The Cave of Wonders and Green Things

Yesterday was just what I needed: we finally went to La Sierra which is about 1 hour north of Huelva. It was a nice relaxing outing where giant trees, hills and mountains surrounded us wherever we went. We also visited lots of little villages, Aracena being one of them where we went on a 45 minute tour of a cave called La Gruta de las Maravillas. It was unbelievably beautiful. Too bad lots of pics didn't come out right since it was so dark.
The cave was gigantic, which is good since I am claustrophobic and wouldn't have been able to participate if the cave would have been really tight and small. It was very humid in the cave and a balmy 17 degrees (water was dripping everywhere). I felt like I was in another world...it was all so beautiful and quiet. Really worth visiting (I wished you were there with me Shane, you would have loved it!).



We basically went for a stroll in lots of different little villages surrounding the area. This pic was still taken in Aracena (it was above the cave). It was a cloudy day for the most part and a tad chilly with the wind, but I wasn't complaining...I wore my winter hat, Shane's mittens that he gave me last Christmas and thermal underwear (sexy!), hehe...










This pic was taken on top of a giant hill in Aracena. This used to be a tower of a castle, but the French destroyed it in 1812...grrrr.


Look at meeeeeeee! I'm going to lift off, wheeeeee!

















Me and Angel, still in Aracenas. This was a nice square that was located in the city centre...not too too much here, but clean and nice to look at. The town was very quiet, probably because of the cold and it being winter and all that...









This was very interesting. Our car was parked close to an area where in the old days, women used to come and wash their clothes in a huge communal "tank". They also each had their own stone scrubbers where they would rub the stains out of their clothes. Hmmmm...green, slimy water anyone? I'm sure it works better than Tide...or "Colón" as the most popular detergent is called here in Spain (cringes).













Scrub, scrub, scrub! I wonder how long ago these things were used... Are we EVER lucky not to have to do that anymore.













A beautiful church, one of only a bagazillion that Spain has to offer. I swear, this town had about 5 churches or so (Angel pointed them out to me). It wasn't even a big town, too.







This pic was taken in a little village called Linares. I think that there were only 200 or so inhabitants. The sun had started to peak out at around 4 p.m., so it was nice to feel the warm sun on your face while the wind blew fiercely. Made me think that it was spring already (but then again, this WOULD be spring in Canada).







These next few pics were taken in a teeny tiny area called Peña. It wasn't even a village since there weren't any houses...it's basically a beautiful area where one goes to get married (there's one church located on top of the hill) and then gets photographed at several gorgeous spots throughout the area.
There was actually a wedding going on while we were there, and the couple seemed to be posing for about 3487938247 pictures. We stayed there for a LONG time and they were still walking around with the photographer in the end, posing and smiling for more pictures.
This was just a lil monument where one could make the bells ring. It was located in an area that was to the far right of the church.


No, I do not know this muchacho. I took a pic of him because I loved the way he was nonchalantly rolling his cigarette and ocasionally staring off into space...that plus the hat and the coat wrapped around his shoulders screamed,"I'm begging to be looked at and taken notice of."

When I saw this tree I almost gasped. It reminded me of a scene in What Dreams May Come. I think I took about 5 pics of this one tree...I even snapped one of Angel (without him knowing it at the time) walking down towards the tree. I think it looked really good (one of my faves) and I later showed it to him. Just makes for such a pensive picture...and a peaceful one. I loved that tree.

Just me and Donna relaxing by the tree. After Angel took this pic, we pretty much just sat there and gazed at the sky and the scenery. It was breathtaking...and I think that we sat there without talking for a good 10 minutes or so. I hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. It's so easy to forget REAL life and its beauty when we are constantly surrounded by sirens, motorbikes and people gabbing and fighting away over insignificant things.

I later stretched out on the grass and looked up at the swaying branches in the tree. I just couldn't wipe a huge grin off my face, try as I might.

Love you all, H.xoxoxoxo

P.S. Next Weekend Trip: Cordoba! Hostal's booked for 4!!! So excited...may I never stop travelling...

Insert Best Title. Ever.

This weekend was nice. I FINALLY went to another concert that was happening in the city on Friday night. Yeah, after U2's show in Aug.'05, it was about time, eh? (Checks calendar and blushes)
The band was called Celtas Cortos (The Short Celts) and they played Spanish/Celtic music. It was odd to hear a band sing in Spanish while playing celtic music...but it was awesome! They really got the crowd going with their stomping and hopping around. I loved how 8 men were able to play all kinds of different types of instruments. It made every song seem different and fresh. There were violins, guitars, accordeons, drums, flutes, trumpets, etc etc. For one song they'd quickly change from one instrument to another, never missing a beat. I loved it :)
At my request, we also went out for some chinese food...hmmm...
Yesterday I went to see The Prestige, and liked it. It sure wasn't Babel-goodness, but it had its moments. I was pissed that I wasn't able to hear Micheal Caine's real voice, though. I really like that actor...he does good work. He made The Cider House Rules gold in my opinion. Actually, come to think about it, it's one of my favourite movies. I should watch it again someday...
In other news, mark your calendars: The German's coming home on July 31st. I expect all of you at the airport greeting me with bells and fanfares. Yeah, I can't believe that everything's booked. My mom and I were looking at deals online last monday and found some sweet flights with the German company LTU.
My parents are gonna come see me on the 18th of July and then we'll tour Spain together...then, on the 27th, we´ll fly with Lucy the Wondercat to Duesseldorf to spend a few days with my family there. After, it's bye bye Europe and we're home on the 31st.
I've decided to trek through Italy during the first two weeks of July. Rome, Florence, Naples, Venice and a short day trip to Pisa. Any interested souls? I'm thinking of leaving around the 3rd of July and coming back on the 15th...I'm gonna buy a railpass to make my travels cheaper as well. Oh, and the best thing is that flights from Madrid to Rome are now only 100 euros..so perhaps I should start booking everything in February already and get a headstart on hostals and such. What can I say? God gave me the gift of planning (or is it a curse?).
I think I'm addicted to travelling. Which is good. But also bad.
Shane and I will be travelling to Portugal together sometime in late March (if all works out) and then we'll be spending some time in Paris in early April, when I have a week off for my easter break. Oooh, France! Paris! "Bonjour Paris!"
I guess I don't have to say how much I'm looking forward to this.
So as happy and care-free as this entry may sound, I'm feeling kinda so-so right now since I've just been talking to a teacher friend of mine and he was saying,"Oh, you'll definitely get into all the universities you applied to...except U of T, which is super selective. That one is gonna be hard. Oh, what was your number one choice again?" Urgh. I have to realistically acknowledge that there's a big possibility that I won't get into that school. I shouldn't freak out about it right now, but I have to mentally prepare myself so as not to be totally blah once April comes around.
But enough about that. It makes me edgy.
The weather is supposed to get colder for this week. Colder as in 10 degrees during the day and between 0-5 at night...which is arctic weather here. Time to use the micheline man snowsuits and 7 foot scarves, everybody! It's the North Pole out here...
Meh. Betcha by next week it'll be back to 17 degrees by day and 7 by night. Not that I'm complaining. I cringe thinking about what awaits me for next year...I'm so gonna die. The All Mighty One was very kind to me over the holidays and spared me of frostbite.
I'm running out of things to say and getting sleepy...think I'm just gonna end it here.
To cap things off, I chose an awesome Jesus and his Posse bracelet from the chinese restaurant (you get points when you eat at their establishment..and for 1 awesome-enriched point I decided to get this little gem). Rachel, I thought of you and will likely give it to you when we see each other at the airport and you shower me with posters of Take Off Your Pants while dancing to Men Without Hats songs which you will be blasting on your ghetto stereo.
People might stare but they don't realize how cool it is to dance if you really really want to.
H xoxox

