As I'm sitting here in my 9th floor closet of a bedroom working on packing my suitcases, I'm looking back on the incredible journey I've had this year. I'm really going to miss this place. I'll miss the culture of tapas and spending hours chatting and sharing food and drinks with friends, the endless hours of sunshine, the blue skies and the gorgeous sunsets, runs on the beach, the mountains, and the flowers that come in every shade of every color of the rainbow. Most of all, though, I'll miss the wonderful people I've met this year who've made this experience one that's been more than life changing.
I've had good times and definitely had some tough times, but I've grown so much stronger as a person as a result. I've learned more than I could have ever imagined and met some incredible people. I've run more miles along the Mediterranean than I could possibly count. I've run in three European countries alongside beautiful monuments and landscapes. I've completed a 5k race, a half marathon and trained for another back home (June 16th in Duluth!). I've danced the night away. I've tried so many new and wonderful foods. I've immersed myself in another culture and language. I've worked with so many students and have made a big difference in their lives. I've become a great teacher. I've traveled and experienced other cultures. I've greatly improved my communication skills (both in Spanish and English). I've become more confident in myself. I've learned to appreciate what I have, who I am and where I come from, but to embrace change and new experiences. I've grown up. I still don't know exactly where I'll be and what I'll be doing with my life in the next few years, but at this point I feel I am able to take on any new challenge life may throw my way.
While looking through all of the things I've collected over the year, I found a piece of paper on which I wrote myself a list of advice to follow. This is what it says:
Smile. At everyone. All the time.
Be you.
Always be confident.
Don't forget to breathe.
Sing. Dance.
Listen to music that will lift your spirit.
It's okay to cry sometimes, but not all the time.
Give your friends, your enemies, your family, your coworkers, even strangers compliments.
Think before you speak.
Travel. Experience everything.
Embrace and reflect on every thought and every emotion you're feeling.
Appreciate the beauty in every day life.
Remember: only you can make yourself happy.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
¡Qué chungo!
Chungo is a word people throw around a lot here. It means something like "sketchy" or "bizarre" or "janky." España has a lot of things that are pretty chungo if you ask me. Of course, living abroad anywhere you will see a lot of things that catch your eye and make you think, "hmm...that´s curious." Cultural differences in behavior in different settings, as well as the ideas, morals, traditions, and personal boundaries you´ve learned as "normal" in your home culture versus the new one, are what make you notice what´s "chungo" around you in your new home. Here´s a little taste of what´s different and bizarre about Southern Spain:
-As I've mentioned in previous blogs, nudity and urinating in public is not an uncommon sight here. I've seen my fair share of private parts. At the beaches many women sunbathe topless, which takes some getting used to when you're from the U.S. where our Protestant roots say "no, no" to such things.
-People here have an obsession with being dressed for the "cold" (this isn't the Arctic). In particular, women and nylons. Women think it is okay to dress in short dresses or skirts in Malaga winters, as long as they're wearing nylons underneath, which I suppose for the purpose of staying warm, makes sense (although I am not at all keen on skin-colored nylons, period). However, to my dismay, I found that women don't stop wearing nylons at the end of "winter" and are still wearing them, even to the beach. Maybe you should think twice about your wardrobe decision if you have to hose off your nylons. Also, if you think you are fooling others into thinking your legs are actually bare, you're not. Your legs are shiny. Another wardrobe item that seems a bit over-the-top here is the thick winter coats people wear when it's clearly not below zero. I'm fine in my light jacket and jeans, thank you.
-Something else I found quite "chungo" (and what was similar to my living experience in Peru) was that the bathrooms in public places here may not have toilet paper, paper towels, soap, toilets may have no lids, and doors may not even have locks (especially in bars). Sometimes you´ll find all of the things you´d find in a public bathroom in the U.S., other times some, and sometimes none. I´ve learned to carry a roll of toilet paper in my purse and to let go of the germophobia I had as an American. You survive.
-Also, driving and parking here has its differences. For example, motorcycles can pass other vehicles on the streets and weave through traffic. Cars park wherever they want. It's quite common to see cars parked on street corners (like on the curve of the street), double parked (not legal but happens a lot), or parked in some random alleyway spot (like practically inside a huge hole in the ground).
