Logroño-La Rioja, España

January 21st-23rd, 2011 

Pinchos-Sauteed mushrooms in garlic and dried ham.

All of us American's were eager to start our immense amount of traveling upon our return to the Spanish land. Many of us haven't decided if we're going to extend our year or not, so it could be now or never to travel to all the places we desire before our departure. All of us have been to many different places in Spain, so we had a hard time deciding which city to visit that none of us had previously seen. We looked on a map and decided on a town called Logroño, which is northeast of Madrid and the capital of the wine country, La Rioja. Many Spaniards told us there was nothing to do there--and they turned out to be right....LOL! I must say, though, that it's really hard to compare cities after living in such a lively and historical city like Madrid. The seven of us went for a little weekend away, and despite not offering a lot, we had a pretty great time enjoying each others company and making the most of what the town had to offer us. We took a bus from Madrid, through Soria, to Logroño. I have always enjoyed bus rides through the country--sometimes you have mountains, greenery, dry land, and even a castle! And it's so weird for us city folk driving in small cities. You're used to only seeing huge apartment buildings in the city, and end up seeing tons of houses in the country. I really enjoy living in a big city like Madrid, because there are SO many opportunities of various sorts. For instance, you can take a bus, train, or plane basically ANYWHERE you want. If I lived in a small town like Logroño, or even Soria for that matter, I would have to take a long bus ride to an airport, and would only be allowed to go to the limited destinations that buses offer. Noooo thank you! We arrived in Logroño on Friday night, and stayed in a decent little pension [which is like a hostel, but was basically just a larger apartment]. Elise, Lolly and I arrived first, and went out for a nice Spanish meal. I decided to try something I had never eaten before that apparently is a delicacy here: Ox tail. It was smothered in a gravy-like wine sauce, and just tasted like stew meat. It wasn't too bad, but I did have a hard time eating it after seeing the bone, which made me think of my own tail bone! Haha. It's funny how open I am to trying new things as an adult, because as a child, I was extremely picky. I'm sure my parents would have never expected that I'd eat things like ox tail or blood pudding...Haha. Our first full day in Logroño, we decided test out what the town was known for: red wine. We made up a walking pincho/wine tour, and tried wine at different places. Logroño eats a lot of mushrooms, as well as garlic, and the two mixed together are just delicious! The best part about the day was that on average, the house wine was about 70 cents. For a pincho and wine, it basically wasn't anymore than 3 euros. Talk about ridiculously cheap! We went out later on, but it ended up being another chill type-of-night. We decided to walk around the town on our last day, and at least enjoy the views. We came across the Puente de Piedra [rock bridge] over a small river, a cathedral, as well as a bike trail. We were basically killing time on Sunday, and although the weather was extremely cold [from my Southern Californian perspective] we appreciated the relaxation of walking around and talking after a tiring work week.

Lolly and I in front of the Puente de Piedra.

Amount of Spanish autonomous communities visited thus far: 11 out of 17. [Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, La Rioja, Madrid, Region of Murcia, Valencian Community] ¡Toma!

A New Semester

Written January 9th, 2011

     So I've been extremely bad at updating my blog, and I am completely aware of it. I'm hoping that I'll become an avid blogger this semester, about even the smallest encounters, cultural differences, learning experiences and adventures.

     I just returned from spending three weeks in California with family and friends. This is the second time I have gone home from Spain during the holidays, and although I really would like to experience Christmas, Three Kings, and New Years the Spanish way, nothing beats going home with all your own traditions and being surrounded by the ones who know and love you the most. I actually had two Spaniards offer to have me spend those holidays with them and their families, which was a very nice gesture. If I didn't have the opportunity to go home, I definitely would have taken them up on their invitation!
     Now it's back to the grind. Although officially I only work 16 hours a week at the school, I feel like I spend far more hours there. After work, I have three separate tutoring classes, and this semester my coordinator told me that they want me to start tutoring my colleagues to improve their English...something like 20 teachers! Talk about intimidating! Haha. But I think it's a compliment and shows that I've already started to build a relationship with my coworkers. It makes me happy that I can help them improve their English [as they help me improve my Spanish!] After all that, I have another certificate class that begins, so I will be back to studying a lot, making lesson plans, trying to improve my Spanish, and see as much of Spain and Europe as I can before I leave. I can't complain though, because I thoroughly enjoy being busy...especially since it was probably harder to leave home this time. I'm no stranger to homesickness, and although I haven't gotten homesick yet, it's still very possible it could happen. And the best way to avoid it? STAYING BUSY!
     Anyway, here's to shorter yet more blog entries until the end of June. ¡Qué disfrutéis! :]

Creativity

Hey all!

