Older and Wiser

I'm cringing because I haven't written any entry in over two months and so much has happened. So, I guess I'll just start with the most recent....

Monday was by 26th birthday. I keep asking myself where did the time go? It just seems like yesterday that I was a little girl with round glasses, sitting in Kindergarten. And now here I am, teaching five year olds English! It's amazing. But I also am in constant awe of how blessed I've been and how many opportunities I've been given. This year's birthday was also a time for me to realize how much I'm loved. Over this past year, I've lost relationships with lots of people, including former close friends. It really hit me when I didn't hear from a few of them on my birthday. But this year I had new(er) friends who were there and made me feel special on my day! I have great co-workers and friends from the university that helped me celebrate my birthday. I've come to a point in my life where I only surround myself with people who want to be around me. And the end result is that I have a great support system! It was one of the best ones that I can remember in years! My students also made my day - especially when my little first graders sand Happy Birthday to me in English! This past year has been full of learning experiences and everything has definitely made me wiser. (And a little older!)

It's been a rough semester. Part of the reason why I haven't blogged is because I've had to extra time this semester. I took two Spanish literature classes and they killed me. Last weekend was the first weekend that I really didn't have homework, and I didn't know what to do with myself. All I've been doing this semester is reading, reading, and reading. A week and a half ago I had to turn in four papers within a week's time, so that was definitely challenging for me. But I survived! And here we are - I'll be in Louisville in just two short weeks and I cannot wait!

Right after I wrote my last entry, a co-worker passed away. She had lung cancer and no one really knew how bad off she was. It hit the entire school hard. Even though I only worked with her for a year, I took her death hard, because she was my first friend at the school last year and really made me feel welcome. It was even harder to deal with because the adults had to hold it together in front of the kids. We had a beautiful prayer ceremony in the patio with the entire school.

At the end of October, I had a training for work. It was the first New Teacher training for all of the Teresiana schools in Spain. Some of you are thinking that I'm really not a new teacher, but the schools want us to go during our second year, after we've spent a year in the school. I met people from all over the country and learned lots of things about Saint Teresa and San Enrique de Osso, who founded the Teresiana schools. Next year we'll have another training that will be a follow-up to this year's training.

A few weeks ago I had Thanksgiving. Since it's not celebrated here, I had to have it on a Saturday. I fixed a turkey and all the fixings and it was a big hit! It was another moment in which I realized how lucky I am to have such great friends on this side of the world.

A Pro-American Spaniard....say it isn´t so!!!!

One of my roommate´s just arrived back about an hour ago after spending the past week and a half at her parent´s home. Her father drove her here, so I was able to meet him. We all had an interesting conversation in the kitchen about America and Europe. Her father was the first person in Europe I´ve met that was so pro-American. At first he was talking about the Spanish way of life and said that Europe and Spain are very antiquated and aging. He pointed out that Spain is a "country" with autonomous communities, yet no one is united. He referenced the fact that if you visit America, everyone has a high sense of patriotism and nationalism, which I´ve never disagreed with. He used the example that if you pull out a Spanish flag in the northeastern community of Catalunya (Barcelona), people would get rid of it or even burn it. He pointed out that this lack of unity in Spain has hindered it from growing over the years. He went on to say that America is going to pull the world out of this financial crisis and that we´ve always been the one constant country over the past two hundred years.

It took me aback to hear a European, and especially a Spaniard speak so highly of the USA. 

Grad Schools and the GRE

*Let me give the disclaimer that the information I am writing about does not mean I am moving back to the states next summer. I'm just exploring my options*

Work and school are in full swing, yet I have somehow found a way to make myself work even harder. I'm currently in the process of shopping for grad schools. Well, let me rephrase. I've already narrowed down my list of grad schools, now comes the fun part of filling out applications, writing essays, etc. Oh, and not to mention studying for the GRE.

All of this came about very sudden. Part of it is that I'm worried about not having a job next year. This week it's been in the news that over 3,000 teachers in Madrid alone are unemployed (and receiving benefits - this is why it was newsworthy.) I'm a little nervous that the Ministry of Education won't give my school permission to "hire" me next year. I mean, why would they let an American take a job away from a Spaniard? Anyways, I need to have a contingency plan. Well, it started out as a contingency plan....

This past week, I've been seriously considering graduate programs. I've been looking at jobs online, such as working for the UN or the Department of State and most of the require a master's degree in political science, international relations, etc. A lot of them also require a second foreign language, which I'm not worried about. So, here we are.

I've narrowed my list down to American, Georgetown, GWU, UK, and UL. The first three are my top choices - they're in the top ten programs in the country, plus their location in DC is an obvious plus. The downside is the cost. They're all private universities, with tuition out of this world. Speaking of which, today I was talking to a co-worker and he told me he paid 5,000 euros for his master's program. I would kill for that. When I told him how much I pay per semester, he couldn't believe it. I'd seriously consider studying in Spain if tuition is that much cheaper. This is where UK and UL come into play because of their in-state tuition. Although I'd only be able to major in Public Policy or Public Administration, the financial picture is a key part. Plus, my political science professor told me that either one of the degrees would be completely fine for the type of work I'm thinking about going into. However, I've also realized that it is urgent that I start learning French. As in last month.

Needless to say, I'm going to be working on all of this, on top of my regular homework and lesson planning. I'm also taking the GRE on December 27th. Just in time to send in the scores by the January 15th deadline. I'm already stressed out thinking about this. And then I freak out when I remember that it's almost October!

Last week I said I needed to pray about everything and this week has been amazing for me. Before I left Louisville, I stopped by Border's and picked up a devotion book by Sarah Young, that also happened to be 40% off. Before I came back here, I vowed to do a better job of daily devotion and prayer. It has payed off already. It blows my mind how right on these devotions are. Every day when I think about a problem or stress about something, the devotion is right there to calm me down. God is speaking to me directly through these devotions. It gives me goosebumps when I think about it, because I know that he knows what my thoughts are each day. Had it just happened one day, I would have said that it was a coincidence. But four days in a row? Impossible! Monday's devotion told me my mind is in the midst of a power/control struggle which is absolutely true. Tuesday's directed me to see things from God's perspective and to not be upset if something doesn't go my way. (I took this as confirmation that if I don't get to stay here next year, everything will be okay.) Wednesday instructed me to not rush the process, but instead give everything to God and wait. And yesterday's devotion jumped out at me because the first line said Trust Me and refuse to worry. I've been blown away!

So at this point, that's what I'm doing. Sitting and waiting. And praying. A LOT I hope you will pray for me as well! 

Year 2 is in full swing!

Well this is embarrassing. I've been back in Madrid for almost three weeks now and this is my first "official" blog of year 2. I hope you got a kick out of the last post that commented on the food my students were going to be eating this month. I've alerted the authorities and they are fully aware and saddened that the kids will be eating grilled breast....

This week was our first week of school and honestly, it felt to be back. I was really happy to see my students, parents, and grandparents. Lots of hugs and happy faces all around :) This school year my role has changed a little bit. I'm teaching twenty hours per week, but I feel as though I'm "moving up the English Teacher ladder" as my Mom puts it. I teach five hours to a 1st Grade class. They're part of the bilingual program, so I speak to them only in English. It's definitely a challenge because they're so young, but I can already see an improvement after one week! I then teach three hours to a 3rd Grade class. With the 1st Grade class and then during one hour of the 3rd Grade class, I'm co-teaching with another teacher. My principal paired me with her so I can help her improve her English. It's also a way for me to actually teach the curriculum, as Spanish regulations make it difficult for myself and the other native speaker to teach. We're both still working on getting fully "certified". I then have eight hours with various 3rd-6th grade class, teaching conversational English. This year some things have changed, so I won't be teaching English to the other 1st and 2nd grade classes, because they have so many hours of English already. BUT, I am going to start giving "apoyo", which means support four hours a week to students in the 1st and 2nd grades who are going to be identified as struggling in English. I'm really excited about my new position(s) and love that I'm doing several different things.

Classes are also in full swing at the university. My life is pretty much consumed by reading 19th century Spanish novels and Latin American testimony books. Somewhere and somehow, I find time to read for my Political Communications, Latin American Philosophy, and Theology.

