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....
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