It seems that my blogs become less frequent as I become more comfortable and busy with my life here in Spain. Before arriving here, I wanted to make sure I was at least somewhat busy so that when the homesickness hit, I wouldn't have much time to think about what it would be like to be home with my close friends and family, nor feel the sadness that accompanies it. Originally, I had planned to start my translation and interpretation certificate program after returning home from Spain. It turns out that there were a few classes available online, so signing up for one would give me a head start on my certificate, and would keep me from getting too comfortable being out of school after graduation. I never thought that just ONE course would occupy so much of my time! I am currently taking a Spanish to English translation course, and we have gone into complete depth of the English language, with all of itscorrect punctuation and grammar. Not to mention the amount and intensity of the translations that are given! It may not sound intense to some, but the reality is that all the precise details of each language must be understood, practiced and memorized in order to be taken seriously as a translator, and be seen as a professional. If a client sees the tiniest mistake in the beginning of a piece of work, the continuation of your "professional" translation career may no longer exist. Although the work is tough, it has kept me on my toes and has kept me challenging myself, which I have realized is something I appreciate so much.

My job as a teacher has helped me learn how enjoyable and beneficial a good challenge can be. Always having to find a way to keep the interest of your students, having to change a whole [planned] lesson based on how the students are feeling/responding that day, trying to find examples in order to make the understanding of a topic thorough in English AND Spanish, etc. This demonstrates just some examples of what the life of a [bilingual] teacher may lead. Yes, I am merely an assistant in the classroom, but I have picked up three one-hour English tutoring sessions so far, which has also taken up a lot of my time. I make my own lesson plans, diagrams and worksheets, and have a diversity of students, including a group of first graders, third graders, and middle schoolers. I find that working with just a few students at a time is very rewarding, and allows the students to get close and comfortable with you, their teacher. Working on your own also allows you to get creative, and do whatever your little heart desires.

I have always been a fan of creativity, whether it be to create a poster, make a scrapbook, arrange pictures in an unfamiliar way, etc. I am completely in love with the idea of being surrounding by pretty things, although I believe creativity exists in many other forms as well. Creativity may mean moving to Spain to learn Spanish. Or it may mean becoming a beautiful dancer or painter (which unfortunately, I possess neither of those skills...haha). Either way, being creative means using your imagination to its fullest. Some may see creative people as weird, or "artsy." Others may see creative people as those who waste time on topics and talents that are useless. But nowadays, those individuals who are creative have skillfully developed their brain in a way that others have developed theirs in math or science, or other "important" topics. Being different is what makes people unique and original, and still today, creative people are seen as "different." In the future, being creative may not even exist if it is continued to be frowned upon or criticized.

My colleague informed me of this speech by Sir Ken Robinson. He questions and approaches the fact that schools possibly kill the creativity of young people in society. He has a good point; not everyone is the same, yet society has made it so that every child must act and behave the same way. After working in many different classrooms, I have seen what Robinson is talking about, especially in the younger grades, like first and second. For instance, there is one young girl in first grade who, to any other person, would look a bit spacey. However, she is smart, and knows most of the answers when the teacher calls on her. She just looks rather bored most of the time, doesn't really give off the "smart" vibe, and some may try and diagnose her with something. But maybe being in a structured classroom isn't as fitting for her as it is for other children. The same may apply to those children who are constantly getting in trouble--not for being a bully or hurtful to others, but for not behaving as the teacher wants them to. I am not trying to challenge anyone's beliefs, nor am I trying to change anyone's mind; I merely found Robinson's purpose and point fascinating. Take it for what you will...

