Saturday I went to the beach. It was pretty great. I also ate homemade pizza sitting by the window of a small beachside flat where everyone was smoking but me. Fortunately, the lovely seaside breezes went into my lungs rather than the smoke. After returning from my beach-y day, I went out with my new friend Patri (short for Patricia) and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is learning Spanish, they speak to one another in French currently. We went bowling with some of his classmates - all Norwegian girls with the exception of one Swedish guy. It was pretty fun. Then we went to a discotheque. Or at least, the outside of one. Patri's boyfriend, Stefan, was wearing a plain t-shirt and shorts. I was wearing my customary tennis shoes. The bouncer wouldn't let us into the club. I really didn't care because I was kind of tired at this point (2 a.m.) We went instead to a sweet local bar where I labeled myself an American by accidentally ordering white wine in Southern Spain. I don't even like white wine that much. Oops.
On Sunday, I was craving some more English time, so I went to a different beach with a girl I'd met on the plane to Seville. Holy moly. Cadiz is a beautiful city. The girl I went with lives with two Italian girls who are there for the year to study medicine. One of them tried to teach us how to body surf on the big waves.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love the ocean? A lot. I even love getting all covered in sand and finding it on my arms and face on the train ride home. I love the way the waves crash into you and nearly take your swimming suit with them into shore.
I have also started to give classes. So far they have been okay. There are a lot of transitions for me. I'm working the gap between Spanish and English. I'm able to look up from typing in English now and speak in Spanish. I'm also adapting to the Spanish school system, teaching 3 year olds and 16 year olds within the same two hour period, and perhaps the biggest one, the transition from student to teacher.
Going from a student to a teacher is a weird experience. I feel so much empathy for my students, yet I don't always know how to control the class. Mostly it's going well. Today I several awesome classes and one okay class. The hardest thing is that tomorrow I have to get up and do it again!
3 comments:
Oh my goodness, I would love to co-teach a class with you. Almost makes me wish I was coming to Jerez. But I'd rather go to Barcelona where we will undoubtedly have the most amazing adventures. Perhaps we could do something novel, like make a movie about our amazing time abroad.
One who loves the ocean and sand, one who loves the mountains and snow!!!
I cannot imagine commanding so much attention! I hope it contiues to go well or better!
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