Despedidas...y la vuelta a EEUU

I think the title of this post just about sums up my last few weeks..."Goodbyes and the return to the US." Now, I've actually been back in the US for one full week now, and I'm just getting around to writing this final blog entry. I think I have been putting it off for several reasons- one, because I've been exhausted, both physically and emotionally, from the adjustment-and two, because it meant admitting that my wonderful year in Madrid really was over. It really was an amazing year- I learned so much and met so many incredible people, who I already deeply miss (and you know who you are). I know that I chose an apt name for this blog, because this year truly has been unforgettable. Spainm and the people I have met this year, will always have a special place in my heart.

While my last few weeks in Spain were wonderful, they were also quite difficult, which is to be expected. I returned to a lot of my favorite places in Madrid with my friends and went on a great trip to Northern Spain (Santander, Comillas, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Oviedo, and Gijon!) The trip was really great; definitely a nice note to end on. Then, I was back in Madrid for three days, with just enough time to pack and say my final goodbyes. And those goodbyes were indeed difficult- which I know means that I have met some amazing people this year, people who will always be important to me. Nonetheless, that also makes the return to the US more difficult.

My sistuation this year was quite unique, in that I knew all along that I would be returning to the US, since I have a job here for next year. And of course, I'm extremely excited about that job and about my move to Boston, but at the same time, a big change like this is always tough and even confusing. Right now, I don't know exactly what my relationship will be with Spain in the future, whether it will just be a common vacation destination (and the home of many great friends) or a future home (short or long term).

I also understand that I can't expect to know that after just a week at home. At least, I have been lucky, in that I have some time to relax and re-connect with my family and friends before I have to move and start work. It has been nice to be in the same time zone (and even in the same town!) as some of my friends, to be able to talk to them more regularly, and even see some of them. I can appreciate the little things that I missed too, like certain foods that were hard to find in Spain, having a dryer for my clothes!, certain television shows I was missing...silly things like that. At the same time, I miss being in a big city, being able to take the metro or walk anywhere, going out until all hours of the night, long walks with friends in Madrid etc etc..

Anyway, I could keep analyzing the situation for hours, but basically, my conclusion will be the same--this past year has been incredible and this coming year is sure to be full of new experiences and surprises as well. So, while goodbyes are always tough, I'm trying my best to think of this time not just as the end of something great, but as the beginning of something else (great, we hope) as well. So...vamos a ver, as I would say in Spanish (We'll see...)

End of school, graduation, and vacation

This week, my last week with my students at San Juan Bautista, was bittersweet, full of mixed emotions. It was definitely tough to say goodbye to all the kids, particulary since some of them only just realized that they will not be seeing me again next year. It really dawned on me, when it came time to say our goodbyes, how much I care for some of these students, and how affectionate they are towards me. A lot of them were very sad to see me go and kept asking me why I couldn't just come back (one twelve year-old boy, partially in an attempt to get me to stay and also in an attempt to impress the girls in his class, said the following to me: "Elana, are you going to marry me? I love you ...you are very beautiful!". It was cute but also a little uncomfortable at the same time, but at the very least, I was happy that he asked me in English, as this is one of the kids I have trouble getting to speak to me in English!

Althought that was maybe the funniest reaction I got during my last two days, I had time to talk to several students about my time here, their future plans, etc, which was nice, since I havent gotten a lot of time to just talk to them during the year. Since the teachers didn't have all that much planned on Monday and Tuesday, I was able to talk to the kids about something other than school, which I really enjoyed. Also, on Wednesday, we had a graduation ceremony for the 4th year students, which was very nice. Afterwards, there was a reception and I got to meet some of the parents. It was nice to see the kids in a different setting, outisde of school, with their families and friends, relaxing and celebrating their accomplishments. It was also funny because I talked to a few of the parents for quite awhile (in Spanish of course) and all of the kids and parents were amazed at how well I spoke. The kids all know I speak and understand Spanish, but I dont think they had actually ever heard me speak an entire conversation in a language other than English, so it was pretty funny.

Since Wendesday was my last day at school, I've had a nice long weekend to enjoy time with my friends and go out in Madrid a few last times before I have to say my final goodbyes. Several of my closest friends are leaving in the beginning of July, so I want to spent a lot of time with them this week, before they leave. So basically, the last few days have been full of long talks, dinners, and drinks outside with my closest friends here..a very nice and relaxing way to spend the weekend. Now- really all that is left are the final goodbyes, planning for my trip in July, a few loose ends to tie up at school...etc etc. So, while I'm sad to leave, I'm still trying to focus on the time I have left and enjoy it the best I can! I know I still have lots of fun times to look forward to!

Avila, Visitors, and the end of the school year.

This past week has been full of activity, as I have been trying to take advantage of every opportunity to enjoy the city and my last few weeks here with my friends. Last Friday, Noel, Cassandra, and I went to Ávila for the day. Ávila is a city in Castilla y Leon, located about an hour and a half from Madrid, by train. Ávila is particularly famous for its Medieval wall, which surrounds the city. Apparently it is also one of the cities with the highest Gothic and Romanic churches- to- people ratios! (this doesn't suprise me...as it is not THAT big of a city, and it seemed that everywhere we turned there was a church, monastery, or convent!). Since we were only there for the afternoon, we spent most of the day just walking around, getting different views of the wall and of the city, having a relaxing lunch etc. We also went to a museum about Santa Teresa de Ávila, who was a controversial figure in the 16th century, involved in the Catholic counter-reformation.

That same night, I met up with some visitors back in Madrid. My sister's friend Jessica was here with her friend Jamie, travelling around Spain for two weeks. We had been in contact several weeks before their trip, as Jessica had asked me for suggestions and advice. We ended up meeting and going for dinner/drinks that night. We had a great time and it was fun to meet new people (I really didn't know either of them beforehand). I hope to see her again back in NY! I ended up spending Saturday with them too, doing some touristy stuff around Madrid. Then on Sunday, we had a suprise birthday party/picnic for my friend George, which was a really fun and relaxing way to spend a Sunday. We ended up spending all afternoon and evening in the park, just talking, eating, and enjoying the nice weather.