Burgos-1st trip in Spain-October 9th & 10th, 2010

           Traveling is one of the goals at the top of my list this year, since all of Europe is pretty much in my backyard. I was adamant about seeing as much as I could during my first year in Spain, and was agreeing to trip invitations to countries I had never imagined I’d visit [for example, Israel to stay with Sara’s sister who lives there]. They offered some of the best lessons and experiences in my life, and I am so happy and privileged to have been able to visit as many countries as I did, including:

-The Netherlands [Amsterdam]

-Scotland [Edinburgh]

-France [Paris]

-Morocco [Marrakech]

-Ireland [Dublin, Limerick]

-Israel [Tel Aviv, Jerusalem]

-Germany [Munich, Berlin]

-Czech Republic [Prague]

-Greece [Santorini, Athens]

As well as these very diverse cities in Spain:

            -Madrid [obviously!]

            -Barcelona
            -Sitges

            -Segovia

            -Granada

            -Sevilla

            -Avila

            -Salamanca

            -Grand Canary Island

            -Toledo
            -El Escorial 

            -Murcia

            -Malaga

            -San Sebastian

            -Ibiza

            -Denia

The first puente [long holiday weekend] of our school year was October 8-12, basically the second week we had started working. Since holiday weekends are only pretty frequent in the beginning of the year, everyone wants to take advantage of them. While still at home in the states, I began to try and plan a 4-day weekend in Portugal, while the weather was still semi-beachy and warm.  By the time I had spent about a week in Madrid, I realized that was not going to happen. All the money I had saved over summer [a decent amount!] was almost gone after moving into an apartment. It costs so much just to get started in a new country, with expenses like a cell phone, hostels/hotels until you find an apartment, eating out probably around 3 times a day [once again, until you find an apartment], and then once you find an apartment, paying the first months rent as well as a security deposit, metro passes until the beginning of the month [when you are finally able to get your abono [monthly metro pass…which is expensive, but saves you money in the end], etc. All I can say is that I made a smart decision by saving as much money as I did over summer. Anyway, to continue on, just starting out here in Spain didn’t leave any of us auxiliares [assistants] with much money, especially because they notified us upon our arrival that we wouldn’t get paid until the beginning of November! Haha. Talk about needing to be well-budgeted! Lolly, Jordan and I still wanted to make use of our long weekend, so we decided to take a short little trip to Burgos.

Burgos is directly north of Madrid, in the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon, and about a 3-hour bus ride. It is historically famous, for the hero of the 11^th Century, ‘El Cid’, was born and laid to rest there. The city holds one of the countries’ largest Gothic cathedral, as well as other Renaissance churches. Burgos is one of the stops along the Camino de Santiago [Way of St. James], a religious pilgrimage that thousands of people make each year, reaching the destination of Santiago de Compostela on the Northwest coast of Spain. I was completely uneducated on this topic before traveling to Burgos, but it was really awesome to see all the symbols of the pilgrimage around the city, as well as the hostels made especially for pilgrims.   

Now, away from the history and back to the details of the trip! Many people  travel to different cities in Spain by bus. Buses are so cheap and efficient, which makes it a great mode of transportation for people on a budget, like me [my bus ticket was 16 euros one way].  Our trip there took longer than expected—we learned the hard way that during puentes, EVERYBODY wants to go on vacation, and therefore backup the roads. It all worked out though, because it happened to be raining most of the day, and we realized afterward that we only really needed a little over a day to see the essentials of the city. We hadn’t booked a hostel before our arrival, and had previously decided we would just “wing it” and find one when we got there. The first two hotels we encountered happened to be completely full, which definitely took us by surprise. We asked for nearby hostels, and luckily we snagged the last two rooms in a hostel before another couple [who was following us] did. The hostel was rated a 1 star, and looked pretty shaggy, but it was functionable and all that we needed for a 1-night stay.