-Standing in lines is a foreign concept to Spaniards. When waiting to get on a bus, people stand around in an unorganized fashion, waiting for the bus driver and when it's time to get on the bus, everyone insists on letting others board first. Does it make a difference what order people get on, really? At the bank, people stand around casually (in chairs, against the wall, etc) waiting their turn. When someone enters, they say hello to "todo el mundo" (everybody) and ask who's last in line. That's how they know when its their turn. Wouldn't it make things easier just to stand in a line?
-Elevators here are tiny. Like really, really tiny. Think the size of a small closet. Imagine sharing such a space with your smelly, slightly inebriated neighbor and his dog (or three). It can be uncomfortable.
-People here don't understand English words if they're said in a regular accent. One must say English words with a Spanish accent in order to be understood here. For example, "Spiderman" is "espeedayrmahn" to them. And a "Ford Mustang" is a "Fohr Moostahng." And "Popeye" is "Pop-ay-yay." I'm not a fan of this.
Also, people clearly use online translating websites for translating restaurant menus and signs for tourists. Wouldn't it be easier (and more professional) to find someone who actually knows the languages (i.e. me) to do a quick translate? But hey, at least it's a form of entertainment for people like me while dining out.
-Another thing that has bothered me is the shameless way in which Spaniards stereotype others. On a particular field trip with the kids, for example, we went to a country house where the kids were taught about ceramics and were "turned into Indians;" their faces were painted, they were given "Indian" names and told to say "How." First of all, there are no Indians in Spain, so why would they teach kids this? And this is definitely not politically correct. Clearly this is inappropriate to you when you're taught to be culturally understanding in modern and diversifying America. When I dared to comment, the teachers just remarked that it was cute and they were having fun. I was speechless.
Additionally, Spaniards are not afraid to make assertions about the music, foods, etc. of other cultures. If you know me and my obsession for Mexican food, you will understand how I could be offended to see that a menu referred to a wrap made from a flour tortilla, cream cheese and ham as "Mexican." Just because it has a tortilla, doesn't make it Mexican.
-Spaniards open and close their businesses whenever they want to. There's a lot of people standing around doing nothing and a lot of things people could be buying in those three siesta hours when everything closes. How do people get their errands done if they actually work regular work hours? And how do businesses stay open?
-The parents of some of my students clearly have way too much time on their hands. I swear that some of them stand outside the school gates all day, peeking over the walls to get a glimpse of their little "angels" and gossiping with the other moms. Maybe they could find a job. Or a hobby, like knitting?
-I didn't expect the winter here to be as uncomfortable as it was. Malaga has very hot summers, so it's uncommon for people to have regular indoor heating. I suffered through the windy winter with a space heater, blankets (which luckily my roommate had enough to share), and lots of layers. Somehow, it was always colder indoors than outdoors so nights weren't much fun. I was also bothered by the fact that most public places don't have hot water in faucets. When you're cold, it isn't much fun to wash your hands with cold water and then wipe them on your pants (because many times there's no paper towels or hand dryers).
-Girls rarely play sports here. Maybe the lack of options for girls and the huge importance of soccer has something to do with that? In Spain, schools and universities don't have sports teams. If kids want to play sports, they do so through some type of club. When they're young, some girls play football or handball or are on some sort of swimming or gymnastics team. However, the importance of sports and exercise in general for girls and women seems to be pretty slim. When I ran my half marathon, for example, I was shocked at how few women runners there were. I think there was probably one female runner for about every 12 male runners.
-The way kids play here is different from how kids in the U.S. play. You can see the importance of fútbol, as kids (mainly boys and tomboys) in the playground kick around anything they can find like its a ball (a large seed, a piece of garbage, etc.). Kids often play "bullfight" where one child is the bull and the other is the bullfighter. In the U.S. kids play cops and robbers or cowboys, but I'd never seen this type of role-playing game. So Spanish.
The importance and pride in Spanish music is also quite visible here. Kids sing and dance like flamenco dancers at recess. They dress up in their ruffled dresses, fringed scarves, and flowered peinetas (ornamental combs) just like flamenco dancers for Andalucia day and strut their stuff.
