Updates

I haven't posted in the last couple days, but that's because nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Dare I say I'm falling into a routine? I think that perhaps I am.

I started my first actual day of class today, with a real schedule. It was definitely interesting. I got to my first class, and the teacher wasn't there. I waited out in the hall for a few moments, and just as the bell rings, a woman (not the teacher) comes up to me. She tells me the teacher is gone. She asks if I'd like to lead the class, and she can stay if I need extra disciplinary help. Turns out they don't really have substitutes at this school. Instead, the duty normally comes in and keeps an eye on the class. So my first day with these kids (who were a little older and spoke fairly well) was completely improvised. It actually went pretty well. I introduced myself, had the kids introduce themselves, and then did some of the activities we learned about at the training (attending paid off already!). I also managed to keep them fairly quiet all class. I'm actually pretty pleased with the first class. (Although when I asked the kids who they knew from the United States that was famous, the first response was "Miley Cyrus" and I had to pull teeth to get a second name. I literally said, "And how about a president?")

The second class was... alright. Not as much involvement on my part. And the third class... I can tell they're going to be a handful. They're a rebellious bunch. They were very chatty (the teacher actually taught them the word 'chatterboxes' so she could call them that) and they're cheeky. There's one girl from Bulgaria who is on my radar. See, I'm not supposed to speak Spanish in these classes. This particular teacher tells the students I don't speak any Spanish. BUT, I do. So when someone has a question in Spanish, I answer in English. This girl immediately says, "Well I know she speaks Spanish because she understood me!" Like this great 'gotcha' moment. I then wrote on the board "I do not speak Spanish in this class." I probably should have pretended not to understand when the kids were speaking in Spanish, but my ego got in the way. I don't want them to think I don't speak Spanish, I worked so hard to learn it! But I do see how it's a crutch for kids, especially this particular group. I'll have to work harder on keeping my pride in check. Overall though, I like this class. They're going to be a challenge. Hopefully a couple will take me up on the offer to give them some private lessons so we can work individually on their English. Also, some extra income would be sweet, especially since I hope to have big plans for Christmas. I'll fill you in a couple of weeks from now, after I have my plans figured out.

I'll be in Burgos Friday getting my NIE figured out (every auxilar in Castilla y Leon has to have their NIE and account number into the powers that be before any of us get paid). I'll write a more detailed post for anyone filling out the NIE in Burgos, since I got really no help in that arena. I'll also be going back on Saturday for a catechesis conference with my parish! And yes, that is my idea of a good time in Spain.

Meanwhile, the government is shutting down? Despite the fact that I have Facebook and what not, and am subscribed to a number of news pages, I found out about this yesterday. Perhaps I'm not paying attention, but I think it has more to do with getting settled down in another country. I know for instance, that the king here was having hip problems, and will be having surgery. I suppose this is a natural part of staying abroad for an extended period of time. 

Madrid

Whew! Well, made it to Madrid. And I'm having a pretty good time! I met several people before dinner and during, and we all went out for drinks afterwards. There I had the most delicious drink I've ever had, called a tinto de verano. It's basically red wine, carbonated lemonade, ice, and lemons. It is wonderful. Super tired tonight. I'll be writing about everything tomorrow.

 

Tinto del Verano. Delicious.

Tomorrow-
Well, I'm pretty sure the people in the hotel room next to mine are throwing some sort of kegger, so now seems like the perfect time to blog about the weekend. It's after midnight, and I've got a Russian television program playing in the background, so I'm good to go.

I stand by what I said about that drink, yesterday. Overall, the jornada this weekend was pretty great. I enjoyed meeting everyone, and for that alone, the jornada was worth it. That and the food. (I've now switched to Law and Order dubbed in German). It's interesting being in a little town, because I don't know a lot of other auxiliares, and this weekend really opened my eyes to the number of different countries involved in the program. There are people from Scotland, England, Ireland, China, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria, Australia, France, and the United States. There were so many people speaking so many different languages, it was fascinating. And we all (or most, anyway) were united by our knowledge of Spanish. It's weird when two people can only communicate using their secondary language. I'm sure this won't be the last time this happens in Spain.

Today was filled mostly with various speeches from different departments. Some were amusing, some boring, some depressing (I'm looking at you, US Consulate. I know you had to warn us of all the dangers in Spain, but maybe you could have ended on a happier note?) We even met the Spanish secretary of state for education, so that was pretty cool! She was very interested to know how we felt about the program and what we wanted out of it. (Now it's Smallville dubbed in Spanish. Dubbed shows always sound fake to me.)

What I found quite amusing today were the speeches given by the various country's ambassadors to the program. Had I only read transcripts of each of them, I would have been able to pick the American's speech without a problem. It was very... American... I'm not sure if I can exactly describe it, but it reminded me of eagles and made me feel like chanting "USA, USA" (I did not). The guy from the UK was hilarious. He kept poking fun at France, who was about three people away.  

I met a number of people from the UK, which was awesome. On Thursday we went out to a bar together (see, tinto de verano). They asked if we could tell the difference in their accents. Happily, I shouted, yes! The years of watching BBCA have paid off. They explained that the girl in the middle had a northern accent, different from the other two, who were from Bristol.
"You know Game of Thrones?" one asked. "Well, her accent is like Jon Snow's. She's from the North."
The other woman said. "You don't know nuthin', Jon Snow."
"Yes, I totally know that," I said. "The king in the north!" And I said that with all the accent I could muster (Eileen and Anna will recall that I've made that joke a number of times.) I immediately apologized, but they thought it was funny. (And this was probably better than saying, 'all planets have a north). A little vino helped with that one. It turns out that these ladies found our accents as interesting as we found theirs. Who knew?

All in all, I sat through a lot of talks and ate a ton of food. I got two free nights in a four star hotel without bugs in Madrid. It's not a bad deal. I recommend, if you're an auxiliar, to attend the jornada. If nothing else, you get to know auxiliares in other regions that you wouldn't otherwise meet.

By the way, as a side note, beds in Spain are awful all over the place. This is a four star hotel, and the bed is as hard as a rock. The bed in my apartment is better. Additionally, all pillows in Spain are twice the length of American pillows. I think it makes pillow cases non-transferable. I suppose you could develop an adaptor, but really that seems quite pointless. Anyway, I'm drifting off into rambling, I should probably turn off Smallville and go to sleep. I've got a bus to take back to Aranda tomorrow.