Then, this week, we had more visitors! Our friend Garazi, from Bilbao, was staying at our apartment for a few days. Also, my friend Christina had a friend visiting from the US. So, we had all sorts of group dinners and events. On Wednesday night, we went to a really great comedy show. It was hilarious and a nice change of pace...not our average form of entertainment. Plus, I feel I have truly reached Spanish fluency when I can understand everything in a fast-paced stand-up comedy show, full of jargon, colloquial language, cultural references etc (ok ok so ALMOST everything...Garazi helped me out once when the guy mentioned the name of the group of Spanish copyrighter/editor people...something i definitely didnt know!)

Also, on Tuesday night, I went to the US embassy for a reception celebrating the success of our students in the Global Classrooms conference. My student who went to the NY conference ended up winning the best position paper award in her committee in NY (which means she was the ONE winner out of about 200 kids..including lots of Americans, and people from all over the world). So, she gave a really great speech...I was really glad to be there to hear that. We also joked about how there was Diet Coke and Dr. Pepper at the US embassy...we found it funny that they must be importing their soda back from the states (you dont find those sodas here!!)

And..yet another thing I did this week (somehow had the time) was quite unique. Awhile back, an American man, who is a film producer/professor and former Fulbright scholar contacted Fulbrights all over Europe about a project he was putting together about Americans living abroad. Long story short, I got his email, and learned that he would be spending several days in Madrid and was interested in talking with/interviewing Americans living here. So, I volunteered, figuring that it sounded like an interesting project and that I would be happy to help and learn more about it. So, on Monday, two other American girls (one, another Fulbright, and the other, a private English teacher), and I, had a discussion with the producer/filmmaker about our experiences living here in Madrid. It really was quite interesting...I'm not exactly sure what's going to come of the project, but I think the idea of recording the experiences of Americans living in foreign countries is quite interesting. I think his goal is to show people that we are "normal" Americans (whatever that means) and that it really isn't that hard to live abroad and have a fulfilling, interesting expeirence, if that's what you want. So anyway, it was definitely interesting to be a part of the discussion, and we'll see what comes of it.

Well, just three days left of school...pretty hard to believe! Really getting down to the end now...at least i'm ending on a high note :) And..next week- on the LAST day of class, i'm giving an entire class in Spanish for one of the non-bilingual groups!! Soo, thats exciting!

Aprovechando el tiempo que me queda...

The name of this blog entry more or less sums up how I have been feeling over the past few weeks, since I got back from Dublin. The translation in English would be, taking advantage of the time I have left. Since I returned from my last trip, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences here this past year and how quickly time has flown by. I've had trouble convincing myself to write in my blog lately, mainly because I've been having mixed, bitersweet feelings about my ever-approaching departure from Spain. On the one hand, I still have a little over a month left and I know that I should take advantage of every minute of it and enjoy my last few weeks here. At the same time, it's difficult not to think about how my experience here is coming to an end and about all of the things (mainly people) that I will miss after I leave.

This year has been an incredible journey and I have made incredible connections with many people here in Spain. I have learned so much and have had so much time to explore and enjoy life, something that I will certainly miss (not that the ability to explore and enjoy life will suddenly disappear altogether, but realistically speaking, things will not be the same). Yet at the same time, I miss my family and friends back in the US and I'm excited to begin a new phase of my life. I know that my year here as a teaching assistant is just meant to be a phase, and not something permanent. And i know that I want to have new professional experiences and begin my professional career for real. So...to answer that question that I seem to be asked more and more as the days go by, "¿Te da pena irte? (are you sad to leave?), the answer is, "of course!" But at the same time, the answer isn't quite that simple...like in most times of change and uncertainty, my feelings are mixed and bittersweet. So, even though I know I still have some time left, and even though I'm just trying to enjoy that time with all my friends here, all of this has been on my mind.

That being said- I am most certianly enjoying springtime in Madrid. Since it has gotten warmer, m friends and I have spent many afternoons and evenings going on long walks and chatting over a meal or a drink while sitting on one of Madrid's many outdoor terrazas or roof decks. We are still trying and discovering new restaurants and bars, as we want to be sure to have tried a large variety before we leave.

I have also had some very positive experiences in school lately, mainly with the older students. The year is winding down and the kids are getting restless, but nonetheless, I have had some very successful classes. With my oldest students, who are currently learning about WWII in history class, I did a lesson on the Holocaust and included stories of my own grandparents' experiences. This kind of personal lesson was very different for my students and I really think they got a lot out of it. Most of them had never heard first-hand accounts from actual Holocaust survivors, so I was happy to give them a perspective on history with which they were unfamiliar.

Also, for those of you who don't know, there were local/regional elections just a few weeks ago in Spain and due to the economic crisis, there has been a lot of protest and discontent surrounding the elections and corruption in politics. I had a very interesting and provacative debate with some of my students about the elections and the widespread protests, and I was happy to see that the students were at least somewhat informed about the political situation in their country and were interested in having a say in how their country is run.

Finally, yesterday, I did a lesson on cultural differences between different regions of the US. I talked about the usual topics: demographics, politics, religion etc, but also focused on food and accents. I showed the kids pictures of all different regional foods (think clam chowder, Reuben sandwich, jambalaya, southern fried chicken, Tex-mex from the Southwest etc etc). They finally realized that we don't just eat hamburgers! They were aware of some differences between people in different regions of the country (ie people tend to be more religious in the South), but I think they really have a much more nuanced view of the US after this presentation. We also talked about how vocabulary and accents differ between regions, which they seemd to really enjoy. I emphasized the words that make my Jersey accent particularly identifiable (water, coffee, mountain, button) and shared some examples of other accents as well. I really enjoyed preparing all of these lessons. Classes like these really make me feel fulfilled in my position and remind me that I am making a real difference (something I often need to remind myself!) So, because this entry started off a little sad, I think I'll end here...on a good note :) Hasta pronto!

The Land of Guinness and Jameson...OK and Wilde, Joyce, Yeats and LOTS more!

So, you may be surprised that I am ALREADY writing about yet another trip, since it seems like I just got back from Mallorca and since Alaina was just visiting last weekend. Well, I do indeed have another trip to write about- Christina, Cassandra, and I had found a good deal on flights to Dublin a few months ago for this past weekend, so we decided to go! I think we would all agree that this was a great decision! None of us had ever been to Ireland before, so this was a a new and unique trip for all of us.

