Closing Thoughts

It has been about four months since my last post. I've written and deleted several posts since I left Europe a couple of months ago, and I am still struggling to find the words to express how deeply my experience abroad has affected me.

After school ended, I said goodbye to my host family, my new friends, the teachers at my school, and the wonderful students... who, at the beginning, had me ripping my hair out in frustration.  At the end, I was fighting back tears (unsuccessfully) because the thought of leaving them made me so sad.  I had a few blissful days of relaxation, a quick trip to Tarragona while I waited for Zlati to arrive, and then our wild adventures through Barcelona, Vienna, Sofia, and Melnik began. I stayed behind after he left and traveled to Plovdiv and London.  Then, I finally made the journey home.

When I first moved abroad, the transition was a challenge.  I missed my family and friends back home, and I had to adjust my lifestyle, my way of communicating, my diet.... everything changed, and it was not easy.  In January, there were nights when I came home from school exhausted, and I was ready to pack everything up and head back home.

But I gave it a chance, and things started becoming really amazing.  I remember that moment around the end of March when I suddenly realized that I had started picking up some Spanish.... that time when I received terrible news about a friend back home and the teachers were hugging me and bringing me hot chocolate.... when I took my host brother to the park to play soccer and we had so much fun we almost didn't make it home on time for dinner.... when my host family took me to a BBQ in the mountains to try the famous Catalonian calcots.... when I went out with my amigas and we danced, sang, explored, stayed in strange hostels, took the demon train to exciting destinations, and ate tapas and bikinis... the moment I tasted paella, sangria, and tortilla.

Now I am back home, and although one of my TESOL classes covered "reverse culture shock," it wasn't enough to prepare me for how completely overwhelming it is.  I am beyond happy to be near my family again.  I also have some friends here who made such huge efforts to stay in touch while I was abroad, and when I came back our friendships had gotten even stronger. One other nice thing about coming home was the comfort I felt in being in a familiar environment.

Still, a huge piece of my heart is back in Barcelona. I grew accustomed to waking up every day at 9:00, making the quick walk to school, teaching, siesta-ing (but really I used that time to eat and get work done), teaching some more, walking to the plaza after school to meet my host family, taking a coffee with their friends, working on lesson plans/studying/playing with the kids, enjoying a relaxing dinner, and eventually climbing into bed to watch "Mentes Criminales" before drifting off to sleep. Then I would wake up and repeat, but each day was different because the kids at school kept things interesting.  They all thought of me as the mystical American teacher from the strange town called Atlanta.... what they didn't know was that they were my teachers, too.  Every day at school was a thrill, and weekends were blissful as well.

So readjusting to life in my hometown has certainly been a bigger challenge than I originally expected.  One thing I do know, though, is that no matter what happens in the future, I am fortunate that I had this experience.  It will benefit me in many ways down the road, and I certainly recommend living abroad to everyone who gets the chance.  It will change you, and I mean that in a good way.

I do not know what the next step is, but I am working hard to find a job teaching or advising international students because I really enjoy making a contribution to students' education and being around different cultures. When I teach ESOL, I feel fulfilled and refreshed because I know that I have done my best to teach my students something new, and most days I end up learning something from them too!  So, I know the right job is out there... perhaps in Atlanta, Barcelona, Santiago, or Tokyo.  Only time will tell.  At the moment, I am hard at work trying to find the right fit and enjoying my time with my family; they are the ones who encouraged me to follow my dreams, and they are the ones who welcomed me back with open arms and hearts.  :)

Cultural Differences

A few cultural differences, if you´re interested

The ones I like...

*People here don´t own guns. There are pretty major restrictions on owning a gun, so unless you are a policeperson or a hunter, it will be difficult to get your hands on one.  Not that people here even WANT them in their homes.  Love it.

*People have two last names.  I just think it is cool.  For example: Pablo Molinero Fernández. The first surname (Molinero) comes from the father´s side, and the second surname (Fernández) comes from the mother´s side.  When people get married, they typically don´t change their name.... but when they have a child, he or she acquires the first surname from the father and the mother (example:If José Lopez Garcia marries María Reyes Cruz, and they have a child called Tomás, his full name will be Tomás Lopez Reyes.)