Classrooms in Spain

Today was kind of one of those tear your hair out days. But not so much because I'm in Spain, just because 13 year olds are 13 year olds. I know it was the last period of the day, but I'm up there trying to give a presentation on Idaho/Boise/myself, and the kids are wild. They're talking, turned around in their seats, yelling, and just generally being disrespectful. Now I've met this group of kids once, so I'm still basically a guest speaker. To start out, they literally crowded the door and stampeded their way in. I thought the teacher was going to get knocked over, that's how bad it was. Then the teacher is in the room, and cannot get control of this class. And, from what I can tell, not trying nearly as much as teachers do in American classrooms. It seems like the only recourse for teachers is yelling at the students to be quiet, pay attention. (yesterday I was told that if they act up I should just say, be quiet, shut up.) I favor the stare and stop talking method of teaching, or even the softly spoken, "oh I can't hear so and so over all this noise and such", and am more than willing to wait for them to stop. I have very little experience in teaching, and don't have a teaching degree, so I could be way off base, but it seems like yelling does not really help in the long run. They would pipe down for about two seconds, and then start up all over again. I had an easier time with my sixth graders last year. There's also this weird informality here. The teachers are addressed by their first names, myself included, which is so far really unnerving.

To be fair, not all of the classes are like this. Just like in America, I'm sure there are varying degrees of class behavioral problems. But oh man, during the entire class I just wanted to discipline them for talking, correct their behavior, use a little love and logic, something, anything to get them to pay attention. I hope I'll have the opportunity to over the year. Maybe I'll get to teach solo once or twice, and at least get to experiment with how Spanish kids react to American classroom discipline. Or maybe I just have to build up a rapport with them before they'll actually listen. I know I've got some teaching friends reading this. Would you mind posting some basic discipline techniques on my Facebook page/message to help me out here? I'd really appreciate it.

Other than that, the day was fine. It wasn't as hot as yesterday, and it's supposed to rain this weekend. I'll be in Madrid, so I may get some over there, or I may not. I've got orientation Thurs./Fri./Sat. And I should actually have a decent internet connection at the hotel! I'll be downloading lots of podcasts to listen to, I guarantee it.

What I'm looking forward to most during the orientation is the food. It's free, and I'm sure it'll be a good sampling of Spanish meals. I'm not a cook, and it doesn't look like I'll magically acquire cooking skills on my own over here. Tonight I microwaved a Spanish tortilla (basically egg and potato). It was... salty. I don't recommend it. Luckily, I've had actual Spanish tortillas so I know what I ate was a letdown compared to the real thing. I think I'll be going back to eating sandwiches and salads this coming week. Spain has good lunch meat, and the bread is made daily here.

I'm getting more and more accustomed to Spanish life! A couple of ladies at mass introduced themselves to me, and I run into my students as I walk around town (which is the problem with living in a town of 33,000). In my head I'm planning out all the things I want to take my family to when they get here, but I do feel less and less lonely every day, which I think is how it's supposed to be. I'll write next from Madrid!

Coming to you... from my apartment!

Huzzah! I have wifi in my apartment. I didn't think it was going to happen until next week (because things close at 2 on Sat. and don't open on Sunday). But here I am, writing something at home. It's great because the weather in Aranda is particularly wet today, and I don't really want to venture out, save to get some dinner later. I'll post what I've been writing, and from now on, I'll hopefully be writing as things happen. What a novel concept!

School in Spain

Finally, I'm writing a blog that I intend to post after writing it! Hopefully. The internet, as I mentioned, is still not great. Actually, it's kind of making me want to tear my hair out. I keep hearing this little voice in my head say 'patience, grasshopper'.

I've had several days of teaching now, so I think I'm just going to give an overall impression. My fellow teachers are all very nice. They speak in English or Spanish to me, and are very accommodating when I don't understand what they're saying. So far I've been in four different classes, and all of my students are from 12-14. They enter high school at age 12 here, have 4 years of compulsory education, and then, if they qualify, take another two years of preparatory classes for university. The classes I teach either have a basic level of Spanish or are bilingual, and required to speak English the entire time.

I've noted some interesting differences between American and Spanish schooling techniques. The kids here seem to be more... distracted. Wiggly is perhaps the right word. They aren't as required to be quiet or sit as still here (though maybe I just don't remember middle school kids). They move from class to class, but so do the teachers. There's no set place for anyone, which means that classrooms are plainer, with only a few of the kid's posters on the walls, and teachers may not be in the room when the students come in. The teachers are organized into groups; natural sciences, English, French, Spanish, etc. They all have a main office where things are planned and items are stored. Some days teachers have prep periods that go through two different classes. Some days teachers are done early and head out before school ends. There is no lunch break, because no one eats lunch until 2:30. They have two periods that are essentially recesses, one in the morning and one at noon. At 2:30, everyone goes home for the 'siesta'. Everything is closed, stores, the school, etc. Because of this, the cafeteria is more of a cafe for teachers  to get a cup of coffee at.

There is also a weird homogeneity among the students. They are all pretty much olive skinned with brown hair, which is weird after being in the US classrooms. There's one kid with pale skin and red hair, and I wonder how he came by it.

The interesting thing about a small town is that you pretty much run into your students everywhere. A group of them called me over the other day (another weird thing, they introduced me by my first name). After saying hello, I decided to forget about going where I meant to go to avoid them. I'm sure that will be happening a lot. (And they travel in packs!)

Anyway, so far so good. I'm liking the school, I'm liking the teachers, I'm liking the classes. Thirteen is a good age to teach, because I think they'll still appreciate the English stickers I brought with me. I'll be working four days every week, which is actually pretty cool, because I'll have Friday off one week, and Monday off the next. Perfect opportunity for travel!

Well, my success on the internet was short lived. It's given out again, so I'm going to try and get it back one more time, then proceed to the gym near my house to figure out what days the pilates classes are.

Update-I may have spoken too soon, again. I think the odds of me getting on this connection are not great. I'll probably have to post this blog in my apartment lobby (it's kind of sad that the internet at the restaurant next door to my apartment is better than this. I cannot wait of the convenience of having it in my apartment, whenever that happens)

An axe to grind...

*Cough cough* Man. No matter how long I stay here, the one thing I think I'll never get used to is the amount of smoking in Spain. It's like being in a Vegas casino when you're outdoors. Everybody smokes, which actually makes my science-liking brain wonder, what's the percentage of lung cancer here? Sure, all the old men sound like the Godfather, but I have yet to see someone with a tube sticking out of their throat. Perhaps their cigarettes are better filtered than ours, I don't know. Either way, for someone who is both not used to and severely dislikes second hand smoke, it's a tough adjustment.

Not much to report today. I was inexplicably tired all day (and a little cranky, if truth be told), even though I got a eight hours of sleep last night. Perhaps it was the lack of activity, but all I really did after church today was sit in the plaza and read A Feast for Crows. I'm about 250 pages in, which is a problem because I started it today. I know I'm going to be jonesing for the fifth one, which they have here, but it's in Spanish and in a three volume paperback set. Plus I kind of like the use of 'fantasy' language in the English version (lady mother, sweetling, etc.) and I'm not sure I would be able to understand it in Spanish. I could brave the post and buy it online, but I've just heard awful things about mailing things in Spain, and my mailbox is missing the pane of glass that separates it from the prying hands of the outside world. Plus, I don't think I have a mail key. I guess I'll read it in tiny text on my phone. Anyway... I digress.

