whirlwind week in europa

My mom and Crystal just left this morning for home. They were able to extend their trip two days because of all of the problems at the beginning. They were supposed to get in Saturday afternoon, December 4th, but because the Spanish air traffic controllers went on strike the day before, there were no flights in or out of Spain from Friday afternoon until late Saturday night. Their flight from London to Madrid was cancelled and they had to spend Saturday night in a hotel in London. After hours on the phone Sunday morning, they were able to get a flight to Madrid Sunday evening, so they took advantage of the day in London and saw the highlights in 5 hours. They arrived in Madrid around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, December 5th, but they couldn't find their luggage. I was waiting outside the baggage area and they were on the other side of the door, trying to find their bags and communicate their problems to the Spanish airport workers. We were calling each other back and forth, unaware that we were so close until the automatic door opened and we saw eachother! It was about quarter after twelve at this point and I came up to the door and asked the lady about their baggage, which should have arrived over an hour ago. Finally, she said to go to the Iberia information desk. So they went there and found my mom's suticase, but not Crystal's. Hers was still in London and we had a flight booked to Paris in the morning. So we went home; in metro and then in taxi, because it was now after 1:30 a.m. and the metro had closed. We got home around 2 a.m., caught up over a glass of sangria, and exchanged little gifts. Half of my mom's suitcase was things for me--mittens, scarves, sweatpants, facial masks, and sweaters--and I gave them each a scarf and a pair of earrings to help them fit in in Spain. : ) The time got away on us and we didn't go to bed until 4:30 a.m. Our flight was at 9:30 Monday morning and when I asked my mom what time she wanted to get up, she said, "I'll probably get up at 5." I said, "Mom, that's in a half hour...". We couldn't believe how the time flew! So we went to sleep for an hour and then headed back to the airport. It was their first time on an Easy Jet flight and it was an experience to say the least. We were fine, standing in line at the gate and then the gate changed. People were practically running to the new gate. I was like, "C'mon guys, we gotta go!" as we were speedwalking through the airport. I had to put my carry-on in the little box to make sure it was the right size, and it fit; but then I couldn't get it out. A nice Spanish man had to help me pull it out! But it fit!

We got into Paris around noon and made our way to the hotel. We were staying near the Arc de Triomphe and the Avenue Champs-Élysées, a prestigious street with lots of cinemas, cafés, and luxury specialty shops. Right away we called to figure out what was going to happen to Crysta's suitcase. British airways said they would send it to our hotel. PERFECT. Because it wouldn't have fit in the Easy Jet's little carry-on size box. We had lunch at a Thai/Chinese restuarant down the street, and then walked down to the Arc de Tripmphe and then set out to get a good view of the Eiffel Tower at night.

We spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Paris too. On Tuesday, we went to Montmartre in the morning, saw Moulin Rouge (and bought tickets for a show that night!), walked to Montmartre hill and saw the adorable Artists' Square, Sacré-Coeur, and then took a mini-van tour of the city! It was snowing all day and it was freezing cold, but so beautiful! On Montmartre hill there were tons of Spaniards playing in the snow and throwing snowballs! It was great. Then that night, we had a lovely French dinner (caviar/eggplant/garlic and fried salmon) and went to Moulin Rouge! It was a good show, but nothing like the movie. We talked to some madrileños that were sitting behind us, and one said she was disappointed and that the Rockettes in NYC are more precise and much better. There was singing, dancing, juggling, a girl swimming/dancing in a water tank with snakes, a ridiculously strong man and a girl who would balance on his head, a hilarious ventriliquist, and lots of feathers and diamonds. I wish there would have been more French Can-Can, but overall I enjoyed it.

On Wednesday, we had an omelet breakfast, saw the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, and went back to the Eiffel Tower to get some more photos. It was still snowy and you couldn't see the top of the tower, but we took photos anyway. Then we visited the Notre Dame again, had lunch in the Latin Quarter (at Saint Severin's : )) and went to the Louvre!

Thursday morning, the day we were supposed to fly to Barcelona, we had the TV on in the morning and I saw on CNN that the Paris Airport was closed due to snow. So we immediately called down to the Consierge to find out if this was true. They said the airport was open, but no taxis were running to the airport. So we had to walk a few blocks in the snow with our suitcases and take the bus. That bus ride was like a SAUNA. I'm not exaggerating. It was miserable. When we got to the airport we had no idea where to go. We just got off at the first stop and went in. Luckily, we were in the right place. But we didn't have much time to spare and there was a huge line for Vueling. They were all Spanish, though, so I asked them what flight they were waiting for and they said we could go ahead because our flight was boarding in 10 min. We had our boarding passes printed already, so it was a breeze. We went through security and headed to our gate. Vueling was like a luxury airline compared to Easy Jet. No lines to wait for seats and most importantly, no box to stuff our suircases into! So Crystal and I were good to go! : )

We got into Barcelona safely and I felt so much more comfortable right away. It's so nice to speak the language and be able to communicate. We made our way to our hotel (walking 10 blocks from the nearest metro station...) and then went out for a lunch of tapas! It was delicious. Then we walked down La Rambla to the Port Vella, the Gothic neighborhood, and visited the Cathedral of Barcelona. We browsed around the Christmas market and had a coffee overlooking the plaza in front of the Cathedral. It was so relaxing and just what we needed after the stress in Paris. We went to go see the Sagrada Familia at night and then had dinner at a little restaurant with a great view of it all lit up.

