Katal·lonci so taki zelo posebni ljudje. Če smo bolj natančni, jih iskreno ne maram. V bistvu mi grejo na jetra. Nekako se nimam za nestrpno osebo, vendar pa priznam, da so mi kateri narodi malo bolj ljubi kot drugi, amapk tudi sem že spremenila kako "stereotipno" mnenje o kaki naciji. Enkrat je en moj cimer, po krepki in pestri debati o stereotipih različnih narodov znanstveno ugotovil, da mi itak pri vseh gre nekaj na živce in potem strokovno zaključil debato, da če vse narode "sovražiš enakovredno, da pol nisi rasist". :-) Heh, sicer mislim, da so ti slavni katalonci malo (precej) bolj dosadni od povprečja. In to večina mojih kolegov ve, tudi tisti španski in pol katalonski in se nič pretirano ne vznemirjajo zaradi tega, ker zarečenega kruha se menda največ poje.
Po selitvi v Barcelono sem sicer misla da so katalonci res samo pregovorno škrti in čudni in da ne marajo tujcev ter da se čutijo ogrožene ... Potem pa se je vedno bolj izkazalo, da so res vse to in še kaj zravn. Mogoče sem bila namenoma na kako stvar še posebej pozorna, ampak ok, nekaj bi sigurno opazla pa če si slep ko morski jež (možno da ma ta žival celo oči). Katal·lonci so zelo freh in vzvišeni, se smilijo samim sebi, ker oni so najbolj bogi in predvsem so okupirani, kar velja skoraj za eksistenčni problem na vseh področjih.
Torej, po nekaj časa v Barceloni, sem na enem design eventu spoznala enga čistokrvnega katalonca. Pač nič posebnega, s teh IT ali design srečanj vedno prideš s kupom vizitk in novih kontaktov, ampak ajd, pri temu kataloncu je blo več kot očitno, da gre še za kaj več z njegove strani. Ko je potem več kot 2 tedna vztrajal in pisal in še včasih poklical, mi je res zmanjkalo izgovorov, zakaj se ne morem dobit z njim na pijači in pač, tisto urco bom pa že preživela. Seveda sem imela še cel posmeh od cimrov, da pa le naj grem, ker it na "dejt" s kataloncem ni tak enostavno zadet. No jaz tega sicer nisem jemala kot dejt, ampak ajd, če nekdo teži in te vabi na pijačo več kot dva tedna, je mogoče tudi lahko. Cimri so poznali vso zgodbo, jaz pa tudi raznih frustracij glede kataloncev takrat še nisem mela, razen pač da je treba stereotipe potrdit ali ovrečt. Potem me cimer preden grem iz bajte še veselo opomni, da ja nisem pozabla denarnice in da naj potem nujno poročam kak je blo. Itak, cel popoldne smo se zafrkavali o tem, kako so katalonci škrti. Vzdušje na pijači je bilo čisto solidno, seveda sem imela svojo prvo lekcijo katalonščine, ko pa je prišlo račun, sma pa vsak posebej pristavila veliki everski kovanec in to je bilo to. Meni se zdi sicer zelo prikupno, da se model, ki teži in vabi na pijačo dva tedna, vsaj ponudi za plačilo, pa če tud boma potem razdelila račun na pol (ne pa do centa natančno). Nisem neki pristaš feminističnih gibanj, ampak meni je ta gesta res všeč ...
