Hello to you all! Here it is, that update that you have all been waiting for...(takes in a deep breath).
Well, first things first...I am sooooooo busy! I am teaching everything from young kids who barely know how to say "Hello my name is" to really advanced students who only need help with extra vocabulary and pronounciation improvement. The language school is almost my second home, since I spent most of my time there this past week, getting familiar with the materials, ressources and everything. I have just been rushing to get everything set up, everything organized, etc etc...it´s been a very hectic week...and it´s far from over! Until I REALLY get settled into everything, it will take a bit of time, that´s for sure. With the intensive courses starting in 2 weeks, things are far from slowing down...(I´ll also be teaching military men!)
Well, the way I see it: I made it through the first week, so I know that I will survive, even though it is a lot of work and a lot of getting used to. I like my classes, some more than others (which is normal of course) and I remain optimistic.
Some of "my" kids are so cute...(I won´t talk about the hooligans). Honestly, there are a few that I just want to take home with me...such perfect angels who seem to grasp the language so quickly. Most of my adult classes are fairly advanced. I have one student who is retired and who is taking 3 languages classes at Inlingua: English, French and German. My coworkers also tell me that he is a millionaire. Well, if you have that much money and are retired, hey, why not? I would probably do the same...beats watching crappy Soaps on tv while your bones slowly rot away.
The thing to get used to right now: all the different books. Since practically ALL of my students are on different levels, they need different books. So, I need to get familiar with the material...and the only crappy thing from this week (and possibly this upcoming week) is that some of the shipments haven´t come in yet and I have had to manage the classrooms without books (so I basically had to find my own material). Well, I will pretty much always use a bit of extra ressources since I want to make the classes fun (a class just with textbooks is very boring of course) so I guess in one way it isn´t too bad since it has already forced me to look for other materials elsewhere, making it easier in the long run for later on.
I really enjoy my coworkers. The work atmosphere is really great here in Logroño, and I know that I can always ask my directors for help. They are very friendly and helpful...so coming to work is nice, you can actually feel the friendly energy. :)
But honestly, wow...have I ever been busy. Today is a Saturday and I actually spent the day at the academy finishing up some things and printing out some materials (there is some stuff due for Monday for the Intensive Courses which start on the 17th). I can´t wait to kinda be in the real groove of things, things are still only beginning...some things can still change because some students need to get switched to different classes (some are at higher levels than others, vice versa). Being a TEFL teacher is some hard work (at least, here in Spain). At least the money is good :P I am still very grateful that I got a full-time job so fast in Europe! I am so so happy to have my EU passport...
Last night I went out with my Irish coworkers again, and we went out for some tapas together. Going bar hopping is so much fun...you can really be full on a few small tapas! It´s so much fun :) People are in general very friendly here...I found out that night something really nice: my directors regard me in a very favorable light apparently. My friend Dervla was telling me that, so that was nice :) I also found out my coworkers´ages: Dervla is 27 and the rest are around 30...when they found out that I was turning only 23 on Oct. 23rd they were a little shocked. Not that I look like an old hag, hahaha but they said I acted older. "You´re still a baby! That´s quite an achievement, working with Inlingua already...at that age I was still finding my way in life," said Dervla. That made me feel good a little...sometimes I guess we don´t stop and pat ourselves on the back enough, you know what I mean? I do work hard dammit...I deserve all of this, lol!
It is still a little nerve-wracking, getting used to everything...but I guess that all new beginnings in life are a little scary...I remember being scared for my first day of high school! Starting off fresh without any friends, skinny and nerdy looking..."would anybody ever like me?". Then, being nervous for university, "will I like my roomate?"...hahahah and then, somehow, you make it through another step in life. Somehow, someway, you make it. Sometimes it takes a lot of blood and tears, but then...it works out. You know?
I would like to take this gushy, cheesy opportunity to thank all of you out there. You who have made my school years (high school, university, etc) amazing. Of course I don´t forget about you guys, in fact you are often on my mind because I hear songs or see things which remind me of all of you. Bittersweet memories, in some ways. I love you guys!
