This past week has been so busy, and super exhausting. It was the first week of commuting everyday to and from school; I knew that by living in the city I was going to have to sacrifice a lot of my time, I just didn't expect to feel so tired day after day. Furthermore, I have had some more interaction with my students and we are past the first day shyness they first displayed. I now know who are the trouble makers. Also, as a person with no prior teaching experience, I have felt like a failure and frustrated many times this week: some students are easily distracted and then distract others and then soon enough everyone is talking at the same time and we can't get anything done and I have no control. My goal is to find the balance between being tough so that the students can learn the material, and being fun so that they are excited to learn and feel comfortable asking for help. I am thankful that I decided to get my TEFL certification, that is "Teaching English as a Foreign Language." I am taking this course online in unison with my time at school, and have been able learn some new things about teaching: what works, what doesn't, tips, and other useful information. So I'm hopeful that with more practice and more studying, I'll be more effective in the classroom. Also, thank you to all our teachers. We know the importance of a teacher in the lives of children, and yet sometimes they are viewed as a babysitter or their job is downplayed. Let me just say, it requires a lot of time and effort to prepare lessons, a lot of patience, and a a genuine heart to spend such time with so many children. Please remember to thank your teachers and treat them with love, always and especially now.
Anyway, in this blog I wanted to share some observations/differences that I've noticed about life and people in Spain. I've been somewhat more attentive to everyday things and tried to document, through pictures, all that I could! I was video chatting with my parents last week and my dad reminded me that some places and experiences I'll come across may start to feel insignificant or normal to me the longer I am here, but for those of you following along my journey, these "normal" things are not actually normal parts of our lives in the US.
1. Public transportation: It is used everywhere, in every part of the city. In Madrid, we have the option to take the metro, the bus, or the taxi (I have also heard of a special high-speed train, but have not personally used it yet). On week days, I take the metro to the bus station and then ride the bus to school. Going around in Madrid, I usually take the inter-city buses or the metro. As a result of living in smaller cities all my life and owning a car, I never really use public transportation in the US. When I first arrived in Spain, I was very scared and hesitant about learning the system here. It's a big change! But, I am learning my way, and thanks to technology, I have an app that tells me exactly how to get from point A to point B using the public transportation.
2. FruiterÃas: I have tired a few different supermarkets to find the one I like. I've also tried a few fruit markets, where I get can more options of fruits and veggies for much cheaper. There are many, many, many, along the main street. I'll walk maybe 15 minutes and pass 7 different fruiterÃas. Basically, they are little fruit stands and open everyday, unlike the farmer's market back home which may only be open once or twice a week. (I tried a cherimoya for the first time from this market...not a product of Spain, but not something I regularly saw in MI either. It is a sweet fruit with a green outside and juicy soft inside. Just don't eat the black seeds!)
3. Laundry: In our apartment, we are lucky to have a nice big washing machine! It felt so good after moving around to finally wash some clothes for the first time last week! However, we don't have a dryer...that is pretty common here. On every balcony, a causal observer can see sheets, pants, sweatshirts, towels, etc. hanging out to dry. We have a drying rack, as well as access to the rooftop to hang larger items. But my mistake, I put all my clothes on our rack to dry and left it out on the terrace overnight. It then rained overnight, taking twice as long for my clothes to dry. This little difference is teaching my to plan ahead and allow for long periods of drying time.
4. The phrase "hasta luego," meaning see you later, is used constantly, but not realistically. I will probably not see my bus driver or the cashier from the supermarket later, but when I leave, it's polite to say it and they will also say it to me. This is also common at cafés or restaurants, I mean everywhere.
5. The expat community and other auxiliares are so friendly and helpful. I'm part of several Facebook groups regarding foreigners in Madrid or auxiliares in Madrid and the members in these groups have been so helpful with any questions I've brought up and its an easy way to get tips for living in the city or learn about new events. This is also one way I'm making friends. Back home in the US I would never post on Facebook "Hey let's meet up. I'm looking for friends," but that is exactly what I have to do here, especially with COVID restrictions. And I've been able to meet some girls around my age, who are also looking to connect and get to know people and enjoy tapas and drinks! We are all here in the same situation, and we are just trying to be helpful, and have a good time!
6. Life is slow here (and I say this as a good thing). And everything is later than I'm used to...shops and cafes are not usually open first thing in the morning. Around 9:30am, and after is when people start moving. Lunch is later too; around 2pm and much more food than I usually eat for lunch. Dinner, following the Spanish schedule but I am usually ready for bed by then, is like 8,9,10pm. But besides the food, I don't feel like I have to rush around. I can walk and enjoy the sun, I can drink my coffee and actually enjoy it and I'm not running around like a crazy person going from one activity to the next.
7. I can mostly find the same kinds of food here that I would in the US. Maybe less specialty options, but in general, everything has been available. However, it all has a slightly different taste. For example, I had popcorn a few nights ago and it was not the same popcorn flavor I like. This is a little thing, but also part of adapting to a new place.
Other things to mention:
While I am not stoked about my long commute to school, it is so beautiful to see the mountains in the morning. I can't even describe it. And I usually arrive to Buitrago with time before work. Lately, I've been going for a quick walk to stretch my legs and see more of the sunrise.
Last weekend my roommates and I had a movie night and pizza party! They were making pizza a lot during lockdown and so they made it for me! I have to be honest and say that I think my dad's pizza is still way better, but it was a fun night to just chill and get to know them some more. In the picture is Arushi and Michel!
November 13th! My 22nd birthday was a little different this year. As I reminisced about my 21st birthday last year, surrounded my my friends and family, drinking, eating good food, and feeling so loved, this year was so chill. Since I arrived, I've been telling myself to enjoy life: try that restaurant if you like, go for a walk, sleep in, make plans, whatever you need to do to feel like you are taking advantage of your new city. So, I did exactly that on Friday. It was a beautiful, sunny day. I made French toast for breakfast, walked around some new areas of the city, ate Spanish tortilla, and enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice. I also saw some street art and ended the night enjoying tapas, drinks, and cake on the terrace with my roommates. I didn't skip teaching that day, but I had an appointment scheduled in the morning which prevented me from going to work, and therefore got lucky to have the whole day open. But the best part was reading letters, cards, and well wishes from my people. I felt very loved, even from so far away.
I am so impressed by all the different expressions of art! Pictured above are, mostly, from the Pinta Malasaña project. From what I understand, in previous years this exhibition is held outside in the streets. This year, it is all in a market. And when all the stations close for siesta is the best time to see the art!
I wore my favorite new dress, let down my hair, and soaked up the sun.
Arushi baked a super delicious chocolate cake for my birthday! Thank goodness it's so big that I can have like 4 more pieces...
Lastly, please enjoy this picture of Sham making some late night egg fried rice for us. It was so, so good and hit the late night, after drink cravings. It has been so enjoyable to live with other people from all over the world. We often talk about differences between our countries and ask questions when we don't understand! Plus, they all are amazing cooks. In fact, tonight we will be feasting on curries and other South Asian inspired dishes in celebration of Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, in India. I will be sure to take some pictures and share in the next post.
That's all for now. Sending my love!