Some general observations about Dublin: there was an enormous concentration of both churches and pubs...take from that information what you may, not sure if that is ironic or if it makes perfect sense ;) Either way, we enjoyed both types of sites!! Also, we found many Irish people to be extremely friendly (with the exception of a few rude bartenders or people working in bus/train stations); people were quite interesting and welcoming. Also- one must carry an umbrella at all times when walking around Dublin. Although it doesn't always rain, you never know when it may start drizzling. We actually were relatively lucky with the weather- it was a bit chilly and drizzled at times, but most of the time it was relatively clear and we were able to spend lots of time outside, exploring the city.

We arrived on Thursday night, checked into our hostel (located across from the Custom House and just a few minutes walk from the hopping Temple Bar district), and found a pub where we had some dinner and beer (to celebrate our arrival in Dublin!) Even though I'm not a big beer fan, I ordered one anyway, just because i figured...when in Dublin, right? Cassandra ordered a Guinness, so I tried that (I must say, I didn't like it at all), but I at least I completed by duty of having Guinness in Ireland! We were a little nervous when we first arrived, because several people told as that where we were staying wasn't a very safe area (there were apparently drug problems), but it turned out to be just fine. We saw a little bit of sketchy activity that first night, but after that..no problems at all!

Friday we had a VERY full day....started out with breakfast at the hostel, and then began to explore the city. We walked around and saw some of the MANY beautiful and famous churches (including Christ Church and St. Patricks Cathedral). We also wandered around a pretty park and took some pictures. We then ended up at a restaurant called The Queen of Tarts, which was highly recommended by friends, as well as every tour book imaginable. It was sooo good that we even went back on Saturday. They had amazing, creative desserts, but also some great lunch dishes as well. (for example- a crab, goat cheese, and spinach quiche; a sweet potato soup; Bailey's chocolate chip cheescake...etc etc). We also went to the National Museum, where we learned about Ireland's archeological history (from as far back as 2000 BC), and some of the history of the Vikings in Ireland. We also walked around the campus of Trinity College, which reminded me a bit of Duke, and made me a little nostalgic for college (a coincidence that Duke's original name was Trinity?) Then, we went back to the hostel and met some other travellers, from Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands. Next, we went out for some traditional fish and chips, and went to an Irish pub where we heard live Irish music ;)

On Saturday, we went to one of the oldest churches in Ireland (St Michan's), where they have a crypt with mummies dating back to the 11th century. We had a tour of the crypt with a very eccentric tour guide, which made the experience very memorable. Then, we went to the Dublin Writers Museum, which displayed the history of all of the famous Irish authors (Joyce, Yeats, Beckett, Wilde etc etc). It was really interesting and made us all really want to read some of these books! Then, we wandered a bit more and went back to Queen of Tarts for some more delicious food. That afternoon, we took a short train to Howth, a town right along the water, outside the city. We wandered along the boardwalk, past lots of boats and seafood restaurants. We saw some seals in the water, as well as beautiful views of the mountains and the water. We really enjoyed seeing some countryside, without having to travel too far. We even went to a bar and enjoyed some Irish coffee/ Coffee with Baileys (another drink we felt we needed to try during our short stay), and chatted with an older Irish couple, who were extremely friendly. We headed back to Dublin in time for dinner (we wanted to eat in a traditional, well-known pub and most of those places stop serving food at nine or ten...very different from the Spanish schedule we are used to!) We then went to another fun pub with live music...ended the night on a high note! At the pub, we tried some Jameson whiskey, which for me seemed particulalry appropriate, since my mom's maiden name is Jameson, and since the Jameson whiskey brand is so famous and present in Dublin. This was actually kind of funny because a few people in Dublin toldl me that I kind of looked Irish...which is ironic since I don't actually have any Irish blood, but my mom's side of the family does have an Irish-sounding name!

On Sunday, we had breakfast at the hotel and walked around for about an hour, seeing a few other sites that we still wanted to visit. Then, we headed back to the airport and said bye to Dublin....we arrived back in Madrid, ready to have some warm, sunny weather again!!

Semana Santa, la visita de Alaina, y mi cumple!

After a very busy two weeks, I am finally getting around to updating my blog. First of all, over Semana Santa (Holy Week..when i had over a week of vacation from school), Kelly, Noel, and I had a lovely, relaxing vacation in Mallorca. We had a great time- exactly what we needed! We left early Saturday morning, all of us with our sun hats in hand (because of course, we didn't want to smush them into our suitcases!) We got to the airport in Palma, where we rented our car, and began our adventure. We were staying in a small, isolated, but beautiful area in the southwestern part of the island, called Cala Pi. This was about a 25-30 min drive from Palma, the capital and biggest city in the island. We arrived to our hotel Saturday afternoon and got lunch at a nearby pizzeria. Then, we spent the rest of the afternoon settiling in, picking up groceries, exploring a bit, and sitting and relaxing by the pool. That evening, we cooked some fajitas and drank some wine, and had a tranquil evening in Cala Pi :)

The next day, we drove to a beach about 20 minutes away and spent the day there. It was a very beuatiful and peaceful location..not too commercial or developed and not too crowded either. Although, we were some of the only visitors with bathing suits on (apparently this was a nude beach)...but we were all at least prepared for that. That night, we ate paella at the restaurant by our hotel and relaxed. The next day, we took a long drive to the northeast part of the island to visit the Cuevas del Drach, some famous caves that we were all told we should go visit. The caves were really cool; we all enjoyed the tour. Then, we went to a nearby beach, Cala Millor, which was much more touristy and bigger than the other beach, but equally beautiful. After a long day, we headed back to Cala Pi, ate dinner at the apartment, and relaxed there. On Tuesday, we visited yet another beach, and then spent the evening in Palma. We walked around the city, which we really enjoyed, and went to a great, highly-recommended tapas restaurant called Tast. We then ended up, by chance, seeing a huge Semana Santa procession, which seemed like a requirement for a Semana Santa spent in Spain...so we were glad about that. We liked Palma so much that we went back the next day for lunch and to walk around. For dinner, we cooked pasta at our apartment and watched the Real Madrid-Barcelona game (which RM won, woo!).