Pandora's Box

One of my New Year's resolutions was to finally get my butt in gear and discover new music again...Pandora has been the key to this.

Now I don't feel so pathetic anymore and feel that I can actually catch up with some of the new music that's out there...(Spain has just not helped in introducing me to good English music).

Here's a list of my newly discovered top 5 artists:

1. Van She
2. Fischerspooner
3.The Boy Least Likely To
4.Regina Spektor
5.Cat Power

I'm so excited. So much great stuff to discover...this is such a great music player.

(incidentally, Van She music is hard to download, anybody got some for me? I've only got Kelly and Mission. Try getting Sex City, it's great.)

I haven't done much this weekend...most of my friends are out of town. I did go see Babel on Friday night with Donna which was AMAZING. I really loved it...one of my favourite movies from the last few months.
Today's just another quiet Sunday and I'm just downloading tunes and wasting time by listening to aforementioned artists and other Pandora artists. Might go for a walk later...even though the weather's looking kinda weird out there.
This upcoming weekend I might finally be going to La Sierra...(will it ever happen?) Cordoba might only fly in early February since my buddies are broke and want me to wait for them. D'ah well...I don't mind waiting if it means I'll be joined by my friends.
Nothing much happened over the past few days...this week I was just busy getting everything organized for the 2nd school term. I DO have lots of planning to do for the next few weeks, but it'll be alright.
On another note, has anybody seen that godawful interview that Paula Abdul gave recently? I don't remember which show/channel she was giving the interview to, but if you haven't, go to youtube and write Paula Abdul interview in the search bar...it's hilarious. That woman is so full of prescription drugs/alcohol/crack & cocaine that would make Courtney Love and Whitney blush. Like, wow. I couldn't even finish watching the interview because it was just THAT embarassing and painful. I'm sure you guys would get a laugh out of it though.
I'm out like her sanity.
love you all xoxoxoxo H.

Maybe it's because I can't sleep...

...but I´m suddenly in the mood for some late-night blog posting which involves pictures taken over the holidays. I'll deal with the "awwwmygawwwd killllll meee now" feeling tomorrow morning when my alarm rings.



This is Bono. Now Rachel, don't start enlarging the pic and looking at it with a magnifier cuz it ain't THAT Bono. It's my Dad. You're probably asking yourself:"Why is this man standing in front of that old horse carriage?" You might also be wondering; "If this is 1885 why wasn't great-granny Hildegard here for some line dancing and the pie baking contest I held after xmas?"

Well, the reason is quite simple: your pies just taste like ass, man. But seriously folks, this is Tillsonburg, Ontario. This is the area where my parents live...and this parking spot is reserved for the Amish that dwell in the area. I had to quiet down my mother several times whenever we'd bump into Amish people at the local Canadian Tire or Shopper's Drug Mart: "Look, Heidi...look!"

Now you believe me that Tillsonburg is 2 hrs away from TO?



















My Dad insisted on taking a picture of me in front of the carriage. We lingered there for quite a while, and I was kinda scared that some crazy Amish with a 5 foot beard would come chasing after me...then I'd trip on his beard and would be forced to look after his 23 children and cook pea soup for the rest of my life.


That horse is probably thinking, "You think YOU got problems?"





Here's my girl. Right before I had to leave you all, we decided to go to the Pickle Barrel for some half yards. I felt too rushed to finish my beer, and as you all know me...it would probably take me a few hours to finish it. I'll try much harder when I'm back in the T-dot...and not feeling all wishy washy knowing that I'm leaving soon.






















My girl and my guy.


Our waitress was a good-for-nothin´but we had a good lil time...

They taught me a new word that day. Apparently I am a pacifist. I know, I know...I'm an English teacher, I should know this, right? But hey, gimme a break, it ain't my first language...;)







Can I doggy-bag this please?









Enough said.































Take this crown and stick it!!!

Props go to Rachel for this one...was it you who had the idea of sticking my paper crown down my pants? The only bad thing about this was ripping it to shreds. Heck no, I take that back...I WAS able to make some spiffy paper earrings out of it.

Gin and Ginger ale never went down so good...or was it Seven Up? Who cares.

Could use some Father Ted humour now..."Drrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiinnnnnnk!"

Mis amores, hasta luego H...xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxo

Biggy 2007

I'm back.
My 2 weeks in Canada were simply great. I had a wonderful time with my family and friends and just like I had predicted, didn't feel that 2 weeks were enough. It was just so nice to finally get to see my parents´new house and to be pampered with good food at home.
On Christmas morning, my father finally arrived home and we opened presents. Never had there been so many people at our house for xmas. It was nice.
In the late afternoon I went to Shane's grandmother's and finally met a lot of his relatives and got to talk to his parents for more than just 2 minutes (grad ´05). Everyone was very welcoming and friendly and I had a delicious dinner (albeit later than everyone else cuz by the time I had arrived everyone had already finished). In the evening, we went back to Shane's place and exchanged gifts...Shane got me a beautiful amber pendant from Egypt, and Depeche Mode´s Best Of CD, and a piece of coral from when he was at the Red Sea. He also wrote me a beautiful card which had a nice photo of the giza pyramids on it. From his parents, I got a silver necklace for the pendant. :) Heidi was a happy girl (and still is).
We later went to see Dreamgirls which was a big dissapointment. Half of the audience was laughing during the music sequences. I, was sometimes one of them.
On the 26th Shane came over to my place for a turkey dinner and finally got to meet my own folks. He also came over on another day when we all played Uno...grrr and he beat us all while talking on the phone to Mairin (it was her birthday that day). I think he won 3 times...argh. My day shall come! ;)
New Years, in my opinion, was fun enough. Yeah, the music sometimes sucked and the crowd seemed a little strange, but it was great just being surrounded by friends. I think we were also glad that Rachel felt better after around 11-ish...yikes.
(sigh) Too bad I couldn't go to Dance Cave with all of you on the 5th (but you know, I had other matters to tend to, like jetting off the continent). Hope you all had a great time...argh so jealous! I feel like I just got to experience 1% of what TO has to offer...I think I would like that city a lot if I got the chance to live there.
I really wish I could have had more time with all of you, but it's hard when you only have 2 weeks and you want to be with so many people at once. Hopefully summer of ´07 will rectify that. I miss you all so much and can't wait to hang out with you again!
Evy, Shane told me that you liked my little gifts...it wasn't much, but I just wanted to show my best bud how much I miss her and appreciate her.
So my flight went well, although it was all excruciatingly LONG. I had my own personal TV screen again but the SOUND didn't work. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I could have watched The Queen!!!!!! I was so frickin' mad, you have no idea. You guys know how angry technology can make me...(eve especially). So yeah, I spent the whole flight back to Brussels sleeping and not finishing my in-flight meals. Not that they were bad, I was just tired and a bit miffed. So sleep overtook. The flight from Brussels to Madrid was non-eventful and I slept some more. Iberia always sucks anyways. You don't even get free snacks. Nothing.
Then I took the bus back to Huelva from Madrid...and slept some more during the trip. I also listened to my Belle and Sebastian Tigermilk CD and realised that it was very good.
I saw a lot of cartoons over the holidays. Happy Feet with Shane on the 1st (good, not amazing, but good), Cars (pay-per-view at home), and Chicken Run at Shane's place. I guess I like cartoons...nothing wrong with that, right?
I could write so much more about this trip, my 2 weeks were just really great. I managed to spent a good chunck of my time with my parents, so that was nice...I also finished my book Teacher Man by Frank McCourt yesterday and started The Odyssey by Homer. It's interesting and reminds me of my Myth and Symbol class readings, so it should prove to be good.
Tomorrow is back to work day...it's always a slap in the face to restart, but I think that I need the work routine. It'll be nice to see Belen and Donna again, too.
Oh man...I have SO MUCH to do this week...a lot of xmas decorations to take off, undecorate the class' xmas tree, make new star posters, new attendance sheets...
Ok, let's not think about that yet. One day at a time, right? This year seems to be flying faster than last year anyway...
I hope all of you had great holidays, and I can't wait to see you again this summer...I miss you all so much already and love you to pieces.
Did anyone make New Year's resolutions? I would LIKE to stop biting the skin around my fingers, but it's sooo hard. I'll try though.
Shane, thank your family again for everything...that dinner at that French restaurant was really nice as well...
Ok everybody, have a great start to 2007 and I had a nice time with all of you...looking forward to the sequel xoxoxoxoxo H

My Kiddie Classroom :)

This is the colourful kiddie classroom where I teach my 5-6 year olds. It's MY classroom since nobody else teaches in it. I'm quite proud of it...it's very inviting and they love the star system that I've got going on to the right. As you can see, I'm currently teaching them the delights of Christmas :)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007! Lots of love, H xoxoxo

If you haven't been to Granada, you ain't seen nada

I'm singin' in...Granada!
Last weekend I had 3 days off, so Laura, Donna and I decided to take a little trip to beautiful Granada. We really wanted to see why the heck people were so fond of this andalusian city. Many said that this city even beat Sevilla. Although I really love Sevilla and appreciate its beauty, I must agree that Granada is magnificent and gorgeous. The Alhambra and its surroundings make up a large part of its beauty. Heads up, lots of pictures coming your way!

During our stay, we slept at a really cheap hostal that was RIGHT IN FRONT of the Alhambra gates. The hostal wasn't a precious hidden jewel, but it was comfortable enough and pretty decent.

If you don't know what building I'm talking about, here's a little bit of info: the Alhambra (it actually means The Red Castle) is an ancient mosque, palace and fortress complex of the Moorish monarchs of Granada, in southern Spain. It was the residence of the Muslim kings of Granada and their court, but is currently a museum exhibiting exquisite Islamic architecture.



First off though, here are some pics of the city centre. Beautiful little bridges, orange trees and colourful buildings...the city centre itself was swarming with people that weekend, and many streets were closed off by police so that the pedestrians would have more room to walk. The night atmosphere was great; shops were open until late and I found a lot of neat little gifts for my friends and loved ones...


Look at this view! Mountains surround Granada and affect its temperatures to a great degree. We had 0 degree temperatures all weekend...it was very cold, but the air was so fresh and pure. I didn't realize until then just how much I missed thick forests and NATURE. Some areas reminded me of Canada and I got a bit homesick...


Here are Laura and Donna (from left to right). Granada had lots of beautiful xmas lights...they really didn't tighten their money belts on that! I enjoyed browsing the shops and streets with my friends, and stopping at tea shops for a nice hot tea. Hmmmmm...lots of good arab tea shops.

Yes, I STILL hate coffee.







I had the brilliant idea of imitating Rocky Balboa when I saw those steps. They just seemed to...call to me. Too bad you can't see me punching the air and grunting like a madwoman, cuz that would have made your day.













I took this picture while standing in the Generalife gardens (and yes it's spelled together like that). There were so many people that it was hard taking good pictures, but I think I managed nicely.

Love those mountains. On the north side, which was to my left here, I took some pictures of mountains with snow at their peaks, but the extreme sun made the snow appear too bright, so unfortunately it wasn't good enough to include.

Still in the gardens...lots of beautiful trimmed hedges and orange trees...The Generalife

Gardens once belonged to the Nasrid Sultans of Granada. It's one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens.


You can see the Alcazar (fancy word for spanish castle) from where I'm standing here.

Intricate details...it was all very breath-taking. We went from room to room, marvelling at how the conquerors after 1492 tried to deface the Alhambra and change its appearance. Charles V tried to give it a Renaissance style, Phillip V tried to italianise it, etc. Moorish art was further defaced in 1812 when a French Count actually blew up parts of the structures. Sheesh. Even Napoleon wanted to see the whole thing turned to dust, but his plan to blow EVERYTHING up failed when a soldier of his defused the explosives. Way to go, unknown soldier.