These are just some of the observations and reflections I've made over the 8 months I've been here. It's crazy to think that I've been here this long and that I only have a month left. I remember the first months and especially the holidays being really difficult. It has been stressful adjusting to life here and there are still times when "las cosas chungas" get to me, but reflecting on what's around me has helped me to find my place in it all. I allow myself to get anxious about the future, but every day I need to remind myself that "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." Life is right now. I need to appreciate where I am and what I have around me now. I have learned so much here about myself and what I am capable of. I am anxious for what's to come in life and about the adventures I'll go on in the future, and I am trying to just allow those things to fall into place. Believe me, I have looked into all the possibilities I have and why not pursue them all? We are living out the stories of our lives; I intend for mine to be a colorful one filled with travel and adventure, love and compassion, risk-taking, and accomplished dreams.
-As I've mentioned in previous blogs, nudity and urinating in public is not an uncommon sight here. I've seen my fair share of private parts. At the beaches many women sunbathe topless, which takes some getting used to when you're from the U.S. where our Protestant roots say "no, no" to such things.
-People here have an obsession with being dressed for the "cold" (this isn't the Arctic). In particular, women and nylons. Women think it is okay to dress in short dresses or skirts in Malaga winters, as long as they're wearing nylons underneath, which I suppose for the purpose of staying warm, makes sense (although I am not at all keen on skin-colored nylons, period). However, to my dismay, I found that women don't stop wearing nylons at the end of "winter" and are still wearing them, even to the beach. Maybe you should think twice about your wardrobe decision if you have to hose off your nylons. Also, if you think you are fooling others into thinking your legs are actually bare, you're not. Your legs are shiny. Another wardrobe item that seems a bit over-the-top here is the thick winter coats people wear when it's clearly not below zero. I'm fine in my light jacket and jeans, thank you.
-Something else I found quite "chungo" (and what was similar to my living experience in Peru) was that the bathrooms in public places here may not have toilet paper, paper towels, soap, toilets may have no lids, and doors may not even have locks (especially in bars). Sometimes you´ll find all of the things you´d find in a public bathroom in the U.S., other times some, and sometimes none. I´ve learned to carry a roll of toilet paper in my purse and to let go of the germophobia I had as an American. You survive.
-Also, driving and parking here has its differences. For example, motorcycles can pass other vehicles on the streets and weave through traffic. Cars park wherever they want. It's quite common to see cars parked on street corners (like on the curve of the street), double parked (not legal but happens a lot), or parked in some random alleyway spot (like practically inside a huge hole in the ground).
-Standing in lines is a foreign concept to Spaniards. When waiting to get on a bus, people stand around in an unorganized fashion, waiting for the bus driver and when it's time to get on the bus, everyone insists on letting others board first. Does it make a difference what order people get on, really? At the bank, people stand around casually (in chairs, against the wall, etc) waiting their turn. When someone enters, they say hello to "todo el mundo" (everybody) and ask who's last in line. That's how they know when its their turn. Wouldn't it make things easier just to stand in a line?
-Elevators here are tiny. Like really, really tiny. Think the size of a small closet. Imagine sharing such a space with your smelly, slightly inebriated neighbor and his dog (or three). It can be uncomfortable.
-People here don't understand English words if they're said in a regular accent. One must say English words with a Spanish accent in order to be understood here. For example, "Spiderman" is "espeedayrmahn" to them. And a "Ford Mustang" is a "Fohr Moostahng." And "Popeye" is "Pop-ay-yay." I'm not a fan of this.
Also, people clearly use online translating websites for translating restaurant menus and signs for tourists. Wouldn't it be easier (and more professional) to find someone who actually knows the languages (i.e. me) to do a quick translate? But hey, at least it's a form of entertainment for people like me while dining out.
-Another thing that has bothered me is the shameless way in which Spaniards stereotype others. On a particular field trip with the kids, for example, we went to a country house where the kids were taught about ceramics and were "turned into Indians;" their faces were painted, they were given "Indian" names and told to say "How." First of all, there are no Indians in Spain, so why would they teach kids this? And this is definitely not politically correct. Clearly this is inappropriate to you when you're taught to be culturally understanding in modern and diversifying America. When I dared to comment, the teachers just remarked that it was cute and they were having fun. I was speechless.