My last day in Mallorca, we stayed around Cala Pi and actually took a little hike around the cove and got some great views (and great pictures) of the surrounding area. Then, I headed to the airport Thursday night (because my friend Alaina was coming to Madrid Fri am to visit), and Kelly and Noel stayed in Mallorca for another day and a half.

The next morning, Alaina arrived bright and early, and we began our whirlwind weekend in Madrid. When she first arrived, she was tired and needed a nap, as is to be expected. But then, we walked around the Bilbao-Quevedo area, got some lunch, and caught up a bit. Afterwards, we came back to my apartment for a coffee-second nap break, and then went out again during the evening. We took the walk from my apartment towards Gran Via and Sol, and I showed her all the sites on the way. We ended up at a restaurant called Lateral in Plaza Santa Ana, which is one of my favorites. We hung out for a bit in the area and then headed back to my apartment.

Saturday, Alaina got a very complete tour of Central Madrid. We went to the Thyssen museum and walked along the Paseo de Prado. We went to Huertas, a really cool neighborhood, and walked around a bit. We ate in Huertas at another one of my favorite restaurants, Maceiras, which has amazing Galician food! Then, we walked to Banco de Espana/Cibeles and then continued to Retiro, where we walked around and rented a row boat for 45 mins, rowing around the lake. We came back home afterwards and cooked a pasta dinner for the two of us and Ruth, and then the three of us, along with another friend, went out and showed Alaina what Spanish nightlife is like. She had fun, but certainly wasn't used to the late-night schedule! Sunday, after sleeping in and recovering from our late night, we walked around Serrano and the Castellana for awhile. Then we went back to Plaza de Espana, and I showed Alaina the Templo de Debod and the Parque del Oeste. Later, we went with Ruth and Aitor to La Latina for tapas, which we decided we had to do with Alaina, as it is the typical Sunday night activity here in Madrid. Monday, Ruth, Alaina, and I spent the day touring Toledo, and then came back home and cooked tortirlla de patatas!! So, needless to say, Alaina had quite the complete visit!!

The next morning, Alaina was off to Sevilla and Granada and I was back to work for a short week. Thursday night, we had a get-together at Christina's house, and as I was there at midnight, my friends all sang to me and wished me happy birthday, which was sweet :) Friday, my bday, Alaina returned happily from her trip, and we had a nice lunch together. I was really excited because even the ATM wished me a happy birthday, which for whatever reason, made me happy :) That night, I had a bunch of friends over for dinner, to celebrate my bday. Alaina and I cooked some yummy pintxos and everyone else also brought food/dessert. We had a lot of fun and I got some really cute gifts! Then we all went out together and had a great time.

Saturday, Alaina's last day in Madrid, we slept in, ate leftovers from our party, and then went to the Palacio Real. We took the tour, which Alaina really enjoyed, and then did some souveneir shopping. Finally, we ended the night at Casa Mingo, a very authentic, yummy sidreria that Alaina had gone to her last trip in Madrid, which we enjoyed a lot. This morning, she left for the airport, as we are both preparing to return to our normal lives! We had a great time-it was so great to catch up and spend all that time together!! Of course, though, we really missed Rebecca, who was supposed to visit at the same time, but who had to cancel her trip last minute due to a torn ACL/meniscus. At least, we were able to skype with her on Friday. Anywayy, I think I have finally finished my update!! It was a great two weeks!! I cant believe its already May...time really does fly!

Springtime in Madrid :)

Well its official..spring has arrived! This past week we have had marvelous weather in Madrid, and I've been trying my best to take advantage of it. After two weekends of travelling, I have spent a lot of this week catching up with friends, which has been great. Noel had a friend visiting from the US, so we all hung out together several times, which was a lot of fun!! We have all been enjoying the terrazas (terraces..or basically just eating/drinking outside). On Friday, I went with Kelly on a day-trip to Aranjuez, which is just a 45 min train ride outside of Madrid. The main attraction there is the "Spring Palace," or the dwelling of the royal family during the spring. We took the tour..and it reminded me very much of the Palacio Real in Madrid, but more "springy." We had gorgeous weather, so we spent a lot of time wandering around the town and the beautiful gardens outside the palace. We had a nice relaxing lunch as well. Then, I got back to Madrid in time to meet up with Cassandra, another friend which whom I needed to catch up!!! We had a great night!! And today..I have spent lots of time updating my blog, but also went to the park with Ruth, Fonsi, Carlos, and Aitor for a few hours. It was nice and relaxing, and was so warm, it felt like summer! I learned a new card game, which was fun, and of course, got some sun :) Tonight I'm heading out with Ruth and some other friends...another late Madrid night for sure. Anyway, I think i have finally finished my updates...for now!

Off to the land of Mozart and Beethoven!!