So many incredible things...I saw a grand reception room, where once the throne of the sultan was placed opposite the entrance. It was in this setting that Christopher Columbus received Isabel and Ferdinand's support to sail to the New World. Of course, nothing was left in this giant room, but one was able to imagine the excitement and dreams that once brewed in this room.

This amazing area is called The Patio of the Lions. The twelve lions functioned as a clock with water flowing from a different lion each hour. The Christians of the Reconquest took apart the clock to see how it worked and it hasn't worked since. What a pity...

BEAUTIFUL. The fountain was turned off that day since it was really cold, but I can imagine it adding even more splendour to the scenery.

This is a section of the ROOF. How magnificent. There is a fountain in the middle of this hall, and the roof—a dome honeycombed with tiny cells, all different, and said to number 5000—is a great example of the so-called "stalactite vaulting" of the Moors. I was so impressed!

We were really lucky with the weather! Yes, it was very cold and I was sometimes cursing myself for not having brought my mittens, but it was spectacular and I was able to take some nice pictures. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Hehehe...oh, and the Alhambra even has some cats. There was a litter of kittens to my right (yes, I did take a pic of an orange one..very cute). The cats were fat, probably from all the food that the tourists were giving them (and being in Spain, that means Spanish Tortilla!!). Those cats really DO live like royalty.

This was the patio of Charles V. There were 2 separate little museums off to the left, and I ventured in with my buddies to read up on Christopher Columbus and his voyages, his struggles, and his love for his family. The other museum dealt on Moorish vases, and was actually quite boring (although very important in helping us understand Moorish history, since so many pictures on the vases depict how they lived).

Climbing up the steps of the Alcazar, I snapped this pic. I just can't get over the view.

It was around 6 p.m., the sun was slowly setting and we had already been walking for 4 hours non-stop all over the Alhambra and its surroundings. There is just so much to see and do that it really does take you one full day to see everything. Take your time, bring water and a sandwich, and you're good to go.

Pssst...it's also only 11 euros.

Here I am, at the very top part of the Alcazar, where the view is fantastic and the wind blows strongly. As you can see from my wide grin, I had a great time and felt truly alive. All that cold, fresh air did me a wealth of good. Although I do really hate the cold, it CAN be refreshing and invigorating.

Donna commented that the city looked like doll houses...it all seemed surreal. One thing that one immediately notices about the south of Spain is that most houses and building are white (you can judge for yourself!).

One last pic of the city and its surrounding mountains...

Granada was surely worth it. Definitely a place I wouldn't mind seeing again.

We've got our sights set on Cordoba for January. The plans just never end...and I hope they don't :)

Love you all, and see you all very soon, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2007 xoxox H

Deep thoughts, by me

I was standing at a street corner today, waiting for the light to turn green. There were 5 other girls around my age all wearing glasses, waiting. Just like me.
I jaywalked.
"Band of Cautious Nerds" is not my brand of choice.
"I showed them", I snickered.

Finally...

...a wee bit of time to update once again. Report card season is coming up, and so far I've finished 40 out of 58. Needless to say I've been a very busy girly this weekend. I got a lot of stuff done and even managed to go out twice with my friends. Impressive.

I was extremely annoyed last night. I won't be going to the Buddha Bar again for quite some time. There were SO many people that I was litteraly suffocating since the air was so bad from cigarette stench and sweat. I had never felt like that before in my entire life and just HAD to get out of there after only 30 minutes. Thank goodness we didn't pay entrance! Grrr...what made me even more annoyed was when one girl got pissed at me for pushing past her while I was trying to get out. What the heck do you want me to do? It was either gently pushing her or knocking her K.O with my elbows. Damn. Why didn't I choose option B? That would've been sweet.

I can't wait to go to Granada...I need to have some faith in the south again and a change of scene. I was missing the North of Spain terribly last night. Before going to the godawful Buddha we went to a little bar called Trastero. It was cozy and crammed full of people and had a certain northern atmosphere to it. I was just missing Calle Laurel and all the great bars and discotecas last night...Huelva has some good places, but it doesn't compare to Logroño in that aspect. Thank Goodness Sevilla is close enough. Donna, Laura and I swore to get our butts to other southern cities as often as possible (Cadiz, Malaga, etc). We can even go to Portugal during a weekend (Lisboa, Faro...).

I'm so excited for Granada...man. Got the Alhambra tickets and everything now, so we're all set to go. Here's hoping the hostal won't be a complete dump since it was super cheap. I'll let you all know if I had cockroaches for breakfast.

The positive thing about last night was the food. Oh my GOD. At least the southern tapas are very good. Camembert tapas with raspeberry sauce...fish croquetas...delicious sauté of various veggies...that was worth going out. The bar/restaurant we went to was wicked. You can draw your own beer since every table has its own "barrel". Donna and I chuckled that this would never fly in the U.K or Canada...people would just put their mouths under the tap and start chugging away. This would be followed with "mysterious" green and yellow stains on the floor having to be cleaned up at night by a grumpy janitor, who'd be traumatized for the rest of his life for seeing Donuts and Fish & Chips mixed in with the lovely slime.

But I digress.

I'm only working 3 days this week. Hoorah for short weeks and national holidays! It'll be a weird week though: Monday, Tuesday and then back to work on Thursday. Grumble, mumble...why no "puente"? Oh well...I'm glad that it's something at least.

They've finally turned on all the lights here in Huelva. I now don't feel like a dumbo for listening to xmas songs. We've also got some decorations at work, and my class will have a teeny tiny xmas tree! Now here's only hoping that the kids won't rip it to shreds :).

I'm so pumped for the holidays. Am I really going back to Canada? Somehow it feels so unreal...in less than 3 weeks I'll be home!

Jingle Bells, Antonio Banderas' new movie smells, la la la la la la
H xoxoxoxooxoooxox

Nothing says Spain....

...like 2 old farts, sitting in complete opposite ends of the bus, shouting to each other about the weather and how their family is doing. I don't want to hear about your sister's hemorrhoids.

...like 2 young men getting into a pimped up car and a mother shouting from her window, "You wear your seatbelt, damn you! I mean it!"

...like mullets. If you're a woman and you're sporting one, even better.

...like gel. Lots and lots and lots of hair gel.

...like interrupting each other. If you succeed at interrupting at every 2nd word, you have mastered the art of speaking castellano. Make sure to throw in a few "Joder!" and "Coño!"

...like talking with the cashier for 5 hours, holding up the line. And nobody seems to care.