I sometimes still can´t believe that I am here...sometimes it feels like I have been longer in Spain than...how long now? (checks calendar): 3 months and 12 days. Wow.
Interesting fact: The other new teacher Mike quit on his very first day of work. Apparently, he thought that it was going to be too much work for him to handle....WUSSY! I was very sad, he was such a nice guy and we got along great. The weird thing is that he has already 2 years experience...and I have practically zilch. Who should be the one freaking out at the last possible moment? Hmmm...some people!
We are getting another new teacher on Tuesday...and he is also a Brit. Hopefully he will be as cool as Mike, or even better! The directors told me that he already has some experience with Inlingua, so...we´ll see!
Besides that...hmmm tomorrow is Sunday, my fave day of the week....I think that I will do a bit of laundry, clean the apartment and take a nice morning walk in the park with my cdman..oh, and talk to my parents online (it´s my mom´s b-day today...happy b-day mom!xoxooxox).
Shane, you are coming to see me this Wednesday, weeeeeee! We´ll have so much fun together, even though I am going to be super insanely busy....but we´ll go to Barcelona for my B-Day, yooohoooooo! We can also go to Madrid the weekend after that :) It will surely be a hell of a lot of fun, no matter where we go :)
Well, this is it for now...another busy week is awaiting Heidi...
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Beginnings...
Well, here I am...
Me, a soon to be 23 year-old girl who has already been living for a little over 3 months in Spain. I mostly write in my private journal about all of my experiences, but I figured that this online blog would be an excellent way for my friends and loved ones to know what is happening to me in the land of sun and late night tapas...
A little recap on where I was in the last few months and what I did: well, I was living in Madrid, the huge, hustling, bustling capital city of Spain. It is a very beautiful city, with lots of breathtaking buildings (Palacio Real, Jardines de Sabatini, Prado Museo..etc) and the nightlife there is incredible! I remember how hard it was for me at first to dance from 2 until 8 a.m. nonstop...but it is something that I quickly got used to! The "discothecas" there are just nuts, people just dance and dance and dance! It´s really fun dancing to all that awesome house and dance music...I think that Canada has too many hip hop clubs and should start looking into the dance clubs more :) Just a thought...
I took a Spanish and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course there...and I can´t believe that both of them are already over! I made a lot of friends, most of them from California, Chicago and Boston...really friendly people who I got comfortable with really really quickly! Vince, Kelly, Katy, Jason, Randy, David, Kristine...u guys rock, thank you for making my Madrid experiences hilarious and fun :) I will be sure to come visit you guys when I go back to Madrid for little trips (waves).
Now if I had a digital camera I would have been able to post my TOMATINA pictures, but alas...that is something that I will need to purchase sometime soon! ;) Yeah, I know...get with the times Heidi :P. Ah yes, good times in Madrid...but I did miss bodies of water and lush green parks.
And now...here I am. In the north-east spanish province of La Rioja...living in the capital city of Logroño...and I love it here! For one thing, it is a much smaller city...which means friendlier people and a closer community. Also, the best thing is where I live! I have a river and park right next to my apartment building! Logroño is also surrounded by mountains...in short, I sure got my green! hahaha...there are also little rapids right by my building...I think that I will write in my private diary there sometimes...it´s kinda soothing listening to that falling water, it drowns out every other sound.
I feel really lucky to have gotten a job here...and I officially start my new teaching job on Monday! A couple of weeks ago, I was hoping and praying to get a job in the North...and here I am, wow. This past week I had my training and got to know all of my other coworkers, and so far we all really get along well with each other...they are all so nice! I find it amazing how we have 3 different kinds of English accents at the Inlingua school...there are Brits, Irishmen and me, the German/Canadian Hybrid with the Canadian accent yet not the pure Canadian accent (or so I have been told, hahaha!). Of course, Inlingua also has German, Italian, Spanish and French teachers...but just think of it...3 different English accents in one school..pretty amazing, don´t you think? I personnaly love the Irish accent, but I think that it is a bit harder for students to understand (that´s what some former students had told me). When people ask me what citizen I consider myself to be, I never really know what to answer...I feel Canadian, yet not fully Canadian, you know? And I don´t fully consider myself German either, so it´s actually a little complicated, hehe..
