Fiestas, a Market, Football, Aranjuez and Visitors

- Fiestas de San Isidro
You might remember me writing about the two holidays we had in May - one was the Day of Madrid and the second was the Fiestas de San Isidro. The second commemorates the patron saint of Madrid, San Isidro, and are the highlight of the spring. Five days in which to enjoy over 50 concerts of very different musical styles perfectly complemented by music, theatre and dancing performed in the streets, children’s activities, street processions with a band… and lots more! I went with Gwen on Sunday, 15th of May to celebrate. In addition to what's listed above, there were stands with food and souvenirs and other things to buy. We had fun walking around. Then we stopped to people watch with a few beers. We found the stage and heard some music, then got dinner. After more bands went on and one was playing bluegrass - not at all what I was expecting but I fully enjoyed it!!

The carnival section with games and rides.

Food stands

- The market at the Renfe station
The last post I wrote about visiting Toledo. We got there by train and while we were waiting for the train - we checked out the market inside the train station. It was amazing - there were so many stalls with merchants selling everything from dried fruits and nuts (which were so incredibly delicious that we bought not only one round of dried fruit but then we bought a second round of nuts) to jewelry to purses to scarves. There was also a pond with what looked like hundreds of turtles. What a great idea to put that market there.  

The market at the renfe station - stalls selling goods

Turtles

- UEFA Champions League 2016 - Real Madrid-Atlético Madrid
This past weekend was the international championship final for football (no, not American football - football 😆). And for the second time since 2012 the two Madrid teams played each other - Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid. It sure made for a fun night!! And my team - Real Madrid - won 2-0.  

GEtting ready for the big match

during the match

group shot - i'm the one in the back, half covered

- Aranjuez
On Sunday I went to Aranjuez.  What an unbelievably amazing, beautiful, tranquil place.  There are so many gardens and fountains and the palace is amazing. It's relatively new for Spanish palaces - some was built in 1750 and some in 1765. We didn't go inside but the outside is super impressive!!! It's the confluence of the Tagus and Jarama rivers (the only rivers in Madrid). I went with a guy that I met via an Intercambio. He was a great tour guide and an even better teacher. He's been teaching me a lot of new vocabulary and helps me with my pronunciation. He asked me to go back again next weekend so hopefully that'll happen. I'm really motivated and anxious to learn the Spanish!!!   

one of the rivers

the main fountain - where's the water?

that's better

Tranquilla (one of my favorite Spanish words)

another fountain

did i mention there were a lot of fountains?

flower beds leading up to a greenhouse

a waterfall - because every house/palace needs one 

a garden 

panoramic of the palace

- Lee and Rebecca in Town
So my cousin Lee and his finance are here visiting from California. I'm so glad I got a chance to hang out with them and get to know Rebecca a little more! There came here for the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona. They said it was an amazing experience. They loved the people at the festival, and the experience was really great!! They also said they like Madrid better than Barcelona. I keep hearing that from people so maybe I won't consider moving there because of the heat in Madrid. Also, this is my first exposure to my old life colliding with my new life. It really just drives home how incredible it is that I live here.  

good times!

- Sarah (Vicky's friend) in Town
So Vicky's friend Sarah was in town again. We sure do know how to have good times here in Madrid. Sun, fun and booze - life sure is good!!!

Drinkies

good times!!

The one bad thing that happened was that one of our purses got stolen. It wasn't mine, thankfully, but what a drag!!! We were sitting basically in a corner so we figured we'd see if anyone came close enough. We think it was a table of three college age girls and we think there was some kind of hook involved. We think they hooked it somehow and dragged it over to them. That is the one bad thing about living here. It's also not the first first hand account that I've heard - this is actually the third story of someone I know personally who's had something stolen - one purse, one wallet and one phone. Caution to all who travel or plan to travel - watch your things closely!!!!

Feel free to ask me questions about what you're curious about! I love hearing from you!!  

Settling In - May 2016

I can't believe it's been a month since I've blogged. I'm so sorry!!! I need to get back on a regular schedule. The good news is that so much has been happening. And I just picked up my NIE - it's official I'm here for the year. Yippee!!!!  🎉😃🎊😆🍻😂

In my last post, I asked if anyone had questions. Thank you Suzy Kedzierski for coming through!! (I hope you don't mind me mentioning you 😊). Here are Suzy's questions and my answers: 

- So, did you decide to teach biz adults or younger students and what age are they? 
I decided to teach both. The majority of my students are adults working in companies and the companies sign up for the English lessons. The ages range from people in their 20's through their 60's.  I also have some teenage girls who I teach. One class is with a 13 year old who is studying to pass the Cambridge English First exam. She is a great student and very smart. She speaks English beautifully and I'm hopeful she'll pass. I have another class with one 13 year old and one 14 year old. They are both lovely. They're a bit lower level and it's more of a conversation class with no formal lessons. They are so funny and sweet!! Finally, I have a few one one-to-one classes with business professionals who are looking to improve their English. I'm really enjoying all of my students and my classes (more on that below).  

- Are you cooking or just eating out? 
I'm mostly eating out (not much changes in that department - no matter where I live 😃).  I do have my staple meals here that I eat at home; scrambled eggs (and yes I buy the Philadelphia cream cheese - it's my one American indulgence), cured meats and cheeses on delicious breads with tomato and avocado, and some pre-made meals (now that I actually have an oven).  

- How's it going with your roommate? 
Things are great with my roommate. She is so sweet!! She is a professional body builder, personal trainer and nutritionist. She works a lot - at a 9-5 job and she also has clients every day. Then she works out herself. The apartment is also great!! I love that I have my own bathroom and that we have a washing machine, microwave, oven and a full size fridge. It's the little things, right?!?

- Did you ever get the photos from your friend that you'd talked about? (Your pics were amazing.)
I did get some more photos this week. Thanks Ashley for sending them!! 

front row - waiting for the fire to start

after the fire

the statue made of flowers

the collection of flowers next to the statue made of flowers

fire, fire

a fallas

another fallas - this one for the kids

and another

this one i had ashley take specifically for my niece and nephew - corey and emily, if you're reading - hey!!!  can't wait to talk soon!!

- Do you watch any TV or is it just in Spanish? Are they reporting on that much?
I do watch some TV, mostly on my computer but not too much. I mostly watch while I'm eating. I've started watching The Good Wife.  Holy moly - what an amazing show!!!!!!! I need I start watching more TV in Spanish as they say that's a great way to learn.  

No, I have not been paying attention to the election coverage. They must be covering it here though as I have had many conversations with my students and friends about it. It is another reason why I'm happy to be here right now. Don't get me wrong, I'll vote via absentee ballot but I'll do my research as it gets closer. Also, I did vote in the primary.  

Teaching:
I can't believe how much I'm actually enjoying teaching! I really thought it would be a means to an end - a way to live in Spain and see the world. But I'm finding that I'm having such a good time in the classroom. It does help that I love my students so much!! I'm basically getting paid to have conversations with people - of course the conversations have a lesson behind them but it seems that they're enjoying themselves and hopefully learning something. And I have had some good feedback. We're coming up to the summer slowdown and my students seem sad that I won't be teaching them for a while. They are also making sure I coming back in the fall :-)

Nightlife:
I have been fortunate enough to have made some good friends out here which always makes for fun nights out. And it helps that it is so cheap to live in Madrid. For example, we went out last night and I had four pints (cerveza doble) and with every round they bring a free plate of tapas so I got dinner and drinks for only €10.  I've also been going to some networking events and MeetUps.  ________

fun in salamanca 

fun in segovia

more fun in segovia

st. patty's day 2016

Daryl also invited me to see the Flamin Groovies - a band from the 60's. It was a lot of fun!!! I'm so glad he invited me!  It was also really interesting to experience a concert in a bar out here. Apparently, the equipment wasn't working very well and the band members kept getting frustrated. Eventually, they just walked off the stage with no encore.  