Oh, I could go on. Anyway ;).

I shall now talk about an interesting topic. The aged in España.

Old spanish people are fascinating. Well, they are also a bit hard on the nose sometimes, but overall they are quite interesting. Golden aged canadians are no match to the wine guzzling, motor-mouth talking, social spaniards. I know that I will be shocked when I go back to Canada for xmas and see old canadians with their walkers and wheelchairs, sipping their Tim Hortons coffee and solitarily gazing outside the windows. I admire the spaniards for exercising so much, for getting their butt outside and meeting up with their friends and families. I think that this is the key to their health. The spanish culture focuses more on family than north america in general and this ultimately has positive benefits on the state of their mental and physical health.

I think that many old canadians are forced into old folks homes. I don't even see establishments like these here (I'm sure they exist...but the families seem to take their moms and dads in if the going gets tough).

I'm amazed at how REALLY frail spanish women still go grocery shopping, lug their groceries every day back and forth, and hold up their grand-children. Most elderly canadians either sit on benches all day long and read the newspaper.

Ok, ok, it's not like that for ALL elderly canadians...but I know that I am right for the most part. These people are looking great for their age, and I admire that. They seek the company of others and this makes their minds and bodies younger, I believe.

Well, that was my rant on that.

Had a good weekend celebrating the birthday of a good friend and coworker. I feel like I wrote about 10 emails already recapping what I did this past weekend, so I'll just make it brief; had some good italian pizza, went out for a beer, and then on Saturday went shopping with some friends at an enormous store that was so huge that the customer service helpers have to wear rollerskates to get around. It's even bigger than the largest Wal-Mart that I've ever seen...

In 2 weeks I'm going to Granada with my friends, should be fun! I'll make sure to take lots of pics so that you'll all be able to see them. The hostal is booked...now we just need to reserve tickets to go see the Alhambra, which is supposed to be a really cool Arabian monument. It's aparently enormous...can't wait.

I didn't go to the cinema this weekend...hopefully there will be something good in the movie theatres this upcoming Friday. I wonder when the new Harry Potter will come out? I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm also dying to see Borat...but will have to wait until I'm on canadian soil. Just can't imagine Borat speaking with a dubbed spanish voice. (Shudders).

xoxoxoxox H.

I remember, once...

I remember taking long walks with my parents as a child in Germany and never ever wanting to head back home..."Can't we go just a little further?"

I remember getting my first bicycle in Germany. I screamed with delight when I saw all the candy that my mother had wrapped all around it.

I remember going to the baker's every morning before kindergarten started and always asking for either a chocolate croissant or a salami one. The woman at the counter was really nice.

I remember my first flight to Canada. My ears popped really badly and I was crying with pain. I had a little suitcase that had an elephant on it and I vividly remember asking my mother if our plane would fly upside down at some point. I was very scared.

I remember the cold and the snow. I remember just how cold our country house was when we first arrived...there was no heating at first, so my mother gave me a gigantic blanket that felt very heavy on my little body.

I remember some bad fights that I had with my brother (one that involved me pushing him down the stairs). I also remember good moments, and the many laughs that we shared.

I remember all those times when I was too scared to be taught Math by my mother because she was very strict. I always ended up asking my bro for help.

I remember following footprints of mice in the snow with my brother, pretending we were detectives. This game also included footprints of other kinds of animals...and we even once thought we recognized deer feet, "Santa was TRULY here last night!"

I remember being excited for our weekly Friday family swim at the local sports center. I remember how soft my hair always felt after using the town's water and not the hard country water.

I remember how my dad always opened his arms very wide whenever I would run to him. Then, he'd pick me up and either put me on his shoulders or swing me around like an airplane.

I remember hating puberty. I hated grade 7 and 8. It was tough and people started acting differently and shunning former friends.

I remember being nervous for high school and starting my high school journal with the cheesy title "The Wonder Years".

I remember taking one specific long walk with my dogs in the country. I had gotten my hair dyed black that day, and marvelled at my hair's deep contrast to the shiny sun which was glowing hot and mighty that day. It was a beautiful day.

I remember when my dog Bingo got hit by a car. I was so upset and scared for his life that I actually wrote a message to God, asking him to save my Bingo. Bingo couldn't even sit down; he was sleeping while standing. When he peed blood, I thought it was over. After a few days, he was fine.

I remember graduating high school and seeing that hat fly up in the air. "So that's it?"

I remember the summer before university. I had the house to myself for 2 months. I did a lot of soul searching that summer and went on long, insane bike rides. "In Blue" will always be the soundtrack to my summer of '01.

I remember ice skating, hot chocolates and laughs with friends from Ottawa. I remember the dancing, the parties and the dramas. Why so many winter memories? Why are they more vivid to me than the summer ones spent in Ottawa?

I remember my trip to Germany in the summer of '04. I felt very independent and confident, planning my way and trekking with my cousin through 4 major german cities. I still love looking at those pictures.

I remember my late-night talks with my best friends over love, life and school. I remember looking forward to coming home to the sounds of my best friends cooking, watching tv..."Helloooooooo it's moi!", I would say.

I remember hearing those three little words for the first time...very vividly.

I remember leaving Canada in June of '05 and thinking, "Hasta Luego, Canada". Happiness and Sadness were intertwined. What was to be expected?

I remember telling a woman sitting next to me about my plans for Spain. I can still hear her saying, "Good luck with that, I'm sure you'll do well. You seem to know what you want."

I remember thinking, after a few months in Spain, "I AM doing well here. Thank you lady, whatever your name was, for your good wishes."

I remember going back to Canada for xmas '06 and...

Sick, sicker, sickest

Well, it's 4.30pm and I just got up. Oh man, am I ever feeling like crap today. I don't even know how many headache and cold meds I've taken...
It's only November, right? Geeez...
The shittiest part about this is that I was supposed to go to La Sierra today. Yup, AGAIN, something got in the way and we had to push it back to another day. Maybe I'll feel well enough to go tomorrow, who knows?
It's such a gorgeous day, too :(
It doesn't matter that I take my vitamins every day, that I eat well and take care of myself...the cold bug gets me every damn winter. I'm sure, of course, that the little kids and their germs are the culprits. This week was the first week where some had coughs and sniffles.
I'm off to a great start! Looking forward to getting 15 colds!
Last night was fun, even though I felt like my head was going to explode at the end of the night...we went to Hurricane again and had some delicious pizza and salad. Went to see "Los Fantasmas de Goya" and it wasn't too too bad. Not one of my faves, but I liked Natalie Portman's acting...that girl really knows how to cry well. I seriously don't think that there's one movie in which she doesn't cry.
Oh, it's so frustrating staring out at the beautiful weather...argh. I have a nasty kind of cold, a head cold. You know, the one where you feel like there is a hammer consistently pounding away at your skull? That one. Before I take yet another pill, I'll wait a bit, since I also don't want to kill myself with med overdose. What's up, Tylenol Cold Med.? You usually work(no, it's not expired).
This week seemed to just fly by. That's ok with me...I'm just over the moon knowing that I'll be celebrating xmas in canada this year with all of my friends and loved ones.
Ugh. I think that today will not really exist for me...I'll just sleep it away. It sucks being sick over the weekend, yet it's perhaps best to get the crap out of my system now and feel slightly better on Monday, than being really god-awful sick on a Wednesday and not being able to function in my classes.
until soon,
Heidi xoxoxoxo