I'm also in the midst of making some huge decisions, namely what I'm going to be doing next year. Yes, some of you are probably thinking to yourself that I just came back, so why am I already thinking that far ahead. I have to plan that far in advance due to a thing called Residency Visas and plane tickets. I'm exploring all options. I feel that I have several leads on jobs back in Louisville, but I would also find it hard to leave Spain. At this point I have no clue what I'm going to do, but I have complete faith in God to give me an answer in the next two months. I ask for your prayers as I go through this difficult, yet necessary decision-making process.

Grilled Breasts?!

Okay this is going to be short and quick because I have homework to finish, but I HAD to blog about this. Work has started (more on that later) and we've been talking about the new website. Tonight I decided to go check it out. I clicked on the section about the cafeteria, wanting to see this month's menu. We've contracted with a new company, because so many people complained about the food last year. I saw enough kids throw up and cry in the cafeteria last year to understand their pain.

Since our school is a bilingual school, they decided to have the menu in English and Spanish. I'm pretty sure whoever did the translations doesn't speak English very well. Let me share a few of my favorite "dishes" the kids will be eating this month. I'm halfway tempted to try them out myself! I PROMISE I did not make these up, although I wish I had! This is straight from the website....

• Vegetables cream
• Three delights rice
• Creme caramel
• Sauteed courgettes and carrots
• Macaroni with thon and cheese (that's supposed to be tuna)
• Letter soup
• Fillets of croated fish
• Bows with thon and cheese
• Grilled thon loin
• Grilled stuffed loin
• Grilled breast

Like I said, I wish I had made this up myself. For anyone who doesn't believe me, check out the PDF! http://jesusmaestro.es/app/download/5778545653/septiembre.pdf

What meals look appetizing to you? Any favorites?

Journey

I can´t believe how fast the summer has gone by. When I first came back to Louisville, I was excited about having 8 weeks at home. And now I´m down to less than 1. I´m ready to go back and get this last year of school over with, but this time at home with family has been wonderful. Figures - now that I´m finally adjusted to being back here, it´s time to leave again. It´s crazy when I think that out of the past 52 weeks, I´ve only seen my parents for 10. When I think about it in terms of those numbers, it´s hard! So here I am again, getting ready to start the packing process. As many times as I´ve done this and even though I´ve become a professional packer, it´s the one part I dread.

Airlines are now charging $70 for the second checked bag. Thankfully I bought my ticket before they changed the prices, so I only have to pay $50. But this is becoming ridiculous. Airline tickets are going up and from what I can tell, there is no shortage of flyers like the companies say. All of my flights are always booked solid. On my flight to Madrid, I´ll be sitting in row 24 or something like that. I normally sit in the teens, so this annoys me. With all the money I´ve been spending on tickets (three round-trips in the past year,) I could have had a new car with a low payment by now!

My grandmother told me she´s going to cry at the airport on Monday. I keep reminding her that this will be the fourth time I´ve left for Spain and she can´t keep doing it! But everything is just a part of my life now. From the tears at the airport, to being limited to seeing my parents 80% of the year on my computer screen, to dreading the packing of the suitcases, this is my life.

Tomorrow marks the one year date from when I left the first time. I started this journey a year ago amid lots of questions and whys from friends and family. Not once did I doubt my decision, because I was following my dreams, but also I was searching for myself. It hasn´t been easy for me - I wouldn´t suggest moving across the ocean to just anyone. But it´s been life changing. This journey has been such a blessing to me and I can´t wait to continue it. I´ll close with a quote from the book Eat, Pray, Love. The protagonist reminds me of somebody I know. I´ll let you all decide who that somebody is!

"If you're brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey, either externally or internally, and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared most of all to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself, then the truth will not be withheld from you."

Thirty-One Party!

I'm hosting an online Thirty-One party, in part because I want a lunch tote to take back with me to Spain! All you have to do is shop online and everything is delivered to your home - it's that easy! The party closes on August 18th, so make sure and get your order in! Here is the link:


http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E846638&from=DIRECTLINK


Happy Shopping!

Summertime in Louisville

Wow, it really just seems like yesterday that I was blogging about traveling back to the states for summer break. And here we are six weeks later and it's almost time for me to head back to Madrid. So far the summer has been wonderful, but hot! Oh, and it's been going by way to quickly!

One of the hardest things to do is to transition from speaking 100% Spanish to 100% English. The first few days were really hard, because there were some words that just automatically came out wrong or in Spanish. In my head I kept thinking Spanish, but reminding myself to speak in English. Now, I'm dreading the transition back to Spanish, because my brain has been processing everything in English these past few weeks. It's going to be interesting.

I've gone through a reverse culture shock. I do miss the long coffee dates or just meeting a friend for a coke and sitting on the sidewalk. I had an awkward feeling the first weekend I was here, at church. It was 4th of July weekend, so everyone was on their higher-than-normal patriotic ship. Someone mentioned from the pulpit how glad they were to live in the best country in the world and I immediately tensed up. It made me appreciate the fact that I'm living outside of the US and am gaining so many new perspectives on the world. When I tell people that it is very arrogant to say the above statement, people mistake it for my being "un-american". What gets to me more is that people proceed to say, "it's the truth." I'm pretty sure if I asked my friends in Spain how they felt about this statement, they wouldn't tell me it was true. I really can't explain this feeling, other than to say it's something you can't understand until you live overseas. Regardless if I'm currently in the world's best country or not, there isn't a better feeling in the world than to be with your family. It seems like every single weekend has been planned out, but spending time with them has been priceless. One of my biggest concerns was gaining weight and I think I've done fine until this week. Today is the first day in a week that I haven't eaten out. So I guess we can call this my fat week! :)

A funny thing I've realized since being here is that Spaniards think I'm on vacation while I'm in the states and Americans think I'm on vacation while I'm in Spain. I can reassure you that neither is true. This summer has been a busy one for me Not including the first Tuesday I was here, I've been working every day, Monday-Friday, 7:30 am until 6:30 pm. So even though this is my "summer vacation", vacation is such a false word....

One thing I've been reminded of is how much has changed in one year. It's been a year since I've seen some people and a lot happens in a year. Mom reminded me that this is part of choosing to move. Honestly, I just wanted to come home and spend time with my family, so it hasn't bothered me that much at all. I've also changed over this past year, so it works on both ends. In two weeks I'll be back in Spain and life will go on not only for me, but for everyone here.

Until next time....

Reflections

Wow! It just seems like yesterday that I said goodbye to my parents and grandma in front of the airport in Louisville. (Naturally I was running late and I was afraid if we parked the car, I would be cutting it too close. Of course the plane was delayed....) I had taken the bold step of leaving everything and everyone behind in order to follow my dream. That dream took me across the ocean, some 8,000 plus miles away from the only place I had called home. Almost a year later, I'm getting ready to board another airplane, except the circumstances will be a little different.

I remember going through a whirlwind of emotions that morning and on the flight to Madrid. I was excited, sad, anxious, nervous, and scared. I have to admit, those feelings are back again. I'm sitting here, typing away in my bed. I fly out to Louisville tomorrow afternoon. It's nearly 3:30 am, but there was no way I could go to sleep without reflecting on this past year. I'm excited and anxious to see my family at the airport tomorrow night. It's been six months since I've seen them. I'm sad because I'm leaving behind wonderful friends and co-workers. Thank goodness I don't have to say THE good-bye yet. I'm just leaving for the summer and I'll see them in 2 months. However, these people have become my support system and the closest thing to family I have here. And I have to admit I'm scared and nervous to come back for the summer. I know I've changed tremendously over this past year and I'm also going to have to get adjusted to the lifestyle again. The Spanish lifestyle is so different and it's what I'm accustomed to. I'm sure there's going to be day's where I long to be in Madrid, sipping a Fanta Limon on a sidewalk. Kinda weird that there's a part of me that's scared of coming back to visit, but it's true. I am also preparing myself for the fact that relationships with friends will be different because it's been a year since I've seen people.

Today was the last day of work. We had a school wide meeting in the morning, and then a end of school year mass. Somehow I found myself reading a passage during the mass. I was very nervous, but everyone told me I did great. After that we had a lunch with wonderful food and even better company. It was truly a great ending to an even greater school year.