On Friday, we did the tourist bus aroud Barcelona. We went to La Pedrera and took a TON of photos on the rooftop. It was such a beautiful day! Probably 60-something degrees! After that, we had to go to FNAC, to buy more memory cards for our cameras! Then we were back on the bus! We went to La Sagrada Familia, the interior of which is COMPLETE! and absolutely stunning. After the Pope visited on November 7th, it is now a Basilica (I'm not sure exactly what that means...), but I can say that it has really come along since I saw it last in May! We had a little lunch and then hopped back on the bus to visit Parc Güell by sunset. Our camera batteries were running low, but we still managed to capture the beautiful views of the sunset from the mosaic benches of Parc Güell. Then we headed back to the hotel to charge the batteries, saw the Font Mágica, and had dinner in the Gothic neighborhood!

Saturday we headed back to Madrid. We had a two hour delay in Barcelona, but made it into Madrid mid-afternoon. We went grocery shopping, watched a movie, and made dinner. It was definitely a “catch-up and relax” kind of day!

Sunday morning we went to the Rastro market, had lunch at home, and then I led a sightseeing tour of Madrid: Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, Plaza de España, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Álcala, Paseo del Prado, Plaza de Neptuno. Then we went to dinner at a gluten-free Italian restaurant with Pazos, my flatmate.

Monday I had to work, so Mom and Crystal explored the city on their own, visiting Puerta de Toledo and the Caixa Forum. We met up after school and visited the Belén del Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Madrid’s Nativity Scene). Then we went to for a walk through Retiro and saw the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace). After that, we went to Gema’s house for coffee and desserts! I was so happy that we were able to visit my host family from when I studied abroad. I know it meant a lot to her and it meant a lot to me too. After that, we rushed home because we were making homemade gluten-free pizza for dinner with Pazos! It wasn’t deep dish and the dough didn’t rise, but it was still delicious! Pazos said it was the best pizza he’s ever had!!! : ) Way to go, Mom!

Tuesday morning, they had their flight back home. But they couldn’t leave without doing a little more sight-seeing…we went to Atocha train station and saw the greenhouse with tons of plants and turtles, and then I helped them find the train they needed to take to catch the metro to the airport and I went to work.

It was a busy week, but I’m so happy that they came to visit me. It was so good to see my mom. I can’t wait to see my dad, Brittany, Ryan, Rachel, Aunt Julie, and the rest of my family and friends! …only a week and a half! : )

xoxo

that's not good.

My mom and Crystal made it to London, but their flight to Madrid has been cancelled. The Spanish airways have been closed until 7 p.m. tonight. So now they're waiting to find out if they will be able to get on a flight yet tonight or if they will have to wait until tomorrow...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things will work out.

On a brighter note, the thoughtfulness of Spaniards simply amazes me. Today I have gotten four phone calls/text messages from people wondering about my mother. I am so grateful to have such kind and caring people in my life, so that even when the skies are cloudy, they are my ray of sunshine. : )

one more sleep!

My mom and her best friend Crystal are coming tomorrow to visit for a week!

Sometimes I love Spain...Monday is the Day of the Constitution and Wednesday is the Immaculate Conception, Thursday I don't have to work because I came in on a Friday in October for the Halloween Haunted House, and Fridays I never work...so that means 10 days of vacation with my mom! We're spending the first few days in Madrid, then we're heading to Paris and Barcelona! My mom has been to Madrid once to visit me when I was studying abroad, but she hasn't been to Barcelona, and none of us have ever been to Paris! I am so excited, it's going to be a fantastic week!

And sometimes I hate Spain...today all of the air traffic controllers went on strike. They couldn't have worse timing. A lot of Spaniards travel during this puente, so it's going to affect a lot of people...I'm just hoping they can resolve it before tomorrow. They are supposed to land in Madrid Barajas at 4:30 tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed...

thanksgiving

Today Senaida and I went to a Thanksgiving dinner at Patricia's house in Mejorada del Campo, a small town outside of Madrid. It was so nice to get out of the city and be in a warm family atmosphere. It was Patricia, her Spanish husband, and their two boys; another American woman and her Spanish husband, their two boys; an Argentinian woman and her Spanish husband and their son. It was such a great environment...the sound of Spanish and English being spoken across the table; delicious American Thanksgiving classics like turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cornbread, and an assortment of apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies; Argentinian morcilla and pear empanadas; homemade applesauce (my contribution!); and Spanish wine! It was such a lovely dinner! ...Just what I needed : )

very thankful this year

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the first Thanksgiving ever that I haven't been home to spend it with my family. But it's strange because here it's just like any other Thursday--I had to work! But after work, I met up with my study abroad director, Patricia, for lunch at La Gavia, a huge American-style mall south of the city. She is such a sweetheart and I am so thankful to have her here in Madrid.

