Fisica o Quimica

Before moving to Spain I taught High School. It was quite an experience, and the good the bad, the ugly, I look back on the experience with fondness. Here in my new life in Spain, I have a lot more free time, and a lot more time to watch TV and get caught up in pop culture. One of my first television discoveries was the series, Fisica o Quimica, and I was sucked into the melodramatic storylines from the start because when I watched them not only was I entertained, but I also got my first images of the public school system in Spain which is much different from the American system I was used to. The show encompasses the various sterotype trends of the moment in Spanish society including the Chonis o Juanis o Jessicas, basically La Juani, the girls from the lower class barrios who are what we would call a little ghetto in the US and the culture of tuning spending all your money on fixing up your car Pimp my ride style. The story lines on Fisica o Quimica include relationships between students, teachers, and students and teachers, drugs, racial prejudices, social prejudice...etc. etc...along with the high school drama of what teacher is not fair, student behavior, and teacher misconduct. So here here is a clip of the show...if you can speak Spanish enjoy....if not I'll get a little translation together soon!

Translation: So here’s an idea of what is happening. If you have some Spanish skills this might make it easier to follow, just remember there is the Castilian accent and there is a lot of “tía” and “tío” talk which in Spain is the word for dude/girl or whatever other term you may use to refer to people.

The clip begins with the two students talking about the guys they have been with. The blonde is telling her friend about being with a “tío” named Gorka. Gorka then storms in calling her “guarra” (nasty) because he has an STD. She freaks out because she has only been with two guys, Isaac and Gorka. Standing near the girls are two teachers. Brown haired teacher is having a secret love affair with Isaac and hearing the news of the STD blonde teacher says she better go to the doctor…DRAMA!

Out in the hall Gorka finds Isaac and takes him down. People start watching telling them to stop. Brown haired teacher lady steps in and Gorka accidentally punches her making Isaac very mad…that’s his lady. The fight is broken up and Gorka tells everyone the blonde girl has gonorrhea. Isaac is proud of defending his lady, and the teacher realizes how immature he is and that she has got herself into more than she bargained for.