Additionally, Spaniards are not afraid to make assertions about the music, foods, etc. of other cultures. If you know me and my obsession for Mexican food, you will understand how I could be offended to see that a menu referred to a wrap made from a flour tortilla, cream cheese and ham as "Mexican." Just because it has a tortilla, doesn't make it Mexican.
-Spaniards open and close their businesses whenever they want to. There's a lot of people standing around doing nothing and a lot of things people could be buying in those three siesta hours when everything closes. How do people get their errands done if they actually work regular work hours? And how do businesses stay open?
-The parents of some of my students clearly have way too much time on their hands. I swear that some of them stand outside the school gates all day, peeking over the walls to get a glimpse of their little "angels" and gossiping with the other moms. Maybe they could find a job. Or a hobby, like knitting?
-I didn't expect the winter here to be as uncomfortable as it was. Malaga has very hot summers, so it's uncommon for people to have regular indoor heating. I suffered through the windy winter with a space heater, blankets (which luckily my roommate had enough to share), and lots of layers. Somehow, it was always colder indoors than outdoors so nights weren't much fun. I was also bothered by the fact that most public places don't have hot water in faucets. When you're cold, it isn't much fun to wash your hands with cold water and then wipe them on your pants (because many times there's no paper towels or hand dryers).
-Girls rarely play sports here. Maybe the lack of options for girls and the huge importance of soccer has something to do with that? In Spain, schools and universities don't have sports teams. If kids want to play sports, they do so through some type of club. When they're young, some girls play football or handball or are on some sort of swimming or gymnastics team. However, the importance of sports and exercise in general for girls and women seems to be pretty slim. When I ran my half marathon, for example, I was shocked at how few women runners there were. I think there was probably one female runner for about every 12 male runners.
-The way kids play here is different from how kids in the U.S. play. You can see the importance of fútbol, as kids (mainly boys and tomboys) in the playground kick around anything they can find like its a ball (a large seed, a piece of garbage, etc.). Kids often play "bullfight" where one child is the bull and the other is the bullfighter. In the U.S. kids play cops and robbers or cowboys, but I'd never seen this type of role-playing game. So Spanish.
The importance and pride in Spanish music is also quite visible here. Kids sing and dance like flamenco dancers at recess. They dress up in their ruffled dresses, fringed scarves, and flowered peinetas (ornamental combs) just like flamenco dancers for Andalucia day and strut their stuff.
These are just some of the observations and reflections I've made over the 8 months I've been here. It's crazy to think that I've been here this long and that I only have a month left. I remember the first months and especially the holidays being really difficult. It has been stressful adjusting to life here and there are still times when "las cosas chungas" get to me, but reflecting on what's around me has helped me to find my place in it all. I allow myself to get anxious about the future, but every day I need to remind myself that "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." Life is right now. I need to appreciate where I am and what I have around me now. I have learned so much here about myself and what I am capable of. I am anxious for what's to come in life and about the adventures I'll go on in the future, and I am trying to just allow those things to fall into place. Believe me, I have looked into all the possibilities I have and why not pursue them all? We are living out the stories of our lives; I intend for mine to be a colorful one filled with travel and adventure, love and compassion, risk-taking, and accomplished dreams.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
The end of the world, a.k.a. a rain storm.
Yesterday it rained cats and dogs in Málaga. That's to be expected once in a while, right? Well, apparently when it rains here, Spaniards think its the Armageddon. Everything closes: supermarkets, restaurants, shops, even pizza places. People want to order pizza when its crappy out (i.e. me). How can people here make any money and keep their businesses running if they have the "I work when I feel like it" attitude? Only the foreigners (Chinese, Morroccans, etc.) who own shops and restaurants here stay open all the time. They're the ones making money. No wonder Spain's in an economic crisis...
Oh, and about the whole closing for three hours for siesta thing... Thats not helping anybody either. You've got to work if you want to make money. Its really a silly concept to close for three hours.
Oh, and about the whole closing for three hours for siesta thing... Thats not helping anybody either. You've got to work if you want to make money. Its really a silly concept to close for three hours.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Road trip to Portugal
Pondering the view
Last week was Semana Santa (Holy Week/Easter) in Spain, which meant that I had a week off of school and pretty much everything was closed down for the week´s festivities. You could barely get from place to place as people flocked to the streets by the thousands to see the religious processions. People paraded the streets carrying huge ornate tronos (thrones) displying bible scenes and marched 'til early in the morning. You could hear the somber beat of the drums from a mile away. I was particularly creeped out by the KKK-esque garb many of the people marching in the parade wore; they were complete with robes and cone-shaped masks.
