Success.

I apologize for the incredibly long-winded, somewhat negative post I wrote last Thursday. I figured it was the best way to let my family know what I had been through, plus I needed to vent. Socialized healthcare is very frustrating... but that's a discussion for another day. Anyways, I thought I would give an update on what I have been up to since the now infamous toe injury.

After the disjointed day I had on Thursday, I got up Friday ready to get down to business. I went back to the Centro de Salud first thing in the morning to have my toe re-looked at and re-dressed, which turned out to be slightly more complicated than I expected it to be. Nonetheless, it was a lot quicker and less stressful than my first experience there. After another trip to the bank to pay for my visit (this time it was a little cheaper... go figure), I finally saw a nurse, who actually remembered me from the day before. I was in and out by 10 a.m., which left me plenty of time to accomplish my goals for the day by 2 p.m., when everything in Spain shuts down for lunch and siesta.

First up, I went back to La Caixa, the sight of my toe incident, to deposit this month's rent in Fátima's bank account. Don't worry--I was very careful in opening the door. Afterwards, I went back to Cajasol by La Campana (where they actually know me by name now and can correctly pronounce my last name) to attempt opening a bank account. Although I initially thought that banking at La Caixa would make transferring my rent each month easier, I ended up deciding that Cajasol was the best option, mainly because there are so many branches and ATMs around the city. I ended up talking to a lady at the information desk, who got the process rolling. Unfortunately, there was some sort of a glitch in the computer system that held up the opening of my account and I had to leave for about an hour while she waited for someone to fix the error. That gave me just enough time to walk very quickly to Plaza de España, where I visited the Oficina de Extranjeros (the Foreigner's Office) and picked up the form I will need to turn in when I apply for my NIE (número de identidad extranjero). As is the case with most government offices, this one was packed with people and there was a very long line that freaked me out a little. The good news is that when I go back to actually apply for my NIE I will not have to wait in any lines. CIEE has connections at the office and was able to make us appointments ahead of time. My first appointment (one of two) is a week from today. I will definitely be glad to get that ball rolling.

Anyways, after my brief visit to the Oficina de Extranjeros, I returned to Cajasol, where I hoped that the computer glitch would be solved and the nice lady at the information desk would be ready to finalize the opening of my account. Luckily, she was and after 2 days of trying I finally had a Spanish bank account. Unfortunately, until I get paid at the end of the month, there will be no money in it...

After such a crazy two days, I was definitely ready for the weekend. After a night out on Friday night with some of my new CIEE friends, I spent the rest of the weekend alternately relaxing and continuing to explore my beautiful Spanish hometown. I also did a little bit of shopping in my neighborhood... there are some really cute boutiques, which is good for my aspirations to be fashionable like Spanish women and very bad for my pocketbook. Priorities.

With the end of the weekend came the beginning of my time as a gainfully employed college graduate. By the time Sunday rolled around, I was getting excited to head back to I.E.S. Torre de los Herberos and start work. That excitement soon wore off, when I realized I would have to wake up at the unheard of hour of 6:30 a.m. to get ready and begin my commute to Dos Hermanas. For those of you who have never been to Spain, life here doesn't start until at least 8 a.m. When I left my house at 7:15 this morning, it was still completely dark out and there were no other people in sight. Nonetheless, I made my way to the bus stop, and then the train station, and finally to Dos Hermanas.

My workday started at 9:15 a.m. with Javier, one of the teachers I will be working with in the Department of Electronics. It's random, I know, but if they want to learn English, I will do my best to help! Anyways, today was basically a get-to-know-you type of day and Javier spent a little time (okay, a lot of time) telling me about his background, his knowledge of English, and what he expects from our one-on-one time together. It seems that he wants to focus primarily on pronunciation and other speaking activities, as well as on listening. I can't say that I blame him... English pronunciation is hard and doesn't always make sense. Plus, in my Spanish studies, those have always been the areas I have struggled with the most. Anyways, after our hour together, I came away with a sense that Javier is very enthusiastic about learning English and I'm looking forward to working with him.