...and now it's time for some sun, and sunflowers

Yes, that's right. It's a nice 22 degrees outside, and will remain so for the next few days. I checked Cairo's weather website, and the south of Spain will have the same temperatures as the desert :P Nice...
Last night after work I got some great news from Shane via a text message: He's going to be coming home for Xmas!!! That is some sweet news indeed...man, this xmas will just be unbelievable :) There are just so many things to look forward to. I hope to party with everyone in a big, messy style.
This Friday I am going to La Sierra, which is a big national park in the north of Huelva. Angel and Carmen are taking me, so I am looking forward to that. Tomorrow's planned movie will likely be the Scorsese one...but we'll see what my friends opt for. Is it normal to get so excited over tapas and a movie? :P Oh wait, I forget who reads this...nevermind.
Besides this, not too much has been going on. Work, work, work. I got to speak with my brother last night, which was nice. He seems to be loving his new job at a computer store, where he works as a technician. I'm glad that he's finally found a job that he likes. He's always been a whiz when it comes to computers and all that jazz, so I'm happy for him.
I got home early today for lunch, which was nice. Man, I remember how crazy it was at Inlingua...I barely had time to come home and eat a decent lunch. At Covent Garden, it can still get hectic but I don't feel as exhausted as I did about a year ago. I can now come home during the middle of the day and sleep, watch TV, write in my blog as I'm doing now, and cook myself some great meals. I think that's one of the main reasons why I eat ten times better now...I feel a whole lot better about myself and my energy level than last year.
Don't get me wrong. These kids sure tire me out, but my little naps during the day are very helpful in getting me through my days.
I don't know yet what I'm going to do this weekend...we'll see. More shopping might be involved...perhaps I'll ask the girls if they feel like going to Sevilla with me.
H oxoxooxoxxo

"Geez Sir, you sure know how to function a s-y-n-t-h-e-s-i-z-e-r!"

I'm a bit peeved at myself right now. During the past weeks, I've grown to love more and more and more Depeche Mode. Yes, just a FEW months AFTER their last world tour. Grrr...they were in Spain at around this time last year :(
How long will I have to wait now to get a chance to pay an exhorbitant amount of money just so that I can see them in microscopic form? Mierda!
That's my next dream concert: seeing them live. That plus Scissor Sisters and The Cure. Hmmmm now that would be something...going to a Depeche Mode concert and having as opening acts Mr. Red Lipstick Himself and Gaylicious Dude.
Now let's not get too crazy.
So this weekend was great: went shopping and bought myself some cute new earrings, shoes, and a flowery red blouse. I still need to get a new watch and a new pair of pants, but that will have to be dealt with again next weekend.
I also went to see Scoop with Belen and Donna. It was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised. Again, I understand Spanish dubbed movies a lot now, and have no real problems with them, since the dubbing is pretty good and the voice-overs are high quality...yet, of course, if I HAD the chance I'd watch everything in its original English production. BUT, since I can't permit myself that, I'll have to go with the next best thing.
I watched Mr. Bean Goes To Town today...THAT'S how bad Spanish television is here (ok, ok...I'll admit it...I did laugh when he did a dance that looked like a boomshaka move). Then, I was weirdly amused by a Domino competition. It just keeps on getting worse from here on, so I better stop while I still can.
In other news, my throat is still see-sawing between decently good to "get that Jagged Metal Krusty-O out of my throat" (50 bonus points if you know which Simpsons episode I'm talking about). It's just nuts. Even during the weekend when I'm not talking that much it still hurts a bit when I swallow. Weird, since it was fine on Friday when I WAS talking a whole lot more for work.
I didn't do too much today: write Shane a snailmail letter: check. Go for a walk: check. Take a nap: check. Watch boring TV which unsurprisingly ended with me tuning in to MTV España and Los 40 hoping that Evanescence or David Bisbal wouldn't get shown again for the umpteenth time: check. Hopes abashed: check. Decide to watch Behind the Music with Depeche Mode on YouTube: check.

"I'm going to take my time, I have all the time in the world, To make you mine , It is written in the stars above..."

I'll tune out now with some Borat Quotes. Hope you enjoy them...I'll be crying in a corner, lamenting my plight that I won't get to see this glorious masterpiece until the summer of 2007 (for surely it will be out of theatres in Canada for Xmas, no?).

-"I want to do a romance inside of you."
-"My moustache still tastes of your testes!" (this one is for you Shane)
-"This why I meet Mrs Heskell who teach me how to flirt. So I can do a sex with English girl."
-"There is one singer called Shakira… sorry I laugh because in Kazakhstan this word means vagina. For example, ‘Can I touch your shakira?’ or ‘I have seen your wife’s shakira, it hangs like the mouth of a tired dog."
-"American wine is like Kazakhstani wine, but not made from fermented horse urine."
-"My wife, she is scared of men with chocolate face, there won't be any around here?"
-"Very sorry to interrupt politic. Might I make a shit in your house?"

And with that I leave you. oxxoxoxooxo H.