Semana Santa in Málaga - Don´t worry, they´re not really from the KKK.
Faro, Portugal
After all the commotion of the week's celebrations, it was refreshing to get out of town for a few days on a road trip to the south of Portugal. A quick four hour drive away, the Algarve (southern-most part of Portugal), is a region of old fishing villages, castles and light houses, white-sand beaches and majestic cliffs. It was pleasant to get lost on purpose, find hidden beaches and small villages, asking old men for directions (including one who accidentally sprayed us with his hose while giving his horse a shower on the street).
I wandered through fish markets, picniced atop a cliff with the view of surfers catching waves below. I watched the full moon rise, bright red, one night. I got rained on and saw a beautiful rainbow while having a cervejinha (Portuguese for "little beer") by the beach. In just a few short days, I fell in love with this laid back corner of Europe. I hope to go back some day.
Tavira, Portugal
Cliff-top picnic spot
Seashell beach in Albufeira, Portugal
This trip was just what I needed after nearly two weeks of a terrible cold and sinus infection. It was great to disconnect from the stresses of life, especially all the decision making and planning I've been attempting to do lately. It's hard to believe how little time I have left here. It's definitely going to be a bittersweet goodbye. For now, I plan to make the most of my time left in Malaga. Spring has sprung here; new flowers and plants are popping up in every direction and the smell of orange blossoms is in the air. The weather is getting hotter and its time to hit the beach (at least on the weekends) and aprovechar del sol (take advantage of the sun).
Albufeira, Portugal
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."
-Gilbert K. Chesterton
Monday, March 12, 2012
Never stop exploring
"Never stop exploring," said a sign in a cute little coffee shop in the town of Tarifa, Spain (known as the kitesurfing capital of Europe - and no, I didn't try it). I spent this weekend in the laid-back windsurfer/kitesurfer filled town just an hour and a half away along the coast. The windy landscape was absolutely breathtaking with a mix of rocky cliffs and beautiful dunes, hills topped with numerous windmills, as well as grassy farm land sprinkled with grazing cows and horses. It is one of the southernmost points of continental Spain (other parts of Spain are islands further South), and you can easily see Africa across the Gibraltar Strait. I hope to take the quick ferry across to Morocco one weekend soon.
Look-out point just outside Tarifa. You can see some of the windmills and if you look closely, you can see Africa in the distance.
Beach of Tarifa
Kitesurfer's kite, Tarifa, Spain
Needless to say, exploring is exactly what I've been doing as of late. I've experienced so many new things this year and in the past few weeks have been traveling to some very different parts of Europe. A few weeks ago we had a week long vacation for school and, along with my friends Heidi and Jess, I jetted off to Geneva, Switzerland for a few days and then hopped over to Paris for the rest of the week.
Geneva was a beautiful city, with the Swiss Alps as a backdrop, majestic lake Geneva, Swiss chocolate, outdoor enthusiasts galore, and a very international feel to it. Unfortunately for me, everything was extremely expensive. There are expensive designer clothing and watch stores galore. There were also few hostels (all two of them were quite pricey, although very nice, safe, and even family friendly) and we had to switch to a different one after the first 2 nights. Eating out was also expensive. We stuck to falafel wraps (falafel/kebab/schwarma shops are a popular late night or any time option all over Europe, it seems), sandwiches and pasta made in the hostel kitchen. I had to oogle over the variety of international food, however, and even broke down and bought an empanada at a little deli owned by a Peruvian-Swiss man. It was great to reminisce about Peru and all the delicious Peruvian food I once enjoyed.
One night, while attempting to pub-crawl, we had the misfortune of wandering into what appeared to be a brothel. All people involved knew quite well that we weren't in the right place and we quickly made our way elsewhere.
During another discovery in our wanderings of the streets of Geneva, we came upon an American market, with all kinds of American foods, including pop-tarts, Gushers, marshmallows, Peanut Butter crunch, and A&W Root Beer. I was in heaven to the very last drop of that root beer.
on top of hill in Geneva, Switzerland
My favorite part of our stay in Geneva was taking a cable car to the top of a hill to see the view of the city below. It was really cool to see a bit of snow for my first time this winter. It was also my first time (I think) in a cable car like this.
