Two funny stories

#1

Last weekend my sweet Dutch friend Mirjam and I got together at this trendy little bar in a section of town called La Latina. The name of the bar is "Delic." I was introduced to Delic by my buen amiga Hanah, who just left Madrid to return to her homeland, Korea.

The two times I'd been to Delic before the place was almost as crowded as a street in Valencia for La Tomatina: I think, the world's largest mosh-pit. So, when you go to Delic, you're supposed to order the carrot cake. A slice of it probably weighs two pounds. It has the lightest, sweetest cream cheese icing ever, and then it's drizzled with chocolate that's hardened and decorated with real rose petals.

Mirjam and I ordered one slice and two hot teas. We were at the front of the bar but we wanted to find a place to sit in the back, but I knew we'd have to take two trips with all the stuff we had to carry back there. So I pioneered through the crowd of people to the back of the bar, smiling to people who asked me if I was drinking tea (which I had to carry above my head because it's so crowded) and trying my best not to spill my little pot of it on them. I found the perfect table for us and told the waiter I was claiming it for two (it almost got snatched on my second time coming to the back). Then I had to, embarrassedly, squeeze myself back through the crowd of the same boisterous people again, smiling at comments about tea, to fetch Mirjam.

On my way back the second time, she was carrying her hot tea and I was carrying the beautiful carrot cake. Again, we had to carry it high above people's heads. One of the guys who'd commented about the tea earlier noticed the cake and said, "Feilz Cumpleanos!" Then he led THE WHOLE BAR in singing Feliz Cumpleanos to Mirjam and me, as we wrestled our way to our quiet(er) little table in the back of the bar.

#2

Today my second-graders were doing a project about clothing. Their task was to color and cut out an outfit for their own paper doll. Later they'd have to describe what their paper doll was wearing. We don't have too many resources at my school, so my friend Megan drew the paper dolls herself, and all the kids see it and laugh--it's pretty ugly. :) Well, it's also bald. They get to cut out hair for it. So, I was just trying to make conversation with the non-native English teacher in the classroom (her name's Susannah; she's from Madrid) and I pointed at one of the kid's dolls and said, "They're so ugly, aren't they? It doesn't matter how cute the outfits are, the doll is still ugly," laughing as I said it. Then she laughed with me and said, "Yes, he is very ugly, but, well, he is a very good student." I explained that I was talking about the doll and I would never say that about a student and we both died laughing. Oh, the joys of living in a foreign land. :)

2 weeks

It's hard to believe it's been less than two weeks since I've been back. It feels more like a couple months--I feel pretty much completely readjusted to being in a country where I don't understand the conversations around me anymore. :( Which sounds sad, but it's ok. Well, the family I'm living with right now is great--they're so sweet and smart and family-oriented. They remind me a little of my aunts and uncles, and the Wikes, who I babysat back home. The mom and dad traveled the world together before they had kids. They have pictures around their house from India, South America, and Africa, where they observed gorillas together on one of these amazing, expensive (I'm sure) tours. Someday I'M going to observe gorillas in Zambia. They all play memory-improving games together. They're that kind of family. I read stories to them in English every night at dinner. Cute. Oh, and the kids go to a school where they don't use books at all--instead, they draw pictures every day and make their own books. It's a really cool idea.

Last night Carmen asked me if I would think about staying with them till June, was really nice of her. I'm not sure if I will or not, though--it would be so great to live with them, but I'm thinking of some of the things on my "list" (the one Hannah and I made together) that I wouldn't be able to do so easily living and working with a family: taking advantage of free city events, traveling, getting involved in some kind of ministry, etc. There wouldn't be quite as much time for those things. So, I'm thinking/praying about it. I am learning Spanish better here than I was before, which is a priority, but still, I'm speaking in English to the kids all the time. So, yeah--there's a lot to think about. We'll see what happens next :). Oh, it is so nice living with a family, though. Humans are social beings--we need community so much.

Brand new start

I'm back in Spain! I got back Monday and started work Tuesday, with a whole new schedule this semester. The other American girl and I are teaching our own classes in a big, colorful classroom called "Wonderland." Now, instead of working five half-days, I'm working two full days and one half day and get Monday and Tuesday off, which will be really great. I also just (as in, 10 minutes ago) moved into a new house with a family! I've been looking into living with a family for a long time so I can practice my Spanish more, but had a hard time finding anything. A lot of university placement programs are really expensive, and I didn't want to pay too much, but I was starting to get desperate. Hannah recommended I post a profile on an aupair website called greataupair.com, and I immediately started getting calls and emails. Now I'm a "temporary aupair" for a family with an 8 year-old boy and 6 year-old twin girls. They're all really cute. I'm going to Speak mostly in English with the kids but in Spanish with the parents and the grandma, who comes over to help a lot. My schedule (with school) isn't exactly what they're looking for, but I can still help out in the afternoons.

So, I'm really excited!

I had a really rough, homesick week back, but there ARE a lot of things to look forward to being back. It was good to see some friends over the week--Biz, Melissa, Chris, Sarah. It's also exciting to have my "Spring Renewals" I made with Hannah--go to the library! take advantage of living in a big city by going to museums, concerts, etc., learn Spanish!

Anyway, more later... I'm going to play with my girls: Claudia and Patricia. Alejandro is at a basketball game. :)