Exciting news - I signed my contract for my flat for the next year! It's so nice to know I have a place to live next year. I stayed after and hung out with my future roommates. We really have good chemistry and I'm so looking forward to becoming friends with them. I think it's going to be perfect!

I ended the evening saying good-bye to one of my private lesson families, having a going away dinner with the family I live with (thank goodness for Domino's Pizza and their 50% off online ordering!), and then met some co-workers down in Chueca. I am absolutely exhausted, but am so excited to start vacation!

This year has been the best year of my life. I saw my dream come true and that's more than I could ever ask for. God has blessed me with a wonderful environment here through my co-workers who are now friends. It's amazing how much can change in a year. I want to thank you all for following me on this crazy journey. Year 2 is going to be even better!

Besitos to all,
Sarah

A whirlwind of an update

So I just realized that in my last blog, I promised to write more often. Seven weeks later....

Rather than go through a ridiculously long update and force myself to think about what happened last month, I'm going to give you an abbreviated version. Emphasis on abbreviated. I mean, I can barely remember what clothes I had on yesterday, much less recall what I've been doing with my life for the past month and a half....So, here we go.

My Uncle Bart came and visited me for Semana Santa. It was so nice to finally have company and to see a familiar face. It's a miracle that he's still alive for several reasons. The first being I dragged him all through Spain. Well, at least it seemed like all of Spain. We climbed mountains, walked for miles, and traveled non-stop. But secondly, because I drove us throughout the country. So that's why I say it's a miracle. The first two days, we stayed in Madrid. I showed him around the city, because sadly, the first time he was here three years ago with my Dad, we were in Madrid long enough to catch a plane or train. I also experienced my first bullfight. Then, the journey really began. On Monday, we went to Segovia, La Granja, and Guadarrama. It was there, at the foot of the Sierra Mountains, that yours truly learned to properly decapitate and de-leg (is that a word?) shrimp. Oh, what memories! Tuesday, we set out for a 5 hour drive to Pamplona. Bart has been longing to see the city where the famous running of the bulls takes place. After that, we drove to San Sebastian, a beautiful beach resort town nestled in the Basque Country. The next morning, we drove to France and spent the day in a quaint town, Saint-Jean-de-Luz. After that, we made the 7 hour trek home. But have no fear - we made it in time to see Real Madrid win La Copa del Rey! Thursday morning, we slept in and then set out for Zamora. For the next three days, we watched the religious processions and also made a trip to have lunch in Portugal. Bart left on Easter Sunday. If I had to sum up the week, it would be something like this: 2,000 kilometers traveled, 9 days, 9 cities, 3 countries, 1 amazing week. If you want to see the pictures, check out my facebook page. Moving on....

The spring semester came to a close and I finished with all A's and B's again! What a relief! I had a week off in between finals and the start of the summer session. I didn't know what to do with myself. I loved the free afternoons/evenings/weekends. Sadly, the week flew by and I had to start summer classes. I only have four days left and I will have successfully finished Macroeconomics and a Spanish translation class.

In between, I also went to a prom (the older students in the high school had theirs one Friday evening at the school. Being the cool teacher I am, I went!), celebrated my first San Isidro (the patron saint of Madrid) holiday, and attended my first first communion. I also went on a field trip to the "beach" of Madrid with my third and fourth graders, discovered a 50's style American diner, and suffered through Barcelona's Champions League victory.

Surprisingly, we still have cool(er) temperatures than I expected. But I'm not complaining, because I'm not waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, dying to take a cold shower. Although, it does feel really weird to be walking around wearing jeans, a long sweater, and a scarf in June. Albeit, it's a thin scarf and sweater, but still....What a change from September when I talked would sweat just by thinking about going outside....

On Friday, I went to the Prado Museum. I´ve been several times, but this time I was invited by someone who works there. The mother of some students works in the restoration department and invited me to see her department, which is closed to the public. I got to see some huge masterpieces up close and personal. She explained the whole restoration process to me. I even got to see some of Goya´s works! My brother loves Goya. The entire visit was so neat and I definitely learned a lot.

Today, I went with two friends from work on a day trip to Ávila. You may remember that back in March, I had to write a paper on Saint Teresa of Jesus. Ávila is her birthplace and where she spent the majority of her life. We spent several hours walking through the old city, looking at all of the churches and her childhood home. We had a wonderful lunch of gazpacho, steak, potatoes, and arroz con leche for dessert. It really doesn´t get more Spanish than that! We ended the afternoon by looking at a beautiful church called Sonsoles and then drove to a site called Cuatro Postes (four posts) where you had a breathtaking view of the city. Pictures will be up on Facebook shortly. It was a lovely day, but my allergies are out of whack right now. Apparently I´m allergic to clean air. I started sneezing as soon as we arrived in Ávila. Naturally, now that I´m back in the smog and pollution of Madrid, I´m all stuffy. Just great. All of this change in location is killing me!

Sorry for the long blog today. The next one will be shorter! Oh, I almost forgot! I have a flat for next year. It´s funny how God works. Some of you remember my fiasco I had with the flat earlier in the fall - how I was confused about two girls with the same name and ended up giving away the flat I had. Well, they emailed me a few weeks ago and said the room would be available again and asked if I would like to live with them! What luck! These past two weekends I´ve discovered a new best friend with the name of IKEA. I now have all of my bedding and towels for the next year. All I have to do is pack up my room and store it at Sol´s house. Funny how this entire situation has come full circle!

I´ll be in the states from July 1st until August 29th. 19 days and counting!

Gooooooollllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I'm never going to feel what it's like to play in a World Cup, but on the last day of school before our spring break, I'm pretty sure I came close to knowing the feeling. And it was pretty awesome!

We had our equivalent of a field day on the last two days of school. On Thursday, the teachers had a football game and the entire primary school came to watch. Thankfully, I wore my tennis shoes to work that day. We divided up into two teams - red and yellow. It was absolutely hilarious! But guess who scored the first goal?! Yep, yours truly! I don't even remember how it happened. I received the ball close to the goal, dribbled a few steps, and took a shot. Next thing I knew, it was in the net and that was it.

My co-workers and I took off running towards midfield, celebrating. A few seconds later, hundreds of kids swarmed me. The sixth grade boys were the first ones to reach me, and then the younger ones. I have to admit, it was pretty amazing.

Here's the picture one of my students took - you can see the boys rushing up (but you can't see me!) and all of the younger kids with their hands up in the air! Oh, my team won, 3-2 :)

Five seconds later, I was completely surrounded!

I'm a Belieber! Bieber Fever 2011

Let me preface this blog by saying that I've always had Beiber Fever. I remember driving in my former car one night and heard a new, catchy song and I thought to myself, who on earth is this kid? I was instantly hooked and have been ever since!

On Tuesday night, I went to the Justin Bieber concert here in Madrid. The kids all knew I was going. Some co-workers had told me that they announced on the radio that people had been camping out in front of the venue for a week, just so they could be first in line. Now don't get me wrong, I love Justin Bieber, but come on people, I'm 25 years old! I don't have the time or energy that these 13 year olds have. But then again, when I was 13, I was never infatuated with the boy bands. I liked them, don't get me wrong, but I was smart enough to know that it was pointless to fall in love with them. I guess you could say that I've always been a logical person. Anyways, we arrived at the Palacio de Deportes around 6:40 and the place was absolutely insane! These girls are serious! They were showing up with JB painted on their shirts and faces. Some had roses. And the line was wrapped around two blocks!

Best photo of the night!

It was really funny observing everyone. Once we got inside, I saw this one girl who had to be all of 14 years old, in tears. When they posted a 15-minute countdown on the screens, the place erupted. I have to admit, I was pretty excited myself. Especially to hear a few of his songs! And he is a little cutie.  There were a few moments that stood out in my head more than others. First of all, all of the girls kept saying his name like Justine. And I was cracking up, because that's a girl's name. I don't even think they understood what he was singing, but they knew the words. Even a little five year old girl was singing! Secondly, he took off his jacket at one point, only to reveal a purple and silver t-shirt. You would have thought it was the Chippendales performing. Those teeny boppers went nuts. Best part of the whole night, however, was that the concert was over around 9:50 pm. Early enough for all of the kids to get in bed at a reasonable hour!

JB singing, "Up", one of my favorite songs!

