One month in

I have to say, I'm really enjoying teaching. I was mobbed by my students today after school. About twenty of them surrounded me with questions. "Julia, how much do pants cost in the United States?" "Teacher, how much does a car cost?" "Julia, do you have a boyfriend?" They are very, very funny, crazy kids. Apparently, one of them climbs bathroom walls.

I have to say, out of all of the ages to teach, 13-15 is probably my favorite. I've got some older students, but most of them are very... preppy. The girls have stopped playing sports, they don't do stuff out doors anymore. This is a generalization, of course. I have two older classes that are pretty great. But the younger classes aren't as intimidating, and they think it's funny when I start singing during class. And it's much easier to plan lessons, because they can be a little silly. The kids will still go along with me if I have them dance or sing or play games. None of them, and I mean none of the students, like Star Wars or Star Trek over here. Scifi is so far off their radar. The only video game they play is Grand Theft Auto. I think their next homework assignment will be watching the original Star Trek trilogy, or perhaps the entirety of Firefly.

I've got a private student two times a week, and I'm going to be teaching the local teachers fluency and primary school reading techniques. Both are pretty exciting, and it'll be awesome to have some extra income. I'm going to a gym, I go out on Thursdays with other teachers, and I'm pretty well established in a parish. I eat meals when the Spaniards do, I've learned how to order in restaurants, I can get anywhere in my town without getting lost.  I have to say, it's nice to have a routine. When I first came here, which really seems like yesterday, I was pretty miserable. Call it culture shock, homesickness, loneliness, whatever it was, it was pretty bad. I told myself, if you feel this miserable in one month, you can pack your bags and go home. I even made four different countdown calendars. Well, here I am, and I'm not at all miserable. I've got a life here and I like living it. It's not like things are perfect, and I do miss my family and friends, but it's so much more normal now. I forget most days to mark off another day on my calendar. I've made friends, met people. I've gotten used to living alone. Life is life again; not all up, not all down, and comforting in how similar it is, at it's core, to life anywhere else.