2010 has been a year of growth and change; I graduated from college, left the following day to spend two weeks with a group of Ripon students in Barcelona, and then went to Italy to work as an English tutor for the summer. Now, I'm back in Spain, living and working on my own. The sense of independence I have now is something I never could have imagined. Sometimes I forget how incredible everything I'm doing really is... I know, though, that I never would have been able to set out on this incredible journey of personal growth and change without the support of my family and my friends back home. My mom, especially, has been such a source of strength and support. She gave me her blessing after graduation to chase my dreams, no matter where they lead me, and that's exactly what I'm doing.

no can do...

So the Colegio in Majadahonda emailed me back and said the position was for the "jornada completa"...meaning 9:00-5:30...and they asked if I was interested in an interview. If I got it, I know I would be paid probably 3-4 times more than I'm making now, but I don't think I have the right visa to work full-time. Plus, I have to fulfill my obligations as an Auxiliar. So I told them I couldn't. But maybe another year! ; )

you want my curriculum?!

I never heard anything about the nannying job I interviewed for a month ago, and I would love to have some extra dinero, so on Sunday I posted a classified ad on two websites offering myself as a native English-speaking babysitter to pick up kids from school and accompany them to extracurricular activities. On Tuesday, I received an email from a family with a 13 month-old baby. They said that they already have a nanny, but they are looking to supplement that with a native English-speaking babysitter so the baby learns English. They also live really close, which would be great. I replied with my availability and my rate (after talking to some of the teachers at school, I decided to charge 12 euros/hour). I also asked them what the babysitting situation would be like; would I be alone with the child, or would one of the parents or the nanny be there, do I need to give the baby a snack, etc. I haven't heard anything back....

Then, on Thursday, I received an email from a private elementary school in Majadahonda, a very posh area outside Madrid. They said they need primary English teachers and asked if I would be interested. They said to send my curriculum! I'm not sure if they're looking for a full-time teacher, or if I would be able to do this in addition to what I'm currently doing, but I'm going to send my curriculum (even if it's in English...)! My flatmate said to just go ahead and send it, even if it's in English; and I can write a little introduction blurp in Spanish. So yesterday afternoon I worked on my perfecting my curriculum! I called my mom on her way to work and together we chose the right verbs and the best descriptions for my activities and past work experience, so we'll see what happens!

One thing is for certain: I have the best mother in the world. When I told her about the job opportunity working as an English teacher in a private elementary school, without hesitating she told me to go for it! She is so supportive of me and all of my (sometimes crazy) endeavors. I am so lucky. I can't wait to see her! She is coming in TWO weeks with her best friend to visit me and we're going to Paris and Barcelona too! I am so excited! : ) It's also her birthday on Monday, so I am going to start looking for the perfect birthday present, and maybe get some ideas for Christmas too! I'm excited to do my Christmas shopping in Spain this year! Some pretty sweet gifts are in order! : )

besos desde madrid
XOXO

retail therapy.

Today I did some serious shopping! Yesterday, my host mom told me about a little market that was going on near her house with sale prices up to 90% off so, of course, I had to check it out! It was a famous Spanish brand, Flanemco, and normally their stuff is expensive, but at the market, I bought a purple cordoroy coat for 30 euros and two other shirts for 25 each. The style of the line is very Spanish, but it has kind of an indie flair...I love it!

I also went to H&M and I bought a sweater, a scarf and a long-sleeved t-shirt...I should have brought warmer clothes! I can't believe how cold it is already! ...I guess I'll just have to do more shopping : )

MTV Day en Madrid

This weekend MTV's European Music Awards (EMAs) were presented in Madrid. Hosted by Eva Longoria and presented in the Caja Mágica, outside the city. As a part of the celebration, MTV put on a series of free outdoor concerts in the Puerta de Alcalá on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was MTV Day and featured the Spanish artists Efecto Mariposa, Fangoria, and David Bisbal. I only knew one song, "Waving Flag," which David Bisbal performed for the World Cup; but it was a ton of fun to be outside, in a crowd of Spaniards singing, and listening to free live music! Sunday's concerts featured American groups 30 Seconds to Mars, Katy Perry, and Linkin Park. I thought people would be most excited to see Katy Perry, but apparently Spain LOVES Linkin Park! Linkin Park did put on a pretty good show and, in fact, they won the award for Best Live, so it was neat to see them perform! I also appreciated that they prepared a phrase in Spanish! At the end of their performance, they said (in Spanish), "Thank you for coming. It has been a pleasure to be here with all of you in Madrid." It was so cute! 30 Seconds to Mars also put on a really good show. The lead singer really got the crowd involved and jumping! Right away he told everyone to come closer--and we did! We moved up probably 15-20 feet! It was crowded, but fun! I didn't know any of their music, but I really enjoyed their performance. Katy Perry didn't seem very enthusiastic to be performing, and even though I knew most of her songs, I wasn't that impressed with her performance. She didn't do very much to involve the crowd, she kept trying to say Madrid with a Spanish accent and it was just annoying, and her outfit was really ugly... But, hey, it was free! I went with my friend Jackie and I took tons of pictures!

happy halloween

happy halloween from a 1920s flapper!