I'm glad I went and it was a really good concert. In the meantime, I'll be anxiously awaiting his new album. And Beyonce's upcoming album. (I'm waiting on her to come to Madrid!)

Spiders, Tears, and Orphanages, Oh My!

Dear Spring, where did you go? It seems like I've missed out on spring this year. Last week, the temperatures were in the 40's and 50's and now I find myself sweating in the sun while walking in 80 degree weather. Everyone always told me that Madrid has two seasons - summer and winter. I'm beginning to think they were right....As a courtesy to others, please remember the rules of wearing open-toed shoes. You should either have painted toenails or have them in the buff. And please remember to lotion your feet - crusty toes (literally) is one thing causes me to gag. I think we've covered all of the basics :)

Last Thursday, I traveled with the 5th graders to Sevilla, in southern Spain. We had a 2.5 hour train ride and then spent a few hours walking around in the city. The weather was in the 80's, but the sun was blazing. The kids were miserably hot, as was I. I broke down and bought a fan (not the mechanical kind, but the old-fashioned hand fan that you flip open) to cool myself off. Two things are essential for women to carry during the summer - a fan and a bottle of water. It's true. Otherwise, it's a hazard to your health! We spent the morning and early afternoon walking through the city. The highlight of my day was returning to Plaza de Espana, where I searched for my name on the wall. Three years ago, friends and I wrote our names on the wall inside the building and I was determined to find it again. I did, but barely. The writing was wearing off, so I re-wrote our names until I can return with a marker!

So excited to find my graffiti!!!!

Other than that, nothing else happened. Oh, we did (temporarily) lose four kids. Or was it five? I can't remember. They were inside a vendor booth in front of the plaza (not where they should have been). We told all of the kids to leave, but some of them didn't listen (surprise, surprise) and were left behind. At least they knew to stick together and not move. We found them 10-15 minutes later, so no worries!

Thursday night was quite interesting. We arrived at the residency, which was tucked away about 35 minutes away from the center of Sevilla. We stayed in a town called Pilas. We got the kids settled into their rooms, they played for awhile, and then they took showers to clean up for dinner. At one point, some of the girls yelled for me to come into their room. They pulled me into the bathroom and showed me a spider that was in the shower. I screamed (I have a phobia) and ran out. I then realized that I was the adult, so I took the shower and hosed the spider down until it went down the drain. I was disgusted and quickly ran into my room to see if I had any. Each night, I did a thorough walk through of my room. After dinner, some kids from another school started the rumor that there was an orphanage nearby and our kids started crying and were scared to death. Most of them have seen the movie, The Orphan, about a girl who is adopted by a family, but is possessed and torments the family. I've never had to do so much damage control in my life. We took the kids on walks throughout the residency to show them there was nothing. It was quite funny to me, yet reminded me how young they are. The girls (and boys) were still scared. The girls slept with their lights on and repeatedly asked me what room I was in and to see if it was okay if they came to my room if they were scared. I tucked them all in, kissed them, and said I loved them. (Which is the utter truth!) They laughed at the time, but I know they appreciated it. In fact, one of the mothers of a student whom I had never met before, came up to me after school one day this week and thanked me for doing it. Funny, I didn't expect her daughter to tell her mom, because she always came off as tough to me. In fact, she always used to misbehave with me. But ever since returning from our trip, the 5th graders are angels to me! Plus, I got to learn all of their names, which didn't hurt! Being one of the teachers on the trip was hard - first ones up in the mornings, last ones to sleep!

On Friday, we had a program for all of the Teresiano colegios. For those of you who don't know, Santa Teresa was born in Spain and there is a group of women called Teresianas, who dedicate their lives to living like her. One of their principles is the education of youth and this is why we have Teresian schools. I just finished writing a paper on her (in Spanish) today, so I'll have to do a blog on her. She really is an amazing woman and was such a profound Christian. Her story is amazing. Anyways, we spent the morning doing activities and we had a gynkana (not sure of the english word - we had lots of games for them to play!) where I stood out in the sun for over an hour. I got a nice moreno camionero (farmer's tan) that is absolutely atrocious! I need to fix it! I'm looking at it right now and all I can do is cringe! In the afternoon, each school presented their dance they had worked on and then we had a despedida (goodbye session). Our school was in charge of it, and my co-workers completely forgot about it until the last minute. I ended up helping them come up with something, but that also meant I had to speak in front of the kids. IN SPANISH. I think I did awful, but everyone, students and my co-workers told me I did really good. In fact, all of the kids came up to me and said, "You're a really good translator!"

Late afternoon, we took the kids into the town of Pilas. We weren't a hard group to spot - 80 kids plus adults, walking around in white t-shirts and jeans. The town was really pretty - a typical Andalucian town. The people were really nice and it was a nice change of environment from Madrid! We finally ended up at the park and the kids bought ice cream and played.

One of the streets in Pilas. Quaint and quiet!

 

Saturday morning, we woke up early. Or in my case, I woke up to a spider in my room. I had just finished waking the girls up when I opened my door. Scurrying across the floor was a horrendous, black spider. I yelled for my co-worker and she came to my rescue! Not even five minutes later, I opened the closet to put back a blanket and there was another spider (bigger than the first) on my wall. I screamed again. And then, a few minutes later, a bug was on the floor, but my students stomped on it. I'm so thankful it happened on the last  morning and not the first. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to do it!

We drove back into Sevilla and spent the rest of the afternoon at Isla Magica, an amusement park. I rode the roller coaster, the pirate ship, and a water ride with some of my students, before spending the rest of the day with my co-workers. I was really glad I went, because it gave me a chance to interact with two co-workers whom I never get to talk to. The four of us decided that we should plan an education trip next year (when the kids are in 6th grade) and that I have to come along as well, because we made a deal! We finally arrived to Madrid around 8:30 pm and there were so many people waiting for us! For a lot of the kids, this was their first time away from home without parents (other than spending the night with a friend), so this was a big deal! I spent the majority of Sunday, catching up on sleep.

It was a great weekend! I have to rest up though, because we have another three-day trip with the Amigos de Jesus group in May. I'm praying there won't be spiders or orphanages....

The 100th post

Wow, I've already written 100 posts? I think about 90 of those were written during a four-month span. I've definitely slacked off in the blog writing department. I need to remember to do it more often, because my mother prints every blog off and puts it in a binder for two of my grandmothers who prefer to read it on paper, instead of on a computer screen.

I can't believe it's almost the end of March and all of the "madness". Speaking of March Madness, I scared the family I live with. I had shut my door last week during the Louisville game that ruined my bracket. Tonight I found out all of the kids were doing homework at the same time as I was having a panic attack and they thought I was hurt or something with all of the gasping and cringing and banging my head on my desk I was doing. This week was also my Daddy's birthday and this marked the second straight year I was in Europe for it :( This time last year, I was running around Serbia.

Speaking of trips, I have decided not to travel to Israel. I can't afford the entire trip and now doesn't seem the best time to travel to the area with all of the political unrest going on. Naturally, this doesn't bother me, but my family is very worried and I would hate for them to be on pins and needles for one month. In perhaps a sign, I read on Twitter the other night that there was an explosion on a bus in Jerusalem. It had been quite some time since I had heard of any violence in Israel....

On Monday, I received a nice big box from my loving parents that was filled with food and an Easter goody bag from Mimi. On Tuesday, I took my peanut butter and jelly to work, because I wanted to share with my co-workers. All but two or three people had never tried peanut butter in their lives, so I was excited. They went nuts. They put it on bread, on cookies, and some just ate it from a spoon. Grape jelly also doesn't exist here, so that was something new for them as well. I was happy to share with them and glad it went over well. It's funny, because Americans eat peanut butter like it's water and here my friends were going crazy over it! I'm already thinking about what I'm going to miss this summer when I'm in Louisville. Mainly fanta limon. I think I may pack a suitcase full of it, just to get me through the summer....