Da so katalonci lahko tudi huj ko nemci, ko pride do deljenja financ med kolegi, mi je tud smešno. Npr. napitnina se nikoli ne pušča, ker "so ti itak že zračunali, kolko so hotli dobit", in matr zdaj vsem tem turistom, ki puščajo napitnino, da potem še katalonski kelnarji nočejo kataloncem strečt. Potem npr. ko greš s kolegi ven jest/na pijačo ali kaj podobnega, se račun nikoli ne deli na polovico ali tretjino ali četrtino ali na kolko delov pač, ampak vsak plača svoj delež in to je to. In to do centa oz. vsaj do 10 centov natančno. Meni se res ne da s tem ukvarjat, sploh ker se navadno dobiš s kolegi in enkrat si pač ti malo v plusu, drugič pa v minusu, za tisti ever gor ali dol pa tudi ne bo doben umrl, ali pač? Res mi je smešno, ker ni nikoli nič na približno, ampak vsi katalonci imajo izpit iz višje matematike, ko pride do financ. Jaz sicer navadno vedno predlagam, da si enostavno razdelimo račun na pol ali tretjine, ampak po katalonsko se mi pa res ne da preračunavat in ukvarjat s centi.
V bistvu se ta pravi katalonci držijo precej za sebe in jih je skoraj nemogoče spoznat, ker ne marajo tujcev, ki ne govorimo katalonsko. 1) vsak se najprej začne učit špansko, ker se v španščini lahko pogovarjaš z 470 milijoni ljudi in drugič, ker tudi katalonci znajo špansko (ajde, tu spustimo, kak se večina špancev dela norca kake slovnične napake da delajo itd). 2) katalonščina mi osebo res ni všeč. Tisti svoj slavni L in L·L za l-kajo tak da nesejo vse tiste naše južnjake, ki se že leta trudijo po slovensko. 3) iz principa ne bom govorila katalonsko, ker vsi za nalašč prešaltajo na katalonščino, ko jim rečeš nekaj v španščini. Edini način kako elegantno prepričat katalonca, da bo govoril špansko je, da najprej začneš pogovor v angleščini, potem mu prijazno poveš, da ti sicer govoriš špansko oz. kastiljsko, ampak da se zavedaš da ga ni dnara na tem svetu, da bi katalonc s tabo govoril špansko, zato boš raje kr nadaljeval v angleščini. Itak da pa govorit angleško, pa še katalonec skoraj da raj naredi samomor, se zato lahko pogovarjaš po špansko - ekm!! kastiljsko!!
Seveda kako zelo so naciji (uradno: narodno zavedni) ugotoviš tudi, ko greš uštimat kak papir na upravno enoto, ker v javnih službah delajo samo 100% katalonci in potem mi vedno začnejo gušit po njihovo. Ko pa jih npr. prosiš, če lahko dobiš papirje v španščini, pa ti veselo rečejo, da je itak skor isto in da ne. Ja matr, zdaj pa mi rečeš na koncu, da je itak isto, prej pa se ti mečem na trepalnice, da mi poveš nekaj po špansko in se delaš da ne razumeš, zdaj na koncu pa rečeš da je itak isto. Ja pol pa dej govori po špansko, če zdaj trdiš, da je isto.
Potem sem na začetku imela "srečo" in dobrega pol leta delala za katalonsko firmo, kjer je bila večina itak da kataloncev. V bistvu mi je še vedno zelo fenomenalno, da ti vsak katalonec po 5 ali 10 minutah pogovora da jasno vedet, da so oni okupirani in da to je njihov največji problem pri vsem. Kriza, visoki davki, španski kralj ki lovi slone v afriki, cestnine na avtocesti in okupacija. In oni se bodo vsega rešli tak, da bojo neodvisni. Vse so krivi tam v Madridu. Tud za to, da so cestnine v kataloniji na vsakih 30 km, izven nje, pa mogoče da ena na 500 km, pa še to za isto ceno, ki jo kataloniji plačaš za 30 km avtoceste. Aja, od koga ste okupirani? Aha, od Španije!? A pa ni tu tak, da so vse šole v katalonščini, pa tud univerze, razen ena ali dve imata neke programe v angleščini in španščini?