After dropping our bags off, we decided to go explore—my FAVORITE! You must always be careful whom you travel with, because I have learned over the years that everybody has different styles, and it is necessary that your traveling partners’ style meshes with yours if you want to have a pleasant trip. Some people have specific things they want to see at specific times, other people may only want to experience the nightlife and sleep during the day, etc. It turns out that the three of us meshed well together—we all wanted to go where the wind took us, and we were down for any little adventure that looked worthwhile. Luckily that was our style, because we stumbled upon a pathway that lead us to a castle, park, and amazing views of the city and further country. We also stumbled upon a free art gallery that rescued us from the rain.

One of my other goals in Spain is to talk as much as I can so that I can perfect my Spanish and possibly learn things about the culture and history I may have never known before. By implementing this in Burgos and asking an art gallery employee, I was able to find out some good pinchos [tapas/little appetizer-type things] bars, as well as other good places to get acclimated with the nightlife that the city had to offer. Turns out that the places he suggested had REALLY good pinchos, and red wine to die for! Dishes typical in Burgos are morcilla [black pudding/blood pudding…which is basically blood from a pig, mixed with rice, and held together by sheep intestine! HAHA], and cojonudo [a small piece of bread, topped with a small fried egg, chorizo, and a pepper] and cojonuda [the same thing as cojonudo, but instead of chorizo, they use morcilla]. These pinchos bars had house wine, which cost about 2 euros/glass, and was the best red wine I had ever tasted! I’m not a big fan of red wine, however I am a big fan of trying new things, especially those typical to cities I visit, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong with a cheap glass of wine. Turned out to be wellllll worth my euros. So much so that I kept buying more! Haha. We later went to another pinchos bar, which served us REALLY good sautéed mushrooms, filled with bacon, and served with fresh bread. And when I say fresh, I mean FRESH [because most bread in restaurants or establishments in Madrid is hard as a rock…I’m talking wacking-on-the-table-and-leaving-a-dent type of hard]. We thoroughly enjoyed our selection of pinchos, and spent the rest of our night bar and club hopping.

We saved the next day [our last day] to view the Cathedral of Burgos, as well as other churches and landmarks relating to ‘El Cid’. I’ll tell ya, there’s nothing like European cathedrals! Granted, I frequently find myself saying, “Another cathedraaalll?!” in many of the cities I visit, but the fact of the matter is that each and every one of them offers so much history and delicate beauty that they need not be passed up. They are so extensive, and many look the same, but the differences I notice are the formations of ceilings, ceiling paintings, and my favorite, stained glass. This cathedral had a beautifully colored circular arrangement of glass near the front, which I adored! After seeing all that we felt necessary, we caught an evening bus and were able to make it back to our apartments before 10 pm.

Overall, it was a great little overnight trip, and it made me realize how much all the different cities in Spain have to offer. Visiting many Spanish cities was not a high-priority before, but the proof of how cost efficient and memorably/experientially valuable these trips can be definitely changed my mind! Although I didn’t get to take a longer trip to another country, I know I have plenty of time to do so in the future.

Façade of the Burgos Cathedral

Statue of a tired pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. The shell symbolizes this pilgrimage.

Lolly, Jordan and I atop of the hill we hiked to the castle/park. The cathedral is in the background.

Cojonudo, the house wine, and morcilla.

"PROFE!"-["teacher"]

Written Thursday, Oct. 7^th 2010

I’ve finally reached the end of the first real week teaching English, and it has been exciting to say the least! I’d like to familiarize you all with my scenario, and allow you to picture my day-to-day work routine:

The school I teach at is called Colegio Europa (Europe School) and it is in a city called Pinto, just a little south of the center of Madrid. Not that I have seen much of it, but Pinto seems like a nice and quiet little suburb. It is still part of the Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid Community), so space is pretty tight, meaning that the majority of people live in pisos (apartments). I decided to live in Madrid rather than Pinto, which means I have to leave about an hour and a half before school starts. I don’t mind it though, because that’s the only real disadvantage of living in Madrid. Madrid offers nightlife, diversity, an international airport, tons of places to eat, as well as many sights—just as any other big city would. My apartment is pretty much exactly in the center, so my commute consists of leaving at 7:30 am (it is still completely dark, mind you), walking a few blocks to the metro station, then catching the metro for about 20 minutes, then walking to a bus stop, where it takes about 30-40 minutes in traffic to get to my school.  The metro/bus system is VERY efficient, so if I am running late, there is another train/bus arriving in less than 15 minutes. I make it just in time to reach school at 9 am, when class begins.

