting the word "Fuera, Fuera, Fuera!" After a few choral chants the bull was allowed to live. For the crowd to be dismissed was a disgrace for the bull - as if it were a honor to be unfairly killed. For me Fuera was a saving grace. Escape from an otherwise certain death. I will never forget this word b/c of the strong emotional feeling I had when I heard the crowd.

Yesterday I was so happy to see this word used in another way. Last night and today 33 miners that have been trapped for 69 days underground were being rescued. I don't want to tell the whole story basically it is a story of hope and inspiration. Around the site the families of the miners formed a camp (camp hope) in the desert to wait for the return of their loved ones. This camp was a huge vigil for the entire community and came to represent the collective hope of all of Chile.

Around the camp there were various banners. On of the banners said "Fuera Mineros" and you chould often hear the family members saying "Fuera" emploring for their loved ones to be take out of the mine. I couldn't help but thinking about the bullfight and the first time I learned this word. I am happy to say, one by one the minders were rescued. Much like the bull the miners were saved from a otherwise certain death. Fuera los dos.