After my time with Javier, I had about 2.5 hours of free time. I killed some of that time looking for pronunciation activities online and trying to figure out how to go about teaching English. Then, I decided to get a little fresh air (I was getting very sleepy at this point) and venture out into Dos Hermanas in search of coffee. Let's just say that Dos Hermanas, or at least the part where my school is, doesn't have much to offer. I did eventually find a little bar where I had a quick café con leche and drew lots of looks from the locals, who were no doubt confused about the presence of a tall, blonde American in their bar. After that, I headed back to school, where I spent some time talking to Cristobal, one of the other teachers I will be working with both in class and one-on-one. He is a little older and speaks very hard to understand Andalusian Spanish. Still, he was incredibly nice and took a lot of time to explain what he expects from our time together this year. He even suggested that sometime all of the teachers and I get together for a meal or a cervecita. I am so thrilled to be working with such an enthusiastic, welcoming group of teachers!

After my time with Cristobal, which wasn't officially on my schedule for the day, I spent an hour with Ricardo, yet another teacher from the Department of Electronics. He made a point to speak slowly to me, which helped a lot! He asked me lots of questions about my life in the States and my family, which I was more than happy to share. He then told me some about his own family and Dos Hermanas, where he has lived his entire life. The highlight of our session was when he told me that I spoke very good Spanish. So, I guess my Vanderbilt education has paid off! He also introduced me to another teacher who works at the school who might have a job for me giving private English lessons to a group of 5-6 year old kids in Dos Hermanas. I know I could certainly use the extra income and I am always looking for ways to fill my time here, since I only work 12 hours a week!

My workday ended with Ceferino, who is the bilingual coordinator and the person with whom I have had the most contact. During the last period on Mondays, I will be assisting him in his class with students who are in the second year of their bachillerato. From what I can tell, we will be reviewing information they have already learned in English. The class is made up of about 12-15 17 and 18 year old boys (that's right...no girls) which is somewhat intimidating. Nonetheless, they seem like a great group of students. Ceferino introduced me to the class and then had them go around and introduce themselves. Just about everyone was named either Rafa, Joaquin or Paco. Their English language abilities range from nonexistent to middle-of-the-road and I was very impressed overall. They asked me some questions about myself, my studies, and where I am from, and then Ceferino let me go for the day.

By the time I got on the train to head back to Sevilla, I was exhausted, mentally and physically, but in a good way. Yes, it was a lot to take in in one day. That said, I loved getting to know the teachers from the department and also getting to meet some of my students for the first time. Although my time thus far in Spain has been pretty busy, it felt nice to have some structure to my day and to actually accomplish something. I am also starting to get a better idea of what my duties will be as a Language & Culture Assistant. I won't be spending as much time as I anticipated actually in the classroom with students. However, I am excited to work with the teachers and improve their English as well, in the hopes that they will be able to pass that knowledge on to the students at some point down the road. Overall, I would say that it was a very good first real day of work.

Well, this has been an incredibly long blog post... what can I say, my life is pretty eventful these days! Kudos to those of you who made it this far. I will post again at the end of the week with an update on how things are going at work. I also hope to take my camera one day and get some photos of the school, the teachers I am working with, and some of the students. In the meantime, shoot me an e-mail if you have a chance! Hasta pronto...

Que Barbaridad!

In Spanish, que barbaridad is a saying used to express disbelief, shock, or amazement. I would say that any of those words would describe how I feel now, at 4:24 p.m., looking back at the day I have had thus far. Let me take you back to the beginning...