I'm going out of town next weekend - FOR FREE!!!! Yesterday, my principal asked me if I would like to go to Sevilla (in southern Spain) with the 5th graders and of course I said yes! We're taking the AVE (the high-speed train that is expensive and I can never afford a ticket!) into Sevilla on Thursday, spending the day exploring the city. On Friday, we have a conference of some sorts with the other Teresiano colegios in Spain. (My school follows the principles of Saint Teresa of Avila and there are other schools just like us. Several co-workers are Teresians and live in groups.) Then on Saturday, we are spending the day at Isla Magica, an attraction park before heading back to Madrid. This trip can't come at a better time, because just last Friday, I told my mother that I'm sick of Madrid and dying to get out of the city. (I never thought I would say that!)

I'm really excited about going and the students are happy I'm going as well! I know I will be exhausted Saturday night, but I'm looking forward to this fun-filled (and free) adventure!

That's all I have for now. I'm exhausted from this week and want to hit the pillow. It's funny, I'm going to sleep earlier tonight than I do on work nights. Some things just don't make sense....

Traveling or Travelling?

Last weekend I had my proficiency exam with the British Council. By passing the test and having certification, I will be able to teach a higher level of classes at work and also earn more money! (Always a plus....) On Saturday I had the written part of the exam from 9 am until 5 pm. Killer. Funny I should used that word, seeing as I almost killed my proctor....

I had tried to ask her if I would be counted wrong for spelling things the "American" way. She told me (very rudely might I add,) that she couldn't answer the question because it was "content related." Whatever. At the end of this particular part of the test, she pulled me aside and said, "both forms are correct." Uhh, thanks for telling me this thirty minutes ago. I then mentioned the word traveling and how I spelled it with one l. She said, that's wrong. Traveling is with two L's. And then I said, no, we spell it with one. She said, no, it's with two. Here's a dictionary. Timeout - first of all, she insulted me by telling me I was wrong and even more by handing me the dictionary. Did I mention the dictionary was Oxford? Which means it's British, lady!!!! She said, "No, they acknowledge both forms." Uhh, wrong, again! So then, me and my big mouth proceeded to say, "I've never once been corrected on spelling it with one L and I'm almost positive twelve years worth of teachers and the spell-check on my computer know how to spell traveling." Then, she continued, "Well, Cambridge is a very tradition institute that's highly regarded, so it would be wise to spell things like them." Uhh, so here I am thinking in my head, "So is Harvard. and I'm willing to bet the professors spell traveling with one L." I then told her, well, "this is really not worth me arguing with you over this and it's not even the reason why I asked you a question." She finished with, "But I don't work for the British Council, I don't teach at the school, and I don't grade the tests." So why in the WORLD are you correcting me? You have no merit. How pretentious of her! During the break, I googled the world just to see what would pop up. The U.S. Government spells the word traveling. I was tempted to go up to her after class and ask her if she was calling the government wrong for spelling it that way, but I refrained. My mother was mortified that I had this discussion with her, but like I told her, "I don't start things, but I sure finish them." That lady barked up the wrong tree. I would never tell a Brit or any of my students (who learn British English) that they spell things wrong. EVER. Much less to a co-worker or another adult. I cannot stand people who think they're superior to others. She was loud and obnoxious. I was sitting right at the door and her and the other proctors would talk to each other at the door. I kept shooting her evil glares.

This week has passed by quickly. I found out on Tuesday or Wednesday that I was selected to partake in the archaeological trip to Israel with the university! However, I don't think I will be going because I can't afford the entire thing. So if any of you reading this has an extra three thousand dollars laying around, let me know :)

I'm going to end with a new phrase I learned: "Me da jamacuco." It means that you're going nuts. Pretty useful phrase, huh?

My Spanish Support System

Today it hit me how blessed I am to have encountered the people I have in such a short amount of time. As most of you have heard, an American exchange student was found dead earlier this week in a river. Reports say he was heavily intoxicated, which explains why he drowned in such a shallow river. Naturally, this adds to even more nervousness in my family, despite me reassuring them that the people who make the news never use their heads. It really put things into perspective for me though. I guess there's something about being a mother that gives you a special intuition. Regardless, I have found myself surrounded by "mothers" over here. I rent a room from a family who has six kids, and Isabel the mother, considers me her oldest daughter. Last night I had a fever and she made sure I took medicine then and this morning. Tonight, as I was leaving a private lesson, a mother of another student told me if I ever needed anything (to be taken to the doctors, etc.) just to call her. This on top of my original Spanish mother, Sol, who is always a phone call away. Add these to countless co-workers and friends, and I consider myself truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people!

The weather this week has warmed up a little, but leave it to the Americans to go crazy and think that sixty degree weather means you can wear shorts and tank tops. I had to chuckle today in class, when I looked around and all of the visiting students were wearing shorts, flip flops, etc. and I had on a pea coat with a scarf. I guess people don't realize it's still MARCH. But my building manager told me tonight as he was opening the elevator door for me (yes, I'm spoiled) that tomorrow the weather is supposed to change and it will rain this entire weekend :(

I have my English proficiency test this weekend and I know it may sound funny, but I'm really nervous about it. It's bringing up old nightmares about ACT's and SAT's. Some of the vocabulary is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, who uses words like impetus, hitherto, henceforth, and herewith on a regular basis? The Queen of England? It would all be fine and dandy, except she's not taking the test!!!! Plus not to mention that two of my co-workers failed a different English test over the weekend and the fact then entire school knows myself and a co-worker are taking the test on Saturday, adds a little bit of pressure. I mean, how embarrassing would it be if the American didn't pass the English test!?!!

Anyways, I'm off to bed. I think I spoke too soon - I feel the fever making a return, albeit, un-welcomed visit. 

The REAL Housewives of Madrid

I really think it should be mandated that weekends need to be for three days instead of two. The weekends go by so quickly! I spend five days looking forward to the weekend, only to see the days pass by in the blink of an eye. It's just unfair. Anyways, I was planning on getting a rough draft finished of my paper that's due in two weeks, but here we are on Saturday evening and I'm staring at a blank screen.

This afternoon, I went to a friend of the family's (that I live with) house. All of the moms got together and the kids played. All sixteen of them. Anyways, I ate lunch with the moms and it was pure comedy. The house we went to was an actual house and it was beautiful. This was my first time in a house here. I mean, a brick home with a backyard. One of my first graders from school was there with his mother and sister. I may actually start baby-sitting for them every once in awhile, because the parents go out every weekend and they live close to me. They all sat around talking about everything - kids, having babies, c-sections, etc. It was quite hilarious. Of course, I couldn't really chime in and say, "Oh yeah, I was in so much pain after my c-section too!" But I found it quite amusing. And also a good reminder that I'm nowhere near having children of my own. Come to think of it, it was a reminder to myself that I don't want to have any. (Especially after hearing about their childbirth pains. I promise every time I hear about someone giving birth, I cringe and shudder. I guess it also doesn't help that I get a pain in my stomach hearing about it....) I was planning on taking a bus back to town, but the mother of my student drove me back into town. It was only a fifteen minute ride, so she said she didn't mind.

Anyways, as I was sitting in this gorgeous home with the women, I realized that this was a page straight out of the TV series The Real Housewives of.... Some of you all remember that back in the fall, I blogged about passing the days with the Real Housewives of Madrid at the pool. But after today, I realized that the first group is just a bunch of housewife wannabees. Kinda like the trashy version. This group of housewives are legitimate. Highly educated and driving BMWs and Mercedes....My kind of people!

I had to be at school today because we had activities planned for the Amigos de Jesus kids. We celebrated Carnaval and they all wore costumes. It was fun, but I must say I am beyond exhausted. To go from a house with 16 kids to a school activity with another 50 will wear you out! This is the earliest I'm going to bed in awhile. My 11:00 bedtime hasn't been working out so well for me lately and I've been tired. I need to get back on it.

I hope everyone had a relaxing Saturday!

Planning for the Future

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last blogged. Mid-terms started right after I posted the last blog, so as you all can imagine, it was an extremely stressful time for me. I am really pleased with my test results - I got A's in both of my Spanish classes :) Funny, the only C I got was in History and I've always been a straight-A student in that subject. I was so worried with my other tests that I barely studied for History and it showed. Unfortunately, I have no time to relax - I have a presentation and a paper due in two weeks, followed by three more papers and another test in five weeks. No time for the weary. As the mother of one of my students tells me, I go sin parar (without stopping).

