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These are from the ONE campaign's website. You could only compare three at a time, so I picked the most popular.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Music to my ears
Sounds I've been paying attention to lately, that I like:
-the "twinkling" noise when I turn on the flourescent lights in my classroom
-shoe taps on a sidewalk
-the squeak of guitar strings
-echoes in a lonely metro corridor
-spoken English :)
The trees are starting to bloom in Madrid. We had a few beautiful, warm days last week and they mistook them for spring, which shouldn't be here for another month. Last night, after going to a flamenco show (with all male dancers--we'd paid to see the polka-dot dresses!), I spent the night at a Sarah's place and took a slightly longer way to get to her house so I could pass this one cherry tree in full bloom. At night. Wet roads. By a streetlight. It reminds me of last spring--my apartment in Clemson had a Bradford pear tree outside that looked like heaven at night, illuminated by a streetlight. I love the feeling of early spring. Combined with the feeling of the air after it rains? You can't get much more refreshing than that. :)
Early spring and early fall--Biz and I were talking about them the other day. They have so many memories connected with them. There's a real feeling of "change" in the air that you associate with those previous feelings of change--that you felt at the same time a year ago, or two. It's like smelling perfume--oh, that's how I felt when I wore that scent. Spring is my favorite season, when it's spring.
-the "twinkling" noise when I turn on the flourescent lights in my classroom
-shoe taps on a sidewalk
-the squeak of guitar strings
-echoes in a lonely metro corridor
-spoken English :)
The trees are starting to bloom in Madrid. We had a few beautiful, warm days last week and they mistook them for spring, which shouldn't be here for another month. Last night, after going to a flamenco show (with all male dancers--we'd paid to see the polka-dot dresses!), I spent the night at a Sarah's place and took a slightly longer way to get to her house so I could pass this one cherry tree in full bloom. At night. Wet roads. By a streetlight. It reminds me of last spring--my apartment in Clemson had a Bradford pear tree outside that looked like heaven at night, illuminated by a streetlight. I love the feeling of early spring. Combined with the feeling of the air after it rains? You can't get much more refreshing than that. :)
Early spring and early fall--Biz and I were talking about them the other day. They have so many memories connected with them. There's a real feeling of "change" in the air that you associate with those previous feelings of change--that you felt at the same time a year ago, or two. It's like smelling perfume--oh, that's how I felt when I wore that scent. Spring is my favorite season, when it's spring.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Valentime's
I love how little kids say "Happy Valentime's Day!" I think I used to say that, too. For Valentime's Day last week, Biz had a party at her house with real pink and white Valentine's m and m's straight from America, brownies (the really gooey kind--amazing), and confetti cake (straight from America, too)! We ate the cake still warm from the oven. It was wonderful. Sarah, Biz, Ginny, Alejandra I celebrated our loves being far, far away (or nonexistent) till the wee hours of the morning. The chocolate made Seth's absence a little more bearable. But, yeah, it was still tragic :).
I woke up the next morning feeling awful--I'm not sure if it was from all the sugar the night before or lack of sleep, or STREP THROAT, but I had to skip teaching Friday and did find out I had strep throat. I was so thankful for an "aupair dad" who could take me to the hospital and translate my symptoms for me. :) Yeah, I'm so glad to be living with this family, for more reasons than that, but--I would have been lost figuring out the Spanish health system without them. Days like Friday, feeling horrible in a foreign country, make me want nothing more than to be home with my mommy taking care of me. She's such a great caregiver. And my daddy. I was spoiled, being raised by good caregivers.
I woke up the next morning feeling awful--I'm not sure if it was from all the sugar the night before or lack of sleep, or STREP THROAT, but I had to skip teaching Friday and did find out I had strep throat. I was so thankful for an "aupair dad" who could take me to the hospital and translate my symptoms for me. :) Yeah, I'm so glad to be living with this family, for more reasons than that, but--I would have been lost figuring out the Spanish health system without them. Days like Friday, feeling horrible in a foreign country, make me want nothing more than to be home with my mommy taking care of me. She's such a great caregiver. And my daddy. I was spoiled, being raised by good caregivers.
Friday, February 08, 2008
DEAD-dead computer :(
I THINK my computer is in the process of really, really dying. The other night I was Skyping with Seth and suddenly I started hearing this whirring sound on the top left side of the keyboard. Then my computer started going really slowly and I got a message I'd never seen before that said I needed to turn off it off immediately. So I turned it off and turned it on again a couple minutes later and got this blinking question mark/finder icon on a folder icon and it wouldn't turn on. A few hours later I could turn it on again, but when I tried to get on Skype I started getting the same whirring sound, and I had to turn it off because it wasn't responding to anything. The next day when I turned it on, all I got was the apple icon, but it wouldn't take me to my desktop. I took it to a mac store yesterday and they said the battery's having problems (because I dropped my computer a while back, right on the battery-charging hole, and now it's bent and the charger has a hard time staying in). It would cost 150 euros to get that fixed (!), so I'm not going to right now. If you're a mac person, tell me what to do! :(
Other than that huge event, I'm really enjoying living with my family! They're so nice, I'm improving in my Spanish (poco a poco), and I'm learning more about the Spanish culture! Hannah's a genius.
I miss being in SC! Jennie is in the process of moving to DC and I wish I'd been able to come to her going-away Mardi-Gras party :). Michael and Gracen just got engaged--that's pretty awesome :). I miss Clemson in the Spring. It's the most beautiful place in the world then. The Botanical Gardens... gosh.
Exciting news: Seth's coming to visit again--for his spring break in March. Sisters--I can't wait to see you in July! (or May?)
Other than that huge event, I'm really enjoying living with my family! They're so nice, I'm improving in my Spanish (poco a poco), and I'm learning more about the Spanish culture! Hannah's a genius.
I miss being in SC! Jennie is in the process of moving to DC and I wish I'd been able to come to her going-away Mardi-Gras party :). Michael and Gracen just got engaged--that's pretty awesome :). I miss Clemson in the Spring. It's the most beautiful place in the world then. The Botanical Gardens... gosh.
Exciting news: Seth's coming to visit again--for his spring break in March. Sisters--I can't wait to see you in July! (or May?)
Friday, January 25, 2008
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. :)
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.
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.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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. :)
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. :)
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