Just days after I had returned from my amazing weekend in the Basque Country, I was off to Vienna with Christina. Since I've been here, I don't think I have ever done two big trips consecutively like this, so it was a bit overwhelming. Of course, I can't complain...both trips were incredible! I made it through the work week, still exhausted and a bit under the weather...but noenetheless excited for my next adventure. And an adventure...it certainly was!! If anyone remembers the story of my trip to Budapest with Christina, you know that it was great, but certainly not without some stress, improvising, and adventure. I have come to expect that travelling with Christina is always a lot of fun (we never seem to run out of things to talk and laugh about) and very efficient (we both love to see and do a lot!) but also always ends with some sort of exciting, funny story to tell! We start this adventure at 3:15 in the am, when we wake up and get ready to head out (Christina had "slept" over at my place the night before..."slept" in quotes because we didn't really do much sleeping). We walked towards Calle Princesa where we waited for the night bus for 20 minutes. We needed to take a bus to get to the airport bus..and when the first bus didn't arrive, we ended up takng a cab. Then, eventually, we got on the airport bus and made our way to the airport. We arrived, went through security, and got to our gate, exhausted but excited for the trip. Suddenly, though, we noticed that the screen at the gate no longer had our flight posted. So, I got up to look at the screen to see if there had been a change of gate and sure enough our flight was cancelled..yes, CANCELLED!! So...since it was 6 am and there was no one in the gate to talk to, we had to go back out, and basically all the way around the airport to get back to check-in (took about 15 mins). Luckily, we were flying Lufthansa, which is an airline that works to get you on another flight if you have problems. Also, luckily, there was a flight going to Vienna through Munich, leaving just an hour after our flight was supposed to leave. So, long story short, it all worked out in the end, but not without some panic and stress. We finally arrived at our hostel around 2 or 3 pm, and decided to walk to a restaurant that we had read about in our guide book (courtesy of a Madrid public library). After a bit of wandering ( a very scenic walk) and trouble with the map, we finally found the restaurant. We were the only people eating at that time (it was alreayd 4 pm by the time we got there), but the waitress was very friendly and served us no problem. The food was really great and a good find. We spent the rest of the afternoon just wandering around the city, walking by the opera house, the cathedral, and some of the other major sites. When we walked by the opera house, there were several men dressed up as Mozart, attempting to sell tickets for the show that night. Christina and I had bought tickets in advance, so when one of them men approached me, i politely replied that we already had tickets. Well, he started to talk to me, telling me how much he liked my hair, and before u know it..he was asking me to date him, basically. We ended up running into him after the show and he told me again how much he liked me, and another "long story short"...I was proposed to by "Mozart" (well that part was a joke for sure, but it makes for a good story). Anyway, Christina and I went to see a Don Quijote ballet at the Statstoper opera house, which was absolutely incredible. THe building is quite the sight to see, both inside and out, and the show was also really great. But, to "Mozart's" dismay, after the show, we were exhausted after a night of little sleep,a nd wanted to rest up for what we knew would be a very busy Saturday. Saturday certianly was busy...we really crammed in a lot in one day (there was just soo much we wanted to see). We started off the day with a delicious breakfast at Cafe Central, one of the oldest and most famous cafes in Vienna. The cafe was literally part of a palace, and it looked it!! It was so elegant, you really felt like you were amongst the literary and musical elite :) We also met a very friendly Viennese man at the cafe, who told us about the history of the cafe and palace, and well as other suggestions about Vienna and about travelling in Europe in general. Then we continued walking around, enjoying the beautiful weather, and taking in all of the sights (every building seemed to be magnificently beautiful!). We saw three different royal palaces, a square with museums, the national library, the cathedral and much more. Also, we went to the outdoor market by our hostel for a lunch of stuffed olives and peppers, homemade bread, hummus, and fresh Austrian cheese. That evening, we headed to Kursalon, another beautiful concert hall, for a night of fine dining and wonderful music. We had purchased a combo dinner-show ticket, so we got to eat a nice, long dinner at the restaurant at the concert-hall. We had some delicious cream of turnip soup, salmon, and some very ineresting desserts. We were by far the youngest patrons, but we enjoyed being classy and sophisticated :) And, the concert was incredible, probably my favorite part of the trip. It was a Strauss/Mozart concert, perfomed by a chamber orchestra, occasionally accompanied by dancers (Viennese waltz) and opera singers. The music was great and reminded me how much i miss playing my clarinet and being involved with classical music! Plus, we got lucky with our seats...we didn't realize that we didn't have assigned seats. Apparently we were just in a certain section, and people were seated on a first-come, first-served basic. Well, as we didn't realize this, we showed up only a few mins before the show, and the room was already almost full. But, I guess the guy assigning the seats liked us, because he allwoed us to sit in the second row on the side, right by the stage, which was definitely not what we paid for! The next morning, we checked out of the hostel, got another yummy breakfast at a Viennese cafe, and headed to the airport..back to Madrid once again!

Aventuras en el Pais Vasco

So..I'm running a little behind on my blog posts, because I have been running around a lot lately, but I will try my best to make some updates now. Two weekends ago, I went on my much-anticipated trip to Bilbao with Ruth. We had lots of time for silly moments and roommate-bonding, we shared lots of laughs and certainly lots of great food! We arrived to Bilbao late Thursday night, and Ruth's parents came to pick us up at the airport. I finally got to meet them, after all this time living with their daughter, so that was really nice. They were extremely friendly and welcoming. We went back to her house where we had a late dinner (Spanish style), with her brother as well (by late, i'm talking midnight!). We then went to sleep, to prepare for the busy day ahead. Friday was jam-packed with activity. We met up with Garazi, Ruth's friend from college (who I had met in Madrid several times), who took us to the area, outside Bilbao, where she lives. The view from her apartment was absolutely breathtaking. She lived right on the water, just a short walk from the beach and beautiful views of the mountains. We wandered around the area for awhile, taking silly pictures while the strong winds blew our hair in every which direction. Then, we got out first pintxo of the day at a restaurant in a nearby town. Next, Christina arrived (she had taken an early morning bus from Madrid and decided to meet us in Bilbao and spend Friday with us). We went to the Puerto Viejo (Old Port) in Ruth's hometown, Algorta, which was another incredibley beautiful site. We saw all of the old boats by the water, and wandered through narrow, hilly streets full of small, quaint houses and lovely restaurants, filled with the aromas of amazing Basque food! We stopped at one the restaurants and sat outside, enjoying our second pintxo of the day (a small piece of bread with goat cheese, crispy onions, ham, and olive oil..yum!). Then we wandered around the area a bit more, and drove to another nearby town (lucky for us, Garazi has a car) and saw the Puente Colgante (Hanging bridge), another cool site. Next, we headed to Bilbao centro, to see the major sites of the city. We had a yummy menu del dia (lots of food), and then walked around some of the central streets. We went to the Guggenheim museum, which was a really awesome building with some really cool exhibits, and saw the Universidad de Deusto, which is right next door (where Ruth and Garazi went to school). It was cool to see where my friends had gone to University, and they were clearly proud of the beautiful building and the great location! Then, we walked over to the Casco Viejo (the old, central part of the city), and saw the Cathedral, the town hall, and other sites. For dinner, we found a bar with amazing, delicious pintxos, but not before we passed by an ice cream store that had bacalao (codfish) flavored ice cream!! Some of the other interesting flavors included: txipirones en su tinta (squid in their own ink!) and Kalimotxo (a drink made of cheap red wine and coca cola). Christina was brave enough to try the bacalao flavor (we thought the names were jokes!) and assured us that it was as disgusting as it sounded and that there were, indeed, chunks of fish in the ice cream! Needless to say, the bar where we went for dinner had much more appetizing food. After a long day, we were all exhausted, and we headed back to rest up for our next busy day. The next day, Christina left early to go to Santander and Garazi had plans with family, so Ruth and I spent the day just the two of us. We took a bus to San Sebastian, which is only about an hour away from Bilbao. We lucked out with teh weather (as Ruth loves to remind me, it is almost always raining in the Pais Vasco...hence the abundance of green!). Luckily though, we avoided the rain, for the most part, while we were there. San Sebastian is a very pretty, small city, located right on the beach. For me, it was really cool and rather unique to be walking around a city, and to be able to walk just 5 minutes to a boardwalk-lined, sandy beach! We wandered around the town and walked along the bach for awhile, taking our time and just enjoying the sites and the weather. It was a nice day, more relaxing then the busy day before, and we had a lot of time to chat and catch up on life :) We had some more wonderful pintxos (including real txipirones en su tinta!) and headed back to Bilbao in the early evening. We met up with Garazi and had some pizza at Ruth's house, deciding to stay in and just relax, since we were all tired from all the activity. On Sunday morning, Ruth and I went for a walk around her neighborhood and got another view of the water. Later, Ruth's family (parents, brother, grandma, aunt, uncle) came over in the afternoon to eat, chat, and celebrate Ruth's brother's bday. It was really nice to meet all of them! We had a relaxing afternoon and a LOT of great food. When I commented on HOW much food we had eaten that weekend, everyone kept joking that eating was what los vascos do best! In the evening, we met up with Garazi and drove to a bar located right along the water, and got yet another amazing, and different view of the mountains and the water. Needless to say, I ended the weekend with a ton of amazing pictures!! After that, Ruth and I headed to the airport and made our way back to Madrid, where we arrived very late (our flight was delayed and we didn't make it back to the apartment until about 1:15!) We were absolutely exhausted and disapointed that we had to wake up early and work the next day, but also very happy about the amazing weekend we had shared together!

