Alone?

It´s an interesting thing being almost completely alone in a foriegn country. I´ve noticed my life follows this theme. I feel alone surrounded by people or completely at home and cared for in the prescence of just a few people. I think that would justly describe why that contrast, alone or not alone, is a theme in my life. The women´s rescidence is a mess of activity eveyday and all the time. There are always around 50 girls between the ages of 18 and 24 fighting, smiling, talking over eachother at any given meal. Considering they are doing all these things in Spanish it´s a little overwhelming at times. Most don´t recognize me and ask why I´m here and smile and are impressed by California. I think feeling a little off balance is normal. I can´t quite connect or laugh or talk over them in the same way they are able to do.
Last night, completely alone, I went to a free flamenco concert in the plaza just in front of the catherdral here in Granada. On my way there I asked a couple for directions and they said they were going to the same concert. They kindly led me there. I lost them in the crowd because there must have been around 500 people in the concert. I found a place on the steps convinced that I wouldn´t find a free seat and a young couple squeezed in next to me and struck up a converstation. We chatted until the concert started and then we stood up and moved closer to the stage. Two young women stood very close to me and I started talking to them. A little girl who could barely see and who one of the woman didn´t know climbed up on her shoulders. Together, strangers connected by the space and the music, we enjoyed the preformance. It was strange to be alone but carry on several conversations in one night. Sure, these conversations are usually pretty meaningless but it does make me feel a little less alone. Not to mention that at night the streets are full of people and you can´t help but feel completely safe. Alone? Not exactly. I think Spanairds have different ideas about strangers. I can´t imagine any American parent being okay with a 5 year climbing up on the shoulders of someone they didn´t know or of squeezing in close and starting a conversation.
The flamenco concert was magnificent.There was a male dancer, something I´ve never seen, and 4 female vocalists. They also had a drummer and a violinist both rarities in Flamenco. Something about Flamenco´s mix of sorrow and elation draws me completely into the moment in a way that´s rare for me. The music, the expressions move me as much for their exoticness as for some shared emotion I feel I must experience in my most graceful moments. More to come...ANY COMMENTS??? IS ANYONE OUT THERE???