Oni so najbolj bogi, ker so edino oni v zgodovini nasrkali. Ajd, res, v času Franka jim je res šlo slabo, ampak itak jim gre najbolj v nos katalonščina (ki je med drugim tudi uradni jezik v Kataloniji, sicer pa ne v Španiji). Vedno se tudi obnašajo, kot da so bili samo oni skos zgodovino tisti, ki so ga nasrkali, bog ne daj, da je bil del Slovenije pod italijani, del pa pod nemci, ker to pa žal ni mogoče, da bi tudi drugi narodi skozi zgodovino furali safer.
Enkrat smo meli prav ostro debato s katalonko, ki je trdila, da sta katalonščina in španščina v šolah (po Kataloniji) enakovredno zastopana, ker imajo celo tri ure španščine na teden že od prvega razreda. In vse ostale ure - matematika, biologija, zgodovina? Aja, to pa je vse v katalonščini, seveda. Res prosim, ne mi potem, kako je katalonščina v Kataloniji depriviligirana.
V zadnjem času, že pred referendumom oz. javnim izražanjem mnenja ali kak so že temu uradno rekli, je bilo jasno, da nacionalisti precej glasnejši od tistih, ki jim je vseeno ali pa so proti. Pač meni referendum ni enako samostojnost in neodvisnost, pač pa služi odločanju ali želijo bit samostojni ali ne. Seveda ozemeljske želje super nacijev niso omejene samo na katalonijo, ampak ti želijo pod katalonsko zastavo še sosednji regiji Aragon in Valencijo ter Balearske otoke. Tudi vremenska napoved na vlakih FGC prikazuje samo "razširjeno" katalonijo in ne cele Španije ali kot bi bilo mogoče bolj pričakovano, če je že Španija prevelika za celi zaslon - samo Katalonije. Haha, ja mogoče več sreče na vlakih renfe, ki so vse-španski.
Če se malo dotaknem še "referenduma". Mislim, da bi ob uradnem referendumu vseeno večina glasovala za neodvisnost, ampak mislim da ne tako večinsko, kot zdaj. Volilna udeležba le 40%, volilno pravico so dali vsem od 16 let naprej (uradno je v španiji 18 let), če so pa volilni listek poslali vsem španskim državljanom živečim v kataloniji pa tudi ne vem. Aja, referendum je bil samo v kataloniji, ne pa tudi v sosednjih regijah, ki si jih v najlepših sanjah želijo tisti ta pravi nacionalisti.
V glavnem, dragi katalonci. Meni je načeloma vseeno ali ste neodvisni ali ne. Ampak žal, če mislite, da je za vse vaše probleme kriv madrid, najprej spucajte pred svojim pragom. Ker kak so po državnih službah vsi tete in strici in bratranci, mislim, da prekaša celo slovenske standarde. Težko verjet, ampak ko sem na upravni enoti vidla žensko, ki me je pri vhodu vprašala, kaj imam za uredit, potem pa na mesto mene pritisnila črko B na zaslonu in mi dala listek v roke sem se tudi zamislila. Matr, pa ko mašina neverjetno zna celo špansko, jaz pa ko sem zabita ali pretirano pametna, pa vedno za ziher vzamem listke od vseh črk, ker me potem itak pošljejo še najprej h kakem drugem okencu, po kak štempelj al pa itak ne štekam teh birokratskih izrazov, pa potem vsaj ne rabim 2x od začetka čakat.
V glavnem, dokler boste sami s težavo govorili špansko, angleško pa še majn, vam bomo tujci veselo "odžirali" vse službe, ki zahtevajo decent english in nimajo zahtev po fluent català. Ko boste neodvisni pa seveda ne pozabite zgradit obzidja za zaščito pred šengnom in tudi vize s povabilnim pismom v katalonščini ne pozabite uvest, da boste lahko zaposlili vse svoje native català speakerje, od turistov pa iztržili se kakih 50€ za vstop na vaše ne več okupirano ozemlje in boste hitro napolnili proračun, brez da bi se pretirano pretegnili. Seveda pa še najprej pridno kopujete samo katalonske izdelke na policah v trgovini. :-) Mogoče pa se mi potem celo ne bo treba odjavljat kot davčni rezident republike Slovenije. Sicer pa za moje pojme na spletu že itak priznani pod domeno .cat.