The one cool thing that happened today was a wood chopping competition. They set up all these stumps and logs in the plaza, and had these professional wood choppers demonstrate different ways of cutting the wood. They turned it into a competition, too. I was most impressed by this woman with massive arm muscles. She was great, and won two out of three of her competitions. They also had this big guy, who was one of the top wood choppers (I'm sure there's a more elegant name for him, but I don't know it) in Spain. He did this thing where the chopped at a 'tree' to make holds for planks, climbed on top of the plank, and did it all over again. Here are some pictures of the event.

(sorry, loading pictures is just not working here. But I have them on my facebook) 

Pretty neat. Anyway, that's all for today. Hopefully I'll be able to get over to the library tomorrow to post this stuff (it's open again!). And I'll have school, and the gym about three doors down is having a free class week. Lots of stuff to do! This weekend I'll be heading over to Madrid with some other auxiliares, and maybe we'll get to visit something cool (Prado, perhaps?).

Now I'm off to watch the episode of X-Files I managed to download in my entrance hall before that elderly couple came inside. It starts with a guy ripping his heart out of his chest and not dying, so it looks pretty good!

 

Update- Mopey, lovestruck, but only because of a writer who can control people, Scully episode. Bleh. Totally out of character.

An axe to grind...

*Cough cough* Man. No matter how long I stay here, the one thing I think I'll never get used to is the amount of smoking in Spain. It's like being in a Vegas casino when you're outdoors. Everybody smokes, which actually makes my science-liking brain wonder, what's the percentage of lung cancer here? Sure, all the old men sound like the Godfather, but I have yet to see someone with a tube sticking out of their throat. Perhaps their cigarettes are better filtered than ours, I don't know. Either way, for someone who is both not used to and severely dislikes second hand smoke, it's a tough adjustment.

Not much to report today. I was inexplicably tired all day (and a little cranky, if truth be told), even though I got a eight hours of sleep last night. Perhaps it was the lack of activity, but all I really did after church today was sit in the plaza and read A Feast for Crows. I'm about 250 pages in, which is a problem because I started it today. I know I'm going to be jonesing for the fifth one, which they have here, but it's in Spanish and in a three volume paperback set. Plus I kind of like the use of 'fantasy' language in the English version (lady mother, sweetling, etc.) and I'm not sure I would be able to understand it in Spanish. I could brave the post and buy it online, but I've just heard awful things about mailing things in Spain, and my mailbox is missing the pane of glass that separates it from the prying hands of the outside world. Plus, I don't think I have a mail key. I guess I'll read it in tiny text on my phone. Anyway... I digress.

The one cool thing that happened today was a wood chopping competition. They set up all these stumps and logs in the plaza, and had these professional wood choppers demonstrate different ways of cutting the wood. They turned it into a competition, too. I was most impressed by this woman with massive arm muscles. She was great, and won two out of three of her competitions. They also had this big guy, who was one of the top wood choppers (I'm sure there's a more elegant name for him, but I don't know it) in Spain. He did this thing where the chopped at a 'tree' to make holds for planks, climbed on top of the plank, and did it all over again. Here are some pictures of the event.

(sorry, loading pictures is just not working here. But I have them on my facebook) 

Pretty neat. Anyway, that's all for today. Hopefully I'll be able to get over to the library tomorrow to post this stuff (it's open again!). And I'll have school, and the gym about three doors down is having a free class week. Lots of stuff to do! This weekend I'll be heading over to Madrid with some other auxiliares, and maybe we'll get to visit something cool (Prado, perhaps?).

Now I'm off to watch the episode of X-Files I managed to download in my entrance hall before that elderly couple came inside. It starts with a guy ripping his heart out of his chest and not dying, so it looks pretty good!

 

Update- Mopey, lovestruck, but only because of a writer who can control people, Scully episode. Bleh. Totally out of character.

An axe to grind...

*Cough cough* Man. No matter how long I stay here, the one thing I think I'll never get used to is the amount of smoking in Spain. It's like being in a Vegas casino when you're outdoors. Everybody smokes, which actually makes my science-liking brain wonder, what's the percentage of lung cancer here? Sure, all the old men sound like the Godfather, but I have yet to see someone with a tube sticking out of their throat. Perhaps their cigarettes are better filtered than ours, I don't know. Either way, for someone who is both not used to and severely dislikes second hand smoke, it's a tough adjustment.

Not much to report today. I was inexplicably tired all day (and a little cranky, if truth be told), even though I got a eight hours of sleep last night. Perhaps it was the lack of activity, but all I really did after church today was sit in the plaza and read A Feast for Crows. I'm about 250 pages in, which is a problem because I started it today. I know I'm going to be jonesing for the fifth one, which they have here, but it's in Spanish and in a three volume paperback set. Plus I kind of like the use of 'fantasy' language in the English version (lady mother, sweetling, etc.) and I'm not sure I would be able to understand it in Spanish. I could brave the post and buy it online, but I've just heard awful things about mailing things in Spain, and my mailbox is missing the pane of glass that separates it from the prying hands of the outside world. Plus, I don't think I have a mail key. I guess I'll read it in tiny text on my phone. Anyway... I digress.

The one cool thing that happened today was a wood chopping competition. They set up all these stumps and logs in the plaza, and had these professional wood choppers demonstrate different ways of cutting the wood. They turned it into a competition, too. I was most impressed by this woman with massive arm muscles. She was great, and won two out of three of her competitions. They also had this big guy, who was one of the top wood choppers (I'm sure there's a more elegant name for him, but I don't know it) in Spain. He did this thing where the chopped at a 'tree' to make holds for planks, climbed on top of the plank, and did it all over again. Here are some pictures of the event.

(sorry, loading pictures is just not working here. But I have them on my facebook) 

Pretty neat. Anyway, that's all for today. Hopefully I'll be able to get over to the library tomorrow to post this stuff (it's open again!). And I'll have school, and the gym about three doors down is having a free class week. Lots of stuff to do! This weekend I'll be heading over to Madrid with some other auxiliares, and maybe we'll get to visit something cool (Prado, perhaps?).

Now I'm off to watch the episode of X-Files I managed to download in my entrance hall before that elderly couple came inside. It starts with a guy ripping his heart out of his chest and not dying, so it looks pretty good!

 

Update- Mopey, lovestruck, but only because of a writer who can control people, Scully episode. Bleh. Totally out of character.

An axe to grind...

*Cough cough* Man. No matter how long I stay here, the one thing I think I'll never get used to is the amount of smoking in Spain. It's like being in a Vegas casino when you're outdoors. Everybody smokes, which actually makes my science-liking brain wonder, what's the percentage of lung cancer here? Sure, all the old men sound like the Godfather, but I have yet to see someone with a tube sticking out of their throat. Perhaps their cigarettes are better filtered than ours, I don't know. Either way, for someone who is both not used to and severely dislikes second hand smoke, it's a tough adjustment.