Travel:
The other weekend, we went to Toledo. I had been there the last time we were in Spain but I wanted to see it again. It was just as amazing as I remember. We didn't plan too well so I want to go back and sign up for some waking tours. We did do the hop on/hop off bus but I want to see more. We did walk a lot of the city and we did a zip line across the river. See the video below - I was so worried about dropping my phone that I didn't pan around enough with the camera. And how funny - we ran into Erin and Matt. It was so good to see them - I'm looking forward to hanging with them again soon!!  

The end is funny - I scream then start laughing

We also went on a day trip to Salamanca and Ávila and had a lot of fun. The trip included two walking tours so we learned about both cities. We also tested the booze to see if it was as good there as it is in Madrid - it's amazing what we do in the name of science :-) 

the cathedral in Ávila

plaza major in Ávila

the gate to get into Ávila

lions around Ávila - the big joke is why are the butts hanging off the platform?

statue in Ávila 

music in the streets of Ávila 

bridge in salamanca

Doorway to old catherial - Salamanca

Doorway to the new catherial - salamanca.  in this doorway, the architect hid an astronaut and a monster in a  playboy pose eating ice cream.  can you find them?

here's a hint - can you see them?

if you still couldn't find them - here's the astronaut 

and the monster in the playboy pose eating ice cream.  sneaky architect.  Also, the story goes that after they realized what he did, they put him in jail.  they released him when they realized people were coming from all over to see the astronaut and the monster eating ice cream.  

panoramic of plaza major - salamanca

Spanish:
My Spanish is coming along - slowly but I'm trying. As they say, poco a poco (little by little or step by step). I'm really enjoying my classes and I'm trying to hang out with more Spanish people (yes, mostly boys) to practice - it's fun and educational :-). I'm now considering taking some more intensive classes in August and putting off traveling. I've also been thinking that my one year plan is quickly turning into a two year plan. I feel like I'm working so hard to learn the language that it seems so silly to not use it more.  

I promise to be better with posting more often! Please let me know what questions you have either by email or by commenting below. I love getting comments :-).  

My First Month of Teaching (Time Sure Flies)

My First Week of Teaching - 28/3

So I started teaching full time this week with 15 hours to start.  The teaching part is really fun!! The agency allowed me to do a getting to know you and question words lesson so it was super fun and very little prep and lesson planning.  All the classes went really well and the students are lovely!  All the levels are represented and they range from A1 to C1 which will be good because it'll keep me on my toes.  

The hard part about teaching, I'm learning is the lesson planning.  It's really hard to decide what to do and then once you decide, you never know how it's going to go over.  Not to mention creating the actual plan.  I'm right at the start of my second round of classes and I have a lesson plan prepared (the agency is incredibly nice and helpful and they let me use my lesson plans from my TEFL course) but I'm still nervous.  I didn't have time to really prepare as I was sick last night and this morning I didn't get as much done as is hoped. 

I can't believe how much time has passed since I wrote the paragraphs above.  Since life is so routine now, it's hard to find the time to write.  I'm now starting my fourth week of teaching and it seems like it's old hat now.  The lesson planning is much easier now that I've found online resources in the form of pre-made lesson plans.  The way I'm looking at it is that I get paid for my hour of teaching, not for lesson planning.  It now only takes me an hour or two to prepare for my week.  Every teacher I talk to basically says they do the same thing.  

I do love my students and the time I spend teaching.  I'm really having fun with it and I think the students are having fun and even learning things.  They do complement me and always thank me after class.  I'm trying to think what to write here as I'm not sure what would be interesting.  What questions do you have for me about teaching?

I also had my NIE appointment this week.  It is a two step process to extend your Visa from 3 months to 12 months.  The first appointment is called the empadronamiento.  It's basically you proving that you live in Madrid and you'll have a place to stay the year.  You need to show your contract (lease) signed by the landlord and you.  It's not a bad appointment but it's annoying and intimidating.  The second appointment is the bad one.  First, it's really far away. Second, it's in a converted prison with tents they added on so it's bizarre.  Third, there are typically long lines and most people have to spend anywhere from 2-4 hours there, waiting on line.  I got lucky.  First, I went with a good friend of mine and second, we only had to wait about an hour.  Now I have to wait 30 days to pick up my NIE and I'll be official here.  I'm official here for another 6 days then I can't leave the country until I get my NIE.  It is exciting though.

So I've definitely been keeping myself busy here.  I've joined a few networking groups and attended my first meeting on Friday.  It was really great.  There were some great folks there and the information was interesting.  They meet once a month so I'm going to try to attend as much as I can.  Also, I found house concerts here in Madrid.  When I lived in Colorado, my friend Andrea turned me on to house concerts.  And now I can start going to them here.  If you're not familiar with the concept, they are small intimate gatherings (only about 20 people) and there is a musician or two who perform.  No amps or mics just the singer and his/her instrument.  I'm so happy I found it and hope to attend as much as I can.  

There are two 4-day weekends coming up in May here in Spain.  I'm hoping to go away for both.  I'm thinking the Canary Islands and Majorca.  I love that about living here - just picking up and taking off for a long weekend.  There are so many things I love about Spain and living here. I feel so lucky to be here having this amazing experience.  

An amazing moon on a walk home

I am so sorry that it's taken me so long to update my blog.  I think about it all the time and I'll try to be better!  What do you want to hear about?  I'm never sure what to write about.  I'd love your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, feedback, etc.  I hope all is well wherever you are and please keep in touch!

The Move and New Job Offer - Week of March 21

Taught my first class this morning.  It was a one to one with a gal who works in a pharmaceutical company.  It was pretty last minute so I didn't have a formal lesson plan.  It was more of a conversation class.  It went really well.  We talked and I corrected her mistakes - it was probably the easiest money I ever made.  Also, I got feedback already that said the student really enjoyed the class.  

Then I opened my first bank account. It seems so lame but it was pretty exciting!!  

I had another job interview after that and they offered me the best deal.  15 hours right off the bat, block hours (classes scheduled back to back) and Friday's off.  It really doesn't get much better than that!!  Also, they offered me 20 hours but I said I'd rather start with 15, get comfortable and then do 20 next month.  I really don't want to get overwhelmed and frustrate myself.  

I also started my Spanish classes 2 nights a week.  I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold my own but I did pretty well!!  I love the language and am really motivated to learn it!!

Also, I put down my deposit on my new flat and got the keys - yippee!!  No couches or homelessness for me!!!  The new place has my own bathroom, a window (it's amazing how much you miss that when you don't have i)t!!  Also, I have a full closet, a washing machine that I can use, a full size fridge, an oven, a microwave - life sure is treating me well right now.  So well in fact that I'm pushing my luck and doing some one on one intercambios (they want to learn English and I want to learn Spanish) with boys my age.  I sure hope the stars are aligned!! 

My bed and window

My closet

Living Room

Hallway - the entrance to my room is on the left.

My kitchen - yes the washing machine is in the kitchen :)

My very own bathroom 

On Tuesday I accepted the job offer to work with Class A Agency for 15 hours per week.  I've talked to enough people who agree that it's a good opportunity and my gut says this is a good opportunity.  My schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays I have three classes. Tuesdays and Thursdays have 5 classes and yes - Friday's off.  I'm actually excited about working again. The structure, the feeling of accomplishment, the paycheck!!  

I also moved today.  I'm no longer in Chueca.  I'm now in Salamanca.  According to everyone I've told about the new barrio - it's a pretty ritzy part of town.  I don't care about that - I'm just happy to have a cool roommate, my own bathroom, a window and to be close to school.  My roommate is so super sweet!!  I think this is going to work out really well!!  