*SO MUCH TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.  They really value this, and I think the work life balance here is more my style.  People are not nearly as stressed, and they get to hang out with loved ones nonstop.

*SIESTAS all the time

*Futbol is REALLY important here.  I am still not really a sports person, but I do enjoy the energy that comes from these popular matches.

*The kids tend to be really active and in shape.  Yes, most of them have phones and ipads and other forms of technology, but they don´t always have to be using them.  At school, they play on the playground often for more than an hour.  After school, many children play outside for up to two hours every day after school.  I am talking nonstop running around and playing futbol.  

*Festivals, holidays, and celebrations such as Sant Jordi, Sant Joan, and Carnaval.

The ones I don´t like...

*They don´t care about germs.  To an extent, I respect this.  Less worrying means less stress means a longer life.  However people here are sick a LOT. Maybe I am biased because I work around children a lot.  It is just that some of the schools don´t even keep soap in the bathroom (Not mine, my school is ON TOP of things thank goodness.  Shout out to Teresa, the nun who keeps everything running smoothly at my school!).  But I have heard stories. 

*People here are extremely direct and honest.  There´s no beating around the bush.  They won´t consider it an insult, it´s just the way things are here.  I have to admit that this was one of the hardest things to get used to.  In my time here, I have received a lot of comments about my appearence and myself in general.  I have been asked if I was pregnant, told I have a belly, told that I am extremely white (don´t care about that one actually), etc.  However I have also been told that I am guapa and that I am an amazing artist.  I spoke to a woman who lives in my town about this, and she said that people are honest because if they don´t speak the truth, others will consider them to be fake.  I get that.  If I ask you directly if I look fat, I am not going to get mad at an (politely worded) honest answer.  The thing I don´t like is when people just feel the need to reveal their opinion without you even asking.  This is just my personal opinion that I am revealing without you even asking.  So I have learned to live with it, and when I DO receive a compliment, I really appreciate it because I know for sure that it is genuine. ;)

Hitchhiking at Montserrat

Yesterday was an adventure.  Anna and I decided to go to Montserrat, a famous mountain/monastery about 40 minutes north of where I live now.

We got off to a slightly rough start because Anna temporarily does not have a phone and we missed each other on the train initially, but all was well in the end and we found each other.  We then took the cable car up the mountain (it´s 7 euros one way or 10 euros for round trip, so not too bad).  It was a five minute ride, and very smooth... although if you are afraid of heights I would not recommend it.

We proceeded to walk around a nicely groomed village, with flowers and attractive architecture, and of course a good amount of tourists.  We found the monastery, but I do not have photographic evidence of its magnificence because you could not use your camera inside.  We also stood in line to see the Mare de Déu de Montserrat, aka the Black Virgin of Montserrat.  I´m not a particularly religious person so I do not know a whole lot about it, but it seemed to be a really big deal.

Below: I´m posing for a photo with the mountain behind me and the Monastery in front of me.  I thought the views were breathtaking.

After that, we grabbed dinner and decided to take a nice leisurely walk down the mountain. I heard there were trails back to the main train station and that it would take a solid hour an a half.  Instead of researching it ahead of time, I thought we would just follow the signs.  Thing is, there were no signs that pointed toward a train station.  So we took a random trail.  At first, our spirits were high!  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, a cool breeze was keeping us energized.  But after about 45 minutes of trekking in no particular direction and noticing that the decline had suddenly become an incline, we started worrying that maybe this was not the route to the bottom. I tried using the GPS on my phone, and it only showed roads, not trails.  We asked a kind looking jogger (the only person we saw in the span of about an hour) for directions, and he said something in Catalan and pointed in 4 different directions.... so that unfortunately did not help.

At this point, we were worried that it might get dark before we could reach the bottom.  We did not want to fall off the mountain or be eaten by any exotic Spanish animals, so we back tracked, and mannnn was it steep going back.  I have been eating so much bread and olive oil and not really exercising, so the fact that I was gasping for air after that mini hike was a clear indication that I need to get back at it.