This weekend I went out with Senaida, a lovely girl I work with at school and we had a blast! Saturday night we went out near sol, drinking some sangria, mojitos, and dancing the night away! Sunday night we went to a Latin American salsa bar, where we danced until 6am! It was so much fun!

P.S. I also joined a gym in my neighborhood on Saturday, so I'm excited to start working out again! ...and meet new people!


xo
christy

haunted house

All this week we have been preparing for our haunted house and today was the big day! Yesterday Nathan (our half-Australian, half-Spanish supervisor/coordinator) told us that the kids would start going through the haunted house between 12:15 and 12:30, so we all decided we would come at 10:30 to finish up some last-minute preparations and then get into costume! So we were all ready to go at 12:15 when Nathan comes in and says the entire school is still doing a Halloween activity and won't be able to go through the haunted house until after lunch--at 3pm. We were furious to say the least. He invited us to go out with all the teachers to a bar for lunch, but we were all dressed up in our costumes, with our faces painted, and didn't feel like going out in public looking like vampires/mummies/corpses/witches; plus. we didn't want the kids to see us before the haunted house. So, I jokingly asked him if the school was going to provide us with lunch, since we weren't expecting to say there for so long...he just kind of laughed it off and didn't really answer. He said we could eat in the cafeteria, but he didn't say it would be free. We were starving too, since we missed the snack/breakfast the teachers eat at 11:30 during the kids' recess. So we sat there in the assembly room/auditorium for two hours until finally the school secretary, Gema, came in with the director of the school and she offered us a free lunch in the cafeteria (it normally costs 4,50 €). The director of the school was furious that everything was so poorly organized. We felt bad for ratting Nathan out, but I'm glad that the director knew what was really happening and what a mess it was. We had a great lunch (bread, cauliflower, pumpkin soup, chicken, croquetas, eggrolls, salad, fresh fruit, and an arroz con leche cake!) and then got ready for the kids to come through the haunted house!

The kids were so excited for the haunted house and we just wanted to get it over with and go home at that point! The kids and the teachers LOVED the haunted house! Some kids cried and had to leave and then others were too cool and saying things like, "You don't scare me"; "Hello, beautiful" etc., but we got a ton of compliments and everyone was really impressed!

Here are a few photos from the festivities : )

teaching stories...

I made a kid cry today!

He was not paying attention during the lesson and was being a distraction to the other kids in the small group I was working with, so I told him he had to go back to class and stay with the teacher and the other students. He started crying, saying, "No, no, no!" But I made him and another boy, who were the two distractions in the group, go back to class. I walked them out of the room and back to the classroom, where I explained to the teacher why they had to return to class. To get back to the classroom from the art room that we were in, you have to pass through another classroom, where another auxiliar was teaching. So I marched the two boys through the classroom (one crying) and I guess the other auxiliar said her kids were scared after that! She threatened them that if they didn't behave, they would have to go back to class too! I felt bad for making the poor kid cry, but when I talked to his teacher after class she said that he cries easily, so I don't feel so bad.

But discipline is definitely my least favorite part about teaching. It's necessary, though.

All the other girls I work with tell me I am going to be a teacher : ) I love it. It just comes really naturally to me, so that's my plan when I go home: look for teaching programs. I think I want to stick to elementary-age kids, but I could also see myself enjoying teaching Spanish at a middle or high-school level...so many options!

We are starting to plan for Halloween at school! The program director wants us to do something special for Halloween, so we're tossing around ideas like a "tunnel of terror" or different stations (put your hand inside the box and feel the brains/eyeballs/etc; arts and crafts; story-telling; and other games), but we're not certain yet. Either way, I want to do something the kids are going to remember! And Halloween is my favorite holiday...

Still no news about the nannying job, but I did see a flyer for free Spanish classes in my neighborhood, so I think I'm going to check that out tonight! I figure it's a good way to keep practicing and keep my grammar sharp! : ) Plus, it's free! I looked on the website, and the information was in Spanish and Arabic...so I think it's going to be me and bunch of Indians, but I don't mind! Maybe I'll make some new friends!

¡basket español!

Tonight I went to a Spanish professional basketball game! My flatmate has season tickets and couldn't go tonight, so he gave me his ticket. I went by myself, but it was a really good experience. The game was played in an arena that was built for bull-fighting, so it was completely round with the court in the center of the ring. I think the circle was actually nice, because there wasn't really a bad seat in the house. I was cheering for the Asefa Estudiantes (the Students), who ended up losing 66-77 to the DKV Joventut (from Barcelona). But there was a great atmosphere and it was fun to observe the spectators : )

fingers crossed

i received an email from the nanny agency today and i have to wait until tomorrow to find out about the nannying position! the mother hasn't made up her mind yet, so hopefully i will find out tomorrow!

la vida es buenissima.

I am so happy with life right now! I just got home yesterday from Basque Country, a region in northern spain, near France--it was so beautiful and the culture is very different from that of traditional Spain! In fact, there were posters all over the old part of town that read, "Attention Tourist: You are not in Spain, You are not in France, You are in the Basque Country. Welcome!" Just to give you an idea of the sense of Basque pride!