Not much to report today. I was inexplicably tired all day (and a little cranky, if truth be told), even though I got a eight hours of sleep last night. Perhaps it was the lack of activity, but all I really did after church today was sit in the plaza and read A Feast for Crows. I'm about 250 pages in, which is a problem because I started it today. I know I'm going to be jonesing for the fifth one, which they have here, but it's in Spanish and in a three volume paperback set. Plus I kind of like the use of 'fantasy' language in the English version (lady mother, sweetling, etc.) and I'm not sure I would be able to understand it in Spanish. I could brave the post and buy it online, but I've just heard awful things about mailing things in Spain, and my mailbox is missing the pane of glass that separates it from the prying hands of the outside world. Plus, I don't think I have a mail key. I guess I'll read it in tiny text on my phone. Anyway... I digress.

The one cool thing that happened today was a wood chopping competition. They set up all these stumps and logs in the plaza, and had these professional wood choppers demonstrate different ways of cutting the wood. They turned it into a competition, too. I was most impressed by this woman with massive arm muscles. She was great, and won two out of three of her competitions. They also had this big guy, who was one of the top wood choppers (I'm sure there's a more elegant name for him, but I don't know it) in Spain. He did this thing where the chopped at a 'tree' to make holds for planks, climbed on top of the plank, and did it all over again. Here are some pictures of the event.

(sorry, loading pictures is just not working here. But I have them on my facebook) 

Pretty neat. Anyway, that's all for today. Hopefully I'll be able to get over to the library tomorrow to post this stuff (it's open again!). And I'll have school, and the gym about three doors down is having a free class week. Lots of stuff to do! This weekend I'll be heading over to Madrid with some other auxiliares, and maybe we'll get to visit something cool (Prado, perhaps?).

Now I'm off to watch the episode of X-Files I managed to download in my entrance hall before that elderly couple came inside. It starts with a guy ripping his heart out of his chest and not dying, so it looks pretty good!

 

Update- Mopey, lovestruck, but only because of a writer who can control people, Scully episode. Bleh. Totally out of character.

Ole!

I'm all wrapped up in my blankets after what was a pretty terrific day, listening to the fireworks outside. This is the first day in Spain where I can say, I don't think I didn't enjoy anything about today. I'll start from the beginning...

I've gotten into a bad habit of sleeping in. (Now I picture Anna doing that judgmental eyebrow thing :) ). Okay, I'm continuing the bad habit of sleeping in. Which will soon have to change, because not only are the stores only open in the morning and early afternoon, but I'll be really starting school on Monday. Anyway, I accomplished one huge goal, which was finding and taking passport photos for my NIE (identity card for foreigners). It was actually super easy, and I literally only had to go in the plaza mayor. Just like ordering food, it was much easier than I made it out to be in my head.

I went to mass, and was going to wander around when I remembered that the older church, St. John the Baptist, which is now a sacred art museum, was only open in the afternoon. I had been wanting to check it out all week, and I'm very glad I did. The art in there is just so old, and still so beautiful. 1500s and 1600s, and a lot of it still in very good condition. There were these beautiful statues and crucifixes, chalices and paintings. I snapped a quick picture from the choir loft (no flash, I swear I didn't hurt anything). I highly recommend checking out the museum.

After that, I wandered over to a chino (again, a cheap store) and bought a broom and long handled dust pan. Now, I can sweep up roaches without getting close to them! Huzzah! Funny story with roaches- I found one dead outside my door. I thought, well, yes, it probably died because of the spray in my apartment, but it's not in my apartment now... So I kicked it further away from my door. I get home a few hours later, and the roach is no longer in the hallway, but had crawled back into my entranceway. I suppose that's only fair, I did kick him when he was dying. (I think if I didn't find these kinds of things funny, I might go crazy.)

My neighbor's downstairs/landlords invited me to lunch. It was delicious, an organic vegetable/lamb stew, some kind of beef that had the softness of soy, pan del día, and yogurt. It was too much food for me, but, because I didn't want to be rude, I ate them all, along with a glass of wine. I didn't need dinner. They're lovely people, essentially grandparents. The wife might teach me how to cook!

I was going to call it a night at about 8. Honestly, there are only so many times I can listen to the bands wandering around town. Don't get me wrong, I love bands, but this is like tailgating for 10 days straight. And playing the same music again and again. And multiply that one band by six. And add a lot of calimochos. So I'm on my way back, and I wander past this cultural center in town. They were having a Flamenco performance tonight, and it was terrific. It was a troupe of women and men from Andalucía, six dancers, a guitar player and an announcer who could also dance. Flamenco is fantastic, and so complicated. If you watch the singer and guitar player, they're being directed by the dancer's feet, and so they have to be constantly aware of her movements. Two of these women were sisters, and the leaders of the company. One had an amazing set of pipes as well. The guitar player was, well, if you want to woo a woman, gentlemen, learn to play like this guy. I got to yell Olé several times and Bravo! If you've never done that, I recommend you try it (when appropriate). Then at the end, they called people up from the audience, anyone from Seville. These people were not plants, and were really reluctant to come up (one of the woman shamed them on the stage by calling them out with the microphone). Four came up, three women and one man, and danced a Sevillano (I think that's spelled right). I was impressed enough by the actually dancers, but this group were just average people watching the dancing. And they were all fantastic, especially the guy. To be part of a culture that just knows formal dance like that-it blew my mind. All in all, it was a great evening.

Monday the library will open up and I'll be able to actually post things! Woohoo! Also, so sad my Broncos lost. Good game anyway, Broncos.

An evening at the fair

Pretty great day today! I was actually out with people this evening, and ordered food from a Spanish restaurant, which was this delicious spinach crepe. I went to a fair with several teachers and other professionals in Spain. It's interesting, Spain is pretty cell phone/ipad/laptop free, at least in public. There are not a lot of Wifi hotspots (and one of the two that I'm using is a 'hotspot' where someone forgot to password protect their internet). People don't use their phones at dinner, or even generally when they're with other people. It's a good way of life, I think. The younger generation does seem a little more inclined to use them, so it might be a slower progression here. Perhaps my students will be the generation to really start using them. 

The fair was only about a square block large. I've decided that carnies are carnies no matter what country you're in. Spongebob (Bob Esponja) is really popular here. Seriously, there were six Spongebob themed rides at the fair--in one square block. Weird (also, some of them nightmare fuel. I'll post pictures soon). I got lots of great almost English pictures (they'll be on Facebook). They also had a lot of things that would be considered too sexual for American carnivals, so that kind was kind of shocking. Oh, and some of the prizes were giant ham legs!

 

It's safe to eat, I hope

 

Overall, today was a success. I did come home and find another half dozen roaches, this time in my kitchen. I didn't know why I thought they weren't in the kitchen. I hadn't seen them in there, but it's not like the force is keeping them out... anyway, I've got some roaches to clean off the floor. They're all dead now. They may survive many things, but whatever is in this Caca Paff seems to mess up their nervous system. Slightly disconcerting that I'm spraying it on my floor, but... ah well.