So, both my intercambios were pretty lame!!  The first one was with a real dud!!  He was boring as hell and had no patience to help me with Spanish. At the end he was complaining about how much his head hurt from trying to teach me Spanish.  Then he had the nerve to lecture me about how I shouldn't be drinking and partying - that I should only be learning Spanish. Meanwhile I had one glass of wine with the tapas he ordered.  The second one was better except he smelled really bad.  Everyone keeps telling me third times a charm so maybe I'll do one more.  

The Easter long weekend has been fun.  I was able to hang with with Matt and Erin again, which was so much fun!!  Great conversations - so great in fact that I thought it was 9:30 or 10:00 when Matt said it was midnight and the metros we're going to stop running.  I seriously had no idea it was so late.  Erin was so sweet - she gave me soooo much insight into teaching! She even shared some of her lessons with me.  And Matt made a delicious meal of salad with Quinoa, avocados, beets, tuna and other deliciousness.  It was nice to have a home cooked meal!! 

I also got to hang with Darryl and Christina.  They took me to a fantastic restaurant close to them.  We were originally going to go to a wine bar closer to me but with the Easter precessions it would have been too crowded.  The food was incredible and as always, the conversations were amazing.  They're so lovely and easy to get along with!!

I also spent some time with the gals from my TEFL class drinking up a storm on Friday - was as always, a blast!!  I love hanging out with them!!  

On Saturday I went to Segovia again with the gals. We took the bus and it was lots of fun!  I was able to tell them some of the things I had learned from Darryl when we had gone a few weekend before.  The aqueduct was just as amazing this time - and yes, still no cement.  

Feel free to send your comments - I love to hear from you all!!

Las Fallas

So I was hoping this post would be all pictures but I'm still waiting for Ashley to send them to me as my phone / camera died pretty early in the night.  

Let's start with Ashley who I met via the Spanish classes.  She's a much higher level in Spanish than I am as she's been doing the intensive course for 3 months and I only did it for 3 weeks.  I think she's B2 and I'm only A1, the lowest.  The highest again is C2 before Proficiency.  Ashley is only 17 years old and has traveled to more countries than most people I know combined.  She is incredibly mature  and we got along perfectly.  She also gave me so many travel tips that will be incredibly helpful.  When we were leaving Valencia she headed off to Barcelona for a few days before going to Hong Kong (she lived there for a year) to be with her boyfriend for a few weeks and then she was to head home to finish high school.  Yup - she really is an amazing person.  

Anyway, we left Madrid after we both graduated from our intensive Spanish courses and took a blablacar (an app similar to Uber but for people already going to a destination and posting to see if anyone else needs a ride).  It was a great way to go and SUPER cheap.  Round trip was only about €30.  When we got there, we took a train to Rafelguaraf.  Where Luis picked us up. Rafelguaraf is a Puebla about 40 kilometers outside Valencia.  We got to his house - which was amazing and he immediately offered is a beer (love Spain).  

Luis's kitchen, dining room and some of the living room

Living Room

a common 'hang out' area

The room I stayed in

We were starving so Luis recommended a place for us to eat.  Then we were going to head to the next town to go to a club but towards the end of dinner Luis invited us to the fiesta for his pueblos Fallas. Apparently, each of the surrounding pueblos has its own celebrations and they burn their own Fallas.   We got to the party and this woman started yelling at us.  We told her that Luis invited us and she let us in.  It was such a ghetto party in an abandoned space with this foam door and brick walls.  They were such amazing people.  So warm and welcoming and they had an open bar and kept offering us drinks.  Needless to say, I took full advantage.  Then of course we got lost going back to Luis's house.   

the party in Rafelguaraf

The next day we slept a little late and got into Valencia for the 2:00 firework display. It's amazing how many fireworks they set off all at once.  Watch your volume if you play the audio.

The significance of the fireworks are as follows:  Every day at 2pm firecrackers rip through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in an noisy event called la Mascleta. This concert of gunpowder is very popular and involves different neighborhood groups competing for the most impressive volley, ending with the terremoto, (literally means "earthquake") as hundreds of masclets exploding simultaneously. While this may not be for the frail or faint-fainthearted, you understand how hearted, the Valencians got their valiant name (to read more go to http://www.valencia-cityguide.com/tourist-information/leisure/festivals/the-fallas.html).  Then we walked through the city and saw some Fallas on our way to see the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of the Arts and Sciences), which is a futuristic complex housing that you see when you google Valencia.  

The famous view of Valencia.

A Falla

Another Fallas

Another Falla 

Another Falla (and keep in mind - all these were set on fire later that night)

Then we wondered back to the downtown and stopped for some tapas.  While we were eating we saw them build a mini structure out of old palettes with a small beautiful Fallas on top. They of course they burned it.  I still have no clue why.   Then we were trying to get to the main plaza for the burning of some of the Fallas but we got stuck in a square where we found ourselves against the barrier in front of the first place winner of the Fallas contest.  It was still about 2.5 hours before they were going to burn it and we were thinking about leaving but then I said a were here in the front row and if we leave we may not see anything.  At least where we were we'd be front row.  Ashley agreed so we stayed.  By this time my phone was dead so Ashley got all the great pics.  When she sends them I'll post them.  She also got a video with her GoPro camera so hopefully that came out well.  

Before they burned it.

After they burned it.

When that ended, we started to make our way back to the train station.  We figured if we got back earlier we could be up earlier the next day to see some more sights.  On the way, we got Bunyols the traditional pastry of Valencia.  We caught the train and walked the 40 kilometers back to Luis house.  Yes, the station had no taxi's.  

The next day, we did get up early, walked the 40 kilometers back to the train station and headed back to Valencia. The plan was to see the Fallas museum. Every year they choose the best Fallas and save it from being burned.  They keep all the winners in the museum.  We never made it there though because we found out about the bullfight that was going on.  Tickets were cheap so we said what the heck.  Ashley left about 40 mins into it to catch her bus to Barcelona and I stayed another hour and left to catch my car. Yes, this time I missed the end. In case you don't know, at the end they kill the bull. I really don't want to see that but I may have to.  

Then I caught my BlaBlaCar back home to Madrid.  I'm pretty sure I got about 7 hours of sleep that weekend but boy was it worth it!!!  I can't wait to see the pics. 

A Good Week - A Flat and A Job

So now that my life here is more routine I'm moving to more of a highlight of the week model vs. a what I'm doing each day model.  I love that my life here is now more routine 😃.  

The weekend was great - drinks on Friday and Friday night.  I started drinking after class at about 2:30 with the school activity of tapas.  There were four of us and they started all speaking in Spanish but I was lost.  They quickly realized this and we switched to English.  I really can't wait to learn Spanish.  I felt bad but was happier joining in the conversation which was great.  Needless to say, the tapas were also great as was the wine - shocking, I know. Then Caroline and I moved to another bar and where we met up with Vicky and Gwen and had a few more drinks and tapas.  Then we headed to free salsa dancing lessons.  I think I was much better than I thought I'd be - at least that's what I'm telling myself.  It was fun and I didn't break anyone's toes so I guess it was a success.  After dancing we went for more drinks with our fellow dancers.  

The weekend was finally warmer weather and I was finally able to experience Retiro Park.  It's an amazing, huge park in the middle of the city.  It has so much to offer - a lake, wildlife, food / booze (shocking, I know) and the people watching is great.  Some are walking around, some on bikes, some in boats, some sitting on the grass relaxing or reading and of course some enjoying the cafes.  I thought the weather was warmer although I think the Madrileños (folks native to Madrid) would disagree with me as they were still wearing their heavy jackets.  

the lake at retiro park

the wildlife at ritero park

Gwen and me at retiro park

This week was also a great week for my flat search as well as my job search as I found both!!  I move into my new flat in Salamanca.  The neighborhood is great and of course very safe, as is all of Madrid.  The flat is 3 minutes from TtMadrid which is where my Spanish classes are and very close to the classes I'll be teaching.  I also had a great interview with an agency who is giving my 15 hours in blocks of 2 and 3 hours, the majority of which are in the city center.  This is really unheard of as most teachers have to scramble for work, have shifts with 4 and 5 hours in between classes and work outside the city.  I got so lucky!!  I'm going to talk with a few more people with experience to make sure I'm making the right decision (I have two GREAT offers on the table) but I think the interview I had today is the better one.  