Catal·lans
People are constantly asking me how I see things going on in Catalonia, about referendum and what I think about Catalans. Here are some stereotypes and some bullshitting about "hot topic" :) I didn't dig into history lessons, you have wikipedia for that.Catal·lans are quite special people. Actually, to be honest, I really dislike them. And I get sick every time someone mention them. I don't count myself as intolerant person, but I admit without a problem, that I like some nations more than another. And that I also changed my mind about some nations when I realized that not everyone fit the stereotypes and some are actually really cool (maybe it was just initial bad luck to know good representative amount of some people). After interesting discussion about different nation's stereotypes one my flatmate said that "if you hate all nations equally, you are not a racist." :) Well, definitely true, but sadly I think that Catalans are way more annoying than my average in/tolerance is. All my spanish and half-catalan friends know that I have always something to tell about the Catalan topic, but actually noone really bothers with it - never say never.
After I moved to Barcelona I thought they are just rumours that Catalans are stingy and weirdos and they don't like foreigners and they feel like they are on the list of endangered species. Soon I realized, that this things are actually true and I can add few more on the list. Well, I might had really paid more attention to their stereotypes, but some are so clear, that you would notice something is "wrong" even if you would never hear about. I find Catal·lans quite haughty and arrogant and they think they are very important and that they are occupied - and occupation is root to all of their problems.
Not so long after I was already living in Barcelona I met a "pure" Catalan guy at one design event. Well, nothing special about, from all IT and design events you always come home with bunch of business cards and new contacts, but this time was clear that the guy would like something more than just a business card. He was very persistent and haven't gave up and after more than two weeks of excuses from my side I had nothing left to say and had to go for a drink. Of course my flatmates were updated with things going on and they said I definitely should go as it is not so easy to score a "date" with a Catalan. I didn't count it as a official date, but yea, when someone insists for two weeks to meet for a drink, it might be. At that time I didn't have any real-life frustrations against Catalans, but I was just eager to find out if stereotypes are correct or wrong. Just after I left the house a flatmate friendly reminded me not to forget my wallet - yes, we were joking all afternoon how stingy Catalans are. Meeting itself was not such a disaster, I had my first (and last) Catalan language lesson and when it was time to go both of us put a two euro coin at the table. Well, I am not a feminist, but I think it is a nice gesture that guy that haven't gave up for two weeks offers to pay - I actually like to split the bill on half afterwards. I just find a gesture very nice.
Catal·lans can even bit Germans when it comes to how to split a bill with friends. First, there is no tips in Catalonia! Never. Because "they already charged what they want you to charge". And fuck all those tourists that are living the tips and now even Catalan waiter has problem to bring a drink to another Catalan person. Well, when going out with (half)catalan friends for a drink or dinner, you will never split a bill on half or thirds or whatever, but you will always pay exactly your part, not more or less. I really hate to be picky about the cents, especially when you are out with your friends, and once you are going to pay a little bit more, next time less and that's it! I think all Catalans deserve to have a certificate in finances, I have to energy to count the cents when I am in a bar.
Pure Catalan people are quite difficult to meet and I always joke that they probably live somewhere in ghetto. They don't like foreigners, because we don't speak catalan. 1) as a foreigner here everyone start to learn spanish first, as you can speak with 470 millions of people and second, Catalans also speak spanish (well, most of spanish people will tell you that their spanish is not really grammatically correct). 2) I don't like melody and sound of catalan language. With the pronunciation of L and L·L they definitely beat Croats and Serbs trying to speak slovenian for 10 years. 3) I am not even trying to understand catalan and won't even try to speak it - on purpose. Every time you speak with Catalan person they always switch to catalan after you say something in spanish. The only way how to force Catalan person to speak spanish is to start conversation in english, than nicely mention that you can speak in spanish but that you understand that is against moral rules and there is no enough money in this world that Catalan person would speak spanish (sorry, castilian). And to speak english is of course always a big no and half of spaniards and catalans would rather commit suicide than speak english - and now you are able to speak spanish - ehhm, castilian!!