I woke up today with every intention of getting down to business and taking care of some of the bureaucratic issues I have to deal with in the coming days and weeks... opening a Spanish bank account and applying for my NIE (número de identidad extranjero) being the most important. After eating a quick breakfast and downing a cáfe con leche at Las Columnas (my new favorite morning spot), I took on the day. After going to a photocopy store to make copies of some important paperwork and having passport-sized photos made, I headed to a nearby branch of La Caixa (the bank I will be using here) to look into opening an account. As I walked into the bank, I hit the big toe on my left foot with the huge glass door, which probably wouldn't have been a big deal had I not been wearing flip-flops. Being my mother's daughter and the accident-prone person that I am, I figured I had stubbed my toe and that the significant amount of pain would quickly subside. However, upon entering the bank, I looked down to find that half of my toe nail had bent backwards and that my toe was starting to bleed. Realizing that I needed to take care of this situation before moving on to setting up a bank account, I left the bank and headed toward home. As I walked down the street, my toe was bleeding more and more and was in increasing pain. My entire flip-flop was covered in blood and there was no way in hell that I was going to make it back to my house in this condition. Besides, I had no idea what I was going to do once I got there. So, I went into a hair salon and asked if there was a bathroom that I could use there, pointing at my foot. The ladies in the salon quickly showed me to the bathroom and helped me clean up my foot as best as they could. That said, they told me that I definitely needed to see a doctor, which was becoming increasingly clear to me as well. So, they pointed me in the right direction and off I went. After stopping at multiple pharmacies along the way to ask how to find the ambulatorio, I finally found myself at the Centro de Salud (health center) at La Campana. Being a foreigner and having never dealt with socialized medicine in my life, I was completely lost. I somehow managed to make my way through the crowd of waiting patients and asked at the desk whether or not there was any type of emergency room. At this point, a recurring theme in my day began: I was told to take a number and wait my turn. So, I sat, with my bloody foot, among what seemed like just about every senior citizen in Sevilla, waiting for my number to come up. When I finally made it up to the desk, I explained my situation to the receptionist and asked to see a doctor. It turns out that it wasn't going to be that easy. Before I could be attended to, I would have to go to the bank around the corner and pay 43.50 euros to cover my visit, as the U.S. and Spain do not have a reciprocal medical agreement. Thus, with my still bleeding foot and hanging toenail (I'm sure I was a sight for sore eyes) I hobbled over to Cajasol, where I was instructed to take another number and wait my turn. As in any place of business in Spain, efficiency is not a priority. So I waited, and waited, and waited. After about 30 minutes I finally got to see a teller and pay my dues. With my receipt in hand, I went back to the health center, where I went directly to the woman I had talked to before at the front desk. She sent me upstairs to see a doctor, who took a look at my foot and tried to convince me that it only hurt un poco, not a lot. He also told me that I would probably need a tetanus shot. He sent me back downstairs, to the emergency room (la sala de urgencias), where I waited to be seen by the one doctor covering urgent-care situations. When I finally got to see the urgent care specialist, things finally started to move along. She gave me a tetanus shot and then cleaned up my toe. At some point during this process another woman came into the room. This one spoke English, which helped make the situation much easier (despite my best effort to communicate in Spanish). The doctor ended up bending my toenail back into place (which hurt very, very, very badly) and wrapping my toe up in all sorts of bandages and gauze. It looks like I have a mini-cast on my big toe. She told me to come back tomorrow so that she can check it out again and then sent me on my way. She couldn't have been nicer, which was a relief after a few hours of impersonal bureaucracy. She asked me all about what I am doing in Spain and asked me how to say a few phrases in English. I really hope that she is there tomorrow when I go back, more than anything so that I can thank her for her care and hospitality.

Although the situation could have been much, much worse, I will say that it was incredibly stressful to be in a foreign country (even one where you speak the language) and need urgent medical care. The people who helped me along the way certainly made things easier but I have to admit that there were several moments when I wished I had had someone to hold my hand through the process.

Anyone who knows me well knows that this kind of thing always seems to happen to me, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. When I skyped with my mom after I got home from my adventure, she kept saying, "Wow, you are in really good spirits, all things considered. I'm so glad you can laugh about this." All I could say was that if anyone in my program could have needed to make a visit to any sort of medical center within two weeks after arriving in Spain, it would have to be me. I am probably the most accident-prone person that I know. This episode is yet another life experience to add to the list...one that I would have preferred to avoid but that I definitely learned from. I like to think that I handled the situation well, remaining calm throughout and asking for guidance when I needed it. Plus, at least now I know where to go if I have a pressing health issue.

