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Published: October 7th 2007
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Sunrise
Over the Atlantic, on my way to Gatwick ... haha that rhymes What a week!!! So many things have happened that instead of feeling like I've just been here for 1.5 weeks it feels more like 3 .... It's been a wild ride but I'm finally at the point where I've reached a very calm content so glad to be here state of mind. I had a very overwhelming first day at Torres Quevedo, the school I will be assisting at for the next 10 months. There are 4 classes I help with, along with Nikki, the other American girl (from San.Fran.Cali) at my school (through Fulbright, different program), but it totals about 80 whining, screaming, squirming, nose-picking 6 to 7 year olds. And it is a completely different atmosphere in each class room. The discipline is completely lacking, minus the Juan!Que haces!?Why are you doing that? which will then move on the Julia! Reyes! Oscar! Johan! .... these kids are professional teacher runner overs. Nothing really seems to get accomplished until the teacher explains the directions to the children in Spanish, which is really counterproductive .... My name has now changed from Carolina to Caroline but mostly they call me TEEECCHHAAA!!! which is then followed ,can I please go to the toilet!?
Sol
My view from my hostal, looking into the construction they're doing in the heart of the city for the metro ... They understand a small portion of English and can sometimes write it if it the words are placed in front of their faces. There is one class that is more 'advanced' than the others, it is a second grade class, they are only slightly more focused. I only think they're like that because they are quite frightened of their teacher .... I don't blame them, she's kind of scary. It was an interesting start and this week I think I will have more of an opportunity to offer suggestions to the teachers as well as plan some lessons for the classes that will hopefully saturate their minds and leave an impression. The title of this blog is the name of this song the first graders love to sing ... unfortunately it's very catchy and Nikki & I find ourselves singing it when we walk to the metro, through Madrid, at home, at restaurants....yeeeahh. I have been extremely fortunate to have been staying/living with Nikki since last Friday because she helped prepare me some for what would be happening, answer my questions, and then offer someone to talk to about what we think needs to be done or improved and what
Roommates
Nikki, myself, and Iratxe (Txe) beginning our Thursday we can do to make that happen. She and I get along really well and add in the other official roommate, Iratxe or Txe (pronounced Che, like the revolutionary) and we're our own family. We've learned a lot about one another and from one another, it's been a real treat to stay here. I have worked out a living situation, but it involves me staying here until the end of the month and then moving about 8 blocks down the street to another apartment. I'm already having internal issues about this b/c I have grown very close with Nikki & Txe in the past week and none of us want me to leave ... we have to work out a solution with the resistant land lady who doesn't really want a third person living here ... we'll see how that goes. The people I would be moving in with are very sweet and fun and the apartment is VERY nice, but I have already grown very comfortable where I am and even though it's 3 weeks away am already not looking forward to leaving. Especially since I have finally unpacked my suitcase .... The weather has been moody. Some days it will be cloudy and cold, others rainy and miserable, and this weekend for instance, the sun graced us with its warmth and light. Spain's got issues I guess. Serious change of direction, at my orientation last Tuesday, a pair of guys came and presented their 'business' known as MadridMas, which is basically a social network of university students aimed at getting those students together in a social sense so they can meet people from all over the world. I was instantly intrigued and dragged my room mates to the registration night at this rather lame Irish Pub with really horrible honky tonk music. Granted, for three euros, we have gained discounts and free access to many restaurants, night clubs, bars, gyms, trips, as well as accomdations and so on. The two operators of this network, Mark from New Zealand and Arturo from Spain are some of the friendliest people I have yet to meet. This led to our plans for Thursday night which involved having our friends over for a bit and then heading to meet with Mark & Arturo to gain VIP passes to a very nice discoteca in Madrid known as Pacha. We don't have to teach on Fridays so we took full advantage of the Madrid night culture and danced the night away at this place and hoped back on the metro at 545 in the morning.....I think I woke up around 2 the next day in order to go have lunch with Dr. Friis and his family and Adrienne, big Furman reunion. It was a rough start, but once the conversation began and the best meal I've had since I've been here was served, I was back on normal people time. It was very comforting to eat such a well prepared meal and then pass time looking at pictures and talking about our Chile trip. Dr. Friis is such a cool guy and his family is just as great. Adrienne then showed me the glory of Ikea. I was searching for some psuedo shelf hanging things and she for some boxes and items for her piso. I think we walked through the entire thing in about 45 minutes but I kept repeating how cool and awesome I thought it was. I took it relatively easy Friday night and was home after tapas and beers with a friend of a friend of my brothers and caught up on a lot of sleep Saturday morning. It's nice to be able to spend the weekend just getting to know your surroundings and immersing yourself with the hundreds of thousands of people who also choose to do the same thing on the same day at the very same time .... I've got a full week of school ahead of me and I'm anxious but also looking very forward to it as I think it will give me more perspective into how the rest of the year will go and what I need to think about doing in order to help. Nikki & our friends have already begun talking about trips we'd like to make and when and it's all very exciting. We have a lot of vacation time and the extra days for weekends is a big help too. I hope to get to see and do a lot of what I'd like to. I'm glad I've met people with the same ideas of really experiencing this city, country, and continent. It's going to be a great ten months and as much as I know it will fly by I really wouldn't mind if it just took its time. I miss you all and hope you're well and enjoying the fall over there! I miss football a lot, but it is nice to see Tennessee making a comeback ... I'd like to try to put up some pictures but I'm not quite sure how to yet, we'll see if that works. Take it easy and keep in touch!!! Lina
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