The weather here has been cold. Like really cold. We even had a wintry mix of snow and rain today, but only for ten minutes or so. It was funny, because for a second I thought I was back in Louisville - last night on my walk home, I noticed that a lot of buildings had put salt out on the sidewalk. Everyone was freaking out that there was a chance of snow! Last weekend, the weather was beautiful of course. I missed out on the chance to go to the beach with friends from work because I had my economy mid-term, but the family who I live with went out of town, so I had the flat to myself. I cooked my own meals :) and ate in the dining room with the windows open. For a moment, I thought I was sitting on the deck of a penthouse suite. (Hey, cut me some slack - I do live on the top floor of my building!) I enjoyed the peace and quiet! Saturday evening, a co-worker invited me to a performance of someone she knows. It showcased a dancer with a flamenco band. But they broke away from traditional flamenco music, playing a mix of flamenco, indie, and pop music. It was quite an interesting mix - very eclectic, but I loved it! It felt very "local" to me.

This week has also been a stressful week for me because I found out on Monday that I can actually graduate in December with a degree in Spanish with a minor in Political Science. I had to give it a lot of thought, because tuition is beyond expensive - what I pay for one semester is a down payment on a house! (And a nice one at that.) However, I had always thought I would study both Spanish and Political Science since I was in high school. I conferred with several professors and they all agreed that since it was just one more semester, I should stick around. I had also come to that decision on my own, because I felt that if I graduated early, I would be giving myself the short end of the stick - I was afraid that I would always regret my decision, especially since I would be so close. I have decided to stay, so I will be graduating next May.

I also found out on Wednesday about a trip to Israel during the month of July. A theology/sociology professor from school is taking a group of students to an archaeological dig site in Israel. Throughout the course of the month, the group will be taking trips to sites such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee, etc. To say I want to go is an understatement. I have already applied for the trip and am waiting to find out whether or not I will be accepted. However, I have no clue how I am going to pay for the trip if I am selected. The trip in itself is $2200, plus airfare and money for a hostel on some occasions. I figure the trip will cost about $3500. And then I have to pay for tuition for the class, which is another $1700. Naturally, I don't have an extra $5,000 lying around. However, I have faith that if this trip is meant to be, then God will provide a way for me to pay for it. Depending on whether or not I make the trip, there is a chance I will not be back in Louisville until December....

Today, I had a conversation with my principal. I had decided awhile ago that after graduation I want to stay in Spain and continue to teach. Currently, I'm here on a student visa and it allows me to work 25 hours a week (which is full-time for teachers.) Next year since I will be in school, I will also be on the student visa. I decided to talk with my principal because I've heard how difficult it can be to obtain permission to work here in Spain if you're not from the European Union. The process is quite a pain - you must have an invitation from a company to work, but they must provide the government with many documents, including something like the past ten years worth of tax documents. Because of this, a lot of businesses don't want to offer positions to Americans, and honestly, I don't blame them. However, my principal told me today that it wouldn't be a problem for them to extend a job offer to me and that they would go through all of the necessary steps with the government! She was going to talk to the lady in charge of finances and administration and let her know that we were going to start the process in the fall! She told me that they are thrilled with my work so far and me as a person and that I've meshed so well with my co-workers :) I am so happy! I am beyond content with my job - I think I've said it before, but this is the first time in my life that I have absolutely no complaints about my job. My bosses are wonderful - truly a blessing!

I ask for your prayers as I'm reaching the point in my life where decisions that have serious implications on my future are needing to be made, that I have guidance and wisdom to make them. I really appreciate the few of you who send thoughtful messages and emails - it means so much.

One day we'll be together....

What a great week it's been. My school sponsors a school in Burkina Faso. Every year, they have an event to raise awareness about the school and the problems they face, mainly a shortage of food. This week, we had a run that all of the students participated in. Each day this week, a several grades ran laps in the park and/or at school. They found friends, families, and teachers to pledge money for each lap they completed. On Friday, we ended the week with a celebration assembly out on one of the patios. Each grade had representatives to place their collection into a basket. It was a beautiful, moving ceremony. Our theme song for the week was a song entitled, "One day we'll be together," by Bob Sinclair. It is a song that speaks of friendship and the importance of looking out for everyone because this world is yours and mine. Friday night, Amigos de Jesus had an event at school - our solitary dinner. People who came were served a garlic soup that is a typical dish in Africa, an apple, and water. The meal was to represent what the children who attend the school we sponsor eat on a daily basis and to remind us of how fortunate we are to have all the food we could possibly imagine. I had fun with my co-workers - we supervised the kids and helped clean up. Actually, a lifelong dream was fulfilled that night. When I was younger, I was always amazed by those huge dishwashers that were in the school cafeteria. I finally got to operate one! Although I have to admit, drying the dishes afterward with a hand towel wasn't so fun....After the dinner was over, I rode with my friend Eva to take another friend/co-worker home. Our friend Tamara, lives in the northern part of the city, and it's quite a way from the school. It was funny, because Tamara was telling us how to get home, and Eva told me I had to remember what she was saying, because she's not good with directions. Funny, the girl from Kentucky has to tell the Spaniard how to get back....Anyways, we followed her directions, but somehow ended up on a dead-end street and decided to look for the expressway instead. That took fifteen minutes to find, but we finally made it back.

Los Cotos

I had to wake up early Saturday morning because we had a field trip with Amigos de Jesus. We met at the Nuevos Ministerios train station at 9:30 am. It was pouring down rain and that kept a lot of kids home. We had a forty-minute train ride to Cercedilla and then had to switch trains and ride another one for 40 minutes. The second train reminded me of the train Daddy, Bart, and I rode from Lausanne to Gstaad, when we were in Switzerland a few years ago. We had to climb up the mountain and the train was old and slow. It was amazing to see snow within a matter of minutes and we climbed the hill. We finally arrived at a place called Los Cotos, which is on the border of Madrid and Castilla y Leon (the bordering comunidad - something similar to our version of states.) After changing shoes and putting on gloves, hats, etc, we walked up the hill from the train station. The area where we went was in a valley type thing - one hill on one side, facing another, with the road in the middle. The area was fenced off, and full of snow. The kids (and adults) had a blast! I was somewhat amused by the sleds here - they're made of plastic and really thin. They look like a toy shovel. Even the two seaters are really thin and cheap - nothing like the heavy duty sleds we have. However, they were tons of fun. I am forever grateful to my co-workers who loaned me nylon pants, gloves, and scarves. Isabel, the mother of the family who I live with, let me borrow a snow jacket she bought in Indiana last year. One of the students at the train station told me I wasn't prepared for the snow because I was wearing the wrong clothes. I had to agree with her. Everyone has snow pants and snow boots and here I was wearing my $20 black snow boots from Kmart. (The fashionable snow boots, not snow boots to hike up mountains). I had even thought I was doing good that morning to spray my boots with water protector. It didn't help one bit. My boots were completely drenched in water. Needless to say, I think those will be going in the trash pretty soon....Word of advice: Don't wear snow boots (uggs) to go sledding. They won't help you at all. I kept slipping and sliding and eventually fell. Finally, I decided it best to slide down the hill on my bottom until I reached the base.

Our snow family :)

Before we broke for lunch, the teachers had a race down the hill. Talk about pure comedy! My friend Conchi and I were on one sled and we won! It was quite hilarious. We ate lunch in the train station - that was an experience. It was packed and everyone was eating sandwiches. The entire time, I kept thinking about my mother, who would never have let us eat in such conditions. The bathrooms of course, had no toilet paper, but I figured that ahead of time and went in with kleenex. After our break, we walked back up the hill and made snowmen. My team created a family, complete with a puppy. We then walked back down the hill (well, in my case, slid down the hill) and began the journey home. The kids were still wound up and naturally, seemed to recharge. I was exhausted and wanted to sleep!


I was quickly reminded that I'm getting old for all of this. Last night, I got a cramp in my leg. Every year, I tell myself that sledding is dangerous and one of these days I'm going to get hurt. (Like the time I went sledding two years ago, and tried to be cool and snowboard down the hill. I fell immediately and came down hard on snow that had been covered in ice, that was covered by more frozen snow - this was the year we had the ice storm. My back hurt for six months....) But I'm such a big kid and can't resist. One of these days, I will learn. This morning I woke up in pain. My entire body was sore....Well, at least I have a year to recover until next year's trip....