Enough about cockroaches (though to be honest this might be a recurring theme). I have the day off tomorrow, and then the weekend, and then hopefully Monday I'll have internet in my apartment, so I won't have to stand in the lobby balancing my laptop on my knee.

"Back" was a little optimistic, perhaps...

A tip to any future auxiliar trying to use the Aranda public library Wifi to post stuff--Do not use Chrome. Save yourself the headache of being kicked off every two minutes and use internet explorer.

So here come a bunch of blogs I've been writing over the past several days. Now that the internet is running more smoothly, I'll see if I can include any of the pictures I mention in what I wrote, but we'll see. This internet ebbs and flows like the tide.

Cacapaff is a success!

I watched another cockroach crawl across my floor today. Yesterday I fumigated with Cacapaff (this word is ridiculous and I like saying it), since it did, eventually, kill the roach in my room. And this guy, who thought he was so smart, walked right over where I sprayed. Ten minutes later, I found him dead. Well, a roach dead. I guess I can't be sure it was the same one, but I'm going to count it a success!

I found my way to school this morning, and was not late, despite not knowing what time I was supposed to arrive. I guess tomorrow I don't have to be there until 11:00, and even then I'll only be shadowing during classes. They still have to come up with a schedule for me. Today was just a series of meetings for the teachers, and the students only came to get their schedules. I met a lot of people though, and even managed to get a hang of that dos besos kiss thing Spaniards do. Several of them offered to help me with anything I need, which is great because I'm pretty clueless.

Dress was surprisingly varied. Some of the teachers were in what a US teacher might wear, others even nicer, but some were wearing jeans and those zip up sweaters. No pressure for me, then. And they were all very nice, though some of them spoke very much inside of what Americans consider 'the bubble'. The school is very bilingual. I won't just be in English classes, I'll be helping out in bilingual PE, science, history, and music (excited about that last one!) I got to leave early, so it gave me a chance to update on the wifi I'm borrowing.

Slowly but surely I'm learning the accent here. Those from Castilla y Leon use a definite 'sh' sound instead of 's'. It's not quite the stereotypical 'th', but it's somewhat close. They also have a really guttural j sound. 'Ehemplo.' I thought I was getting pretty good at understanding Spaniards, and then this guy from the east started speaking and I was like, "Nope, never mind." I'll settle for understanding about 1/8 of the country.

Fiestas are finally over, so most of the shops are reopening, but some don't open until Monday. Eh, if fiestas went until Tuesday, well, that's practically Friday, so we'll just wait until Monday to open again.

I did manage to find this flea market thing that goes on during fiestas. They sell a number of bootleg products, DVDs, CDs, and for some reason about a thousand Adidas sweatshirts. They also attempted English several times on their clothing, and it came out something like this "Chiefstar Athl86. New Group Ine Athletic Dept Work Since 2015.' Apparently, in the next two years English is going to become Newspeak.

Alright, I think people are starting to think I'm rude. Several older people have sat on my bench to rest during their walks, and have left more quickly than I thought. Time for mass anyway.

Post from the fiestas, 2

Good news, everyone! I have roaches. (In case you're unfamiliar with the 'good news, everyone' thing, it comes from Futurama, and when it's said bad news follows). Actually, I suppose I have roach. Not a big roach, about small/medium sized. I discovered him in my room, which I guess is better than the shower, but I'm still pretty upset by it. Unlike spiders, I have no fear of roaches, I just hate them. I've only had the pleasure of living with them once, and that was in Costa Rica. Luckily, I was left an industrial can of bug killer, designed for roaches. It took three direct hits, and it's still twitching across the floor (and I do mean across. It's moved to the left a good ten inches). So... yeah. Tomorrow before I go out I will definitely be spraying the rest of the floor. I know where there's one there're more.

Enough of that. I still don't have internet, and like the junkie I am, I'm having withdrawal. All I want to do is check Facebook and my email and this and that at the other!! It's very telling, but it doesn't help that I really don't have obligations right now. I went to another chino today and bought a thicker bed cover, because I was freezing last  night. I also got a sponge and some of those laundry clips. I hung dried two articles of clothing today! I'm a little afraid of them falling off of the line. They will literally land in a pit, from which I will be unable to recover them, but everyone will always be able to see them and constantly mock me for my foolish American ways. But so far so good.

I went to the main church in the town for mass today, Maria la Real, and it is even more beautiful than St. John of the Cross. I took a bunch of pictures which I will be posting. I also took some video. After I finished doing both of those, I noticed a sign telling me not to do either of those things. Also, normally tours of the church cost 8 Euros, but I just stuck around after mass. Ah well, too late now.

Tonight's concert was another orchestra, but definitely more geared for the older crowd. There were a few moments of awkwardness where we all left a giant arch of space in front of the stage. It finally got filled up with dancing couples, but it took a paso doble and cumbia for anyone to move in. Dance in Spain is pretty interesting. Obviously, there is a great history of dance in every part of Spain, but to watch the young people dance, it's almost the same as America. I think there are more popular dances that involve hip thrusting in Spain. What shocked me about that one was not the move so much as the fact that people of all ages participate. ALL ages, from little ones to the elderly. I also saw two guys almost get into a fight! The one was sitting on a bench, and the other one was basically on top of him making the 'come at me bro' chest puff thing. The guys wife had to pull him away from bench guy, but the come at me guy just kept going back and doing it again and again. They had to leave the plaza, leave their friends, it was really strange. Oh, and did I mention these guys were both in their 60's? Yeah.

Interesting cultural observation today. I left my sunglasses on the ground today at another concert, and someone was nice enough to return them to me. But the weird thing was, to get my attention, she touched my waist. That was super... odd. In America, I would think we'd go with arm or shoulder or just say something without touching the other person. But what I have discovered is that people in Spain will reach out and touch you to say anything, or to call your attention to anything. Luckily, because personal space is really not a thing in Spain, I've shrunk my bubble to only ward off drunk men, so it didn't really bother me. On a similar note, you don't have to apologize for bumping someone, nor do people say salud when you sneeze (not just when I sneeze, I've noticed it with others as well).

I've got only one day of this festival left, and honestly, I'm relieved. Not only because that means someone can give me internet, but also it means I'll be starting school. I really want to work. I need some sort of routine and labor to keep me from going crazy. People to talk to would also be nice.

Well, I'm going to call the cockroach. Time of death, 1:05. I think I'll read some Storm of Swords before I go to bed. The book split in half a while ago, and the last pages keep tearing. Better get through that before I lose some vital information.

Update, 1:27. The roach is twitching again... I'm pretty sure it's coming back to life. Perhaps the roach killer should just say "If you don't want roaches, burn your house down and start over."  