You realize very soon, such a nazis (officially: patriotic) they are, when you have some papers to arrange. In public institutions there are just pure 100% Catalan working and of course they always switch to speak catalan. Once you ask them to give you the papers in spanish not in catalan, you usually get reply that catalan and spanish are almost the same. How catalan is now suddenly the same as spanish? So, if it is the same for you, please speak spanish and give me papers in spanish as it is not the same for me.
In the beginning I was "lucky" and was working for a Catalan company for a bit more than half a year. And of course majority of employees was Catalan. What I still find as phenomena is that every Catalan person after 5 or 10 minutes conversation clearly states that they are occupied and how occupation is their biggest problem for everything. Crisis, taxes, spanish king that hunt elephants in Africa, tolls on highways and occupation. And their solution to all those problems is to be independent. And all fault for everything goes to Madrid. Not that they have regional parliament also. Tolls on highways are literally every 30 km and outside Catalonia on every 500 km for the same price as you would pay for 30 km in Catalonia. And you are occupied by who? Ah, Spain? But isn't it you have a big autonomy and all schools are in catalan and also universities, except those two that have classes in english and spanish also?
And they are always the poorest and only they were the only nation screwed in the history. It is definitely true that under Franko regime they were quite fucked up, but this was years ago, and I always have the feeling the only real thing that they are picky about is catalan language (it is official in Catalonia, but not in all Spain). And probably they never heard that there was/is bunch of other nations that were/are really under ocupation - but the suffer Catalans are getting trough is of course the biggest one.
Once we had a discussion with a catalan girl who was insisting that catalan and spanish languages are equally represented in schools, because kids are learning spanish 3 hours/week from their first grade on. And all other classes - math, biology, history? Ah, those are all in catalan of course. I really don't see catalan do be underprivileged in Catalonia.
In the time just before the unofficial referendum that was officially called differently and it was clear that nationalist here have majority against those that don't care about or are against. I don't see referendum to equal independence but referendum is a way to decide about it. To be more picky the big dream of "Catalan super nazis" is not just independent Catalonia but to join Aragon, Valencia and Balearic islands under the Catalan flag. Also the weather forecast on the FGC trains show "expended" Catalonia and not all Spain (yes, Spain is to big to fit it on screen) or only Catalonia. Maybe you will have more lucky to see spanish weather forecast on renfe trains.
To go back to "referendum". I still think that at official referendum about independency they victory would go to independence, but probably not with such a big support as it was not. Around 40% of people voted and everyone above 16 years was able to do it (legal age in Spain is 18) and referendum was held in Catalonia only, not in other surrounding regions as big catalan dream is. I actually don't care if they are independent or not, but until they think that all their problem are Madrid based, it won't be any better after the independence. In public institutions they are only uncles cousins working. Hard to believe until I seen a woman pressing the machine to give me the ticket to queue - I is so clear that machine can do the job for her and that noone is going to break a finger to press letter B on the screen. Even my intelligence or stupidity are on the level where I usually take all the tickets possible as they usually send me to other queue.
To sum up - until you will have hard time to speak spanish and even less english all the foreigners are going "to take your jobs" that require decent english and don't require fluent català. And when you get the independence please don't forget to built the wall around to protect yourself agains Schengen invasion and set visa for all other nations and please make it so, that invitation letter in català would be obligatory to get it. In that case you can get at least another 50 € per every tourist visiting your country, and you will be rich without sweating much. Until those times, just continue buying nicely marked catalan products in supermarket. And I might don't even need to get a statement that I am not required to pay difference in taxes to Republic of Slovenia. Nonetheless, Catalonia already has its space in digital world, under .cat domain.