Big, Fat, Ewww

I just came back from running errands in the city centre. I'm soaked!! What an insane storm we've been having this morning! I didn't go out when lightning was acting all crazy and stuff, but I did still venture out when it was raining like mad. I wanted to get to work to prepare my classes at least...but, since we lost electricity this morning, my boss closed the academy and I had to prepare my classes at home. At least I finally went to the bank, went to the pharmacy and dropped off my TC applications at the Correos (let's all chant a luck hymn for lil ol' me).
So now I'm sitting here with the bottom of my pants nicely wet. Nah, I don't feel like changing. Let's just say that I'm in dire need of going shopping for new jeans and the ones I am currently wearing don't scream, "Please stop wearing me out". These ones I'm presently sporting actually still have denim colour in them and have cute pink zippers (wanna know why these still look so new? I barely wore them this past year since I couldn't fit into them anymore...now I can again, hoorah!).
I've been eating very well here in Huelva, better than in Logroño. I wonder why? I did have chocolate again when Shane came to visit me (hey, we just had to have our chocolate croissants at least a few times), but since he's left, I've stopped again. It's weird...but hey, not that hard to do. I feel very good about myself.
I'm excited about tonight...cuz it's movie night! As usual, I don't know what I'm gonna go see, but I don't care as long as I'm with friends and we have fun. My Friend Donna is so nice, such a sweet girl. Hopefully Belen will also be coming out with us tonight...
Man. It's just SO gross and grey outside. Thank God Shane came to visit me last week, cuz we would have had a rainy weekend in Punta and Sevilla...and that would have been sucky indeed. Thankfully that did not happen :).
There's a film fest happening in Huelva in about 2 weeks. Sadly, I probably won't be able to go because I'll be working and it'll only be for a week. Maybe I'll be able to catch a flick, we'll see. It's not gonna be as big as the TO one, of course, but it would be interesting to see what films Huelva has to offer. They are all gonna be in Spanish, of course.
I think that I've improved my listening skills a lot simply by going to the theatre every Friday. It's amazing how much Spanish I now understand. I've made myself promise that when I will be back in Canada, I will try to make a lot of Spanish friends, or join some kind of Spanish online group and meet up every few days or weeks. I really DON'T want to lose the ability to speak and understand this great language. Nayeli, want to come back to Canada simply pour moi?
I just felt the bottom of my pants...hmm kinda feeling a bit drier. I'm probably going to try to blowdry them a little. Yes, THAT'S how lazy I am. I ain't changing.
Oh my God I see a tiny patch of blue sky...dare I say it might stop raining? I HATE my umbrella. Actually, I hate all umbrellas of the world. Seriously, when have you ever had an umbrella that you truly loved? I don't know, maybe it's just me but I've always had mine break on me after a few uses. It was somehow actually raining THROUGH my umbrella this morning. The rusted areas are also a nice touch of merde
Hmmmm, maybe I should stop buying mine at chinese stores (shakes fists towards the "Chino Bazaars" of the world).
Alright, time to go have some lunch, keep yourselves warm and dry
xoxoxoxoxox H

"She's turning the key, unlocking the door, embracing her rollercoaster world"

So...where have I been? A bit here, a bit there...oh, everywhere (except that spot over there).
Shane came to see me from the 25th to the 29th, which was a great little treat. He's already explained our lil adventures in his blog, so I'll let you all wander to his blog for the juicy details on that...I'll just say that I had a great time and was happy to show him my little part of the world, Sevilla included :)
I WAS going to upload some pictures, but blogger is being stupid. Maybe next time.
Today is a national holiday in Spain, which translates into sleeping in until noon and doing 3 loads of laundry. Ugh. I so need socks, lol.
Today I officially finished ALL of my TC applications...hoorah hoorah! Guys, wish me luck...the Heidster desperately wants to get into U of T (gulp).
Too bad I'll only know in April where I'll get accepted...
In other news, it's November. Wow. I didn't dress up for Halloween yesterday, cuz that's just not done here in Spain. Well, there are a few peeps who do care a bit for this festive day, but not many. We just played Halloween games with the students at work and handed out candy.
Next year, I just HAVE TO dress up. Ideas, anyone?
Oh, and my birthday ended up being a blast. We went out for chinese food, went bowling AND went for a boogie at the Buddha bar and danced until about 4:30 a.m. It was pretty fun, although the cigarette stench gets pretty intense after a while. My throat was all scratchy and dry at the end of the night...ugh. Canada, thank you for banning smoking in all public places.
In yet further news, I've grown hooked on watching Family Guy on youtube. There's nothing like coming home from work and unwinding to a fart fest between Peter Griffin and Micheal Moore. Watch the episode...it's pure gold. I nearly cracked my spine from laughing so hard.
Oh, and that lonelygirl15? Punch her where the sun doesn't shine...
Toodles, mis amores, H xoxoxoxooxox

The Tooth Fairy's Helper and Other Jobs

...that's me!
"What's wrong, Blanca?" -"I can't find my fallen tooth! (starts crying)" "Hmmm...let's look for it." I can't believe I found it...in the garbage. She had wrapped it in a small tissue and another student had thrown the tissue in the garbage (of course, the ONLY time small kids care about cleaning up). I seriously can't believe I found it. She sure looked relieved.
"What's wrong Lola?" -"Carmen drew a black line on my pink sweater (starts crying)" "Ah, that's nothing...let's go to the washroom and clean it up. A little bit of crayon gets easily washed off." Lo and behold, I was right. Again, look of relief. I think that I am well on my way of acquiring my very own pair of angel's wings. Maybe next week, when I help a kid out of his shoulder-high wedgy I will even have my very own halo.
Things at work have been busy as usual. I was very tired this week. Usually the worst day is Wednesday...a long siesta before the evening classes start is highly needed. Sometimes I manage to sleep a bit, sometimes I don't...which unfortunately happens more often than not. I did have a good time though, teaching my students the animals´names in English...TOTALLY goofed off by imitating we were cows, horses, dogs, you name it. I don't remember the last time I had so much fun clucking like a hen. Imagining everybody else seeing me act this way though, mortifies me...hehe.
Oh. Man. The only bad thing about it is STILL having the "Here on the Farm" song in my head. Oh God...where's "Jump in my car" when you need it?
Last night I went to see Little Miss Sunshine with my friends. Loved it! It was really great, and I almost pooped my pants from laughter at the "Superfreak" scene at the end. The characters were just great...definitely one of my fave films of the year so far.
Tonight I am going to celebrate my birthday with my coworkers (yeah, a bit early, since my birthday falls on a Monday this year, ugh) by going out for some chinese food and later going to the Buddha bar for some dancing. I'm looking forward to it, should be good. I'm craving chinese food...unfortunately it won't be a buffet (miss that chinese restaurant that was close to our Pimlico house!), but it should be delicious nonetheless.
In other news, I only have 1 more applicant profile to write! I'm so happy...man I hope that a good Uni accepts me :) Boy, I'm excited for this and I won't even get to hear which uni accepts me until April. Slow down, girly girl!
"She's a super freak, super freak, she's super FREAKKKKKKKKY!"
xoxoxox lots of love, H

3´s Company...