This is probably the reason why I am sore....

I ended my day over at Eva's flat. She helped me study my Spanish literature because my test in on Wednesday. I'm so grateful to my co-workers! We then sat around and ate potato chips and cold fish that was marinated in vinegar - a typical Spanish tapa. I'm really getting into this Spanish thing :)

I'm off to bed. I hope tomorrow I'm not sore :(

Bi-Polar weather

So, I really thought a few weekends ago that spring was on its way to Madrid. Boy, was I wrong! The weather this week has been completely bi-polar! One minute it's sunny and blue skies, and a few minutes later, dark clouds are rolling in, the wind is so strong it pushes people back, and the rain is freezing cold. Last night I had to walk home in the rain. It wasn't fun because the wind was so heavy, I promise it was out to get my umbrella! I thought the poor thing wasn't going to make it, but it held up! I also realized that it wasn't the best day to wear fishnets....I dressed up yesterday because we had administrator visits at school, so I thought I should look professional. I begged my kids to behave themselves. Today, the sky was so weird - one side would be blue and the other side gray, filled with clouds. I started off the day wearing sunglasses and ended walking up underneath my umbrella. Thankfully, the wind was nice to me tonight :)

At school all this week, the kids have had a race for the cause type thing. The school actually sponsors and school in Burkina Faso, in western Africa. This year's "carrera" was to contra hambre (raise money for hunger). It was so much fun! Tomorrow, we are having a celebration to end the week.

Mid-terms started on Tuesday for me - I got an A on my Spanish for Business test!!!! This weekend (with the exception of Saturday, when I go play in the snow with Amigos de Jesus!) is going to be devoted to studying and more studying, No relaxing for me this weekend :( I have three tests on Wednesday, one on Thursday, and the final one on Friday. Luckily, I have a five pound bag of Sour Patch Kids to get me through it all!

Just another example of how blessed I am with wonderful co-workers/principals this year: in my Spanish literature class, we have to give a presentation in a few months on a topic or author. I spoke with my professor after class yesterday about researching Santa Teresa de Jesus (my school is based on her principles). I explained to my professor that I worked at the school and wanted to research her anyways. She gave me the okay and I was telling a co-worker about it this morning. Soon after, my co-worker ran me down and had two books with her based on Santa Teresa - one is an illustrated, comic-type book on her life that belongs to my principal, and the other is a small book that has the majority of her writings. The latter is an extra copy that belonged to the school, so they gave it to me! How lucky am I! Plus, my co-workers offered to help me with my presentation!

Just another perfect example of how God has blessed me since I've been here!

Discovering new places

One of the things I love about living here is how many places (i.e. cafes, restaurants, etc.) there are. The first time I was here, I didn't stray far from my neighborhood - I took the metro to school and came home, and that was pretty much it. However, in the past few weeks, I have discovered other places in my neighborhood, and some that aren't in my neighborhood....For example, I'm writing this blog as I'm sitting in a bagel shop. This is my first time eating bagels in Spain! This place is amazing - it reminds me of a Bardstown Road spot - music, tables, couches, dim lighting - all in a little confined space. It's quite cozy. Plus, they have free wi-fi, which is always a plus.

The food doesn't hurt either. Bagel sandwiches. I walked down here this afternoon to get some peace and quiet. Sometimes, living in a house with six kids can be hectic and loud. Mid-terms start for me on Tuesday, so I needed to come down here and focus. However, the loud-mouthed woman one table over from me isn't helping at all. She was here with two friends and they were anxiously waiting on Charlie. Well, about thirty minutes ago, Charlie showed up, much to her delight. This woman has not stopped talking and I've been here for two hours....

Anyways, I'm looking forward to spring. I can't wait just to walk around and find even more new places. I've found that it's best to wander and to get lost on purpose. That's how I've discovered some of my favorite places here....I also think that's how life's journey should be. I always think that life's best things come to us when we go out and find them. You can't sit around and wait for things to come to you.

This entire move was something I decided to do, for me. And so many good things have happened in my life since making the decision to move. I went out to find my journey and in doing so, found myself.

An evening with La Furia Roja

Spain vs. Colombia, February 10th, 2011. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu

I've always been one to enjoy football (soccer.) I even played when I was little, at the YMCA. My love for football started back in 2008, when I was here in Madrid. The Euro Cup was going on and Sol told me one evening that everyone watched the games in Plaza de Colon, in the center of the city. I went to one game, and the rest is history. That was the summer I fell in love with not only football, but the Spanish national team. I cringed in 2009 when we lost to USA (still can't believe it!) in the semis of the Confederations Cup. And last summer during the World Cup, I think I drove all of my friends, family, and those who follow me on twitter, to the point of insanity. For one month straight, all I could do, think, tweet, was about football. I even bribed all of my family with Spanish food on the day of the championship match. Looking back, it's amazing that I didn't suffer a heart attack in July, after the 1-0 win against Germany in the semis (a Euro Cup 08 final rematch) and the 1-0 WC final game against The Netherlands (a team who I can't hate, because their jerseys are my favorite color....)

Anyways, I have been dying to go to a football game here. The tickets are really expensive, even for the nose bleed section. Last night, the Spanish national team had a friendly match against Colombia, and guess who got to go?! ::raises hand:: ME!!!! Boy, was it worth the wait. The plan was to go and buy tickets at the gate and meet a friend from work. Turns out, my friend got me and my friend tickets because he is a coach for one of the youth teams of Athletico Madrid (the other La Liga club in the city). Our seats were in the 15th row. FIFTEENTH. I almost cried. We were so close to the field, it was unreal. I could actually make out the faces of David Villa, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, etc. David Villa almost broke Raul's record of 44 international goals with the Spanish team, literally right in front of my eyes. His wide-open shot went just left of the goal. We barely won, 1-0. Silva scored with four minutes left. We played pretty crummy, but at least we pulled out a win.

The evening was beyond amazing - I still can't believe I was actually there!

The view from my seat....And I didn't zoom in at all. Just to give you an idea on how close to the field I really was....

La vida "Typical Spanish"

I am really slacking this semester in the blog department!!!! Let me recap my weekend. It was a "typical Spanish" weekend. This phrase is somewhat of a joke between my co-workers and I. I'm not even sure how it started. I think it has something to do with the fact that we have weekly "English lunches", so we needed a Spanish counterpart.

Anyways, Friday after work, I went with some co-workers to a cafe and we relaxed after a long week at work. Several of my friends were going on a field trip with a group of kids from school. The group is called, "Amigos de Jesus" (Friends of Jesus.) They invited me to come along. We took the kids to a museum in the northern suburbs of the city. The metro ride in itself took at least thirty minutes, one way. Imagine sixty kids in a confined space. Scary. But I had a good time. After we made it back to school, a few of us went and hung out for awhile.

Sunday, was a "typical Spanish" day. I had tons of fun, but I was so tired! We met at El Rastro (the Sunday, outdoor market) and walked around. We then walked to La Latina and went to a cafe. This was followed by walking to Plaza Mayor, where we eat calamari sandwiches. We then went to Retiro Park and enjoyed the sun. Finally, we ended the day in Goya and watched the Real Madrid game. I really felt Spanish this day! It was really nice to walk around town - we went to places I had never explored before. I really love my co-workers. We're all around the same age and I have lots of fun with them. We also started planning future excursions, like a ski trip and spending a weekend in a casa rural (out in the countryside). On Saturday, we are meeting at someone's flat and we are going to cook "typical Spanish" food and eat. I'm really happy to have found a group of Spaniards to hang out with, plus it's really nice that we are all the same age. I feel so old sometimes, especially at the university!

It didn't hurt either that the weather this weekend was gorgeous. Even today, it was in the sixties! Tomorrow, I MAY go to a football game. The Spanish national team is playing the Colombian national team and another co-worker may be going. I'm really excited about that if I get to go!!!!

Ahh, how I love the "typical Spanish" life....