I'm off to Valencia tonight for Las Fallas, a festival of fire.  They apparently build sculptures and then light them on fire.  I'll write more about it when I get back.  In the meantime, feel free to reach out and send a comment!  

My First Day Trip

Wednesday, March 2nd - I think I found my new flat.  I saw it on Tuesday and I called tonight to put the deposit down.  I'm going tomorrow to firm things up.  The owner seems really cool as well.  She's a massage therapist and seems to be into calm, tranquil living which would be good for me I think.  Also, she only speaks Spanish so that would really help me to learn the language. 

After class, we made chocolate truffles as an activity.  Didn't get to partake in the finished product as I had to leave early to see the flat but it was fun!  

I saw another flat tonight and it wasn't as good as there is no living area/living room for me. Seeing the living area in the one I like made me realize that.  I've been living now with none and it kind of sucks.  

Met up with Vicky and Gwen for a few drinks which was nice.  It's been a while since I've seen them.  It's quite strange to be at the school everyday and not see everyone.  

Thursday - so I totally dreamed in Spanish last night.  I wasn't speaking in sentences but I was totally speaking Spanish.  I think it may be sinking in - at least I hope so.  

Another productive day of learning Spanish.  Also, went on another activity to a local museum - turned out it was very local to me just a few blocks away.  I totally plan on going back as it was pretty cool and free.  

Galeria Elvira Gonzalez Gallery featuring the art of Juan Munoz

Another great day of learning Spanish. They sure do make it fun!  After classes we went out for tapas as a group activity.  It was fun and I tried a few new tapas dishes.  I'm not sure why but I've switched to beer these last few nights out.  Maybe I'm just switching it up for the moment and will go back to the vino (wine). 

After tapas I had a few hours to kill so I had my first siesta!!  It was great!!  I was so exhausted that I slept for about 90 mins.  Then I organized a night out for the new March TEFL class.  Our February class had a night out organized by the January alumni so the February class did it for the March class.  There was a great turn out.  I'd say there were about 18 people there and the March class only has 8 people.  It was another great night of food and drink and great conversations.  I did start to not feel so good toward the end of the night 😥.  My throat started getting sore and my nose stuffed.  I left around 11:30 and got to the metro but the stupid gate was closed - grrrr.  Had to take a taxi home.  

Saturday - spent most of the day in bed and decided not to go out at night.  I had an offer from Darryl to take a road trip to Segovia on Sunday and I really want to do that so I'm resting all day.  

Sunday - spent the day with Darryl driving to Segovia - listening to great music and having great conversations.  We had planned to drive over the Guadarrama mountains but it was snowing and it would have been miserable with all the extra weekend people and the awful driving conditions.  So we took a tunnel instead.  To be honest, if he didn't tell me different, I probably wouldn't even have noticed.  I was just happy to be out and about in a car. It's strange that I didn't miss cars until I was in one. 

First we stopped to get a good view of Alcazar, the palace in Segovia and the same one Walt Disney used for inspiration for Cinderella's castle.  The light wasn't great so we took a brief walk along the Rio Clamores river.  It was really beautiful and you can see where it was once a river.  After, we got a picture of the palace with better light, still not great but better.

The bank of the old river Rio Clamores

The inspiration for Cinderella's castle.  (No that's not Cinderella - that's me :))

We got into the town of Segovia and the first thing you see is the Roman aqueduct.  It's absolutely amazing!!  It was built 2,000 years ago with no concrete and it still stands today. Darryl posed a great question - in 2,000 years what will still be standing in NYC or LA?  Not much would be left in my opinion.  Did I mention it was built with no concrete?!?!  

The aqueduct - look no cement

We walked around the city and then went into Alcazar, the palace.  It was really cool to see.  

The palace - unfortunately, the front was under construction.  

The thrones 

The kings and queens of the past looking down.

And yes, even trees growing right out of the walls - only for the kings and queens :)

Then we went inside a cathedral but I can't seem to find the name on the map.  It was really old and cool.

Cool Nameless cathedral

Then we walked to the top of the aqueduct.

Looking down on the aqueduct - still no cement 

Then we went into a two hundred year old restaurant in Segovia called Meson de Candido. We had the Castilian Soup of the 15th Century and the suckling pig which was so soft and the skin was so crisp that they cut it with a plate.  And the best part is when they're done cutting it, they break the plate on the floor.   

Cutting the suckling pig with a plate

Me, my soup and the aqueduct in the background (and yes still no cement)

Yummy suckling pig

Then we were in the car again, heading to an abandoned medieval town that has been renovated and is now quite cute.  

Another palace in the medieval town.

A phone booth in a medieval town?!!?  hmmm

On the edge outside a castle.  Life's good.

What a great day trip - thanks again Darryl!!!  Looking forward to the next one!!

Monday - I was feeling pretty bad this morning so class wasn't as much fun  :(. But I learned a lot so it was worth it.  

I also heard from the two jobs I applied to on Thursday night.  One wants me to have my NIE card (which allows me to work in Spain part time) so they asked me to contact them once I get it.  The other is interested in talking further now so I scheduled an interview with them on Thursday afternoon - fingers crossed.  This is the job who was looking for English teachers with a business background.  Hopefully it'll be a slam dunk.  

Then I met up with some folks from the TEFL course for a few drinks.  I had to leave after two drinks as I was exhausted.  Went home - took some decongestant with antibiotics in them and went to sleep.  

Tuesday - still not feeling all that great but I had more fun learning although I wish I was picking it up a bit faster.  I'm trying to do all the right things - the school offers an informal conversation with one teacher at a time before class to practice so I'm doing that.  I'm doing all of the activities which are mostly in Spanish to practice.  I'm also going to join some intercambios (I think I've described them before - this is where someone who wants to learn Spanish gets paired up with someone who wants to learn English and they talk with each other).  I guess I just have to be patient.  

Another fun week in Madrid!  Let me know your thoughts, comments, feedback on my adventures.  I'd love to hear from you!!

Graduation Weekend!

Monday - We had our mock / practice 7 minute interviews today.  I did pretty good.  I got an excellent which is the second highest score but I messed up the grammar question 😁.  And the worst part is that I was so excited that I knew the answer.  Nope - wrong, wrong, wrong.  And I said it with so much confidence.  Oh well - he had great feedback for me so at least I learned some things.  

Then we had our graduation with a champaign toast.  They gave us nicknames as well.  Mine was Suzi 'Right On' Schatz.  Apparently, that's my new catch phrase.  I didn't even realize I said it that much.  My favorite was my friend Vicky who was Vicky 'can me students drink wine during me lesson'.  She's a Brit - can you tell?!?!

Our TtMadrid Teachers

After our graduation we headed to the Mexican restaurant for our celebration. The food was yummy and it was a great time.  Then we headed to another bar and finally we hit our usual spot near Manuel Becerra where they give big phat portions of tapas with every round of booze.  It was a great night for sure and I'm now an official certified TEFL teacher 🎉🎊🍻.  

Celebrating with Yummy Mexican food

Saturday morning was pretty relaxed and I didn't head out again until about 2:00.  We went near Santiago Bernabéu Stadium which is where Real Madrid plays to watch the match at a close bar.  The match was between the two Madrid teams so it was pretty good. The tickets were way too expensive so I think we'll go to another match either this weekend or next to watch it in person.  By the way, my team is now Real Madrid, even though they lost.  

It was a good night - a bit of drama with some boys and some of the younger girls who were with us.  But all in all another great night!!  

Sunday I met Matt (Darryl's friend) and his wife Erin for lunch at a really neat place.  They're 13 years away from their 200th anniversary.  It was called Restaurante Casa Alberto.  We had snails, ox and cod YUMMY!!  