I have about 11 classes…yes, you read me correctly, 11! Each grade has 2 different classes, A & B, and the primary school goes up to the 6^th grade. 5^th and 6^th graders are not part of the bilingual program; These students get the opportunity to have some lessons with us assistants, but the amount of attention they get concerning English is far less than the lower grades. All of the students seem like sweet kids—they have been very welcoming, and in fact, extremely excited (and therefore, rowdy) in our presence. There are 3 of us assistants in total, 2 of us being from America, and 1 of us being from England. At first I thought the accents and different spellings of words would just confuse the kids, but the teachers think it’s a good thing, for it will offer them a variety of the language. So far, all that I have really gotten to do in each class is introduce myself, and make sure that the kids are paying attention and not acting out. Surprisingly, I have already had to take away shreds of paper and pencil cases kids were playing with as the teacher was talking, as well as sit them correctly in their chairs when they teeter on two chair legs. Spanish kids are very animated and like to talk, so it already isn’t uncommon for me to whisper “shhh” to them, or stand by them to make sure they behave. Haha, I sound like a meany this early in the game! They don’t seem too fazed by it, but it does get keep their attention on the teacher and keeps them from distracting their classmates. Apart from the behavioral aspect, they are fascinated by us assistants, and had so many questions to ask. Some that stuck out were:

“Where are you from?”-Followed by “Ohhhh, Cali-for-niiiia”, and even shouts of “CALI-FOR-NIA, CALI-FOR-NIA, CALI-FOR-NIA….” with my response. Many didn’t know where it was located (some thought near Cuba)…they just knew it was famous. Haha…of course everyone knows California rocks! ;]

“What is your favorite color?”-When I replied with purple, all the little girls would yell, “Ahhh, me too, me too!”

“What is your favorite sport?”-Followed by, “What is your favorite team?”  And later, “Who is your favorite player?” when I told them I liked soccer/football. “¡TOMA!” (“YEAH!”) is what they would all shout when I told them I liked Real Madrid and Casillas. Haha, such a high regard for soccer…not like I would expect anything less! Now some of the little boys want to take me on in a little game during patio (recess).  Let’s hope they don’t put me to shame! Haha.

“Do you have a dog?” as well as “Do you have a brother?”-Both of which have extremely American/English sounding names (Tika/Brandon), which is rather difficult for them to pronounce. I often have to write names on the board so they can see how they’re spelt, especially with my name. It is hard for Spanish speakers to pronounce “sh”, since that sound does not really exists in the language. I point to my mouth as if saying, “shhhhh”, to be quiet, and they kind of get it.

“What does your dad do?”, which further brought on the topic that I “know” Hannah Montana. Before I even got to introduce myself to the other classes, word had already spread on the playground about my connection. Haha, many didn’t believe me, and some just asked for autographs, so I decided to find some old pictures of the actors on set to show them, since they probably wouldn’t have another opportunity like that. Haha, who knows, maybe they’ll be on their best behavior in my presence because of it!

Other questions were along those lines—one’s which were so simple yet important to you when you were little (favorite animal, plant, food, movie, etc.) Most times I was put on the spot, because you realize those topics aren’t focused on much as an adult. I had to think on my feet, and also think of things that they would actually know (a typical Spanish fruit, movie, television show, etc.) or else I would have classes full of blank faces, looking at me as if I were an alien. And if you are wondering if that has happened yet, the answer is yes, it has. Haha. Anyway, the kids thought of me as another teacher right away, which is awesome. When I think about my job, I feel like I am just an assistant. But to them, I am basically on the same level as their main teacher. The coordinators made sure to tell us how important it was to establish your authority from the very beginning, and so far, I feel like I have.  This is my first experience with groups of kids, but I am happy to say that I joined right in and participated in the songs (and dances!) from the get-go. It’s one of those things where you feel goofy doing it, but the little kids love it! I even have gone around, checking work, and have put stickers and stamps on their papers, which they also really like (plus it gives them incentive to finish their work!) So far, I am glad that the kids are excited to see me, and I can definitely get used to hearing, “Ashley! Ashley! HALLO!” down the hall.