Today is a national holiday in Spain...sweet.
Last night, after work, my roommates and I went to La Feria de la Tapa. It was great seeing so many people all gathered under a giant tent, trying out the various delicious tapas. We had ourselves a great little time, and then later proceeded to go to 2 other bars. The last one was great, it's called the Buddha Bar and has all of these really great paintings and decorations from India. The place is huge, and a great place to dance, something which I had been dying of doing. It's definitely a place where I want to go again, that's for sure. Really cool atmosphere and all kinds of different music.
Since I barely did anything today (a.k.a sleeping in until 11:30 a.m., ordering pizza with my roomies, watch tv and then nap for another 3 hours) I decided to go for a walk...and here I am, back from my 1 hour long excursion. I always feel so much better after a long walk with peppy music.
It's so strange having a day off on a Thursday, since tomorrow I have to go to work again. At least it's Friday...and then it's the weekend again. Man, I don't know if it's just me, but time is FLYING. It seems as though the longer I am in Spain, the faster time is going. What does that mean?
Can somebody tell me if that crap song from Evanescence "Call me when you're sober" is a big hit in Canada? I really hate that band...it's bad enough MTV España and Los 40 keep playing the video. Please tell me Canada still has a little bit of taste in music.
That was random (but I'm an expert on that). Moving on...
Rachel, please tell me that The Scissor Sisters cancelled their set in TO because they want to come to Madrid instead ;P Heheheh I can dream, no? I'm glad you got my postcard, by the way.
Toodles for now everyone, love you all, H xoxoxoox

It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside...

My little students are SO cute. There are actually a lot of little angels...of course, a few monsters roam around as well, but overall I have very good students. My schedule, after the first week, is already full...so that's good. Hopefully there won't be anymore changes to my schedule (there shouldn't, really).
I danced, I sang, I sprang, did the robot a-la-simon-says...and oh yeah, I'm getting payed for this, and more than at Inlingua. It's amazing what energy I have to use for the younger kids classes, but I'm having a good time with the children and love seeing them laugh and excited when we are playing together. I'm gaining valuable experience with really young children, and I know that after this year is over, I'll feel even more prepared to start Teacher's College. I really do want to pursue teaching.
The pre-teens are alright. I like them, although their oral level is really low (which is no surprise...remember what I had said about my teens from last year? Same thing). We should be getting the books soon, although I'm not counting on getting them next week...we'll see. Inlingua prepared me for teaching without books (took about a month for all of them to arrive, I remember).
I have more adult 1:1 classes. I have yet to meet one more adult, but the ones that I have already taught seem very nice and friendly.
So yeah, it's a packed schedule and I'm working a lot on Fridays as well, but most of my mornings will be free (Monday 12:30-1:30 conversation class), so I guess it's not too bad in the end. Inlingua made me work mornings, afternoons and evenings, which was a bit crazy for a while, so I should be able to work with this new schedule...takes always a bit of time to get used to a new routine, but I'm ready for it.
I'm happy with our work atmosphere. My coworkers are great, and we went out for some drinks and montaditos (little sandwiches that only cost 1 euro each!!!) last night.
So, now it's the weekend again, and I'm probably going to tackle yet another TC essay...U of O and U of T are done, so we'll see which other U's essay I'll start.
(yawn) I might go to bed for a snooze later on, as well.
So now it's October already...and on the 12th we have a holiday. Next week will be nice and short. I'll still have to come to work next Friday because we don't get "puentes", but perhaps some of my adults will cancel...
I feel like I have no anecdotes or interesting stories to tell, unfortunately. I've just been busy at work this week, getting everything organized and learning 63 names by heart (which, I'm proud to say, I did quite nicely).
I was thinking of dressing up for the kiddies for Hallowe'en, but they don't really celebrate it here. Argh. Oh well, I'll bring some sweets.
Anyways, that's it for me for now, have a good one everybody :)
P.S. It's still around 26 degrees here, so EAT IT xoxoxoxoxooxxxoxoox H

Beginnings (Take 2)

Well...it appears that I am about to embark on another new school year. I've prepared my classes for the next 2 days, printed off attendance sheets, photocopied worksheets, etc. Yes, I'm a bit nervous again, hopefully all will go well. I always feel like this before a new job...maybe I'm too hard on myself :P. All will be fine...somehow. I hope. Hehehe. Once I'm in the classroom with the students, I usually feel better.
I've written 2 TC essays out of my 5 so far. U of O: check. U of T: check (just needs revision from Shane). The other 3 will be dealt with later when the craziness at work slows down a bit.
On a good note, my 1:1 French student José seems to be really happy with my classes. I'm actually also going to be teaching an English conversation class to one of his coworkers. I was pretty proud of myself when my boss told me the flattering news.
I must say, pretty much all of the adults that I taught so far have been wonderful. Hopefully this keeps up...:)
I can't believe that I'll be teaching everything from 5 years old to adults again this year. I have never taught children who are that young...well, thankfully the school has a lot of great ressources and games for children. You should see how many games we are going to be playing this week, using basic vocabulary and numbers 1-10. My classroom for the 5 year olds makes me feel like a kindergarten teacher. Hey, I guess in a way, I am. But I'll also have 6 year olds and 11 year olds...then the rest are adults and one 18 year old who is preparing himself for the First Certificate Exam in English. I'm looking forward to the 11 year olds, actually. I hope we'll have good fun together.
So, I'll be super busy again, trying to get used to my new classes. Last year's October was nuts...but it was nice having Shane there to calm things down a bit :) I'll miss him even more when Oct. 12th hits.
The weather is still really beautiful here...I took a walk today and was sweating up a storm when I finally arrived back home. It felt like 30 degrees again, although the net said it was gonna be 27. Man....and it's October. Logroño wasn't even this warm, hehehehe. Yup, things are different in the south.
My coworkers are lovely. I went to see a movie with Donna last night and it was fun chatting together. Belen, Donna and I also went for some tapas a few days ago...was good fun, I always love meeting new people. I have yet to acquire the phone number from the other 2 teachers, Ruina and Shivonne.
So, overall I'm happy with our work team. We are going to be 6 teachers (another one coming tomorrow named Maria).
Hmmmm what else to say? You know that work is restarting when you go and buy a printer...yayy for printers :) I think that this was a good purchase...already printed off lots of documents, and it'll be vital for all of those TC essays.
Anyway, wish me luck for another school year. I can't believe this is my 2nd year of teaching. I remember how I always used to say in the past: If I have my 1st year of teaching behind me, everything else will be just a bit easier...
I think I 'll give my 400% percent again this year. Let's just hope my energy level doesn't get too drained during the first week.
love you all, xoxoxoxo H.