I went with Jackie, a girl from Chicago whom I met during orientation my first week in Madrid. We visited Bilbao and San Sebastian, traveling 100% in bus. It was a long trip (5 hours to Bilbao from Madrid Saturday morning, 1 hour to San Sebastian from Bilbao Sunday morning, and almost 7 hours from San Sebastian back to Madrid yesterday), but so worth it. We left Satruday morning at 7 am from Madrid. We were both exhausted from packing and preparing before the trip...we were searching like crazy people for a hostel that was not completely booked for the long weekend, but couldn't find anything! So the first thing we did upon our arrival to Bilbao was call down the list of hostels we obtained at the bus station. And, surprise! The third hostel I called had rooms still available! So we hurried to the hostel to reserve our room and put our things down. Then we walked around the city! Bilbao I had always heard described as an industrial city, but I thought it was beautiful! Perhaps the changing leaves had something to do with this...but I absolutely loved it! The main tourist attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum which is a modern, metal structure along the river. It provided some pretty great photo ops! : ) The weather wasn't very good; it was sprinkling on and off during the day and Saturday night when we tried to go out it was downpouring, so we decided to just stay in, which was fine because we were still exhausted from the short night before! But we did, however, go out for pintzos, tiny sandwich-like appetizers/tapas, which the Basque Country is famous for! I had one of tortilla espanola; another of grilled ham, cheese, and tomato sauce; and one of fried cheese. SO delicious.

So Sunday morning, we got up and caught the 10 o'clock bus to San Sebastian. This time we had a hostel reservation! Our hostel--OceanView--was right on the beach and was a surfer's paradise. We met tons of people from Australia and even some other Americans who are living in Madrid and teaching through a similar program! We walked around the old part of the city and the harbor, and then it started to sprinkle, so we headed back to the hostel. We took a nap and relaxed there for the rest of the day. At night, all of the hostel guests chipped in for a few bottles of wine and we just hung out in the hostel! It was a lot of fun. Monday we got up early and did tons of sight-seeing. We hiked up to the Jesus statue that overlooks the city, then walked across two beaches to the famous "Wind Comb" sculptures, had lunch at a little cafe on the beach, saw the cathedral, and went back to the hostel with very sore feet from all that walking! But it was great to finally have a little sunshine and be able to really explore the city!

I posted some of my favorite photos from the trip, but I have more on facebook if you want to see more! Enjoy : )

P.S. I also had an interview for a nannying position today and it went really well! It's for a 7 year-old boy and the family lives near Plaza Mayor, 15 minutes walking distance from my apartment! PERFECT. I will let you know as soon as I hear back!

besos.

happy as a clam

Today was such a great day! I went and visited my school this morning; it turned out to be more of an adventure than I would have liked, but after two phone calls and stopping 5 people on the street, I finally found it! The best part is it's only a 20-minute commute from my apartment to my school! So I went on a tour of the school, met some of the teachers, and talked to Patricia and Monica, the two main ones I will be working with. I will be teaching students in the second cycle (grades 3 and 4; 8-9 years old) Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday I will be helping with English classes and Wednesday and Thursday will be a mix of English and Science. Today I sat down with Monica and we went through the textbook and the year-plan for science, and she even gave me my own teacher's edition of the science book. After our meeting she had class, so I asked if I could sit in and just observe. Because of the Huelga General (strike) today, there were only four students in class! But they were learning about living things in science class and Monica didn't want to get too far ahead today because so many students were missing, so I suggested the kids make Venn Diagrams about plants and animals. I can't believe I taught a lesson my very first day! It was such a great feeling. After class, I went and talked to Patricia, the English teacher, and she explained what grammar the two classes are studying in English and gave me the year-plan for English as well. I am so glad I went to visit today! I have a very good feeling about this year! I can't wait to get started on Monday! : )


More the the HUELGA General! So today across Spain there was a huge strike by workers of all kinds. The strike was well-supported by the Spaniards; over 70% of the working population (some 10 million Spaniards) participated. The strike affected mostly Spanish industry, but commercial operations and public transportation (the metro!) continued to operate. The biggest surprise for me was that all of the "chinos" (the Spanish equivalent of dollar stores, almost all of which are operated by Chinese) were closed! Chinos NEVER close! They are open on Sundays and during the hours of the siesta, so it was very strange to see them all closed today. There was some violence involved in the strike too; strikers vandalized buses, set fires, tipped over garbage bins, and set off small firework-like explosives. In Madrid, one striker was actually run over while she was trying to prevent a distribution truck from leaving a printing press. I didn't go to Puerta del Sol or Gran Via where most of the manifestations were taking place, but I can tell you that my neighborhood was very quiet this morning! : )

Tonight Pazitos and I went to Ikea, where he bought a mirror and a new comforter for my room, and I bought picture frames. My room is coming together, slowly but surely! Now that I'm surrounded by photos it feels more like home : ) and I couldn't be happier.

paseo del Prado

I live within walking distance from many of the major museums of Madrid (The Prado, The Thyssen-Bornemisza, The Reina Sofia, The CaixaForum, and The National Archaeological Museum of Spain) so today I decided to take a little walk along the Paseo del Prado. My favorite stop was outside The Prado, where I sat for a while and watched an artist at work and enjoyed some acoustic guitar. Naturally, I snapped a few photos : ). The painter caught me taking one and winked at me...and from then on we were friends.

finalmente... fotos : )

i finally have photos of my apartment!

just some thoughts

So I am all moved into my apartment (as of Friday!) and it's going really well so far. I live with a Spaniard, named Pazitos, who is 33 years old. He is a phy-ed teacher in a high school in Toledo, about 45 minutes outside of Madrid. I will post pictures soon...I need to charge my camera!