A bridge over a river in Geneva
A swan on Lake Geneva. So beautiful.
Our first night in Paris was definitely memorable. Upon arrival, we realized that our hostel was less than attractive, but we did meet some very interesting people there. With new friends from Panama, India, Israel, Canada, and the U.S., we meandered our way through the Parisian streets to the Eiffel Tower, drinking champagne along the way. We danced, giggled, and took too many pictures.
Up in the Eiffel Tower at night
Paris is beautiful, with famous monuments around every corner, but it is filled with tourists and can be overwhelmingly big. We did our share of tourist-ing: we took the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower (first time in a diagonal elevator), visited the Catacombs, took a chilly boat tour on the Seine, visited the Louvre museum, and took our obligatory photos of the Arc du Triomphe and Notre Dame. My favorite part of Paris was probably the delicious chocolate eclairs; they may just have been the best thing I've ever eaten.
Notre Dame, Paris
The Louvre museum of Paris.
Making our way back to Malaga after our exhausting week of traveling was quite the adventure. We had our flight from Paris to Madrid at 6:55 a.m. on Saturday and so decided that we would sleep in the airport the night before. Unfortunately, we missed the last metro to the airport. We ended up taking another metro towards the airport in the hopes that we could take a taxi from the nearest stop to the airport. We were surprised when the train stopped and an announcement was made in French (which non of us understand). Some people left the train and we were lucky enough to meet a student who spoke English and explained to us that someone had left a suspicious item in a train station further down the line. Paris's craziest seemed to pop out of nowhere. There was a woman with no pants on on our train, people smoking cigarettes even though it is clearly not allowed, and we even had the good fortune to be sitting on a train car on which a man decided to relieve himself in the corner. Good times in Paris. Our adventure didn't stop there. When we finally made it to the stop we were headed to (nearly three hours later), we found a bus that would take us to the airport. I almost got motion sickness because of the driver's crazy driving, but at last we made it to the airport. Then, we waited some more, not managing to get any sleep before boarding the plane. When we arrived in Madrid, we had to find the metro to the bus station and wait a few hours before taking a 6 hour bus ride through the winding mountain highways back to Malaga. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper when I finally made it back to Malaga and slept for 15 hours straight. Oh, the joys of traveling!
This Sunday, I am running a half marathon in Malaga and I was quite proud of myself for keeping up with my training, through the ongoing stresses of living in another country and even while traveling around Europe. I can now say that I have gone running in five different countries (U.S.A., Peru, Spain, France, Switzerland - and more to come?)!
All smiles in Tarifa, Spain. Life is good.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Mi vida lately
Well, I sure took my time getting around to writing another blog entry. I meant to post right after Teresa's visit (which, by the way, was incredible), but I realized that I had a million other things to put first on my list of priorities.
My time with Teresa was probably the best I've had in Spain thus far. We, together, ate enough tapas to feed an army, visited some beautiful sites, and most importantly, got to enjoy each others' company. The main event of her visit was our trip to Barcelona for New Year's.
Teresa and I, Heidi, and Jessica met up with two of Teresa's friends from Yale in Barcelona. We had lots of fun wandering around Barcelona, taking in its incredible architecture, eating tapas, drinking cava (the region's version of champagne), and partying on New Year's Eve with thousands of people from all over the world in the plaza.
We visited Parc Güell and La Sagrada Familia, two of Gaudí's architectural masterpieces. We frolicked in the sun, had seafood paella, and enjoyed hanging out by the port and the beach of Barcelona. We found a Latin food market which, since I'm actually Latina and not American, was one of the highlights of the trip. I bought some hot sauce to bring back home. Spaniards don't know spicy. And we stayed in a hostel that was centrally located but felt like a jail inside. The joys of traveling in Europe.
Around Malaga, Teresa and I enjoyed a few runs by the beach, visited some of the touristy stuff, hung with my roommates and enjoyed more tapas.