As for the teachers—They’re great. They have been so nice and welcoming, and they try and practice their English with us all the time. The teachers are always rotating, meaning that the math teacher will come in for an hour lesson, then the English teacher will come in for an hour, etc. Certain topics, like science, are taught particularly in English. Now that I think of it, I should just say that the entire school  (minus math, religion, and P.E.) is taught in English, and only sometimes do they clarify directions for them in Spanish.  All the teachers are very helpful, and some just want us to take over the entire lesson/classroom when we are with them! I’d like to be more prepared so that when I do have to take over for the day, I can do my activities in complete confidence and have the kids understand exactly what is going on. Once I get the internet [I’m hoping this week!] I will have more time, as well as the opportunity to devote toward work. Already many of the teachers have asked if I have worked with kids before. At first I thought I was doing something wrong and that’s why they brought it up, but it turns out that they think I work very well with the classes, and they like the fact that I just took initiative and joined right in. It’s nice to hear that because I’m sure as all of you have experienced, it can be overwhelming starting a new job. Positive reinforcement and attitudes make starting out that much easier, and make me look forward to coming to work everyday! :]

The entrance of the school

Their playground

Their garden

Just keep swimming…

Written September 27, 2010

I can’t believe it’s already been almost a week since I arrived in Madrid. To say the least, it’s been a bit crazy! My mom and I flew standby from LAX to JFK, and JFK to MAD. Somehow we ended up making all our flights, even made first class on the latter flight.  We arrived on Tuesday, the 21^st, and ended up resting all day. It was a lot for me to take in; I didn’t have any expectations, however, upon my arrival I was overcome by emotions and memories of the last time I was in Spain. I was comfortable living in my old neighborhood of Argüelles, hanging out with my California friends and having my own Madrileño to be close with. It was a bit of a shock to previously thinking you can just pick up where you left off, yet in reality, you must start all over again.

The next day I was feeling a little more adjusted, and was ready for what was to come. I had a 10-hour orientation [and 5-hour orientation the next day], which felt like it lasted forever, but made me completely excited about my job. The instructors and program leaders were so happy to have us in their country, for we are the ones to advance the English skills of their youth in bilingual schools. It felt nice to be appreciated, since sometimes it feels like Spaniards look down upon America and their citizens. The rather ironic part of the program is that the whole orientation was conducted in Spanish, yet at our schools we must only speak English, and even pretend that we don’t understand a lick of Spanish! Our program also spoke about getting settled. Unfortunately though, I didn’t feel quite as knowledgeable about everything as I did my first time around. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t know any Spanish or had never lived outside of the country before—Getting settled would be a much harder feat!

            My mom stayed until Friday, which I was so thankful for. She paid for a hotel, bought me a new phone, and did as much as she could to try and help me get a head start on getting settled. She originally booked me an extra night at the hotel, yet when I went to check in after dropping her off at the airport, they told me that there were no rooms available [after we had already paid for it] and that I had to leave immediately. I had to pack up all of our bags [Lolly and I] and figure out where to go. I had no way to get a hold of Lolly either, since she was in orientation until the end of the day with a phone that didn’t work, and my brand new phone which turned out to be a piece of crap. Luckily I was able to stay at Sara’s old piso with Bea, who also helped me call apartments with her perfect Spanish. She advised me to go exchange my phone, since it kept cutting out on calls [which were necessary to make in order to find a place to live]. I spoke to the same guy who sold me the phone, and he told me he couldn’t exchange the phone because I threw away the box, which I did in a hurry because I had to leave the hotel. He further went on to say, “I don’t know how you do it in your country, but here in Spain you need the box to return the phone.” By that point I was on the verge of tears. It was just one thing after another that would continue to um, I guess you could say, “challenge” me.