Monday I started my intensive Spanish lessons.  It was actually easier than I thought.  I was worried about my memory but I'm super motivated to learn.  I'm tired of not being able to converse with people.  Also, I´d love to be able to read a menu or directions on how to use something I buy.  Our teacher, Diego and actually all the teachers are amazing and extremely patient.  They also do a half an hour conversation breakfast which has been really helpful.  I'm also going to join what they call intercambios which are where people get together and practice English and Spanish.  In other words, I'd be paired with someone trying to learn English.  I'm really just trying to submerge myself in the language.  

I'm also looking for a new flat and I'm going to make sure I have a Spanish roommate so I can practice.  I saw one which I really liked.  I also had some pretty good rapport with the gal who lived there.  I think she wants me to move in there too.  I have two more flats to see today so we'll see which I like best.  Also, it'll be really good to have a lower rent.  

Monday after Spanish class we had a welcome lunch which was great!  After that, I went home to catch up on bills and find a flat.  

Tuesday class was fun, once again and I feel like I'm learning a lot and on a good path.  After class they had a make truffle activity.  It was a lot of fun but I had to leave early to see the flat I mentioned above.

All in all things here are great and I´m really enjoying every second!  And hopefully I´ll find regular work soon!  And then I can start travelling!  

Mon-Thurs, 22/2-25/2 - I'm a Certified TEFL Teacher - Woo Hoo!!

Monday - our group project was due today.  We scrambled a bit at the end.  I think we thought we were more ahead of the game than we actually were.  We still were able to turn it in on time and even get a second set of eyes.  We missed a few things but were able to print them off at the last minute.  And we turned it in with minutes to spare.  I still think we did pretty well.  Also, I got a big project back and I got the highest score, an outstanding - yippee!!  We went out for drinks after.  I was only going to have one but wound up having 2.  Then I went home and did my lesson plan for today. 

Tuesday - did a lot of exam prep during classes.  I sure do have a lot of studying to do tonight. I sure wish I'd been studying all along.  It's going to be a long night.  Also, I finally got a better grade on my teaching.  I've been consistently getting very good and I finally got an excellent, the second highest grade.  I was on track for an outstanding but then I crushed the soul of my observer (his words) with a major omission.  I have one last chance of an outstanding on Thursday.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  Now I'm heading home to cram, cram, cram!!

Wednesday - holy moly - I got a 90%.  I'm super siked and I must admit a little surprised. Before I turned in the exam I did a quick calculation and thought I'd get an 80%.  Thank god for memorization and acronyms!!!!  The rest of the day of classes was very anticlimactic but good.  

Went out celebrating.  Boy was that a good time!!!  We tried to figure out how much we drank this morning based on the bill and we think it was about 2 bottles each.  I can no longer make the 'I'm an alcoholic' joke.  I have now regressed to a light weight!!!   It sure was a fun night though!!  I think I've figured out the problem - when you order another round here, they bring the bottle of wine and fill your glass.  I think I'm used to having them bring new glasses.  I think that's what's been throwing me.  Well that's the story I'm going with anyway :).

We passed our exam - Yippee!!!

Thursday - wow it was hard to wake up this morning.  I felt like it should have been Saturday.  I snoozed about 7 times, didn't shower and was still 2 mins late.  But the class hasn't started so it was ok.  

I taught my last class today.  I didn't get the outstanding I was looking for :(.  I can't believe it but I ran out of time again and I didn't give the rule.  In other words, I gave the target language but didn't tell them why it should be that way.  It's hard to explain but it was a big mistake.  My observer, Nicole reassured me it was a common mistake and a great time to make it. I'll never happen again and at least it happened at the school and not in the real world.  

Tomorrow we have a mock interview with an agency who works with the Olympics. Who knows, maybe they'll offer me a job.  It's really just for feedback on how we interview.  

I also decided to start my intensive Spanish lessons on Monday.  I'm super excited about that as it's driving me crazy that I can't speak the language.  The lessons are in the morning so I'll be able to wonder around the city in the afternoons.  I'm holding off on sending my resume for a week so I can focus on the language and seeing more of the city.

I still can't believe the course is over.  As they said, it really was the longest, shortest 4 weeks of my life.  It feels pretty strange!! 

Feel free to send a comment my way - I love getting comments!

I PASSED - YIPPEE!!!

Can you believe I'm a full fledged teacher?!?!?  And it was recommended to me that I think about teaching kids.  My teacher first brought it up and then the entire class agreed.  Do I want to teach kids or should I focus on the business world?  Feel free to weigh in and help  me make this decision.

Week of 15/2 - Getting Used to the European Way

Blog - week of 15/2 (I have to get used to writing it this way) 

Sunday - did work in the morning and afternoon.  By mid afternoon I needed a break.  Went shoppingand bought some warmer cloths and a new jacket for €35 - super cheap!!  How silly was I - I packed thinking about the Spanish sun and how hot it's going to be over the summer.  I totally forgot about winter.  Then I 'went out for a curry' with some Brits and others from school.  It was a lot of fun and very delicious!!  

Yummy curry and shots

Monday.  We started phonics and phonology today.  It's really cool - new alphabet / chart.     

Tuesday - learned more about phonology.  Went to Karen's for dinner and work with Caroline.  They are the two gals in my group for our Learner Project Profile.  In this project, we have to do a full assessment on a student to see what level they are.  Our gal is Level B1 - again, A1 is lowest and C2 is highest.  She's a little on the low level side but is as sweet as can be.   

Wednesday - I led a telephone class with Nuria, who is the gal from our group project.  It went really well.  This isn't surprising as most of my career has been spent on the phone in one way or another.  

Thursday - taught C1 class.  Went well. They seemed to enjoy it.  Unfortunately, I got another very good as a grade as I keep making silly mistakes.  Oh well - maybe next time I'll improve.   

Friday - I finally had my breakdown.  Apparently, we all have one, it's just a matter of when.  We have to pick our own topic for the next two classes we teach and in addition, we have to create our own materials and I couldn't pick anything.  Nothing made sense to me and the books might as well have been written in Spanish for all the sense it made to me.  I got frustrated and had a meeting with one of the teachers.  She knows I'm getting it because of the work I've turned in so far and she's observed me teaching.  She seems to think - and I tend to agree - that I was having a stress block.  There is so much going on and haven't been getting enough sleep.  I get the TtMadrid business model of running the course every four weeks and it makes sense in that regard.  But we're not training for a high stress job or industry.  There is no need to put us through this stress. The course should really be 5 or 6 weeks. But oh well - one more week left.  This really has been the shortest, longest 3 weeks of my life. 

We took a practice exam today and oh boy am I in trouble.  I wish I could spend some time studying but we have to complete our group project by Monday and do our 2 lesson plans for next week.  I'm not really sure when I'm going to be able to study.  

After classes we went to Karen's to work on our group project.  We seem to be on track but there is still a lot to be done.  We went to dinner after and had some great conversations, food and wine in a cute Irish pub.  

Spent Saturday at school working on our group project and amazingly enough we got it done.  We have a great team - no drama or bickering and I think we did a great job. Went out after for what was supposed to be a drink then diner - yummy curry.  Well a few drinks in - we met up with some other folks and had tapas and more drinks instead of a proper dinner.  That's just one other thing I love about Spain - when you order drinks most places give you tapas.  Some places give huge portions of tapas so that could really be dinner.  Spain rocks!!!!  

Sunday I did some work in the morning and then met up with Gwen for tapas and salsa dancing at the Mercado de San Fernando.  It was great fun - met loads of great people and even danced a bit.  Then we went out for a curry - yummy!! 

Tapas and Salsa dancing at Mercado de San Fernando market

Came home - did more work.  I can't wait until Wednesday night when our exam is over and most of the work is done.  Then Friday is our graduation party - yippee!!!  Hopefully I'll get some good work somewhere.  My resume will be blasted out to 300 companies in Madrid on Friday.  Hopefully I'll have some interviews soon after. 