Carnaval, Futbol, Pamplona, y la primavera en Madrid :)

As you can probably tell by the lengthy title of this entry, I have a lot of updates to make!! The past two weeks have been busy and full of fun activities :) Two weekends ago, following the GC conference, I enjoyed a weekend in Madrid without a lot of work, which was great. It was Carnaval that weekend (the time before Ash Wednesday when there is a lot of celebration and partying), so everyone was out all weekend, dressed up in costumes, partying, and taking part in various celebrations throughout the city. My friends and I went to see the big parade that was in the center of the city, but there were SOO many people that we could barely see anything. Afterwards, I ended up going to an Atletico Madrid Futbol game, which was a bit of a surprise. Some of my friends had tickets and told me that there were still lots of seats and that I could just go to the stadium and buy a ticket. So, I tried it..and it worked!! I had been wanting to go to a Real Madrid game but hadn't gotten around to it (plus the tickets are really expensive and kinda hard to get), so this was a good consolation. Even if Atletico may not have been my preferred team, the game was tons of won (and less expensive) and they won, which made it even better!! That same weekend, I also went to the Teleferica (the cable car) with Ruth, which was fun! We got some really cool views of the city. And...we went, with a bunch of our other friends, to this great Galician restaurant (lots of yummy seafood!!)

The next week, I only had two days of school and then I was off to Pamplona with all the other Fulbrighters. Overall, the Fulbright trip was a very positive experience. It was fun to be with my friends and to also reunite with some people studying in other parts of Spain who I hadn't seen since orientation (and also reunite with some of the Madrid people who, for one reason or another, i just hadn't seen much...) We stayed in a nice hotel and were given lots of great food, which is always much appreciated by students who are used to staying in hostels :) It was also a very beautiful city and we were lucky to have beautiful, sunny weather, which certainly helped improve our experience! I have a really positive impression of Northern Spain- it is beautiful, the food is delicious, and teh people are extremely friendly. So, I'm excited to be heading back up north this weekend (to Bilbao and environs with Ruth!!)

After I got back to Madrid on Saturday afternoon, I spent the rest of the weekend with my friends Brandon and Keith, who were visiting from the States. We all went to Duke together, but I hadn't seen either of them in a few years, so it was really fun to re-unite! Plus, they had both studied abroad in Madrid four years ago, and were extremely excited to be back. We did a lot of walking around the city, chatting, laughing and eating more good Spanish food. It was really fun to have visitors and re-connect with old friends :)

And...this weekend, we had amazing weather in Madrid, so I took advantage of the sun and spent a lot of time outside. The weekend involved going out and catching up with some girl friends, sushi dinner with other friends, a nice, long,relaxing picnic in Retiro, multiple long walks around the city, one Duke bball landslide (and the return of Kyrie!), and another nerve-racking but ultimately satisfying Duke bball game that brought us to the Sweet 16! It was great! This week- back to my normal schedule more or less, and getting ready for my trip to Bilbao on Thursday night! Can't wait!

Proud Teacher Moments :)

Well, any of you who have been reading my blog or who have spoken to me at all about my experience here in Madrid know about Global Classrooms. Global Classrooms is the Model UN Conference for which Noel and I have been preparing out third-year students (14-15 year olds) for the past few months. We have worked extremely hard getting them ready for the conference, teaching them about public speaking, articulating coherent arguments, seeing the nuances of complicated issues, having confidence, and listening to the arguments of others. And the kids rose to the challenge, working hard and getting quite excited about the debate. Well, while it seemed like March 2nd, the day of the actual conference, would never come, it has indeed come and went and I must say, I am truly proud of my students!

I had high expectations for my students going in, because I knew that they could perform well and really challenge themselves, if they put in the effort. And, what makes me very proud as a teacher, is that they exceeded my expectations. In the end, they ALL worked really hard, they all participated during the conference, and what's more, they all had a great time on March 2nd, which to me, is what is most important.

Regardless of whether or not they won awards, they were all outspoken in their committees and they all showed that they have matured and learned a lot through the process. They have shown tremendous maturity and self-confidence, two skills that will serve them well in the future. And, while the prizes are certainly not the most important part of the experience, I must, as a very proud teacher, take a moment to brag. The delegations from my school won 6 awards, more than any other participating school! We had 11 delegations, so more than half of our delgations were formally recognized for their achievements. Out of 5 committees, 3 of the "best delegation" awards went to my students :) I couldn't be happier about how the day went!! And whats more...all of my students thanked us for our hard work and for helping them succeed, which really means a lot to me.