Tomorrow I am going to try making it to the bank and oficina de extranjeros again. In the meantime, I have to figure out how I am going to shower without getting my bandages wet and which shoes I can wear without aggravating my injury.

Come. Reza. Ama.

I have another weekend in Sevilla under my belt, although this one hasn't been nearly as eventful as the last. After a week of non-stop exploring both on foot and on bike, I was ready for some good old-fashioned downtime--or at least as much as I can get away with without feeling guilty! It seems like a waste to be in such a beautiful city and not be out and about enjoying your surroundings. But, as I keep reminding myself, I will be here for an extended amount of time... there will be plenty of opportunities to see new things, meet new people, and broaden my horizons!

That said, I did do some exploring over the past couple of days, although not nearly as much as I have been. Friday I ventured out to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts), which is about a 10-minute walk from my house. The museum is located in an old monastery and, like just about everything else here, it is beautiful. Although I would have been perfectly happy to spend the afternoon sitting in the courtyard and taking in the beautiful architecture and landscaping, I did make it into the museum to see the collection, which featured Sevillian artists dating from medieval times. I admit that I am by no means an art buff. However, I do love art museums and galleries--something about them is so calming. Next up: El Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo. Unforunately, it's a little bit farther away from my house, so it might take me a while to make it there!

Yesterday (Sunday) I grabbed a bike from Sevici and took a spin around the perimeter of el centro and La Macarena. At the beginning of my ride, it was nice and cool. However, by the time I turned in my bike, the hot Andalusian sun was starting to emerge. I guess I finished just in time!

I am a little bit embarrassed to admit to the highlight of my weekend... but here goes nothing--I went to see Eat, Pray, Love (or, as it is known in Spain, Come, Reza, Ama). Now, before anyone gets onto me about seeing an American movie (in my first weeks abroad, no less), I will say that it was dubbed in Spanish and my listening comprehension abilities got quite a workout. By the end of the movie, I would say that I was 95% convinced that Julia Roberts was, in fact, Spanish. But the reason I enjoyed the movie so much was that I feel like right now I really identify with Elizabeth Gilbert's year-long journey around the world. It sounds cliché, I know, but I really do. Yes, my purpose in being in Spain is to teach English. However, for me, a lot of it is about "me"... stretching my wings, figuring out where I want to go from here, etc... Anyways, enough of that. My sources in the U.S. who saw the movie (ahem, Alice and LJ) told me it was long and boring. Which it may well have been in its original form. But in Spanish it was very entertaining. Moral of the story: I will definitely be going back to Cine Cervantes (conveniently located about 1 minute from my house) throughout the year.

In other news, my roommates are (I think) all back in residence now, which is a nice change of pace. Unfortunately, I don't get to see them much! We all run on such different schedules that it looks like we won't be spending too much time together. It probably doesn't help matters that I am leaving today for 2 days to go to CIEE orientation. I won't be going far since orientation is in Sevilla but I will be staying in a hotel for 2 nights. I will definitely miss my new home but I am actually really, really excited for orientation. Even though I've heard that the sessions can be long and tedious, I am looking forward to meeting other people who are in the same boat as I am. I am also hoping to get some guidance in the areas of opening a Spanish bank account (scary) and applying for my NIE card, which basically takes the student visa I currently have and converts it into a work/residency permit.

That's about all the news from here. Wish me luck in orientation.

Time Flies

I can't believe that I've already been in Sevilla for a week. In some ways it feels like longer but in others I feel like I just left Nashville yesterday. In my experience, that combination of feelings usually means that things are going well, which they are.

After struggling to get my bearings here for the first couple of days and getting lost more than a few times, I finally think that I have the lay of the land. It helped that I got a one-week pass for Sevici, Sevilla's community bike program which allows you to borrow a bike from any of several stations located around the city and then return it at your convenience. Obviously, biking makes getting around a lot easier, so I have been able to cover a lot more ground lately! The day that I got my pass I went for a nice, long ride alongside the river, which has to be one of my favorite spots in Sevilla. I also spent some time biking around La Macarena, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods and, more importantly, the namesake of the hit 1990's dance tune. I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want to purchase a 1-year Sevici pass. Although I love biking and definitely think that it makes getting around the city a lot easier, I'm not sure how much I will actually use it once I start work in Dos Hermanas. Regardless, the Sevici program is really impressive and I hope that more cities in the U.S. (including Nashville) will adopt similar programs in the near future.

