What is one of the worst things that can happen to someone abroad? I'll TELL YOU.

Let's start with the bad and move to the good so that I leave the blog on a high note here. Long story short, the ATM ate my debit card and won't give it back. WHY? I don't know, probably my credit union being over-protective, which is this case left me screwed. I paid for my hotel this morning, which was a pretty big purchase, and then this afternoon I tried to get money out of the ATM to pay for my piso (apartment), and it took my card. Banks here close early, and the help number on the machine lead to an answering machine, leaving me hopeless to get my card back. I thank Mike for keeping me pretty calm (Meaning, I didn't burst into tears like I normally do), I think I'm more upset than anything and it is just an inconvenience. He called my director Vivi (she knows EVERYONE or is related to anyone important), so she will help me tomorrow. Just to double check, Mike was able to still use his card, so oh yay, I at least didn't break the machine, and my card won't randomly pop out. Hopefully I get it fixed tomorrow, or it will be a long weekend, I may need to beg for bread outside the grocery store on Saturday if I don't have any money. We move in to our apartment today and I need sheets/groceries/etc for that, and well, I have limited funds since I don't have my card. I was able to borrow some sheets from Bea, the other roommate for now, and I have some fried rice left overs in the fridge, so at least I'll have dinner tonight?

Last night I went out with Mike and Virginia for Canas (smaller drinks) and tapas. It was a lot of fun and gave me a chance to practice my Spanish (listening an speaking). Her birthday is close to mine, so we should have a grand fiesta!
Ok, on to my first day! I created a mini-powerpoint about myself, just random things - about my family, what I like to do, my favorite food (tex-mex), football, things about Texas etc. I also made a word search, which I thought was pretty neat and creative. The teachers sometimes don't give a lot of feedback, so I have to guesstimate how I did. I relaxed before class, that helped keep me calm and go in with a lot of energy and excitement and get into what I was doing. The first class was a science class (I will be teaching the scientific method next week!). The kids were pretty shy, so I had to really try to get them involved. I asked them questions from my powerpoint, and then when someone answered I gave out some Sheriff Stars from the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Fort Worth - like a charm - kids wanted to answer more questions. (I KNEW prizes would motivate them!) I even explained what a Sheriff is and about the cowboy police in Fort Worth. There were about 10 minutes left in class, and the prof went over the lesson...DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS! How haunting! I remember that from my sophomore year in high school. I don't know how I passed PreAP chemistry because I sucked at that portion - and here it is, following me! I'm going to have nightmares for weeks.
Then I had an english class with older kids, I'm making some changes to my plans - the word search will be even harder (!). They were a little more talkative, just shy. I had them go around the room and say how old they were and what they like to do. David (the prof), wants me to think of another game to play. I'm racking my brain for something...hopefully it will come to me before 8:20am tomorrow. I am not a morning person, so we will see where this goes. I have 3 classes with him tomorrow.
Vivi also set me up with more private lessons...I have 3 private lessons on FRIDAY. One with a boy, then two with groups of girls. I will need to think of some songs we can all sing...I also have lessons on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, and one on Thursday. I also have one I need to reschedule. Yikes. 

What could this mean other than the fact that I HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE NOW! Tomorrow I'll finally be out of a hotel and in a piso. It has 4 rooms (well, 3.5 if you don't count the closet size room), so I'll be sharing with Mike, the language assistant at the intermediate school, Karlyne, the language assistant at the preschool (she comes in tomorrow), and Bea, whom I met today, she is a friend of Mike's (She is from Spain). I can't wait! I'm ready to improve my Spanish, and this is a start. I need to buy sheets, and groceries. I'll keep a list of things to do!

I feel like I am hitting the ground running. I went to school on Tuesday and got set up with some notebooks, pens, and even my own calendar book! Most of you know I am obsessed with school supplies (I even got my own white-out!). I waited at school for a couple hours, took notes on some places to live, and really just observed most of the morning. I'll have a blank time-table in which teachers can sign up for me to lecture in their class.So every week will be a bit different. Thursday I have a class with the science teacher - I will be giving a lecture about myself, and next week I will be talking about the scientific method. I have one English class tomorrow as well, giving an introduction about myself and Texas. I have some things I can give out, hopefully it will evoke participation. (I know I LIVED for knowing answers in order to get cool stuff) Then Friday, I will have 3 more English classes giving a presentation about myself. I'm working on a worksheet, and hopefully if I can figure out powerpoint on Google or Free Office, I'll have something for that as well.
I am also set up for private lessons. I have one on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday now, and more want to sign up. One of the groups is a 3 and 5 year old, so I am thinking of songs from when I was younger - I have been successful at getting Head, shoulders, knees and toes in my head for the last couple hours. I'm sure more will follow.
Mike helped a lot as far as ideas and examples of things to do. I feel so lost some times, but I am sure I'll get the hang of it. I haven't even had orientation yet!

Today was semi-uneventful. I had to go look at the piso this morning. It is very bright, and I can't wait to take some pictures. It needs some "character" (Mike's term), but I'm sure that will happen once we move in. Bea seems pretty artsy and is the yoga instructor and one of the places- maybe I can get into that while I am here. I went and got churros con chocolate for breakfast (SUPER healthy). It brought back memories of when Divya, Aarushi, Blaire and I would go one a weekly basis for Chai and Churros. I miss Barca and I miss them. I am hoping to go back to Barca while I am here, I think Aarushi is planning some sort of trip, that could be neat!
I went back to the Meson de Toro for lunch/tapas. I had a bocadillo (sandwich) with cerveza (beer) and it came with a tapa (snack). The tapa was stuffing-like and had grapes and ham in it, it was pretty good. I can get used to getting cheap beer with a snack on a daily basis...
Ok, back to the grind, I need to finish my worksheets before I go out. I am going to go meet Mike and some of his friends at 9, more Spanish practice! Then more work as a teacher - I have a big day tomorrow: Moving AND teaching. Such responsibility when you become an adult. Learning as I go.
Keep in touch, I'll finally have an address by the end of the week!