Feel free to comment and ask for any clarifications.  I apologize if things are a bit muddled but my mind is in a million places and going a million miles an hour right now.  Hope you're all doing well!  I look forward to reading your comments!!!

Week 3 - The Fun Continues

Feb 6th and 7th

Slept pretty late on Saturday as we were out late on Friday night. Had a blast and was totally worth it.  

Woke up without an alarm at about 10:30 and treated myself to brunch out.  It was lovely - smoked salmon eggs Benedict and cafe. 

yummy breakfast!

Then I went to the food store.  When I got home and was putting my groceries away - I realized that the lasagna I got to be able to have a quick dinner by popping it into the oven to heat was worthless because we don't even have an oven.  That's how much I cook - I've been here two weeks and never noticed we don't have an oven.  So back to the store I went to return it.  Then I ran a few other errands and got home at about 4 and started my homework.  I did homework pretty much all day and into the night.  I was trying to get it done because I was invited out on Sunday with a few gals from class.

Feb 8th

Had a great day of classes.  Learned more grammar and we learned about corrections.  Then I taught my first course.  It went really well.  I felt really comfortable and at ease.  According the my feedback - I did everything well and tested all the different techniques we've been learning.  My grade was a very good (exactly in the middle) because I didn't manage my time very well.  If I can get that down - I think I'll do pretty well.  

Had drinks with two Brits from my class. 

Feb 9th

Not much to report today.  We learned about more grammar, lesson planning and how funk up our classes.  No teaching today - but tomorrow I have to teach a group of 3 A1s.  They are the very beginning level so they don't know much.  It will probably be pretty challenging.  Went out and grabbed a sandwich for dinner.  Went home and did homework.  I'm trying to stay on top of things so I'm doing stuff tonight that isn't due till Monday.  Maybe I have a hope of taking Sunday off this weekend.  Fingers crossed!!!  

Feb 10th

Today we learned more grammar. Also we learned about the materials we use to demonstrate our target language.  

Also, I taught my first group class.  In addition, they were A1 so they knew very little.  I didn't think I did so well - in fact I thought I crashed and burned.  The feedback I got was extremely positive.  Apparently, many people have the same reaction to teaching beginners.  It's frustrating as you judge yourself on the lowest level of student instead of the ones who do well.  I got a pretty good grade :).  My strengths are rapport (shockingly enough) and praise.  The gal who was evaluating me said I would do really well at teaching the level because I enunciate and I have a lot of empathy.  This is something I never considered.  I thought I'd be a lot better at one on one with higher levels. 

the board after my first group lesson.

Feb 11th

Not much to report - school, learning course work oh my!!  There sure is a lot to learn.  It's amazing - I've been speaking English my whole life and I never really knew the reasons why some things are said when.  

Feb 12th

It's finally Friday and I really need a drink tonight.  This course is amazing but it really is intense.  Not only do we have to teach 6 classes in 4 weeks, creating a lesson plan and materials for each but we have a group project where we are working with a student to assess their needs, determine their level and test their comprehension, reading, writing and listening skills.  We have to analyze it all and write a report.  And as if that's not enough, I also started learning Croatian and watched a class learning Russian.  And shockingly enough we have to write reports on those as well.  Yes, have I mentioned that the course is intensive?!?!?!

So, again I needed a drink after this week and I went out with some folks from school.  

As I mentioned, we now have to create own materials this week and I did pretty well.  It was fun creating our own stuff. I wrote a reading, one paragraph on 'A Day in Court', comprehension questions and some true and false questions.  Can you guess my topic?  It is 'this will kill you, that will not'.  Of course my brain went to a real gun vs. a toy gun and hunting knives vs. plastic cutlery knives.  After talking to the teacher I think she was thinking along the lines of saccharine will kill you sugar will not.  Hmmm - maybe it's the American in me coming out...

This weekend is again going to be full of homework.  I have lots to do but some of it is fun so that helps.  I need to create 2 games for my class on Tuesday. 

I can't wait until I have my weekend free for traveling around Spain. I have a list of places to see and am itching to get started. 

Feel free to comment and join the conversation.  I'm hoping to be able to start posting during the week so check back periodically.

Week Two - What a week it's been!

So I want to start with an apology and a thanks for your patience!  This week has been such an adventure, filled with learning, meeting new people and a lot of fun!  At the same time, it's been extremely time consuming!  I've been taking notes all week but didn't have time to organize my thoughts into coherent posts.  I'll do my best tonight but please keep in mind that I've done about 10 hours of homework this weekend and my brain is a bit fried so please excuse any mistakes.  The work doesn't take all that much brain power but it is very time consuming.  

Day 6 - My first day of school:

School started today.  What a long, great, information filled day.  The teachers are amazing and from what I understand, they took it easy on us today.  We had an overview of what we're going to be learning and doing. In addition, we started with some lessons and even observed a recent grad (yes she graduated on Friday) teach a C1 level class.  There are 6 levels in total, starting with A1 and ending in C2 so C1 are pretty advanced.  She played a few games with them including Pictionary, story-boarding and the one where you say a word and the next word has to start with the last letter.  For example, dog and then great.  And that's another thing we learned - teach by using examples.  See how fast I learn.  I'm well on my way to being a fantastic teacher.  They also showed us around the joint and all the resources we have access to.  In addition, they provided us lunch, which was a mix of typical Spanish foods like paella, meats, cheeses, potato things - one like a pie and was croquettes, olives, breads, and even a glass of vino (wine).  My classmates are fantastic as well.  Everyone is so friendly and they all have such interesting stories of why they're here.  

Blog - Day 7

Another intense day of learning but I have to say that TtMadrid, www.ttmadrid.com, is doing a fantastic job of breaking down the information into sizable chunks for us, at least as much as possible. Today we learned about verbs, grammar terminology and did another observation. Today we observed one of our teachers who had been doing this for a few years.  She was great!!  The class was also a lot of fun!!!  They did three different games that incorporated the lesson.  I had asked after yesterday's lesson which was all about sounds like Zoom!, Ring!, Slam! if all the lessons were that much fun and was told 'it's all what you make it'.  And today I know that's correct.  

I had dinner with two gals who are in the class with me.  Great people with really interesting stories and backgrounds!

Also, I've heard some people mention that Madrid has 340 beautiful days a year.  I guess Colorado wasn't enough with 300 beautiful days - I needed 40 additional beautiful days.

Blog - Day 8

More learning about lesson planning, classroom management and a third observation.  I'm learning so much of what we can expect in our new careers from these observations and let me tell you, I have a lot to look forward to!  Fun, games, creativity and meeting new amazing people are all in store for me.  Life doesn't get much better that this (assuming I make it through the training).  

I had lunch with three of the gals from class and had cocido again, Madrid's national dish- just as yummy as the first time I had it!!

Dinner and drinks with my fellow classmates.  Great people and great conversations.  I love hearing everybody's stories!  I had croquettes that came with fries and 4 glasses of wine.  All of a sudden it was 11:30 - I guess time really does fly when you're having fun!!

Blog - Day 9

More learning - lunch at school (left over Cocida) - chatted with some of my peers and teachers. We were supposed to have working lunch but that didn't happen. 

So part of our training is learning a new language so we can put ourselves in our students shoes.  Half the class is learning Russian and the other half is learning Croatian.  I'm part of the Croatian group.  It really is amazing how this process and teaching methodology works.  By the end of the 50 minute session, the students were able to say with proficiency, "hello my name is ____, I come from ____, I am feeling <either happy, so so or sad>, I am ___ years old." They could also count to 10 and count to 100 by 10's.  Totally blew my mind.  I observed this class.  The Croatian class is next week so I'll be able to do something similar by then.  See the pic of the sentences and words in Russian.