The last day before her journey back home, we took a day trip to a town called Ronda. It is a town with centuries and centuries of history that is built on either side of a deep crevice, connected by incredible bridges. It was beautiful. (see picture below)
After Teresa left, I realized that I needed to crack the whip and get some things done. I've since been working hard on finishing my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification course, applying for jobs/programs for next year, learning to be a better teacher, training for a half marathon, and a lot more.
This year has been incredible so far and I feel so lucky to have had this experience. I have learned so much about myself and grown so much as a person. I am excited for what life will bring in the next months and years.
I'm glad that yesterday I took a break from my crazy few weeks of working so hard, focusing on the things I need to get accomplished. I went for a long hike in the mountains outside Malaga with a friend. It was so peaceful up there. I had the chance to think with no distractions. Everyone needs time like that in nature, I think. To sit and enjoy the silence and appreciate what's around you. To think about yourself and where you belong on this thing called Earth. I think that I am exactly where I'm meant to be right now. And I think I know where I'm going.
"The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment." Earl Nightingale
Monday, December 26, 2011
A Sunny-Southern-Spain Christmas
What a different sort of Christmas it has been this year! It was my first Christmas away from family and home (my U.S. home). It was surreal spending Christmas in a climate where it's sunny nearly every day and definitely not white. The other day I went running by the beach and there were actually people sunbathing (as well as one questionably sane man standing, naked, peeing into the Mediterranean).
But having friends nearby to spend it with and to make my Christmas birthday feel special, as well as singing my heart out to Christmas carols at school and teaching my niños the words and meanings and also how to make paper snowflakes, made it so much more bearable. Being away from home made me appreciate our holiday traditions even more than ever.
The past few weeks have been quite stressful as I've been tossing around a plethora of emotions; mostly concerning what´s in store for me in the next year or so. I´ve realized that I really love teaching. And that, even though I still have so much to learn, I can make a big difference as a teacher. And I want to start doing so as soon as possible. In my own classroom. I´ve been applying to different programs to teach in different parts of the U.S. and also applying for another year in Spain. The latter option is becoming less and less appealing. I guess I´ll just take the best option that comes my way.
This holiday has been difficult for me. I started crying on multiple occasions at the sound of "I´ll be home for Christmas" by Frank Sinatra. At least I was able to be home in spirit and felt so grateful for technology and the ability to see the faces of my family and friends; it made the miles of distance seem not so distant at all. I felt so lucky to have so many faces eager to see mine.
I spent the whole week before Christmas teaching very American Christmas carols such as "Jingle Bell Rock," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "All I Want for Christmas is You." I love being a celebrity at San Sebastian school; all the kids know my name, attack me with hugs daily, and think I´m even more cool after belting out these songs with no shame. I get to sing again AND be the cool teacher who sings Mariah Carey songs. The kids also absolutely loved learning how to make paper snowflakes and were absolutely amazed at my snowflake making skills.
The anise shots and Christmas sweets all the teachers were consuming in the teachers' lounge during break time definitely helped ease any nerves I might have had about teaching class. Only in Spain is it okay to drink alcohol at school.
On Thursday, the staff from school all got together in Málaga city center to have a Christmas lunch and do some bar hopping. I met up with them after teaching lessons at the academy in the afternoon and spent the evening drinking beers and dancing with all the teachers at a bar where I think I was probably the youngest. It was quite a funny sight to see the gym teacher and other coworkers dancing and chatting away, slightly inebriated. I impressed them with my salsa and merengue dance skills. They were amazed to find that I had learned to dance salsa in the U.S.A. Yup. Some Americans know how to dance, believe it or not. It felt great to connect with my coworkers in a different atmosphere.
On Friday night, I continued my Latin ways and made delicious tacos with homemade salsa for my friends. We went out on the town, did some salsa dancing, stopped by a few bars, and called it a night fairly early by Spanish terms (about 4 a.m.). Saturday consisted of lounging in jimjams with Heidi and Jessica, buying groceries for the next day's meals, listening to Christmas music, snacking, giggling, skyping with family and friends, reading, and watching Home Alone on the computer. We essentially had a slumber party all weekend.