Friday night I went out without a jacket : ( and I think I caught a bit of a cold. I woke up with a sore throat yesterday, but I still went running with Pazitos and a friend of his in Retiro. We went twice around the park, which is something like 7km (4.3 miles)...I was exhausted!! I haven't ran that far in a very long time! Since Pazitos is a phy-ed teacher, he also led us in some ab exercises, stretching, and push-ups afterward. My legs are sore today, but I can only imagine what shape I'll be in by the end of the year! I didn't realize I was moving in with a personal trainer! : ) After the run, I pretty much laid around all day. My throat was pretty sore so I went to the Farmacia down the block and I got some tablets to suck on and spent the rest of the day lounging on the couch. I hate to waste a Saturday, but I just did not feel up to much.

Today I'm feeling a bit better. My throat isn't as sore, but my nose is really runny. But I met up with a friend and went to the Rastro and then we went walking around. I love the location of my apartment! I can walk almost anywhere--it's awesome. So this afternoon I'm not sure what I'll do--I wish I could meet more people! That's the only bad thing right now. I met one girl at orientation, but I haven't seen her since. Same with a couple other people. I hope it's just a temporary thing, you know, while people are busy looking for flats, getting settled, etc. But I only know a handfull of people, so hopefully once school starts I will be able to meet more people! Otherwise, I don't know, I might try to join a gym, CouchSurfers.org, or some other kind of social group where I can meet people. I would say that's the hardest part about this program--not being connected right away with other people/friends--because many of my other experiences abroad have been with groups from school, but this is more like what I did this summer in Italy. I didn't know anyone there either, but I met a lot of great people. I'm hoping this experience turns out to be the same way. I just have to give it some time.

all oriented now!

Today we had a morning of orientation. We learned about the virtual classroom that is basically the link between all of the auxiliares of Madrid and the Administration (the Consejería de Educación de Madrid). It's actually really cool -- our own little virtual community! With lots of teaching material and resources. It's going to be really helpful when it comes to planning activities, etc.

So, another hilarious Spain moment: Today I saw this old man (so adorable!) scolding this African man who was trying to hand out/sell newspapers on the sidewalk. It was so funny! Usually the salesmen just say, "Buenas tardes señora..." as you walk by without paying any attention to them, but this old man was not having it! He was pointing his finger at poking at the poor man's chest! I don't know what the salesman said, but it was so funny to see the old man not only paying attention to him, but literally scolding him!

I move into my new apartment tomorrow, but Gema told me to take only the 'urgent' things. She said it's an excuse for me to come back next week! : ) Beatrice told me today that she's going to miss me...even though I'm going to be in the same city!

orientation, day 1

Today we had our first day of orientation! It was long (9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.), but we got a lot of valuable information. We learned more about the Bilingual Elementary School Program and our role in it; listened to many presentations by teachers offering us lots of activities and resources for planning mini-lessons and time-fillers; and even had a presentation about security and well-being during our time in Spain from the American Embassy! It was really a great day.

I met a bunch of people too. These orientations are always good for getting to know people; the only bad thing is you have to get to know people really fast and get their contact info because apart from the three orientation sessions we have this year, we might not see them again if we don't make it a point to! I sat next to a really nice girl from Chicago and we hung out pretty much all day, so I think I made a lovely friend! : ) I also feel better about my situation because I already have an apartment! There are lots of people who just arrived yesterday or who have been here for a week and still haven't found an apartment, so I'm really glad I got that out of the way! Now the only thing I have left to do is open a bank account...but I want to talk to Gema first before I do that! From our discussions today, it sounds like each bank is works differently and has different fees and services. The problem with opening an account is that we don't have our identification cards yet with our ID number, which you need to open an account. They said some banks let you open an account with your passport, but then you must either pay 18 euros up front or 4 euros a month until you can present them with your NIE...so I want to do a little more research before I open an account. I just have to make sure I have an account before I receive my first paycheck via direct deposit the end of October-beginning of November!

2 days until move-in : )

p.s. today some of the teachers passed around student work and it was so adorable! but also very different from that of American children...let me give you an example: one 10-year-old girl wrote an "All About Me" book that was not your average story! It began with her parents falling in love, then the next page was the fertilization, followed by the stages of pregnancy, etc. etc., all very anatomically correct! It was surprising to say the least! But, hey, welcome to Spain!

