Life in Little Ronda

Life in Little Ronda continues. Fall is upon us with brisk weather and class lessons on Halloween; weekends of tea parties and hikes.

A little background on the demographics of Ronda. I feel like here I am more in tune with the rhythm of life than I normally am upon moving to a new town. I know the routine of restaurants collecting their gas 'bombonas' on Monday mornings, the pastry shops that don't get fully stocked until around 11 am, when they simultaneously put out the chairs and tables. The peculiarity of how all the tapas bars seem to be closed on Tuesday. I know the best place to put my chair on the balcony to enjoy the afternoon sun. And the time of the sunset in the evening, so that I can run down to the edge of town and take pictures of the brilliant colored sky. My life as well has settled into a routine. I am getting accustomed to eating a big meal at around 2 pm and then a lighter fare at 8 or 9.

Also, demographics -wise - this town is comprised of families. There is of course the tremendous presence of tourists wandering the streets, but most just come for the day, and do not participate in the nightlife or true infrastructure of the town. They are more or less segregated, and stay within the confines of the tourist route, herded by tour guides speaking all languages. Otherwise, this is a town where people move to raise there family. Since Ronda is so safe and a healthy size, the children are surrounded my a supportive community, good school system, and plenty of activities to do. However, once it is time for university the teenagers leave, at around 18 years old, to go to university in larger towns. And since there is not much opportunity for young professionals in this relatively small town, they dont return even after graduation. Due to this fact, the demographic chart is top and bottom heavy, with almost a gap between 18 and 28. Once people have children they move to Ronda, beginning to cycle again. This coupled with the fact that I am working either with teenagers or adults has heightened my awareness. And Ronda is becoming the new Andalucia haven as people move up from the coast (saying they have had enough) to settle down in a pleasant mountain community.

Along the same line, Ronda is a homogeneous community, as are most places. But even my mother noticed the lack of counterculture here in Ronda. Spain is known for its flair for the funky every now and again... flowy skirts or those pants with the crotch that droops to your knees, perhaps dreadlocks or a radical mullet here or there. Ronda is more about dressing children in big hair bows and matching socks. It is what I would call cosmopolitan preppy.
The arts are strong. Since there are many transplants from other cities here it is a cultured bunch, which draws a more cosmopolitan crowd and keeps the stifling aspects of rural life at bay (for the most part). But for a place that feels big at times, it has a very clear small town feel.

I cross path with several students anytime i walk anywhere in town. Whether it is seeing a play at the municipal theatre, walking home from a botellon (where the youth from the town all gather in the central park with grocery bags of beverages, plastic cups and ice to drink before going to the bars), or on the quick trip around the corner to the grocery store. One evening walking home from work, a car turned in front of me and there was a girl in her school uniform plastered against the window waving furiously at me. There are no secrets in Ronda, and I feel like I ought to be walking down the street with a smile on my face.

The coincidences could go on and on... from going to a lunch at a friends house and coincidentally I knew the other 5 guests already. And their daughter knew my roommate. And one of them had lived in my very apartment before me! And less than a week later I met the ex husband of one, who's current wife is the german teacher at my school, and he coincidentally works with my roommate. The world has 6 degrees of separation, right? Santa Barbara may have 3. Davis may have 3. . . Ronda has 1. I cant imagine what it will feel like in 7 months!