On Christmas/birthday day, the girls presented me with the birthday cake (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!) they made for me, along with champagne which I shot open off the balcony, nearly causing myself and the family playing soccer on the patio below have a heart attack. I drank mimosas and spent some time skyping again and making paper snowflakes while the girls made sugar cookies. We made delicious veggie lasagna for dinner and played Pictionary, then had a photo/giggle session. The perfect end to a wonderful weekend of Christmas/birthday celebrating. I was so grateful to Heidi and Jessica to spend it with me; they made my birthday so special.
This is a picture that demonstrates how chic and artsy our Christmas was. Silly.
Now that Christmas is over, I am overflowing with excitement because tomorrow my friend Teresa arrives for her week long visit in sunny Spain! We'll spend New Year's in Barcelona and fit in as much sightseeing/shenanigans as possible. Stay tuned for what will surely be an entertaining recap of our adventures.
But having friends nearby to spend it with and to make my Christmas birthday feel special, as well as singing my heart out to Christmas carols at school and teaching my niños the words and meanings and also how to make paper snowflakes, made it so much more bearable. Being away from home made me appreciate our holiday traditions even more than ever.
The past few weeks have been quite stressful as I've been tossing around a plethora of emotions; mostly concerning what´s in store for me in the next year or so. I´ve realized that I really love teaching. And that, even though I still have so much to learn, I can make a big difference as a teacher. And I want to start doing so as soon as possible. In my own classroom. I´ve been applying to different programs to teach in different parts of the U.S. and also applying for another year in Spain. The latter option is becoming less and less appealing. I guess I´ll just take the best option that comes my way.
This holiday has been difficult for me. I started crying on multiple occasions at the sound of "I´ll be home for Christmas" by Frank Sinatra. At least I was able to be home in spirit and felt so grateful for technology and the ability to see the faces of my family and friends; it made the miles of distance seem not so distant at all. I felt so lucky to have so many faces eager to see mine.
I spent the whole week before Christmas teaching very American Christmas carols such as "Jingle Bell Rock," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "All I Want for Christmas is You." I love being a celebrity at San Sebastian school; all the kids know my name, attack me with hugs daily, and think I´m even more cool after belting out these songs with no shame. I get to sing again AND be the cool teacher who sings Mariah Carey songs. The kids also absolutely loved learning how to make paper snowflakes and were absolutely amazed at my snowflake making skills.
The anise shots and Christmas sweets all the teachers were consuming in the teachers' lounge during break time definitely helped ease any nerves I might have had about teaching class. Only in Spain is it okay to drink alcohol at school.
On Thursday, the staff from school all got together in Málaga city center to have a Christmas lunch and do some bar hopping. I met up with them after teaching lessons at the academy in the afternoon and spent the evening drinking beers and dancing with all the teachers at a bar where I think I was probably the youngest. It was quite a funny sight to see the gym teacher and other coworkers dancing and chatting away, slightly inebriated. I impressed them with my salsa and merengue dance skills. They were amazed to find that I had learned to dance salsa in the U.S.A. Yup. Some Americans know how to dance, believe it or not. It felt great to connect with my coworkers in a different atmosphere.
On Friday night, I continued my Latin ways and made delicious tacos with homemade salsa for my friends. We went out on the town, did some salsa dancing, stopped by a few bars, and called it a night fairly early by Spanish terms (about 4 a.m.). Saturday consisted of lounging in jimjams with Heidi and Jessica, buying groceries for the next day's meals, listening to Christmas music, snacking, giggling, skyping with family and friends, reading, and watching Home Alone on the computer. We essentially had a slumber party all weekend.
On Christmas/birthday day, the girls presented me with the birthday cake (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!) they made for me, along with champagne which I shot open off the balcony, nearly causing myself and the family playing soccer on the patio below have a heart attack. I drank mimosas and spent some time skyping again and making paper snowflakes while the girls made sugar cookies. We made delicious veggie lasagna for dinner and played Pictionary, then had a photo/giggle session. The perfect end to a wonderful weekend of Christmas/birthday celebrating. I was so grateful to Heidi and Jessica to spend it with me; they made my birthday so special.
This is a picture that demonstrates how chic and artsy our Christmas was. Silly.
Now that Christmas is over, I am overflowing with excitement because tomorrow my friend Teresa arrives for her week long visit in sunny Spain! We'll spend New Year's in Barcelona and fit in as much sightseeing/shenanigans as possible. Stay tuned for what will surely be an entertaining recap of our adventures.
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