Another random thing: You know you are in Spain when there is a man passed out on the metro in the middle of the afternoon, still holding a beer in his hand. He wakes up every couple stops, takes a sip, and goes back to sleep.

-christy-

keys in hand : )

Today I went back to see the apartment, but this time Gema and Beatrice came with me. I wanted to them to see it and get their impressions before I agreed completely to live there. It is funny because I texted Pazitos and asked if it was okay if my adoptive mother and adoptive little sister could come with me, and he laughed and then told me that his dad was going to come too! So I think we are both very much on the same page...we have a good feeling about it, but just needed someone else's opinion too.

So he gave me the keys and I'm going to move my stuff on Friday! I've already been looking at ikea.com for ideas : ) This is going to be fun!

Tomorrow I have my orientation! So I'm excited to finally not be a bum! I did a "test run" today to see how long it would take me to get there from Gema's house, and it takes nearly an hour! So I will have to leave in plenty of time to get there before it starts at 9:30. Tomorrow I will be getting up 5 HOURS earlier than I have been...oh boy... : )

but, overall, i am a happy little madrileña : )

feliz : )

So my friend Pazitos called--and we're going to be flatmates! He still doesn't know where he is going to be placed for work, so it's possible that I might be home alone during the week, but that's fine with me. So tomorrow I'm going back with Gema (my host mother) and maybe Beatrice (my little sister) to look at it again and get all of my questions answered...and then I'll move in on Friday! I am so happy : ) Beatrice is sad that I'm leaving already, but she said at least I'm not going back to the U.S.! But I'm sure I'll see them often! They are the greatest. This experience would be so much more stressful without them.

So tomorrow I will go visit the flat, then Wednesday and Thursday I have my Auxiliares orientation, and then Friday is moving day! Orientation is kind of long...Wednesday it's from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday from 9:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but I'm excited to meet other Auxiliares!

We might have a winner!

I visited two flats today and I found one that I absolutely love! It's in the center of the city, near the metro stop Antón Martín (on metro line 1) and I work at a school near the metro stop Miguel Hernández (Also on line 1!) So I would live only 10 stops away ~25 minutes! that is GENIAL! The flat is owned by a 30ish year-old Spanish guy, named Pazitos, who seems really chill. He is a secondary teacher and is also studying English to pass a Cambridge exam, so we can have intercambios. The flat is great...the building is 150 years old, but it was all remodeled about a year ago. It's very modern, with a sunny living room, a nice kitchen, one bathroom, and then the two bedrooms. My bedroom has a window that looks into the center of the building; a twin bed; a desk; a nice, big closet; and lots of shelf space. The whole apartment has laminate wood flooring and it looks like something out of an IKEA catalog. De hecho, when I walked in there was the catalog sitting on the coffee table. He said we can order anything that I need from Ikea! SUPER. The area it's in is mostly a pedestrian-only zone (only the residents of the area can drive). It is near Lavapiés, which is a diverse zone--there are tons of ethnic restaurants, in fact, one thing he warned me about was that the chimney from the Indian restaurant is in the interior of the building, so there is a little humming noise that comes from that (and it smells like curry a lot! But I can handle that! : )) But just so you get more of an idea of this Pazitos guy, there was a thing for climbing in the kitchen...he hopped right up there and did some pull-ups! So I might turn into a climber by the end of the year! We'll see...

I really liked that apartment, but I won't know for sure if he is going to rent it until tomorrow. He doesn't find out until tomorrow where he will be placed to teach this year. So if he is placed somewhere he can commute everyday, he will rent the room; but if he gets placed somewhere where he will be away all week, then he won't rent the room. So I'm hoping that he receives a close placement!

Oh, I also went to El Rastro today and bought a lovely pair of lounge pants : )

I will update tomorrow when I know more!

-christy

Things are looking up...

So I realized that yesterday's post was a little pessimistic. I'm feeling better about the whole apartment search today. This morning I went and saw a few different rooms that a company rents to students. I didn't really care for that style of living; it was essentially an L-shaped hallway with 5 bedrooms coming off of it, a small kitchen, a complete bathroom, and a half bathroom. There was no living room or any common living space at all. It was like a dorm room, but worse. No, thanks.

But this afternoon, I'm going to see a room in a flat shared with two 24 year-old girls about 3 blocks from my host family's house! perrrrrrfect. I'm really excited. Here is the link to the ad (even though it's in Spanish!) : http://madrid.loquo.com/ps/vivienda/compartir-piso-alq-habitacion/buscamos-companera-para-compartir-piso/4576937/buscamos-companera-para-compartir-piso It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a nice living room, and I hope I like it!! It would be great to be able to get settled in! : )

I also have two appointments to see other rooms tomorrow and one more on Monday! I am realizing how important it is to be organized...I am sending out so many emails and messages through these websites that I am getting responses and I can't even keep track of which email is with which room! Ahi yai yai!! But I don't really care! The important thing is that I'm seeing LOTS of options! : )

So today is a good day. : )

Let the search begin.