Last night was nice...we had a little party at Inlingua to celebrate the start of the new school year and then me and other coworkers went to get some tapas (spicy potatoes this time, hmmmm). We ended up chatting outside in the terrazas until about 2 a.m. It was great, I also made some new spanish friends, lol. One of them was a student from one of my coworkers...it´s great how you can just go out and have drinks with your students :) In the end, my coworkers left and it was just me, Mike (also another new teacher) and the other spaniards. They were so nice, they paid for all of our drinks! good times, good times...
My spanish has significantly improved, although of course it´s not 100% yet...I feel pretty confident speaking it, it´s just hard sometimes when people speak fast to you...I still need to tell some people to slow down! hehehe...
I love my new apartment. I now only have 1 roomate (unlike 3 others in Madrid...3 boys=lots and lots of dirt) and he is really nice and helpful. My kitty Lucy can also roam freely around the apartment, so she is a happy gipsy cat. Man, bringing her was a little pain in the butt, but I really am in love with this cat. It´s quite insane...we are practically married. I have been attached to pet before, but...we "understand" each other, it´s quite scary. Siamese are just really intelligent pets. I recommend them ;) She is such a lap cat...hehe.
Today I went to the academy (yes, I know...it´s Saturday...but hey, I got a set of keys for the school, woohoo) because I needed to prepare some things for Monday´s classes. I will be teaching lots of children and adults...this is all really going to start on Monday, unbelievable! I am a tad nervous, but also excited...it will be a lot of work and it will take some time getting used to, but this is something that I had been wanting to do for a long time...and everything has somehow fallen into place and here I am...able to live my dream. Cheesy, but true.
Tomorrow will mark one week that I have been living in Logroño...another new beginning in my life. I really like this city...and if I ever miss the hustle and bustle of Madrid, I can always take a weekend trip and crash at one of my friend´s place (2 way bus ride is only 36 euros! for a 4.5 hour bus ride, that´s cheap!).
Well, that´s it for now..the next time that I will write in here, I´ll post info on how my classes are going....hasta luego mis amigos! (p.s....yes, I did kinda steal ivanie´s blog name...I thought that it sounded appropriate :) There ya go, eve, I gave you credit for it! hehehe..)
P.S. Below are some pictures of Madrid that my friend Carsten took when he came to visit me in early September...I won´t post any more pictures for a little while because a certain someone is coming to visit me on Oct. 12th and I don´t want to spoil anything, hehehe...;)
H.
Me, a soon to be 23 year-old girl who has already been living for a little over 3 months in Spain. I mostly write in my private journal about all of my experiences, but I figured that this online blog would be an excellent way for my friends and loved ones to know what is happening to me in the land of sun and late night tapas...
A little recap on where I was in the last few months and what I did: well, I was living in Madrid, the huge, hustling, bustling capital city of Spain. It is a very beautiful city, with lots of breathtaking buildings (Palacio Real, Jardines de Sabatini, Prado Museo..etc) and the nightlife there is incredible! I remember how hard it was for me at first to dance from 2 until 8 a.m. nonstop...but it is something that I quickly got used to! The "discothecas" there are just nuts, people just dance and dance and dance! It´s really fun dancing to all that awesome house and dance music...I think that Canada has too many hip hop clubs and should start looking into the dance clubs more :) Just a thought...
I took a Spanish and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course there...and I can´t believe that both of them are already over! I made a lot of friends, most of them from California, Chicago and Boston...really friendly people who I got comfortable with really really quickly! Vince, Kelly, Katy, Jason, Randy, David, Kristine...u guys rock, thank you for making my Madrid experiences hilarious and fun :) I will be sure to come visit you guys when I go back to Madrid for little trips (waves).