We went to the information desk, but it was closed.  In fact, the whole place had suddenly become a ghost town.  We just wanted to know how to get to the bottom, whether it was on foot, by bus, or any other means of transportation.  Finally, I saw a family wearing rock climbing gear approaching.  The last time I asked for directions in Spanish, it did not go well (the jogger on the mountain).  This time I screamed, ¨HABLAS INGLES!?!?¨to the girl.  She said no, but her dad spoke a little.  After a very confusing conversation in Spengalan (Spanish/English/Catalan), Anna and I realized he was offering us a ride to the train station.  My heart was racing.  On the one hand, I was thrilled to have a quick, effortless option to get down that massive mountain.  On the other hand, I had never in my life accepted a ride from a stranger.  I was nervous, but I figured since it was a family, I would go for it and put my trust in them.

It ended up going amazingly well!  The kids were so nice, asking us where we were from and trying to speak English with us.  They offered us cherries and walnuts, and when we arrived at the station they waited to make sure we got on the train.  It´s always a huge risk getting a ride from someone you don´t know, but I have to say that most of the people I have met in Spain have been really kind to me, and these people are no exception.  I will probably never see them again, but I hope they realized how much we appreciated them taking a few moments out of their day to help us out!

El Teatro, 100 Montaditos, Sugar, y Nit Bus

Yesterday the 6th graders put on a play at the local theater (by local I mean it was a one minute walk from the school). I expected something very casual, but it was so professional!  The costumes, the make up, the lighting, the music, the sound effects, the FOG MACHINE! And they were really into it, smiling big.  Even though it was, of course, entirely in Catalan, I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time, brimming with pride as I watched my students act their hearts out.

Last night, I ventured into Barcelona for one last night of dancing with my ladies and our Colombian friends.  What can I say about last night? It doesn´t matter where you are in the world as long as you have people by your side who will make you laugh and have fun.

Here are my reviews of the places we visited last night:

*100 Montaditos (4/5 stars): A restaurant in the heart of Barcelona, right in Placa Catalunya. They have a menu consisting of.... you guessed it.... 100 mini sandwiches ranging from 1 to 2 euros.  Salads are about 3 euros, and drinks range from 1 to 3 euros.  Super cheap, definitely tasty.  My only criticism would be that they kind of skimp on the sandwich fillings (but who can complain at that price?) AND they forgot one of our sandwiches.  But we ordered a lot.

*Sugar (4/5 stars): A bar near Placa Reial.  Really tiny, but we got there just in time to grab seats and reasonably priced, tasty cocktails.  The music was... interesting.  Not bad, not the best.  No creepers, so that was a plus. We had a nice time there.  I would recommend it.

*BLVD Barcelona (3/5 stars): A nightclub on Las Ramblas. I have been there before.  There is decent music for dancing.... hip hop, pop, and house music.  It´s a lot of fun, and if you get on the guestlist, you get in for free and they give you a free drink.  That´s nice.  The bartenders are also nice.  They will hunt for toilet paper for you when the lavabos have run out.  The only thing is that it is so touristy.  I don´t think any locals go there.  Not that that is a problem, but I am just saying that you could easily step inside and think that you´re in the good old USA.

*Nit Bus (5/5 stars): Why yes, I am reviewing the autobus! I didn´t want to get a hostel, so I decided to catch the Nit Bus back to my town.  It comes only once a night, at exactly 3:07 am.  So you´d better be ready!  I was so relieved to have this option.  Hostels are a great option if you want to stay in the city, but if you want to get back home without paying an arm and a leg, this is great.  I only wish I had known about it sooner.  It was three euros, and less than thirty minutes after departing from Catalunya, I was back in my town.  The bus was clean, quick, and I didn´t spot any creepers. Win.

So if you are visiting Barcelona and need ideas for food, drinks, dancing, or transportation, I´ve got your back. ;)

Here vs. Home

For the last few weeks I have been obsessing about the end of the program.  One minute I am so happy that I will soon be seeing Atlanta friends and family, and the next I am fighting back tears because I will miss it here so so much.