Posts from the Fiestas 1

Well, it's after two a.m. and I just got in. Success! Every day I've been staying up later and later, trying to keep up with the Spaniards. I did not keep up with them tonight (if today is like yesterday, they'll be up until 4). But I managed to get closer tonight. I almost gave up at 11:30, but just as I was leaving, a band called Orquestra Anaconda started playing and so I stayed. For 2 1/5 hours. My ears feel like they're full of cotton. It was a good concert, but also really inappropriate and pretty racist at times. My American Senses were tingling, but it seemed like no one in Spain minded. This is the second racist (by American standards, I suppose) thing in two days. I'm starting to notice a trend.

My last post was kind of mopey. I'm feeling much better today. I got my apartment, and it's giant. I really do want roommates. But it's more economical than I thought. I wish I had some more cooking skills though. I might end up eating noodles, rice, and chicken all year (if I can figure out the stupid stove... and get up the courage to use the matches to start the burner).

Today started with me waiting to sign the contract for the apartment, so unfortunately I missed the procession of La Virgen de Vinas. After signing the contract, my lovely land lady took me out to get some groceries and general supplies. She also showed me how to order at an ice cream shop! One step closer to one of the billion bars in this city.

But I was still feeling a blue. So I went on a walk. And when I say walk, I was basically at 'zombie' level, you know, slow, shuffling, occasionally moaning. Everything was closed because it's Sunday, but I really needed bed sheets. I came up on Oriental Bazaar (I think these stores in Spanish are called 'Chinos'), which I thought would be like the one in Boise, full of spices and what not from Asia. It was instead a store full of brick a brack, run by an Asian woman and her 13 year old daughter (not sure on the child labor laws here). I found there bed spreads and other house items, which was really very exciting. I thought, hey, maybe if I make the apartment my own, it'll be better coming home to it every day. So I did, getting brightly colored sheets and bright pillows, a bright towel. I think I want some posters or something to cover the blank walls, to make it more of something I would hang (not that the pictures aren't nice they're just... not really me).

I also had the pleasure of attending a mass tonight at St. Juan de la Vera Cruz church. It was beautiful! Very simple, and possibly designed between the Romantic and Gothic period. It's all stone and has this really beautiful mosaic, wonderful paintings, and tons of statues. There were only about 30 people there (and me the youngest) but I'm assuming most people went to the morning service for the Virgen. It was a good mass, but it was mostly me stumbling along in Spanish and falling far behind them and their speed demon tongues. I think they skip like, at least 7 words in the Lord's Prayer during the rosary. You know you're speaking quickly during the rosary when you finish it in 15 minutes.

And then, I wandered a bit more, attempted dinner, gave up and ate Muesli and a giant peach. I'll give it a shot tomorrow. Like I mentioned, the concert was fun. It was great to hear some songs I knew, and the Spanish accent on the English phrases, like 'The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire.' And we sang Gagnam Style, which made me feel right at home! (and then it got sort of racist). It was also surprisingly sexual... Spaniards are pretty open about that stuff, but it was super weird because this was also a family event. Elementary school kids were there. It freaked me out a bit.

On another good note, someone posted an ad for a conversation partner. She wants to practice her English, and will help with Spanish! I will definitely call her.

Now it's almost 3 a.m. and I'm finally coming down off of the concert high. I think I'll sign off now. Hopefully I'll get internet soon, though I know it won't be until after fiestas, so no sooner than Wednesday, so who knows when this will get posted. Spaniards.

Anywho, blog more later.

I'm back, baby!

And posting some blogs that I wrote while internet was not available to me. I still won't post any videos, because this connection is not great (and people are staring at me weirdly for using my laptop in public). I will have my own connection next week, when the stores reopen.

The good, the bad, and those three guys peeing in an alley

As I mentioned yesterday, right now there is this huge festival going on in Aranda de Duero. It really started today. I got up this morning with four tasks I needed to complete:
1. Buy a phone
2. Call the apartment
3. Find my school
4. Buy Spanish food at a restaurant

And you know what I did? All of them. I should be feeling pretty good right now, but honestly it's a mixed bag. As promised, a quick follow up on the phone. It's super easy to get a SIM card, at it cost about 45 Euro. But then you have money on your card, and if you don't plan on using the phone much, it should be fine. (I think you have to use at least six euros a month)

I got to the phone place early, so before that I went to check out my school's location. It's in an... interesting place. It's at the end of a road with nothing else close by it. It's next to a park though, so it's a nice walk. It was also my first time through the rest of the city. I'm not as fond of it as the old town. It's very apartmenty...

As I walked through the town, I noticed something kind of odd. All these teenagers were carrying bottles of water, and dressed in team costumes. I wondered, and went to go buy my phone card. On the way back from that, I followed the crowd to the plaza mayor, where I found the teens engaged in a water fight-soda water actually. Some of them were opening it and pouring it or throwing it, and others shook it up, punctured the sides, and let it spray in every direction. Above them, the people in the balconies threw down glitter and something powdery. It was pretty cool. I took a video of that, and I'll post it after I get some better internet connection. Here's a photo of the event.

I also came upon these things called "gigantes" and "cabezudos". The gigantes I saw yesterday, and posted a picture on Facebook, but I'll post one here.

 

Someone gets in the bottom of the costume, and then the gigantes dance. Usually in circles, as these things are huge. Cabezudos are basically people wearing giant paper mache heads. They have this soft, pool noodle like bat that they run around smack people with. Parents especially like to egg on the cabezudos to bop their children. This little devil got me twice. I'll post a video too, but basically, they're nightmare fuel. Also, super racist. This one is, and I kid you not that is what everyone called it, the Chino. Yep.

 

To be fair, the abuela also had fangs, but I'd like to apologize to the Chinese anyway. Oh and look! A small child imitating the Chino! (scroll to the right. I can't make this picture any smaller)



I then found my way to a party, had a glass of wine, and danced a bit. What phrase would a Spaniard not understand? 'It's always five o'clock somewhere.' The drinks came out at lunch. People got pretty drunk. I got hit on 3 times, once with a guy offering to 'trade drinks with me' and another guy who put something on my head (a stuffed animal I think) and asked me where I was going. That kind of set me off. I went home several times today to cool off. (You can also be confident that you're being hit on when they speak English to you).  I also passed by not one, not two, but three guys peeing in alley. Plus, the streets were pretty gross from the fiesta, but I guess that's to be expected.

After an awkward phone call with my landlord, I set up a meeting and met with her and her daughter to talk about the apartment. They were both super wonderful, said I spoke well, said that Castilian is the best of all the Spanish accents (if I had a nickel...). It's a really nice place, in a fantastic location. It's more expensive than what I was hoping, and no one else lives there right now. If you wouldn't mind praying for me to get some roommates, I'd appreciate that.

I did manage to go get some Spanish food, though not really at restaurants. Everyone goes to restaurants together, and not only do I not understand their system (do you come to me? Do I go to you? When do I pay?) I don't have anyone to go with.

I think I'm at the point where I really need to make some friends. I'm tired of doing everything totally alone, even though I think I'm fairly independent. Another good reason to have roommates (otherwise, Anna and Eileen, we might be having a lot of Skype x-files ;) )

To end on a happy note, I got to eat this today:

 

This is churros and chocolate. That cup is full of dipping chocolate, kind of a mix between really good hot chocolate and melted dark chocolate. The chocolate's bitterness took me by surprise, but it was good.