Manzanares (keep the lisp!)

I made it to Manzanares. I should start using the lisp when I say it - I'd fit in better.
The Train station was a trip, I am glad I was super early. There are several places for "departures" and no directions on which one is correct. I aimlessly walked for a few minutes and asked some security guards, which pointed me upstairs. (Mind you this is where I came from and getting my suitcase on the escalator is a bit challenging). So I go upstairs and get in line, and the woman informs me that I was in the wrong place. My spot was DOWNSTAIRS. So I again felt like a lost sheep. I walked to the next "departure" area on the ground floor. The woman there tells me I'm not in the right spot and kind of brushes me off. She said I needed to go back to the right...where I had JUST come from. So I had to ask another security guard - her accent was heavy and I almost cried because I didn't know where to go and I couldn't understand her!
FINALLY I found where I needed to go - FURTHER downstairs! There were 4 gates there and none of them listed "Manzanares", again confused and it was getting close to the time for my train to leave. I found a man in line and just happened to ask where his ticket was for, and the train numbers matched, So I knew that is where I needed to be! Getting on the train was a task. I threw up my purse and backpack and then attempted to haul my suitcase up (Thankful that someone helped me!) I had to put my purse and backpack in a chair, then drag my suitcase sideways. I'm sure people thought I was crazy! I kept checking the time because they don't announce the stops and I was super nervous of missing my stop. I went through the same process to get out of the train car, Getting of the train was harder because people kept trying to get on, it is a pet peeve of mine. Let everyone off, then get on. So someone was able to help me again and Michael was there to meet me.

Jet Lag is Inevitable.

Have I mentioned that the weather here is perfect? 73 degrees, sunny. I say that but I had to come back to my hostel to change into pants for the evening.

I also love Spanish fashion. I can't wait to wear something "in fashion", I'm sure my mother would give me a look and my dad would say "You're wearing that?!?" and mean it. I could throw on all the clothes in my suitcase and it all be okay. I saw one girl wearing plaid tights with plaid shoes, it was awesome!

Yesterday I went to Retiro park (Re-TI-dough), it is gorgeous and relaxing. You see many people picnicking, sleeping, or just hanging out. The memorial for Alphonso XII is there and there was  a man playing saxophone, so I just sat around and listened for a while and relaxed. I would like that kind of lifestyle, work til 3 or 4, then hit the park and chill.
I met some other Americans and we went out to a cervezaria that was PACKED. It was nice to go out with some people, I'll admit my inverted and awkwardness really comes out in these type of situations. We may try and find a bar that is playing college football tonight, a lot of irish pubs do that. (Frogs won btw, looking for a Boise loss)

I went walking today and went to the Columbus plaza, just walked around aimlessly. The Reina Sofia museum was free today, so I took advantage of that. LOTS of stuff to see there, lots of walking. They had some great exhibits. Hans-Peter Feldmann had this one installation called 9/12. It featured 150 newspapers with the headlines having to do with 9/11 here. I couldn't read most of them because they were in different languages, it made me become emotional, so the piece did it's job.

I was able to sneak a picture with Guernica in the background, they don't allow photography. I did this for my Art History teacher too! It really is a statement piece!

 

I leave for Manzanares tomorrow. Onward to more adventures. I'm again anxious/excited/nervous and still a little tired...

Until next time, 

Tori

Leaving Status Quo

September 22nd.
Mood: Anxious/Tired/Nervous

Leaving was bittersweet. I can’t believe I am leaving. I was glad that when we took off I was able to see Simuflite and my neighborhood., gave me a sign of reassurance really, one last goodbye before I embark on my trip. I am blessed with amazing and caring friends, means a lot to me that so many made a big deal about me leaving. Good to know I have a solid support system.
Mom and Dad accompanied me to check in, and said bye as I placed a zillion of those stupid trays. One for shoes, one for my computer out of the case, one for liquids, one for my purse, and my last bag didn’t need one.

In the waiting area before my flight, there was a screaming child. What is worse than a screaming child? One that is screaming in a confined space a couple thousand feet above the ground. Not like I was going to pull a JetBlue and pull the slide or anything, but I was glad to have some earplugs, they sat two rows in frot of me. That family was so high maintenance. They kept asking to break rules, the flight attendant was nice though. They wanted warm water before the plane took off, they wanted to use their phone on the plane, there was also the part where their kids wanted something special to drink, and of course they didn’t have it, so then it took like 7 minutes to decide so everyone had to wait for them to decide, maybe this was the first time they have ever been on the airplane? But I thank the nice flight attendant Jillian for being super nice and having a smile the whole time! I got in one last Dr. Pepper before Europe.
Now I am in NY, sad I don’t get to see the city. I was going to grab something small to eat, but the last place I went in wanted $8.39 for a sandwich the size of my middle finger and about as round as a quarter. I don’t think I am starving enough to spend that kind of money. I may sacrifice my back pain and grab all my stuff and walk back for a bit.