I apologize to those of you (read: the 5 or so family members who read this) who have been looking for an update from me over the past several weeks. As I recently wrote to a family member in an e-mail, it's truly amazing how quickly I have gone from being bored out of my mind during the week to barely having time to catch my breath Tuesday through Thursday. Between my twice weekly French classes and tutoring in Dos Hermanas on Wednesday evenings, I am keeping busy. Although there are times when I miss the days of two hour post-work siestas, I have to say that I much prefer my newly full schedule.
The only part of my week that is lacking in activity is the time that I actually spend at "work." Since I first assumed my duties as an auxiliar back in October, I have written that my job is very minimal, with a maximum of 12 hours spent working each week and limited responsibilities both inside and outside of the classroom. My friends, who teach at other schools in and around Sevilla, and I have said time and again that the program we are in is a "joke." The past couple of weeks at I.E.S. Torre de los Herberos have taken those observations to a whole new level. There have been several days where I have commuted to Dos Hermanas, which in itself is an hour-long process from the time I leave my house to the time I walk into school, only to work an hour or less. Under normal circumstances I would be frustrated by going all that way only to be told that I'm not needed. However, at least it gets me out of bed and moving in the morning. There have been other days where I haven't gone in at all, either because I have been told ahead of time not to bother or because knowing I would only be there for an hour has led me to inform them that making the trip no vale la pena (isn't worth it). Granted, there is usually a good reason for days like those I just described--one of the teachers is sick, there's a test, or, in last week's case, there has been a family emergency for one of the teachers. Still, I wouldn't mind having more of a reason to get excited for work.
Luckily, my dull work days are balanced out by the weekend trips that I try to take once a month. Since I last wrote, I enjoyed a long weekend (February 24-28) in Belgium with Rachel and Briana. We had booked the trip before Christmas in anticipation of the February Puente, which we had off from work because of Día de Andalucía, the regional holiday. We arrived in Brussels on Thursday night, spent two days there, and then moved on to Bruges, where we stayed until Monday. If you were to ask me what we saw in Belgium, I would probably struggle to come up with very much. As we had been warned ahead of time, there isn't that much to see or do there. However, despite the lack of tourist attractions, we managed to entertain ourselves by doing lots of walking around and, of course, indulging in the foods (waffles, chocolate, and "French" fries) and beverage (beer) for which the country is famous. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed Belgium's gastronomic offerings, I think that the thing I liked most about it was the interesting mix of French, Dutch, and even German cultural elements. France and Germany are two of my favorite countries and it was neat to be in a place that reminded me of both. While I haven't been to the Netherlands, I can imagine I would like it. Overall, it was a successful trip and I wouldn't say no to going back to Belgium some day.
The beautiful weather that we experienced in Sevilla in the week leading up to my trip to Belgium didn't last long, meaning that, when I haven't been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I have been spending lots of time inside, avoiding the seemingly endless rain and being forced to think about the day when I will inevitably have to leave Spain and return to the States. When I ventured across the pond back in September, I came with a one-way ticket since I had no idea when what the next nine months would hold. Thus, over the past several weeks, I have been checking out my options as far as flying back in June are concerned and trying to find the best deal on airfare. On Sunday morning, when I predictably woke up much earlier than I wanted to at 8:30 a.m., I finally found the lowest price I could and bought my ticket for… drum roll, please… Thursday June 9. While part of me was tempted to stay until the end of the month, I am quickly coming to the realization that I can't put off the real world (let's face it, the life I'm currently leading is in no way, shape, or form the real world) forever and that finding a job in the States from overseas is challenging. Needless to say, it was a tough decision but one that had to happen sooner rather than later.
I have no idea where I'll end up or what I'll be doing in the post-Spain chapter of my life. I do, however, know that thus far this experience has been the best year of my life and that I want to fully take advantage of the time I have left in my adopted home country. Aside from a trip to Ireland this coming weekend for St. Patrick's Day, I am planning on spending most of the next three months in Sevilla, or at the very least on the Iberian Peninsula. During Holy Week, which falls in mid-April this year, I am finally making it across the border to Lisbon, Portugal, for a few days of solo travel before meeting up with Pam and her brother in Madrid. Then, in early May, my friends and I are taking a beach trip to Lagos, Portugal.
More important than where I spend the next couple of months, though, is who I spend them with. The past six months have been the best experience of my life and I am determined to enjoy as much time as possible with the people who have helped make it that way. Recently, some of my friends and I have started a Saturday night supper club, which we are trying to make happen at least once a month. Because my house is centrally located and has the perfect set-up for entertaining, we always gather at my house to enjoy each other's company, good food, and cheap Spanish wine. This past weekend the five of us threw together a last minute potluck, complete with vegetarian lasagna, proudly made by yours truly. We always have fun and hosting dinner parties makes me feel incredibly grown up. There is no doubt in my mind we have many more such occasions to look forward to!
As I am writing this during a free period at school and the bell to end second period is about to ring, I am going to cut this entry off here. Look out for another post next week... and this time I mean it! Hasta pronto…
Your blog is an insight into what the program and living abroad are like. It seems that you have done well in meeting the challenges and working those to your advantage. You might want to offer your blog as a primer to others interested in these programs. Wonder if you would publish in some respect?
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