Stayed late to finish assignment.  Then home - stopped for two small sandwiches for dinner. Did homework and went to bed.  By the way, I love the portions here.  I haven't felt full since I've been here.  It's a lot of smaller meals.  The big meal here is lunch which is great!  I've been part of the 'clean plate club every single day since I've been here.  I think back in the States I was a member maybe 15 times in my entire life... 

Blog - Day 10

Fun day - games in the morning.  We learned about the power of games in the classroom - which is right up my alley.  What a great career choice - I'm now going to be paid to teach and drill home concepts via games.  As a group we were tasked to come up with a game to teach the group and play.  As it turned out all 3 groups choose the same concept - 2 of the groups did the exact same one.  Needless to say, it was a ton of fun. 

In the afternoon we worked on our lesson plans for the class I'm going to teach on Monday. Yes, you read that right - I'm teaching a class on Monday afternoon - my 2nd week of school. And the craziest part is I'm feeling pretty good about it.  I have my lesson plan outline and I'm going to turn that into my actual lesson plan later today.  I think if I follow that, keep the excitement/enthusiasm at a good level (I tend to get over excited - I need to keep that in check), bottom-line everything (say as few words as possible) and remember to breathe I think I'll be OK.  According to the teachers, if we don't puke or pass out, were in good shape.  

After school, we had dinner and drinks with some alumni from last month.  It was fun and we wound up staying out till 1:30. Again, needless to say, I slept really well!!!

More to come - probably mid-week or over the weekend.  According to the alumni, week 3 is the killer week where everything that's due catches up with us.  Wish me luck that I make it through.  Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section.  I love hearing from you all!  

Day 6 - My First Day of School

School started today.  What a long, great, information filled day.  The teachers are amazing and from what I understand, they took it easy on us today.  We had an overview of what we're going to be learning and doing. In addition, we started with some lessons and even observed a recent grad (yes she graduated on Friday) teach a C1 level class.  There are 6 levels in total starting with A1 so C1 are pretty advanced.  She played a few games with them including Pictionary, story-boarding and the one where you say a word and the next word has to start with the last letter.  For example, dog then groovy.  And that's another thing we learned - teach by using examples.  See how fast I learn.  I'm well on my way to being a fantastic teacher.  They also showed us around the joint and all the resources we have access to.  In additional, they provided us lunch which was a mix of typical Spanish foods like paella, meats, cheeses, potato things - one like a pie and one fried, olives, breads, and even a glass of tinto (wine).  My classmates are fantastic as well.  Everyone is so friendly and they all have such interesting stories of why they're here.  

selfie with my classmate

To get to school this morning, I walked.  It took about 40 minutes but it was nice and refreshing.  Tomorrow I'm going to try to leave a bit earlier and get a coffee on the way.  By the time school was over, I was exhausted to I took the Metro which is only four stops.  The good news is I can choose from 4 different lines so tomorrow maybe I'll try another one.  I love all these options.  

When I got home, I ate dinner of food that I picked up from the grocery store as I didn't feel like going out.  I finished it so tomorrow I'll either have to stop at the food store or go out.  In retrospect, I should have gone tonight as things will get more and more crazy as the weeks go on.

So, I do have some bad news for all of you new found visitors - my blog posts are going to be much fewer and farther in-between this month.  My course is extremely intensive and I'll probably only be able to write 2-3 time per week, if that.  Thanks for reading and feel free to comment with your thoughts, ideas, feedback, etc.  

Day 5 - My First Sunday

I couldn't fall asleep last night and I can't figure why.  I think the temperature had something to do with it.  In addition, I think I'm just too excited for my own good.  I just love being here and am enjoying every second.  I don't want to be wasting time on sleep. 

Today is going to be an errand and catch up day to prepare for tomorrow.  I heard from the gal I met on the tour about meeting up at the flea market we talked about but I declined her invitation.  It is a 30 minute walk and I need to get my stuff done so I'm prepared for this week.  I need to be rested and focused.  

I got up, did my homework (yes I had homework for the first time in a hundred years - and it only the first of many assignments I'm sure), took a shower and headed out for coffee and an early lunch of jamon, olives, breadsticks and café con leche.  Then I'm going to head off to the food store again to stock up for the week.  

mmmm - jamon, olives, breadsticks y café con leche

While I was finishing my lunch in the plaza de cheuca,  I noticed a bunch of kids.  The plaza is pretty small so it was kind of obvious.  All of a sudden an elf appeared out of nowhere and started freaking out.  He was leading the group of kids in something - I'm not sure what as he's speaking Spanish.  How funny!!!

Random elf who appeared out of nowhere.  

Since not much is going on today, I figure I'll talk about my neighborhood and house.  My barrio (neighborhood) is called Chueca.  It's in the heart of the city and is extremely safe (so everyone tells me).  I do feel safe and only had one incident so far.  It was weird and typical of a city and I never felt like I was in danger.  The only bad part of my barrio is it's the gay part of the city so there are a million beautiful men but not one is interested in me - grrrrr 😁.  Oh well - it is in the heart of Madrid.  

My house is great!!  I have a room in a flat with 4 or 5 rooms. The gal who owns it is Loretta. Unfortunately, I can't talk too much with her because the accommodation agency requires that she only talk to me in Spanish.  This is a huge drag because she seems so interesting.  She from Italy and is an artist.  Her work is hanging all around the flat.  My room is great - it's small but it has everything I need, including a bathroom with a sink, toilet and shower, a very comfy bed, a small closet and some additional storage.  See pics below. 

My room - view from the door.

My room - view from the bathroom.

My very comfy bed.

My sink and shower. 

My toilet and shower. 

Another great thing about Madrid- yes there about a million and a half but here's one more - I can drink the tap water.  No more lugging gallons and gallons or litters and litters.  

Also, I can't believe I forgot about this but I was offered work already - specifically on my second day.  Another one of Daryl's friends (I'm so happy my aunt put me in touch with Darryl) found out I was here for a year and insisted - yes insisted that I tutor his wife and children. Unfortunately, I can't start doing that until March when I graduate but I'm definitely interested. 

After I got all my stuff done at home - I want for a walk.  I passed by a store with discount sweaters and I bought two.  I sure should have brought warmer cloths.  I was thinking about the 'Spanish sun' not about Spain in January and February.  Oh well - live and learn - my new motto :). 

I stopped into a cute tapas place on the way home and got a glass of wine and un tapa. 

mmm - dinner.

Now I'm going to update my blog and  get ready for tomorrow.  

Again, thanks for reading and feel free to reach out via the Comments section. 

Day 4 - A Walking Tour

So I had another late start today.  I originally set the alarm for 8:00 but at 7:30 I turned it off.  I figure I'm making up for the lack of sleep that I had the last 3 weeks I was in the U.S.  I wound up waking up at 10:00 and feeling fantastic.  Classes start on Monday so I better take advantage now.  

I signed up for a free walking tour of the western part of Madrid which started at 2:00.  How bad could a free tour be?  I ate breakfast of yogurt and granola before I left and meandered by way to Plaza Mayor, stopping on the way to have a cafe con leche.  When I got to the Plaza I had lunch - cooked Iberian ham on toast - yummy and a glass of casa vino tinto (house red) - also yummy!!  Then I met up with my tour.  It was great!  I learned a lot about the city and palled around with a gal who's in from NY for the week.  We'll probably meet up tomorrow with one of her colleagues to tour around the city again.  

My view from lunch in the Plaza Mayor before the walking tour started.

A plaque on the ground to say that the restaurant has been around at least 100 years.  This one is in front of the oldest restaurant in the world (according to our guide).  It opened in 1725. 

The official motto of Madrid - "On water I was built, my walls are made of fire".  It's a long story.  If you want to know if, let me know in the comments and I'll explain. 

Then I was off to meet a friend and band mate of Darryl's, Matt who has been in Spain for a few years with his wife.  I'm hoping to get more information about teaching English. 