Although I have immensely enjoyed pretending to be a tourist in Sevilla for the past week, I had to remind myself that this is not an extended vacation. Contrary to popular belief, I am actually here to work! So, Monday morning, I set off to find the city of Dos Hermanas, where the school I will be "teaching" at is located. I found my way to the bus stop at Plaza de Ponce de Leon and then hopped on the #32 bus to Santa Justa train station, where I bought a round-trip train ticket on the Cercanías line to Dos Hermanas. So far, so good... I had at least figured out the commute that I will be making several times a week for the next 9 months. However, when I got off the train at the Dos Hermanas stop, I realized that, despite looking up directions before I left Sevilla, I had no idea how to find my school. Thus, after all of my effort, I turned around and headed back to Sevilla.

Luckily, I have been in contact with Ceferino Marin, the bilingual coordinator at I.E.S. Torre de los Herberos, and he sent me detailed directions and a map to help me find my way to the school. It turns out that I needed to wait for the stop after Dos Hermanas to get off the train. So, Wednesday morning, I did the same thing all over again, except this time I de-boarded at the correct stop and successfully found my way to the school, which is about a 15 minute walk from the train station.

I.E.S. Torre de los Herberos is a huge, nondescript building, like many Spanish educational institutions, and as I approached it I was somewhat intimidated by the crowd of teenagers socializing outside the school. However, I made my way inside and asked for Ceferino, explaining who I was and what I was doing there. I got the distinct feeling that not many 22-year-old Americans show up on a daily basis. Eventually, I was shown to the teacher's lounge, where I met "Cefe", who I will be working with during my time in Spain. I also met a few of the other English teachers, all of whom were incredibly nice and welcoming. After exchanging pleasantries, Cefe gave me a quick tour of the school and went over a basic sketch of my work schedule. As of right now, it looks like I will be working Monday through Thursday, for 3 hours each day. My time will be split between helping out in actual class sessions with the students and assisting the teachers in their preparation of materials. I have to say that physically going to the school and seeing where I will be working made me really excited to get started. I am definitely looking forward to having something to do everyday and it seems like the teachers I will be working with are really great.

This weekend I am planning on continuing to explore the city and getting to know the other CIEE participants. Then, from Monday through Wednesday of next week, I will be participating in an orientation for Teach in Spain "Basics" participants, which consists of those of us who have lived in Spain before and those who were a part of the program last year. Although I have heard that orientation can be less than enjoyable, I am looking forward to getting some information on applying for my NIE (Foreigner's Identification Number) and opening a Spanish bank account. I am also definitely looking forward to meeting lots of new people and, of course, free meals for the duration of the orientation!

Anyways, that's about all the news from Sevilla! As I've said before, I LOVE hearing from you all individually, whether it's through e-mail, Facebook, or Skype. So, shoot me a message when you can! Hasta pronto...

First Photos of Spain

In case you haven't seen them on Facebook, here are some photos from Madrid and Sevilla. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2057913&id=1572780017&l=efb97a993d

El Primer Fin de Semana en Sevilla

Since I last wrote on here, I have been very busy exploring Sevilla, getting adjusted to the Spanish lifestyle, and meeting up with other CIEE program participants. Saying my legs are sore from all of the walking I have done in the past 5 days would be a vast understatement. Being here and immersing myself in the daily life of Sevilla is well worth the pain, though.

Now that I have been here a few days, I am not quite as overwhelmed as I was upon my arrival. My new casita is starting to feel more like home, I have a general idea of the layout of the city, and my rusty Spanish is starting to improve... slowly but surely. The weather continues to be on the warm side, especially when you are in the sun, although we did enjoy a nice rain on Friday afternoon, which at least temporarily cooled things off.

