Moving out

of my apartment.

I guess I've snapped. I think that's a good word for it. Mostly, it was the smoking (and the subsequent cough I've developed). As I was debating today whether or not to move out, I started doodling. Mostly pictures of little stickmen telling me all the dangers of smoking, and also that it made my soul fill with rage, which is basically like Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk and destroying shit. No bueno.

But it also occurred to me, if I'm going to be miserable here, why would I stay? Do I want to be miserable for the next nine months in a place where I'm supposed to be exploring the world and growing as a person? Do I want those memories? Heck no! So I'm moving out.

The other habit of hers that I cannot abide by is that she is extremely overbearing. She will literally hand me food and tell me to eat it, no asking involved. When I say no, she won't take that for an answer. Like, she'll come by room at night and bring me a bowl of grapes, without asking. Or at lunch she handed me two oranges and when I said I didn't want them she told me to 'eat them'. It leaves me wanting to scream that I am not her child, I am a grown woman, who, although I don't really know how to cook, want to be treated as such. Though I suppose that yelling that would only prove the point that I am not a grown woman, and so self-control is paramount. But in any case, I'm moving out. I haven't told her yet, but as soon as I have another place, I will. I don't really want to give her any chance to convince me otherwise. So for the next week or so I'm going to be avoiding her and making secret phone calls.

But enough negative stuff. I've got Halloween lessons for the next three week, which is awesome. I love Halloween, and I love teaching the kids about Halloween. I really want to teach them a simplified version of the Thriller dance, but I'm not sure that my teachers will go for that. Mostly, I've got a pumpkin activity for the sort of okay at English classes, and the Cask of Amontillado for the older classes. I might have to make that a video (if I can find a good one on youtube) because some of the language is pretty difficult, even for English speakers. But it's also one of the creepiest short stories I've ever read.

I went out the other day to eat lunch, trying to escape the smoke in my house. I stopped at this place called KayKay-fast food. They sold burgers, and I thought, hey, why not. Let's eat some American food. I can only describe the burger as gristly, and the flavor as kind of  like pork but not. My meat-knowledgeable friend Eileen informed me that what I ate was probably all the reject meat, and a mix of random animals. Apparently there's been a scandal in Europe recently with 'meat' meaning 'horse meat'. I guess it goes to show that even Europe has issue with food. But the more important lesson is, never eat at KayKay.

I even got another private student, hopefully! The mom has to check with her daughter on what time works, but I she's one of  my students from Vela Zanetti. She's sixteen, so that will be weird. I've never before worked with someone not in elementary school. But all of this will help me with my grand plan for Christmas...

I'm trying to go to Rome! I sent in for a ticket to attend the Papal Christmas Eve mass. The tickets are free, but limited. And the flights are expensive, which is why the private lessons are so helpful. I'm hoping to have them purchased by the end of this month (if I get paid by the Junta) and I should be booking the hotel this week (hostel, more than hotel. I might get an actual hotel for Christmas Eve/Day).

Other places I plan on going, in order of absolutely will happen to I really hope so, Lourdes, Fatima, London, and Cardiff (you know I'm going to the Doctor Who museum). I might also hit a couple countries as I'm flying from one to another. And of course I plan on hitting some big places in Spain, Barcelona, Segovia, Sevilla, and this town called Orbeneja de Castillo. Most of it is accessible from Burgos, and taking the bus is pretty reasonable.

Well, that's all for now. I'll write up a post on the NIE for any fellow auxiliaries soon. Spoiler, it was super easy. Unfortunately, I can smell smoke in my room again, so rage Hulk is coming back. I think I'm going to take a nap.