Things I am going to miss:

*my students. Sometimes they drive me crazy but I might cry on the last day of school.
*My host family.  They have given me endless support and have really accepted me into their lives.
*Mis amigas, Katelyn, Kirsty, and Anna!  I will miss dancing with them to Uptown Funk, having travel buddies, getting into the most awkward situations, laughing until I cry, watching Barça matches, exploring Barcelona, discovering delicious restaurants, and being able to share this unique experience with them. Oh my madre mia, I am going to miss them
*being able to walk everywhere or take the train/bus/tram/metro.
*fresh bread every day. Fresh everything all the time. Sure they have a ton of food with preservatives here, but natural food is widely available and it isn´t outrageously expensive.
*hearing Spanish all the time. I want to say that I won´t get lazy when I go home, but being surrounded by the language makes it so much easier
*Tapas, sangria, spanish tortillas, paella, calçots with romanesco sauce, and pan con tomate
*The lifestyle.  Shops are closed on Sundays.  People actually spend a TON of time with their friends and family.  What a concept! ;)
*The super late sunset.  Barcelona is further north than Atlanta, so it doesn´t get dark until about 10:00 here.  Love it.
*So many beautiful beaches just a stone´s throw away.
*The architecture
*Watching futbol with people who actually care about futbol (okay well I have a few friends in the states who care, but I mean the whole city just goes CRAZY about it).
*Hilarious misunderstandings due to the language barrier.


Things I am looking forward to:
*seeing my loved ones back home.  I have MISSED them so much!
*Being healthy again (hopefully).  Currently I am suffering from yet another illness.  It won´t stop.
*Summer thunderstorms (weird I know but I kinda love Atlanta summer weather)
*Being back in my apartment with Zlati, and having a flexible schedule for my personal life.  I need to slow down for a bit after this.
*Familiarity: there´s no place like home, and the comfort you find there.
*Netflix
*No language barrier... Of course I love hearing Spanish all the time, but life is certainly easier when you can understand every word.
*Having weekends where I just chill or have people over.  Even though the lifestyle here is laid back, I haven´t been very relaxed because every day I try to do and see as much as humanly possible.
*The future.  No matter where I end up next year, I know that this experience has not only been a ton of fun, but it has opened a lot of doors for future jobs.  I am feeling a lot more confident about finding jobs in my field of interest now.  The future is bright!

Munich, Passau, Sitges, and MORE.

Activities as of late:

*I have been cheering on my host family as they lead their active lives, participating in 5Ks and padel tournaments. Yay for them! I have been trying to exercise but it has been pretty sporadic.

*A few weeks ago I explored Parc del Laberint d´Horta with Anna (free on Sundays!).  It was a really nice under the radar place that isn´t overrun with tourists.  We also ate Mexican food at Rosa Negra, and it was quite delicious.

*For a few days, the weather here was abnormal.  It became unusually hot (90F or 32.2C to be exact).  So that week I learned to appreciate having air conditioning in every building back in Georgia because the schools here do NOT have it.  I swear that week everyone was getting sick and in a bad mood because the school felt like a sauna.

*I helped the kids in P3 make candy and strawberry jam that they later sold to raise money for school supplies.  That was fun but also a little stressful.  Imagine watching twenty something three year olds brandishing knives as they clumsily attempt to cut strawberries into tiny pieces.  Thankfully no one was injured in the process!

*I explored the small beach town, Sitges, with Kirsty and Katelyn.  It´s a really cute town about an hour from my house.  I had to take a different train and almost missed it but I used my minimal Spanish skills to ask for directions.  Whew.  See silly ladies in Sitges below.