I spent Friday running a few errands to pick up things I needed to continue settling in. Thank god for "Chinos," the little Chinese markets you can find on just about any street corner that sell everything from basic groceries to luggage, cleaning supplies, and towels. They have definitely made my life easier this week! I also joined a gym that is right up the street from my house for 232 euros total for my entire 9 month stay. I'm looking forward to hopefully taking some classes there and potentially making some Spanish friends in the process!

After spending Friday taking care of housekeeping issues, I dedicated Saturday to exploring Sevilla and trying to get my bearings, after I had my daily café con leche on the Alameda de Hercules. I especially enjoyed walking by the Río Guadalquivir, the river that bisects the city. I also took a brief stroll through Triana, one of the main residential areas in Sevilla where a lot of the other program participants will be living.

Of course, you can't come to Spain and not participate in the nightlife, which Sevilla has plenty of! Saturday night I met up with several other language & culture assistants for a night on the town. They all seem really nice and everyone is eager to make friends here. It was a lot of fun, although after working all summer and living at home I wasn't quite prepared for staying out until 5 a.m. As they say, "When in Rome..."

Today, Sunday, I continued my explorations and spent a little time being a tourist. Even though I had visited it before, I decided to walk around the Real Alcazar, the royal palace located in the center of town. The architecture, which has lots of Arabic influence, is incredible and the gardens are beautiful. I took some pictures and will post them soon. If you're curious, read about the palace here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcázar_of_Seville. It has a fascinating history.

After my spin around the Alcazar, I headed to Parque Maria Luisa, which was built for the 1929 World's Fair, the Exposición Ibero-Americana, which has lots of really cool monuments and museums, in addition to very impressive gardens and landscaping. I met up with my new friend, Katie, there and we walked around for a while, taking in the scenery and getting to know each other. It was a great way to spend the afternoon, although I did get very lost trying to find my way out of the park when I was leaving. I ended up adding about 30 minutes to my walk home!

I still have a week before my orientation but I tend to think that I won't have any problem keeping myself occupied during that time! Tomorrow I am planning on figuring out how to get to Dos Hermanas, where my school is located, and also trying out Sevici, which is an awesome public bike system they have set up here. Once you sign up, you can pick up and return a bike at any of the stations located around the city. I love walking but having access to a bike will definitely make getting around a whole lot easier!

Well, that's about all the news from my end. I've really enjoyed hearing from people back in Nashville since I've been here, so keep the e-mails coming! I'll try to post pictures either tonight or tomorrow so you all can see the beautiful city I now call home!

The Mystery Rottweiler

I don't feel like writing a really detailed post today but thought I'd share what I found to be a very "unique" experience...

My house in Sevilla is 3 stories. The first floor is communal living space... kitchen, bathroom, entry hall, living room, etc. The second floor is where the bedrooms and another bath are. And then there's the 3rd floor, which is basically a rooftop terrace. Yesterday when I arrived, Fátima told me that the washing machine was on the roof and naturally I was curious to check it out. When I stuck my head in the door to the laundry room (the rest of the rooftop is open), there was a HUGE Rottweiler sprawled out on the floor. Although I am a dog lover (as you all know), I have to say that I was taken aback and maybe a little scared... after all, Rotties are enormous and sometimes aggressive. Luckily for me, this one just continued relaxing on the floor and I went back downstairs, a little confused and mildly entertained. At this point, Fátima had already left for her trip to Norway and no one else was at home. So I put the episode at the back of my mind and went about my business. This morning, when I was showing a new friend around the house, I told her about my freak encounter with the mystery Rottweiler, expecting that it wouldn't be there anymore. Sure enough, though, the dog was still on the laundry room floor. I couldn't help but laugh. Where did this dog come from and who did it belong to? I could have sworn that Fátima told me that there weren't any animals in the house, not that I would have minded if there were. Anyways, to tie this story up, this afternoon I was heading down the stairs when I saw the dog laying on the floor of the entry hall. It turns out that he belongs to David, Fátima's brother, and that he usually hangs out upstairs but comes out every afternoon for a little while. I don't remember his name but I do remember that he told me that it sounds like "Jamón" (ham). Maybe you had to be there but this whole debacle definitely made me laugh.