As I have mentioned previously, teaching can sometimes be a frustrating job, when the recognition and proud moments sometimes seem few and far between. But, it's moments like this one that make the job totally worth it. So, despite the long, tiring hours put into this project, and the feeling that it would never come to and end, I'm actually going to miss working with my kids on GC, now that it is finally over. I think this is an experience I will always remember, regardless of the careers that I pursue in the future.

Zaragoza....and other updates

This past weekend I went to Zaragoza with Christina and Cassandra, two of my Fulbright friends. Zaragoza is the fifth largest city in Spain and is located about 4 hours, by bus, northeast of Madrid. It was a really great trip for several reasons. First of all, we only decided to go about a week beforehand, and it was really easy (and relatively inexpensive) to make plans and get there. It was the kind of trip that was quite low in stress- all we had to do was take a bus from Madrid, we were only going fri night-sun am, and we didnt really have much of an agenda, except to see the city and enjoy a weekend away.

We all really enjoyed Zaragoza- the two main sites were a beautiful gothic basilica and an old, Muslim castle/palace, both of which were absolutely amazing! Also, we stayed RIGHT in the main plaza and directly across from the basilica, so we were in a great location. Also, the old center of the city was really cute- full of restaurants and bars, which all had amazing food! Furthermore, while Zaragoza is considered a city, its certainly much smaller and less bustling than Madrid...so it was nice to have that change of ambience for a few days. Its also always nice to return "home" from a trip, because I always seem to appreciate Madrid even more when I come back from somewhere else.

Other than the trip, there is not much new to report...the countdown to Global Classrooms is on; the conference is next week and we are busy as ever preparing. I'm getting nervous...but I feel like my kids are well-prepared, so i'm sure it will be great! Otherwise- basically business as usual....I've started to realize that I dont really have that much time left in Spain, which is kind of strange to think about. I've suddenly made a ton of travel plans, because i want to be sure to take advantage of my time here (although i love being Madrid as well).

Here is a summary of whats on the horizon:
1. Trip to Pamplona w/ Fulbright in a few weeks
2. Visit from some Duke friends
3. Trip with Ruth to Bilbao at the end of March
4. Trip to Vienna with Christina (and maybe Cassandra) at the beginning of April (planning still needed...)
5. Mallorca for spring break with Noel (and maybe Kelly)
6. Visit from other Duke friends!
7. Trip to Dublin with Christina in May!

Needless to say...lots to be excited about!!!!!!

A very overdue update...

I just realized that I haven't written in my blog for about a month now, so I figured that it was about time for an update, even if it is overdue. This past month, things have been very busy and I guess I haven't had much time to sit down and reflect on my experiences. So-I'll try my best to do that now. Somehow, I am halfway through my time here in Madrid, and it's pretty hard to believe. The time seems to have flown by, although when I think about how much I have done since I have gotten here, it's amazing that I have ONLY been here for five months.
About two weeks ago, I flew home to NJ for a short, four-day visit. It was my grandma's 80th birthday and my family decided to have a big celebration/ get-together in NYC (dinner and a broadway show) with friends and family. Although it was a really long way for me to go for just a long weekend, my family and I decided that it would be a nice idea for me to go home and surprise my grandma. When I first got to Spain, I hadn't been planning on going home at all before my scholarship was finished, so this trip sort of came as a surprise. I was a little worried about what it might be like to go home for such a short time and then come right back again to my life in Madrid; I thought maybe I would get homesick or have trouble re-adjusting back to my life here.
However, it turned out to be a really nice trip, even though I did experience a little, short-term reverse culture shock. When I first arrived, it felt really strange to be back, to hear everyone speaking in English, and to be back at my house in suburban NJ vs my small apartment in Madrid. As I was sitting with my mom in an Olive Garden, enjoying a nice lunch, I kept commenting how weird it was to be speaking in English, and to not have everyone looking at us (my mom laughed, of course). At the same time, I still felt very much at home very quickly; I have lived in Livingston for so long that even when I'm out of the country for several months, when I return, it still feels like not much has changed.
Furthermore, the change of scenery was really nice. It was nice to just relax at home, spend time with family, see some friends from high school and take a break from my busy city life in Madrid. My grandma was also incredibly surprised to see me and my visit really seemed to lift her spirits, which in it of itself made the trip worth it. Coming back after such a short stay was a little difficult at first, but I found that I quickly re-adjusted back to my routine here in Madrid. It was almost like i had never left (which to me was a good sign!).
Since I have been back, school has been quite busy. The Global Classrooms conference is now only a few weeks away, so we are in full preparation mode. The other teaching assistants and I have been working hard to prepare the kids, helping them with their speeches, position papers, and debating skills. We have spent a lot of time grading and correcting several versions of position papers and i have to say, I'm really proud of the progress my students have made. In the past week or two, we have finally told the students which ones are going to the conference and we are now only working with those who are attending. So, this means that I get to work exclusively with the best, most-motivated students, which is definitely more rewarding. I can tell that these kids have really learned a lot and it really makes me feel good to think that I have had a positive impact on their learning experiences. Teaching can certainly be frustrating and the rewards sometimes seem to be few and far between, but when you have one of those moments when you realize you have been a successful teacher and you have helped a student grown, learn, and mature, it really feels great!
Also, now that we are halfway through the year, I think my social science teachers are trying even harder to find ways to get me more actively involved in the class, which makes my teaching experience much more interesting and rewarding. So, although there are still frustrating moments, those proud moments really make the job much more interesting and rewarding.
My life outside of school hasn't changed too much- between tutoring, going to the gym, and seeing friends, I can't really complain. I am about to start tutoring another student this coming week; one of the girls I already tutor has a friend who lives a few blocks away, who was looking for an English teacher. I met her and her mom last week, and I'm going to start tutoring her after my other Tuesday class. This works out really well, becuase I am able to take on another student and pick up some more extra money, wihtout having to commit extra commuting time. Plus, the girl seems adorable and really excited about learning English, so I'm excited.
Otherwise, I have had a lot of fun the past few weekends- a good mix of relaxing and laughing with friends, going out and enjoying Madrid nightlife, and having time to myself to relax, prepare for school, watch some Duke basketball, work out etc. We have also been lucky to have very nice weather (for February) the past few days. Today, I went for an hour long walk around 5 pm and it was sunny and almost 60 degrees! After the frigid weather I experienced during my weekend in NJ/NY, I very much appreciated this early hint of spring! All I hear from my friends and family back in the Northeast is that the weather has generally been horrible- cold and lots of snow, so I certainly feel spoiled. I'm a little worried about how I'm going to manage in Boston next year!
In other news- I have some exciting plans/trips coming up, including a trip to Bilbao with Ruth at the end of March, and a visit from two of my Duke friends, Alaina and Rebecca, in April. So- a lot to look forward to! Anyway, I think that's about all the updates I have for now. More to come soon I'm sure....