So I just arrived in Madrid yesterday! The flight was alright; I went Rochester --> Chicago --> London --> Madrid. The flight from Chicago to London was a lot shorter than flights to Madrid, only 6 hours, so between eating dinner and watching some of my last American television shows I didn't get much sleep. I also decided that I don't like Heathrow. Bad news is that I have to travel through London on my way back home. On Christmas Eve. Not looking forward to that at all. And the icing on the cake was that when I went to pick up my luggage in Madrid, one of my four wheels was missing. So I had to file a damage report. Granted they're going to send me a new suitcase, but I still had to drag the broken one through the metro and for three blocks to my host family's apartment.

I am so thankful they're letting me stay here. I was a disaster when I got in yesterday--just overwhelmed with everything. I know it's going to be a good experience because I am really worried right now (I was really worried before I studied abroad and before I worked in Italy this summer, but both turned out to be really great experiences), but it's definitely a very new experience. If I didn't have my host family, I would have no one that I knew in the city and nowhere to stay except in a hostel (by myself! terrifying!) So I am very lucky to have them.

I started the apartment searching a little while I was still at home, but now that I'm here, it has really begun! I have been scouring the web looking for rooms in shared apartments. I get paid 1000 euros a month, so I want to try and find something for 4oo euros or less...I would also like to share a flat with young people, who speak spanish, prefierably girls, who don't smoke, and I don't want to have to share a bathroom with tons of people. I might be a little picky, but for 9 months, I don't want to be miserable!

One of the English magazines the city puts out has a section about finding a flat. It's really optimistic. The accommodation page opens with: "If it was a choice between flat-hunting in Madrid and having three-hour root-canal work with no anaesthetic, it'd be the dentist's chair every time. Finding somewhere to live in Madrid is not fun." Super, huh? Well, I'm a little frustrated, but I'm not giving up! Today, I saw a tiny dorm-room like apartment. It didn't have a living room, the kitchen was in the hallway (basically non-existent), there was no kitchen table, there were two bedrooms (the free one had bunkbeds, even though it was a single room), and it was for 395 euros plus 20-30 euros for bills. I was not impressed. I continued to look and found a few more options online, but the problem is that all the students are arriving now, so the rooms go super fast! You almost need to look daily and call only the ones from that day, because if the room's been advertised for more than a few days, it's probably taken. However, I do have an appointment to see some rooms tomorrow. There is some kind of agency that must have a bunch of rooms in different zones, so I'm going to meet with her and look at a few rooms. I also have a meeting set up for Sunday, and I am in contact with two other people! So, I have to be optimistic! If nothing else, next Wednesday and Thursday I have my Auxiliares orientation, so maybe I can find a roommate/friend there and we can team up to look for something! We shall see. Until then, lots of searching, calling, and waiting.

--christy

Madrid, here I come!

I leave for Madrid today! My flight is out of Rochester, then I go to Chicago and London before landing in Madrid at 4:30 p.m. (Madrid time is +7 hours) tomorrow! I will be staying with my host family from when I studied abroad (spring 2009) until I find an apartment of my own! Finding an apartment is the only thing I am a little nervous about; other than that I am excited! I will miss everyone at home, but I will be home for Christmas, so it's not very different from another semester at Ripon! : )

Well, I had better finish packing! I will post again tomorrow!

love.

A Day in Trento

Yesterday we visited Trento, the capital of the autonomous province of Trentino. Trento is about an hour from Preore, where I live. We were all very tired and hot, so we didn't do much sightseeing in Trento. We saw the Piazza de Duomo and the Fountain of Neptune, and that was about it! ...However, we were able to do some shopping : ) You would be proud of me! I only bought earrings! I have been wearing the same pair for over a month now, and for a girl who loves earrings, a month is a verrrrrrrrrrrry long time! So I'm excited to try them out! : )

Today is my last day in Preore and I am sad to leave my host family. They have been incredible. I feel like a third daughter. They have already invited me (and my family!) to come and stay with them next year when I am working in Spain, and they are planning on me staying with them next summer for 3 weeks if I do ACLE again! I told them I would absolutely love it.

Tomorrow morning I leave for my last camp--a two-week camp in Santa Giustina, a city 80 km NW of Venice in the Province of Belluno.

And then I will be home on AUGUST 2nd!!! : ) Can't wait to see everyone!

xoxo

i ♥ verona!

Carisolo City Camp June 28-July 9

Here are some photos from my two-week City Camp in Carisolo, Trentino:

xoxo, Christy

VENICE!

Today Chenoa (my awesome friend from Cape Town, South Africa) and I went to Venice with my host family. We live about three hours away from Venice in car, so we decided to drive! So cool. Venice is absolutely beautiful! We got a tourist 'bus' pass for the day and rode the 'bus' boat around the Grand Canal; saw the famous Ponte di Rialto; got off and wandered down some of the side streets, looking at the beautiful canals full of gondolas; had pizza; visited Piazza San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs, which was the last bit of sky the prisoners saw before entering the underground prison; went for a 30-second gondola ride; and then ended the day with a trip to Murano to see the famous Murano glass workshop! It was an amazing, but exhaustingly hot day! For only having one day in Venice, I'd say we did a good job of seeing the highlights! However, I would go back to Venice in a heartbeat! It's just such a magical city...