Alcala and the party train

Today has been such a long day and I'm trying to figure out why I'm still awake. I was not planning on being out so late. It was nice to not really do anything at work today. I talked to my Principal about staying on at the school indefinitely. Which was quite funny, because just last night I talked to my parents about what I am going to do after I finish school. Next year I am going to get a pay raise as well, which is always a good thing, given the current economy! All of the teachers had a lunch after school - we had different types of pinchos (finger foods), beverages, and desserts. Afterwards, a group of us went to a cafe for a coffee. I feel like I'm part of the "cool kids group" at work. I really love my co-workers and I'm glad that I've started to hang out with them and feel more comfortable. I was supposed to meet them tonight, but I wasn't planning on returning to the city so late. I had to travel to Alcala de Henares - a little town on the outskirts of Madrid. Friends from church are going out of town for their anniversary and asked me to stay at their house with their kids. My friend Amy was also at their house, so we ended up hanging out the entire evening - dinner, dessert, a fun game called Bubble Talk, and we worked on a puzzle. It was quite the relaxing evening!

I am always amazed at the concept of Spaniards and drinking. On the train ride home, a large group of boys who had to be around 20, got on. They got their party started early (11:30 pm is early in Spain for the weekend) and began drinking on the train. Amy and I started analyzing their goods - several bottles of rum, vodka, and another drink which has completely slipped my mind. They also had a few bottles of fanta to mix their drinks with. To complete their party, they had plastic cups and ice. This part didn't surprise me, because everyone drinks while on public transportation. It was quite amusing though, because a few minutes later, security guards hopped on the train (a normal routine.) The boys scrambled to put lids on bottles. The boy sitting in front of us hid his cup on the floor and turned his body to block it. Another boy went as far as hiding his cup inside his jacket. Two of them weren't so lucky - the security guards escorted them to the door and their had to pour their drinks out. Spanish youth are quite an interesting subject to analyze....they have absolutely no respect for authority (the boys were giving lip service to the guards even as they were walking away) and have quite a mature social life for being so young. Although I am no longer surprised to the whole "Let's drink on the metro" thing, I always get a kick out of it because it seems like they put a lot of thought (and money) into it!

I'm headed off to bed. I am exhausted and have tons of homework to do tomorrow.

Estoy malita

This week, I learned a little trick that works in Spain if you are a child. You pull the "I'm sick" card when you don't like whatever food your mother has prepared for lunch or dinner. This weekend, one of the kids was "sick." Thursday, he really did had a fever. But during the weekend, when it came time to eat and if he didn't like what was in front of him, he said, "Estoy malito." And it saved him from eating the food. However, it DID allow him to eat cake and ice cream on Sunday. And to drink a Coca-Cola. I was a tad bit confused, but nonetheless, I had to hand it to him. He successfully avoided eating food that he disliked! So, the next time you don't want to do something, just say "Estoy malito" (if you are a male) or if you're female, "Estoy malita." Let me know how it works out for you.

I learned a new word this week: canica. It means marble. Oh, how I despise canicas. Last term, all of the students had silly bands. This term, they're all coming to school with marbles. And bags full. The other day, one of my students dropped a bag that had at least a hundred marbles on the floor. I wanted to scream. I told my students (politely) that if I see them with marbles, we are going to have serious issues. Who buys marbles for their kids??!! Such a distraction. All I hear during class is click, clack, click, clack. I want to pull my hair out. All of it. And that could take some time. But I'm serious.

One of my main goals for 2011 was to stop procrastinating. (In addition to curbing my shopping addiction.) And I'm proud to report that I'm making strides with both! Yay me! This past weekend, I finished all of my homework for the week. I'm trying to stay ahead of my studies, because of my crazy schedule. And the fact that I like to sleep. It's working quite lovely.

Speaking of which, it's time for me to go to sleep. Not that I have anything big to do tomorrow. We are celebrating Santo Enrique (Thomas Aquinas), because he is the patron saint of the school and also of learning. No classes tomorrow! The kids will have games and activities in the morning, and then we're kicking them out at 1. But not really. Okay, well, we can't kick all of them out, because some parents can't pick up their children until later in the afternoon, but the teachers are having a luncheon and we're all eating together, so we'd like to kick them out at 1. But hey, not all of our dreams come true, do they?

Running and avoiding landmines....

So, it's looking like my blogs are going to be posted only weekly....I'm officially in the full swing of things. My schedule this semester is nuts! It seems that all I do is run back and forth between work and school. Okay, so maybe run isn't the best word. It's more like a brisk walk. I have around ten minutes to make it from work to school by 11 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Fifteen minutes to make it by 12:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and another ten minutes to make it to class by 4 pm on those days. Oh, and did I mention that after I finish class at 5:15, I have to run back to work so I can teach the after-school English classes that really start at 5:15? But since I'm this amazingly, awesome English teacher, the head of my school lets me come a few minutes late. (Supply and demand!!!! I love being the supplier!) It's absolutely insane! This semester, I have so much more homework to do during the week. Last semester I had four political science class, so all I had to do was read. And to be honest, I never read, and somehow ended up with a nice GPA! This semester is different, seeing as I actually have homework. My plan was to come home tonight and work on homework, but as I'm writing this, my eyes are getting heavy. It looks like I will shower and be in the bed by 9. I was supposed to meet some co-workers to watch the Real Madrid-Athletico Madrid game (an in-town rivalry), but it doesn't even start until 10!

Last weekend I bragged about the warm weather. I ate my words this week. I woke up Monday morning to a cloudy, foggy sky. Today was the first day all week I wore sunglasses. It's been cold and dreary all week and I've been fighting a cough. There's a virus going around at the school - it seems like the students that I come into contact with outside of school, have been sick at one point or another over the past two weeks. I'm praying I don't catch it!

Today was a good day - I had to turn in a spanish summary on Tuesday and today my professor handed it back to me. I only made three mistakes - and of course they were stupid!!!! He even caught my attention in the cafeteria to tell me that I did a great job! He knew of my problems from the past semester, so I'm sure that's why he made the extra effort to do so. Nonetheless, it boosted my confidence! This professor always has a way of complimenting you in the best way possible!

This afternoon, I was so proud of my after-school students! We have been studying the verb "to be" and how we conjugate it for each person. Today, I split the kids up into three groups and had them work with each other, studying the conjugations. Seeing my little first and second graders memorize the verbs, made me so proud! They were teaching each other!!!!

I really wish Madrid would make an ordinance that requires people to clean up after their dogs. Not only do I have to power walk between work and school, but I also have to watch myself so I don't step on a landmine. They seem to be everywhere. And they're huge. It's really gross. Especially when you see smear marks where someone has accidentally dragged their foot through it. I would even stand on the street corner and pass out plastic bags, just so people would clean that stuff up! It's supposed to be the job of the city workers who clean streets and sidewalks to do it, but they are clearly not doing their job. Today, I noticed a prize so big, I had to question as to whether or not a horse had traveled on the sidewalk. That gross....Sorry to be so graphic.

I am completely exhausted. I'm sure I am forgetting something, but my brain is not functioning right now. It's in shut down mode. I'm about to hop in the shower and snooze off to la-la land. More later!!!!

First Post of the New Year

Okay, I've been slacking. I had every intention of writing at least one blog when I was stateside, but clearly that didn't happen. The two weeks in Louisville went by so fast and I was more concerned with spending time with my family than I was anything. I know I'm totally late on this one, but Happy 2011 to everyone! My Christmas break was absolutely wonderful. I had an extremely long travel day - 25 hours from the time I woke up in Madrid to the time I went to sleep in Louisville, but my reunion with my family was priceless. I loved not having anything to do for two weeks. I rested and spent as much time as possible with my family. It was a much-needed break. Naturally, it was too short and I hated leaving again. But I'll be back on July 1st until the end of August!

Work started on Monday and the kids have been nuts this week. I'm praying for a better week starting on Monday. The entire school has changed its schedule - here I just memorized last semester's schedule in November and I have to remember another one already! This time, I am teaching a regular English class to some third-graders, three days a week. I'm sure after next week I will love it - they were beyond nuts this week. Although come to think of it, we have spring-like temperatures, so maybe it's the change in air pressure. Ask any teacher and he/she will tell you that when the weather changes, the kids are off the charts! I also started classes at the university on Wednesday - I think I'm going to like my classes, especially Spanish. I have one of my favorite professors again for Spanish, so I'm really excited!

I'm looking forward to this year - 2010 was all about personal growth and doing what I wanted to do, so I can 't wait to continue it throughout 2011!