Fun times with family :)

Last night, I made it back to Madrid after two amazing weeks travelling and spending time with my family. We did so much during those two weeks that I'm sure I won't remember to tell every detail, but I'm going to try my best to capture the higlights.

Here is a brief summary: The first week, my mom, dad, and sister arrived in Madrid, dead tired, after a long trip. They were in Madrid for half a day, and then we went to Portugal (Lisbon, Tomar, Mafra, Sintra) for several days, and then back to Madrid for a day. Melissa then headed home (back to work) and my parents and I went to Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa) for a week.

As I said, when they first got here, they were REALLY exhausted, after basically not having slept for a whole night. Nonetheless, we still got to see some of the city. They came to my apartment and met Ruth (which was great!), and then I took them on a walking tour for a few hours- around my neighborhood (Arguelles/Moncloa), and then to Plaza Espana, Gran Via, Callao, Sol etc. It was Christmas Eve and we were nervous that we wouldnt be able to find a restaurant open for dinner, but sure enough, we stumbled upon something near Sol. We ate some tapas around 7 pm (they couldnt wait any longer haha), and then we basically called it a night.

The following day, we all flew to Lisbon, where we were only for a short time, before heading to the train station to go to Tomar (about 2 hours away). However, Melissa, our wonderful tour guide for the week, wanted to make the most of our time, and insisted that the cab driver stop at two sites in Lisbon that were near the train station, on our way. Now, I have to make a disclaimer so that my sister doesn't get upset with me- I'm not poking fun at her here, she worked really hard to plan our few days in Portugal and I really appreciate it! But...when we got in the cab and tried to explain to him that we wanted him to stop so we could see a tower and a bridge (mind u..it was raining and super windy out), he looked at us like we were crazy. He then proceeded to (lovingly, i think) poke fun at Melissa for the rest of the cab ride, telling her that she didnt actually want to see those things, and asking her if the tour book was "a good book?" I'm not sure if i'm catching the comedy of the situation here, but it was quite hilarious.

Anyway, the bridge was pretty cool, ill admit (the longest bridge in Europe). Some of the other funny moments of the trip also occured while we were in transit. For example, we were on a bus from Mafra to Sintra, and at one of the stops, this woman gets on and starts speaking to the whole bus of people (at least it seems). Apparently, she knew almost everyone...shes laughing, and handing out chocolates...of course we cant understand anything (Spanish and Portuguese actually sound basically nothing alike, even though they look very similar on paper), but it was quite the scene. And then, when we were in Lisbon on a trolley ride, this woman gets on and starts yelling out loud, about what, again we had no idea, but she seemed quite upset. Everyone is staring at her, and she just goes on and on, for at least 10 minutes. Then, some guys get off and take a picture of her, and she starts yelling at them, even once they are out of the trolley!! It was another very interesting scene.

And..let's see, some other great moments- definitely climbing the old castle/fortress in Sintra- that was absolutely breathtaking! It was quite the climb (I must say, a little scary for someone like me, who is rather scared of heights), but it was totally worth it! The views were absolutely amazing; probably one of the most incredible sights i have ever seen. I now understand why so many people told me that I had to go to Sintra while I was visiting Lisbon. Also, Lisbon itself is a beauitful city! Its very hilly- and when you start climbing, you can see the most amazing, colorful views of the city; it really is unique-looking. We also had a lot of great food everywhere we went; in Portugal, lots of great seafood (Bacalao, their specialty...as well as shrimp, octopus etc).

Back in Madrid, my family really enjoyed seeing where I had been living for the past several months, and hearing me speak in Spanish at every available opportunity. On Weds night, I took Melissa to Cien Montaditos for the one euro weds, which she really enjoyed. For those who dont know, Cien Montaditos is a bar/resaurant where they literally have 100 different little sandwiches for you to choose from. The sandwiches are mini, so you usually order a few for a complete meal..but its really fun to try different combos. Its normally pretty cheap, but on Weds, everything costs just one euro, including the drinks, so it always gets REALLY crowded. Melissa got a good taste for Spanish culture (incl the smoking, which she didnt enjoy), but otherwise, it was a really fun night (Side note here- Spain just passed a new law that outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants, so this will be different now...something i'm thrilled about!)

The next day, we managed to go to the Palacio Real, the Reina Sofia, Plaza Mayor, La latina, have lunch AND churros with chocolate, do some souveneir shopping, and end up back at my apt...so that was pretty successful in my book! We also had a very lovely dinner that night at my apt(courtesy of the Carrefour, the grocery store that i often frequent) of wine, bread, cheese, and olives (very Mediterranean! haha).

After this very fun but busy week, we said goodbye to Melissa, who had to go back to NY for work, and headed to Tenerife for a week of sun and relaxation. It was really beautiful there, and it was so nice to just chill, read, go for walks, work out, and most of all, soak up some sun! It was also fun speaking with the people there in Spanish...they always got really excited and were very friendly when I spoke to them in Spanish, probably because they are so used to having so many tourists visiting, and are not used to finding tourists who actually speak their language.

So, all in all, it was a great two weeks. It was really nice to see my family after being away for several months, and it was nice to have some time off!! But..I'm also happy to be back home in Madrid and to get a chance to catch up with friends here, settle back in to a normal routine, etc. Anywayy, I think thats it for now. Happy New Year!