            Lolly ended up going back to the hotel, not knowing where I was, nor her bags, which as you could imagine would scare anyone a bit! We ended up getting a hold of each other through Facebook, and decided to meet the next morning at Starbucks. That began our long and draining search for a piso. When my mom arrived back in the states, she booked us 2 more nights at the same hotel, this time making sure that what they said was available actually was available! After those 2 nights, Lolly ended up getting us 2 more nights at a hostel, which ended up giving us just enough time to find a place to live. Needless to say, we had become nomads! After calling about 100 pisos and seeing close to 10 of them, we found a spacious, 3-bedroom apartment, decently priced, right in a great neighborhood near the center of the city. The downfall: My room was actually a part of the living room, leaving me with drapes as a door, a tiny, individual sized bed who’s wires practically pop out of the mattress, no heater or internet, and a hot water heater that only allows you to take a warm shower for less than 2 minutes before turning ice-cold. My room isn’t actually that bad after getting settled, we decided we were going to use a radiator as well as bundles of warm clothes when winter rolls around, we were going to find some sort of internet [even if we had to pay our neighbors every month!], but the lack of hot water was definitely going to be a problem. Our landlord is elder and really wants us to be happy in the piso, but no matter how we try to explain it, he doesn’t understand that 2 minutes of hot water is not good enough. We had him come over and feel it until it turned cold, and it turns out that he actually thought it was acceptable, and that he wasn’t going to fix it…that pretty much we are just being spoiled wanting to have hot water. I’m sorry, but that is essential. I’ve already taken 2 showers at this place, both of which I only got to shampoo my hair and wash my body. Conditioning my hair, washing my face, and shaving all have had to be done after the shower, mostly in the bathroom sink. So after arguing our point, telling him we weren’t happy, and what we paid should cover the essentials, hence: HOT WATER. Now it is something we must take into our own hands and hire a repairman, and hopefully give our landlord the bill. If not, he said he will give us our deposit back and we can move. We REALLY aren’t looking to move anymore, but if the water is not going to get fixed, it is pretty much necessary that we find another place. So, we hope for the best. But it definitely has not been an easy few weeks to say the least! What is it that they say, though? “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger”? “Once you hit bottom, the only other direction is up”? “God wouldn’t put you in situations unless he knew you could handle them”? Haha, sorry for the downer of a blog, but as many up’s as there will be, there will also be many down’s…and most people have a rough start. ButI know good things and experiences will be coming soon, once I get completely settled! ¡Hasta pronto!

...And reality hits.

I finally decided it was time to begin a blog. I am embarking on [another] huge journey, and this time I want to record all my feelings and experiences before they slowly vanish as the years go on.

I studied abroad in Madrid for the 2008-2009 school year, which has been the biggest life-changing experience I have had so far in my young adult life. While in Madrid, I experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and learned so much about myself in the process. At the end of that year, I realized how many career opportunities I had in front of me, which made it hard to fathom what I really wanted to do. Upon my return to the states, I dealt with a lot of emotions, and had a real tough time adjusting to being back in what had became another foreign country to me. Returning to San Francisco to finish my senior year of college, I decided I needed to master the Spanish language in order to become a translator/interpreter--a career I thought would bring me the most joy. The opportunity to work in Spain as a Cultural Ambassador through the Spanish government became apparent, and I just had to jump on it. I was to be a college graduate with an actual job lined up with medical insurance, which has become a rarity nowadays.

Then summer arrived. I was to have almost 4 full months to enjoy being home before I was to move 6,000 miles away again. I dealt with a lot of emotions; I had one of the best summers of my life, which obviously was going to make it hard to leave. There were times I wanted to stay home and start concrete things there. I was tired of always moving, and nothing ever being long-term because of it. Then I had to realize that I had my whole life in front of me, and have plenty of time to start things at home--once I returned from all my adventures. I also had to remember why I was going back to Spain in the first place. The reality is that at this time in my life, I need tons of stimulation and adventure, and I am definitely not ready to just stay in one place and fall into some mundane routine. So here's to some amazing times and unforgettable experiences! Spain round 2, I am definitely prepared for you!