*We had a three day weekend last week, so I flew to Munich and took a train to Passau to visit my good friend Martin and his girlfriend, Chenxin.  Even though I was sick and the weather was pretty dismal, I had a great time exploring big and small towns, looking inside elaborately decprated churches, eating authentic home made Chinese food and having coversations about Brother Orange, and going to a ¨Cuban/German¨bar with decent cocktails and fantastic music.  I had one small challenge during that trip.  I was alone on the train back to Munich to catch my plane back home.... when the train broke down.  I went to the information desk to ask for help and the woman didn´t speak English.  The man who later sold me a sandwich spoke PERFECT English, and he sent me to the bus driver who gave me a few options.  Eventually I decided to just get back on the next train and hope for no more problems.  Then the next train randomly stopped and I thought Ökay, don´t panic.  You´ve got this.  Just ask someone what the heck is going on.¨ So I stood up and yelled to the whole train car full of silent passnegers, ¨DOES ANYONE HERE SPEAK ENGLISH!?¨And not a soul replied.  I whipped out my directions and shoved them in a friendly looking German man´s face.  He shook his head to indicate that I had, in fact, not missed my stop.  One minute later, he and his family started shouting at me in German to let me know that I needed to get off the train. So it goes to show you that no matter where you are in the world and no matter what challenges you are facing during your travels, you can find a way to communicate and get the help you need.  And MOST of the time people are happy to help the crazy lost American.



*In other news, everyone here is still sick.  It´s almost June.  Why are people still so sick?  I really don´t know.  Also, Barça won the kings cup last night.  I watched the match with the host fam.  Normally they dont watch futbol but it was a big match.  I heard many fireworks and drunken fans passing through the streets last night.

Now I only have three weeks of school left.  I can´t believe how quickly the time has passed.  I never expected to have SUCH strong emotions about the end of my time here, either.  One minute I am excited because I will get to do a little bit of travelling and see all of my loved ones back home.  The next minute I am crying because I don´t know when I will see all of my amigos in Barcelona again.  I have developed some amazing friendships here, and it will be hard not to see these people every day.  I am so used to seeing these people every single day.  Now I don´t know when I will see them again. I don´t know if I´ll ever see my students again.  It makes me so emotional to think about these things so I try to focus on th present, but I am not so good at that.  One thing is for sure though: I am SO grateful to have had this experience.  Either way, I will leave with wonderful memories.

Mystery fish, birthdays, dancing, and school

I have really put my heart and soul into my work at school lately.  Being a teacher is incredibly rewarding and frustrating at the same time.  I have moments where I see kids unfairly teasing one another that break my heart.  I have moments when no one is listening.  Moments when I've spent hours on a really awesome PowerPoint and follow up activity, and still no one remembers a single word I've said.  But then, there is that magical 30 minute segment when everyone in my small group pays attention, remembers everything participates enthusiastically, and tells me they had fun learning with me.  And then the next week I see PROGRESS, and my heart soars.

Otherwise, things have been pretty normal. It's starting to warm up here and the weather is just beautiful.  Hardly any rain, and it hovers between the high 50s and high 70s.  Lots of pollen too just like Atlanta.

Last weekend we had an extra day off.  It was my host dad's birthday  last week so on Friday we visited his friends in the countryside and spent the day eating portions of a giant mystery fish (kudos to the chef), potatoes, prawns (I am still not a fan of prawns... something about eating something that still has eyes), and birthday cake. We also drank large quantities of delicious cava.  I never get tired of cava!

I spent Saturday and Sunday in Barcelona with Katelyn and Leah.  We stayed in the HelloBCN Hostel in Poble Sec, a neighborhood in Barcelona.  I would definitely recommend the hostel.  It was cheap, very clean, and had nice amenities.  I also love that area.  It is pretty down to earth and more residential, but still has busy areas with tons of tapas restaurants and bars.  Saturday night we went dancing at Shoko, a beach club in Barceloneta.  We got in for free with the guest list and had a fantastic time.  The only part of the weekend that was slightly awkward was sharing our hostel room with a complete stranger.  I have never done that before and I'm not sure that I would care to do it again in the future.  It was definitely an awkward experience.

Now I am just counting down the days.  I have so many mixed emotions about the fact that school ends in a little over a month, and my time in Europe will end soon after that.  I have established a life here.  It will be hard to leave, but who knows?  I may try to come back. ;)  For now though, I intend to enjoy the time I do have here and I certainly look forward to seeing my loved ones back home as well.