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.