 

I'll get those videos up soon. I might be off the internet for a few days. They have to get the internet started up again. But tomorrow their will be a Marian procession, so I'll definitely be taking video/pictures of that. Though I'll also be hauling around my luggage all day, so we'll see what I manage to do. 

Look at me being an adult

I made it to my home town! I managed to catch a taxi from the Hostel I was at, buy a ticket at the bus station, wait for three hours, get on the bus, and walk into town, not knowing where I was going. I asked the man at the bus station gift shop if he had a map, and he said I had to go to the town center. So I did. By the way, the town center is awesome. I put a picture up a couple posts back, but it is so cool in person. I'll take my own when I head back out there tonight. Anyway, I found the tourist office, asked him where the hotel was, he gave me a map. Then, after getting so close I gave up and asked a cop. Turns out I was right across the street. (On a side note, I don't know how anyone can do this program without speaking Spanish. It's hard for me as it is, especially with the accent. To those who do go without it, I salute you, and wish you luck.)

After that I was on the hunt to find a phone. The basic pattern for what you need to do when you get here, and this is mostly for future auxiliares, is 1. Phone 2. Apartment 3. NIE 4. Bank Account
Right now I'll just run through the phone part. I haven't completed it yet, so I'll update this post tomorrow.

Before you leave home, have them suspend your account. Yes, you can get the international plan, but for a trip as long as this, it's just too expensive. Plus, if you have a smart phone and internet you can use Skype and Wechat and whatever that iphone version of wechat is. Now, take your phone over to one of many carriers. The one that I'll be going to (because it was the first one I found of the recommended two) is Yoigo. I think it's pay as you go. I've heard Vodafone is also good. You'll get a SIM card put in, and get a Spanish one. I'm going to go with a cheap option, and pay as you go. That way, I can proceed to step two (which I'll also be doing tomorrow) getting an apartment.

To wrap up, here are some fun things I noticed and learned in the past couple days.

Spanish shopping baskets are far superior to American ones. Why? Because they have wheels. They're basically a tiny cart. Pictures to come later.

You have to pay for plastic bags at the grocery store.

Groceries are cheaper here, at least at Mercadona. Also, their version of shopping music is all in English. For example, Owl City.

Stores have different hours. A lot of them close by 3 or 4, and are closed from 11-1 as well (that's what happened with me today at Yoigo). Get stuff done early, and try not to do stuff on Sunday. It looks like they're closed then as well.

If a hotel room's lights don't turn on, check the wall for a small box-like apparatus, with a hole in the top. Then, if you have a card attached to your key, stick the card into the slot. That's how you turn the power on.

Ladies, regular feminine products are available here, not just the Diva Cup.

Alright, I think it's time for a nap. But later I'll post a shot of the creepy hallway leading to my hotel room. It freaked me out when I first got off the elevator, and I'd like to share the experience.

Madrid!

Today is just a day for blog posts, I think. But also I'm too tired to go out and find food, so I've decided just to hang out in my hostel and shower and maybe watch Aguila Roja (In Spain, Anna! I'm sure I won't have any idea what's going on, but good news, Juan is still alive).

The flight into Madrid was quite short, and I kept falling asleep so I'm not really sure how much time passed. But even though the flight was short, we got fed! Bear that in mind, all of America's airlines! And it was delicious. The Dutch really know how to make a whole wheat chicken and egg sandwich. And the bread! Where have you been all my life?

Anyway, then it was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to my hostel, involving turning corners and sidling two lanes of traffic, crossing lanes of traffic with no signals, honking at pedestrians hoping they'll move out of the way but not slowing down at all, almost hitting several cars, and merging in the same spot another car or motorcycle was trying to merge. And the city streets are crazy. It's like the designers drew a maze, except with more roundabouts. (I will not be acquiring an international drivers license.)I'm looking forward to being in my city, where I think things will be a little bit slower.

I'll post a video with what my hostel looks like at some point. It's nice, private room, shower/bathroom, closet, towels, and a television! My view is an alley, but that's fine. The only downside was there is no elevator (people kept putting 'elevator' in apartment announcements and I was kind of like, duh, but maybe that's not so frequent here). I carried all my luggage up, and tomorrow I'll have to carry them all down again. Not looking forward to that, but at least it's a workout.

A couple tips for future auxiliares/travelers:
1. You don't tip taxi drivers
2. You don't need to get your passport restamped in Spain if you've already gone through customs in another EU country
3. Your hostal might require you to buzz a key pad. This is probably obvious to most, but was intimidating for me.
4. No one in Spain waits for their turn to queue at the airport. Just line up. (neither does anyone wait for the fasten seat belt sign to turn off)

Picture it...

Holland, coming in by plane. We're too high up to see anything but cloud, but with about an hour left, we begin our descent. I'm looking out at the clouds, and seeing what I think are darker clouds below. Then, a tanker comes into view. I'm looking out at the North Sea, and what I thought were dark clouds were reflections in the water. As we pass more and more boats float by underneath us, all manner of vessels. Then comes the shore. A sandy beach lines the sea, and inside the land are a series of rivers and patches of farm land. The rivers surround the houses and fields, and on them float boats; sail boats and cargo boats and personal boats. The houses are gathered in clusters, with red and brown roofs.  Other structures, I don't know what they are exactly, stand taller in this charming, rural section of Holland. The rivers, more like large streams at this point, are even more common the closer we get to the airport. The sky above is cloudy, and a light rain is falling. I'm exhilarated, my spirits lifted. This is my first glance of Europe, and it is all I expected it to be.


Well, that's all the prose my brain can handle right now. I think I've slept five hours in two days, as I couldn't sleep Tuesday night either. I can't really sleep on a plane, even though the last one was quite large. But it is daytime in Spain right now, so I suppose staying awake now will help me sleep later tonight. I'm hanging out at the terminal, waiting for this plane to Paris to take off. Then they'll switch it out with the plane to Spain.

The airport in Amsterdam is great. First of all, the souvenirs are awesome. I don't want to spoil one of the gifts I got for someone, but if you think about what Holland is famous for, you'll probably have a pretty good idea. My only problem is that I have a chunk of useless dollar bills, which I didn't change at the airport in Minneapolis because of their ridiculous fees. Alas. I have enough for taxis and my hotel, so perhaps when I get to Madrid I'll explore changing over the last little bit.

What's weird about this airport is that almost everything is in English. If it's not only in English, it is at least translated. So, if you're worried about not speaking the language, you'll be just fine in the Amsterdam airport. Also, customs was super simple, they just want to know where you're going, and rifle through your luggage a bit. Much easier than some countries *cough*USA*cough*.

