Sant Jordi, Sangria, and Miro

Lately I've been in a whirl wind of lesson plans, Spanish classes, and the usual social plans.  My time here is going by so so quickly.

Here are some highlights as of late...

*We celebrated Sant Jordi on April 23rd, which is a holiday that is centered around a famous story about the patron saint of England (George), who slayed a dragon, saved the princess, and gave her a red rose before they got married.  On this day, girls give boys a book or a piece of poetry, and boys give girls a red rose.  Apparently this part of the tradition ONLY happens in Catalonia, so I am pretty lucky to have experienced it.  My host family very sweetly knocked on my door that morning with a red rose for me, which is one of many kind gestures they've offered to me.

*My friend, Kirsty, and I experienced the Joan Miro museum and had a TON of fun trying to figure out the meaning of his works of art. Turns out he was a pretty talented artist whose style evolved a lot over his lifetime.  I also enjoyed pieces by other contemporary artists, including an interactive piece that played a recording of people singing when you pressed a pedal AND a "mercury fountain."  After that we enjoyed some sangria and tapas.  Sangria is where it's at!

*A friend of mine in Atlanta passed away last week. It was a significant part of my week because even though she and I were not the best of friends, she was a kind and generous person who really inspired me.  I saw her every week at work.  And now she is gone.  I got a lot of support, though.... from people back home and here.  Even though the teachers and I don't talk a lot due to the language barrier, they were all hugging me, buying me hot chocolate, and asking me if I was okay. That really meant a lot.

*School is good.  Still learning how to be a teacher.... I am getting to know the kids and their personalities a lot better now so I am trying to cater to their specific needs.  Teaching is a big challenge but I really want to help the kids learn English so I am spending a lot of time outside of school and at lunch trying to think creatively and make lesson plans that will spark an interest in English. :)  It is hard work, but it is totally worth it is you are making a difference in even one person's education.

Spring Break and More...

It is getting more and more difficult to update my blog, partly because as I age my memory gets worse and I forget to.... but also because life in Spain is not all siestas and afternoon coffees.  I've become very busy!

But I'd like to do a quick recap of spring break, which was last week and the most rejuvenating and awesome experience ever.  For five days, mi amiga, Katelyn, and I travelled through France, Monaco, and Italy.  It was bliss.

Day one:
We awoke at the crack of dawn to catch the earliest (and cheapest flight). THe flight was short, and we arrived in sunny Nice in the late morning.  After checking into the AMAZING Victoria House Hostel, we grabbed an expensive lunch at Bistrot de l'Opera.  My omelette was 10 euros. It was good, though. Then we walked to the top of Parc de la Colline du Chanteau.  What gorgeous views it had!  There were panoramic views of Nice, waterfalls, gardens, parks, trails, and a very interesting Jewish cemetery.  I would highly recommend this place, and it is easy to get to.  That night, we hung out with the international travellers in the hostel and played a game of jenga.

Day two:
Katelyn and I took the bus to Monaco.  I do not regret going because I can check another country off of my list, but I have to say that the atmosphere is a little uncomfortable there.  Everyone is just so filthy rich!  And you have to be rich to live there because everything is so expensive.  But we had a nice walk through the city and got to see the Monte Carlo casino.  That night, we partied with more hostel friends at Wayne's Bar in Nice.  There was live music, beer and wine, and table dancing. What more could you want?

Day three:
Speculoos and Ferrero Rocher ice cream.  Relaxing on the rocky beach. Flower market and a strange old French man who asked us for a rendez vous  after we told him we didn't want to buy his paintings. Dinner from the supermarket to save money, and then a night on the beach with hostel friends.  It was a day to relax.

Day four:
Katelyn, our new friend Patrick, and I boarded a rickety old train to Italia! She and I were headed to Ventimiglia, and he was transferring to another train from that station.  Ventimiglia was quiet, beautiful, inexpensive, and there were like zero tourists... which is probably why people were staring at us.  We had nocciola and panna cotta gelato, pasta, and wine.... then headed back for a night of frisbee on the beach with the hostel crowd.

Day five:
We took a walk by the harbour and just took our time strolling around.  We enjoyed croque monsieurs and crepes, said good bye to our new friends at the hostel, and were on our way.

It was wonderful to see three new cities, explore different areas, get a lot of walking in, eat a ton, and just relax.  It was also great to laugh a lot and be silly.  I always have had a great time bonding with the people in my town, but with the language barrier, joking around is not the same.  Katelyn and I were absolutely ridiculous together, and I look forward to our future adventures.

Other things I have done recently:
*I went on a day trip to Lloret De Mar with the host family for Easter.  It was wonderful and gorgeous.
*I witnessed an interesting Easter procession that included people dressed in robes and hats that resembled the KKK but apparently this tradition started well before the KKK even existed.  Too bad it will always be associated with that.
*I went on a tour of the Simon Coll Chocolate Factory and ate chocolate filled with cava (a type of alcohol).
*I went to a festival in my town today with my host family.  We ate tapas, shopped at the booths, and watched performances on the street.  A great weekend.

This week will be busy, but I'll post again soon for my two loyal readers. ;)