A running of the bulls (Spanish: encierro, from the verb encerrar, ‘to corral, to enclose’; Occitan: abrivado, literally ‘haste, momentum’; Catalan: bous al carrer ‘bulls in the street’, or correbous ‘bull-runner’) is an event that involves running in front of a small group of bulls, typically …
Ah, the joys of summer festivities! The music, the dancing, the food trucks—who doesn’t love a good fiesta? But what happens when your friends are all in for the wild ride, and you’re just trying to navigate through a sea of questionable traditions? Welcome to the annual fiestas patronales in a quaint little village in Spain, where the fun is only overshadowed by a rather controversial custom: bullfighting. Buckle up, folks, because this is going to be a ride full of mixed feelings and a sprinkle of sarcasm.
Picture this: You’re in a charming Spanish village, the sun is shining, and the air is filled with the aroma of delicious food. Everyone is in high spirits, ready to embrace the week-long celebrations dedicated to the Virgin Mary (because nothing says party like a saint!). You’d expect that everyone would be on the same page about celebrating life, right? Wrong. Enter the peñas—the local clubs that take partying to a whole new level.
Now, in most places, a peña is just a group of friends sporting matching t-shirts, probably with a punny name, and drinking copious amounts of alcohol until they can no longer remember their names. But here, there’s a twist. You’ve got not one, not two, but two main peñas that everyone is itching to join. And let’s not forget the waiting list that’s longer than the line for the bathroom at a music festival.
So, our protagonist (let’s call them ‘you’ for simplicity) finally sees a window of opportunity when a third peña opens up like a surprise party. Your friends dive in headfirst, but you? Not so much. Why, you ask? Because while your friends are all about the chants and the late-night shenanigans, you’ve got some serious reservations about the bullfighting aspect of it all. And let’s be honest, who can blame you?
Imagine being pressured by your friends to join a peña where your membership fee also contributes to bullfighting shows. Yes, that’s right! You’d be paying for the privilege of watching animals suffer. Not exactly the kind of entertainment you signed up for, right? And the kicker? Your friends, who claim to be animal rights activists, are perfectly okay with this whole charade because, well, they just want to party.
As the festivities kick off, you try to enjoy the music and the camaraderie, but the snide comments from your friends are like a mosquito buzzing in your ear: annoying and hard to ignore. “Oh come on, just skip the bullfighting!” they say. As if it’s that easy. Sure, you could play the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ card, but that doesn’t change the fact that your hard-earned money is still being funneled into something you vehemently oppose.
And as you sit there, enjoying your grilled hake and veggie mix (because let’s be real, no one wants to be the one eating a sad salad while everyone else is chowing down on churros), you can’t help but feel a bit isolated. You’ve always been a bit of the odd one out, but now it feels like you’re standing on a moral high ground while your friends are dancing in the mud.
So, what’s the takeaway here? Sometimes, traditions can be a tad bit outdated or just downright uncomfortable for some. It’s okay to stand your ground and prioritize your values, even if it means feeling a little left out. Your true friends should respect your choices, even if they don’t quite understand them. And hey, if they keep throwing shade your way, just remind them that you’re the one with the integrity—and the delicious grilled hake.
At the end of the day, it’s all about finding your own rhythm, whether it’s dancing in the streets or sitting out the bullfights. So raise a glass (of whatever you prefer) to the friends who get it and to those who might need a little wake-up call. Here’s to you, the conscientious party-goer, navigating the tricky waters of tradition with grace—and maybe a hint of sarcasm.
Inspired by: “Friends mock me for not partaking in disgusting tradition” (r/GirlDinnerDiaries)