Now if I had a digital camera I would have been able to post my TOMATINA pictures, but alas...that is something that I will need to purchase sometime soon! ;) Yeah, I know...get with the times Heidi :P. Ah yes, good times in Madrid...but I did miss bodies of water and lush green parks.
And now...here I am. In the north-east spanish province of La Rioja...living in the capital city of Logroño...and I love it here! For one thing, it is a much smaller city...which means friendlier people and a closer community. Also, the best thing is where I live! I have a river and park right next to my apartment building! Logroño is also surrounded by mountains...in short, I sure got my green! hahaha...there are also little rapids right by my building...I think that I will write in my private diary there sometimes...it´s kinda soothing listening to that falling water, it drowns out every other sound.
I feel really lucky to have gotten a job here...and I officially start my new teaching job on Monday! A couple of weeks ago, I was hoping and praying to get a job in the North...and here I am, wow. This past week I had my training and got to know all of my other coworkers, and so far we all really get along well with each other...they are all so nice! I find it amazing how we have 3 different kinds of English accents at the Inlingua school...there are Brits, Irishmen and me, the German/Canadian Hybrid with the Canadian accent yet not the pure Canadian accent (or so I have been told, hahaha!). Of course, Inlingua also has German, Italian, Spanish and French teachers...but just think of it...3 different English accents in one school..pretty amazing, don´t you think? I personnaly love the Irish accent, but I think that it is a bit harder for students to understand (that´s what some former students had told me). When people ask me what citizen I consider myself to be, I never really know what to answer...I feel Canadian, yet not fully Canadian, you know? And I don´t fully consider myself German either, so it´s actually a little complicated, hehe..
Last night was nice...we had a little party at Inlingua to celebrate the start of the new school year and then me and other coworkers went to get some tapas (spicy potatoes this time, hmmmm). We ended up chatting outside in the terrazas until about 2 a.m. It was great, I also made some new spanish friends, lol. One of them was a student from one of my coworkers...it´s great how you can just go out and have drinks with your students :) In the end, my coworkers left and it was just me, Mike (also another new teacher) and the other spaniards. They were so nice, they paid for all of our drinks! good times, good times...
My spanish has significantly improved, although of course it´s not 100% yet...I feel pretty confident speaking it, it´s just hard sometimes when people speak fast to you...I still need to tell some people to slow down! hehehe...
I love my new apartment. I now only have 1 roomate (unlike 3 others in Madrid...3 boys=lots and lots of dirt) and he is really nice and helpful. My kitty Lucy can also roam freely around the apartment, so she is a happy gipsy cat. Man, bringing her was a little pain in the butt, but I really am in love with this cat. It´s quite insane...we are practically married. I have been attached to pet before, but...we "understand" each other, it´s quite scary. Siamese are just really intelligent pets. I recommend them ;) She is such a lap cat...hehe.
Today I went to the academy (yes, I know...it´s Saturday...but hey, I got a set of keys for the school, woohoo) because I needed to prepare some things for Monday´s classes. I will be teaching lots of children and adults...this is all really going to start on Monday, unbelievable! I am a tad nervous, but also excited...it will be a lot of work and it will take some time getting used to, but this is something that I had been wanting to do for a long time...and everything has somehow fallen into place and here I am...able to live my dream. Cheesy, but true.
Tomorrow will mark one week that I have been living in Logroño...another new beginning in my life. I really like this city...and if I ever miss the hustle and bustle of Madrid, I can always take a weekend trip and crash at one of my friend´s place (2 way bus ride is only 36 euros! for a 4.5 hour bus ride, that´s cheap!).
Well, that´s it for now..the next time that I will write in here, I´ll post info on how my classes are going....hasta luego mis amigos! (p.s....yes, I did kinda steal ivanie´s blog name...I thought that it sounded appropriate :) There ya go, eve, I gave you credit for it! hehehe..)
P.S. Below are some pictures of Madrid that my friend Carsten took when he came to visit me in early September...I won´t post any more pictures for a little while because a certain someone is coming to visit me on Oct. 12th and I don´t want to spoil anything, hehehe...;)
H.
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