I think I've heard at least ten languages here; Dutch, Italian, English and Russian that I could recognize. People are dressed nicer here. I'm glad I wore some fairly alright clothing on the flight. Though I really want a shower right about now. Interesting fact, they shame you when you're running late for your flight. They'll say, "So and so, on flight such and such, you are delaying the flight. Please report to your gate immediately." So not only does the gate call you out, but the other passengers don't like you either.

Anyway, I hope this post made some sense. I've got jetlag, this first stage being complete awakeness, but also a tendency to use non-words like awakeness, and being unable to think of an actual word to describe what I'm trying to say. (Oh, French! Now they're speaking in French!) Well, I'm going to send some emails to family now. Write next in Madrid!

(Oh and bonus point for whomever gets the reference at the beginning of my post).

Airport(s)

So I'm sitting in the airport, using airport wifi which links me to the U of I homepage (gag), and it finally hits me. Here I am, eating crappy airport food (and some delicious banana bread that I'm not sure I thanked you guys for but it's wonderful and doesn't taste burned) trying (failing) not to cry again for the billionth time, and I realize the next time I will not be in an airport is in Madrid. As I said goodbye to my family and friends (who were not really crying fyi, my roommates not at all (not that I expected you to), and who by their strong resistance to crying made me look like a total wimp) I realized I won't see them again for at least ten months.

And then I was like:

 

But only in my head because spit/spitting is disgusting.
I think that's how it goes, with me at least. I have this list of things in my head that have to happen before something else. For example, "Oh, I still have time before I leave, I've got such and such event to go to" and I just keep finding smaller and smaller events to mark the time. This morning it was, "Well, I'll still have baggage check-in before it really hits me that I'm leaving." Perhaps this is some sort of psychosis I should address, but it's how I look at the world. The problem with that view is that when it hits you, it really hits you. So here I am in the airport, imagining myself as the cereal spitting stick man, and lamenting the fact that I won't get to shower again until Thursday evening.

But that woe is me pity party, however satisfying it may seem, is no way to travel. So, to cheer myself up and to give you a taste of what is in store for me and this blog, I present to you, Aranda de Duero.

The old church in Aranda de Duero.

 

The plaza mayor in Aranda de Duero

 

 

 

 

The underground wine cellar in Aranda de Duero. (they're known for their wine)

 

 

 

Obviously these are images I searched for on Google, but pretty soon I'll be taking pictures of my own, which cheers me up considerably. Bye United States! I look forward to coming home to you, but between then and now I'm going to have an adventure.

 

 

*Update- I'm now in the Minneapolis International Airport. It's super posh. 



8/

It's after midnight, so technically I leave tomorrow. Oh boy, oh boy.

The right to be freaked out.

As it gets closer to my departure date, I've decided to share a bit of advice with future auxiliares, or anyone looking to travel. You are about to embark on a great adventure. It will change your life, and you won't regret your decision. And you've probably heard as much from everyone around you. Stuff like, "It's such a great opportunity" "I'm so jealous" "How great for you!" "You're going to love it!" "You're going to have a great time" "It'll be amazing!" 'It'll be life changing!" I hope all of these come true for you, and me, too.
But there's another side of traveling like this, which I can only describe as terror. You're leaving home, your family and your friends, to go to a new country filled with unknown variables. I think it's impossible not to feel scared. And it's okay to feel scared, even though it may seem selfish. Yes you're going to have a good time and yes it's a wonderful opportunity, but it's natural to be afraid of what might come, and maybe even regret leaving.

The best thing about all of this, is that being afraid and regretting a little bit, makes the experience that much sweeter. You've overcome your fears and your regrets, and you've proven to yourself that you can do amazing things, that you can have great adventures. So be afraid now, but go out into the world. Explore and live and embrace the new experiences. It'll be life changing, or so I've been told.

I must be crazy...

for leaving the United States.

I'll set it up the way that it's been going around and around in my head as my departure draws near.

I'm close to my family, and I love spending time with them. I lived in a good apartment with great people. I have great friends. I belong to a community, and I love my home town. I had a good job offer, with benefits, doing something I really enjoy. I'm pretty sure I know what I want to study in grad school and what I want to do with that degree.

So I must be crazy if I'm willing to sacrifice all that to move half way around the country where I have no friends, no home, no connections, and no idea what the culture is going to be like. I have a job (thank heavens) but that's about it.

So why am I going? Why is it worth it? That's the question I've been trying to answer for the last few months, answer with something more definite then, 'it feels like I should.' So, I present to you the top three reasons for going abroad (for me anyway):

1. To get out of my comfort zone- This is huge for me. As I've just said, I'm comfortable in my life right now. But maybe too comfortable? New experiences, new challenges, they're important. I think if I stay comfortable I won't grow as a person. I might become stagnant. And that is quite possibly more terrifying than living in Spain.

2. Travel!- A little self-centered, maybe, but I want to see what Europe has to offer. I want to see buildings older than 200 years. I want to see famous churches and stand in castles (and who doesn't want to stand in a castle?). And now is probably the best time in my life to do that.

3. To meet new people- Sometimes I pause and ponder the fact that people in different cultures, raised in different places, are in fact people like me. Perhaps that sounds pretty obvious to most, but it still perplexes me. I'm looking forward to the chance to get to know people in a different culture, leading different lives, but ultimately looking for the same basic needs in life, love and family.

Well, that's what I've got for now. I'll be leaving for Spain in eight days (yikes) and I'm sure I'll have more interesting posts then.

Pre-Travel Jitters

Hola a todos!

Well, hola a no one yet, I haven't given out the address to the website yet.

In case you're a future auxiliary, or someone who just happened to stumble upon this page, and don't know me personally, let me fill you in on a few things. My name is Julia, I'm 23 years old, and in a month and one day, I'm heading out to Spain for ten months to teach English in the Spanish school system, with a program called the Spanish Cultural Ambassadors program. I'll be paid 750 for each full month, which is pretty much min. wage. But I get the chance to live in Europe and travel and what not, so I think it's totally worth it. If you're interested in the program, you can find it here. Hopefully, if you decide this is something you want to do, this blog will help you learn about it and learn how to survive (i.e. avoid the mistakes I am bound to make).

Thus far, I don't have a lot to write about. On Sept. 11th, I'm heading out to Aranda de Duero, a little town south of Burgos. When I get there, I have to find an apartment (which I find terrifying, btw). Then, I start working with high school students in the high school, as what I will now and forever refer to as an IES. I'm not sure what my hours are, but I believe I'm only working four days a week, leaving the weekends open for travel. (If I get paid on time, of course. Apparently that's an issue with this program). I go speaking fluent Spanish, so I'm not really worried about that, and I'd like to learn the accent of the region I'm going to. I'll also be purchasing a video camera, so I'll be able to post some videos of what I'm doing when I get over to Spain.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll write more in depth thoughts on travel and reasons for why I'm traveling so far away for so long later, but for right now, I'll leave you with just the basics. I hope you find this blog interesting, and I especially hope you find it helpful if you too want to be an Auxiliar.

Adios!