Matt was extremely generous with his time and his knowledge.  We wound up chatting for two hours over un cerveza (Matt) and una sangria (me).  He and his wife moved here from California about 6 years ago.  They both teach English over here - Matt in the corporate world, at the university level and the majority, about 3/4 is done through private tutoring.  He gave me many ideas and things to think about.  I am extremely grateful to him and I hope to get together with him and his wife in the near future. 

After meeting with Matt, I headed home.  I was pretty tired from being outside all day and walking for about 4 hours straight.  I updated my blog, made some phone calls, ate dinner and headed to bed.  Another great day!!

Thanks for reading and following my adventures!!  Feel free to reach out via the Comments section below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, ideas, etc. 

Day 3 - The Death Dream

So, I finally had the death dream.  When you die in your dream it means you're headed for a big change.  I had one before I spent a semester in London and another before I moved to Colorado.  I've been waiting for this and was getting worried that I did have it.  I kept thinking is Madrid not in the cards?!?  Yes it was and this dream was crazy - I was staying in a hotel right outside Manhattan with people who seemed to be actors playing my family - it had that dynamic anyway.  We had come from a comedy show and we're heading back to the room when we noticed a portion of the Manhattan skyline in flames.  As we got closer to our room we noticed the  building next door on fire.  I started telling everyone to pack a bag in case we had to evacuate.  Then we noticed the sparks coming towards our hotel.  I went into the hall to get my shoes and noticed that the entire floor was also getting ready to evacuate. Then we watched from our hotel windows a plane go into what looked like an airport.  Then a speedboat landed on a building, crushing it.  Then a plane went into another building.  Then I heard someone say "this ones for us" and I looked out the window and saw a plane headed straight for us.  I paused for a moment unsure of what to do and my reaction was to look up, throw my hands up and say "thank you for everything".  Then I closed my eyes. When I opened them I saw the plane coming through the window and the glass shattering.  The things slowly went black and I slowly woke up. 

Had a relatively relaxing morning, I needed it after that dream!  I got an email from my bank saying someone authorized to use m account made a change. Considering no one else is authorized on my account I went to contact them.  It's much harder to just pick up the phone and call the company from Spain.  If you notice on the back of the card it says to call from the U.S. use one number and a different one to call from outside the U.S.  It also says to call collect but that's not always so easy.  I decided to login to my account and send an email.  Needless to say, I'm still waiting for a response.  

Then I got in the shower.  It's not very easy to take a shower in a 2" by 2" space but make the best.  

Then I went off in search of my school.  My night adventures had me worried I would get lost but not even close.  I got there with no problem.  I also stopped along the way for lunch at the Mercado de la Paz (Peace Market). I ordered un cafe con leche and two tapas plates - one Iberian ham and tomato on toast and the second carmilzed onions and melted Brie on toast - yummy!!!

Crossing the streets are even interesting and new.  In the states, at big intersections you can cross from all four corners.  Here you have to cross to cross and then cross once more to cross the way you originally wanted - if that makes sense.  I actually missed it the first time and wound up crossing diagonal.  I turned around for a different reason and saw three different people smiling and laughing.  Live and learn, right?!?

Got to the school and got a very unexpected tour of the classrooms and training rooms and the even saw the previous graduating class.  I'm so excited to start on Monday.  I'm really looking forward to having a routine again - as much as I've loved doing whatever i wanted whenever I wanted.  

On the way back to my house I stopped into a groceteria - my first food store / grocery store experience.  I bought some fruta (fruit), barra de pan (loaf of bread), yogurt, granola, tissues (shocking) and various meats and cheeses.  Tonight I'm planning on dinner at home - as long as I have the wine from last night, right?  

Now I'm home, made some phone calls - and I figured out how to text and make calls to the states - free of charge.  It's an app called magicJack.  In addition, the receiver of the call doesn't need the app and they don't get charged either.  It's funny - so many things I didn't think about before I left.  It's like I'm living in a whole new world - oh wait I am 🎉😃🍷

Then I worked on my website a bit more and then I went to get some household supplies like a reusable water bottle, a basket for my bathroom supplies and a notebook for Monday.  Of course, it's not as easy as one thinks.  It great - every little thing I do is like a new adventure. I started out by asking Loretta, the owner of the house, who is not allowed to speak to me in English. As you can imagine - I couldn't find the store she suggested.  So I did my own research.  Unfortunately, that led me to a gourmet grocery store.  I then stopped into another store which had water bottles but the cheapest one was €35 and I would have had to refill it a thousand time a day.  They pointed me to another store and on the way I found the store I needed.  I got everything and I needed and headed back home.  As I approached I reached for my keys and realized I left them in the house.  Miraculously I was right behind someone coming into the building I sat outside my door on the steps for about 20 mins when the door opened and I was able to get in.  Then I had to explain why I was sitting on the doorstep waiting to get into the house.  Fortunately, it was my roommates cousin so it was fine.  Someone was definitely looking out for me I that one!!!  

I ate a yummy dinner of meat, cheese and bread with a glass of wine - did some more work then crashed.  Have I mentioned how much I love Madrid?!?!!!!

Day 2 - Mastering The Metro

I woke up in what I thought was the middle of the night because I realized that I didn't set an alarm.  When I looked at the clock it was 8:30.  At first I was extremely confused as I couldn't figure out if it was am or pm.  I also woke up in the middle of the night and didn't remember where I was - then a wave of happiness hit me when I realized I was in Madrid.  I got up to start my day.  I checked my email and realized that I needed to pay my rent (I was in fact 3 days late as I thought it was due on Feb. 1). Also my realtor had sent an email - he needed some additional paperwork.  I paid the rent and held off on the paperwork.

Then I headed to Darryl Solochek's office, Solocheck Libros, in Mirasierra which is on the outskirts of Madrid. Darryl is the brother of Terry who works with my aunt in California. I spent the afternoon with him and his wife Christina.  They were incredibly warm, welcoming and helpful.  I learned about their business and had great conversations with them. 

Darryl and Christina's company

To get there I had to take the Metro - which is just as easy to use as they say.  Each line has only one set of stops and it's all color coded.  So instead of following the A, C, E trains which are similar but different you just follow the one.  I took the 10 Line which is blue and the 9 Line which is purple.  The only thing you have to know is the last stop which dictates the direction. In other words instead of north and south you follow signs to the last stop.  

The Solochek's then took me to a fantastic lunch right next to their office.  I had concida which is the traditional dish of Madrid.  First, they serve a broth with noodles which is what the entire dish is cooked in - then they strain it and serve it as the first course.  Then they serve the chicken, sausage, carrots, potatoes and a beet type veggie as the main course.  It was unbelievably delicious!!!  And the best thing is the soup, main course, a desert (I had mint chocolate chip ice cream - so yummy!!) and a glass of wine was all under €12.  

I have to say that it's only my second day and I really feel at home.  Although, I can definitely see why so many people called me brave when I told them my plan. It's not easy being in a foreign country - especially not speaking the language but it's such an amazing experience and it's only Day 2.  I'm feeling pretty good as far as jet lag goes - I may be a bit tired though as the floors in the metro stations are definitely swaying under me.  

When I got back to me neighborhood I went on a hunt for a bookstore, recommended by Darryl, with message board to find group to help me learn Spanish.  It was not an easiest task - not because I didn't know the area but because it was raining.  I of course went a few blocks the wrong way and when I backtracked I realized that it was right in front of where I started. I found a few things that seem good.  Then I headed back to my flat to dry off and work on this website - not a bad way to spend a rainy afternoon. 

The site took me about 4 hours to create including some trouble and customer support time. By the time it was live, with many errors (please forgive me for that - I plan to go back and edit this afternoon as it's rainy again) it was 10:00 pm and I still hadn't had dinner.  Luckily, I had taken half my lunch home (I know - typical American) so all I had to do was go in search of a bottle of wine.  I found a place (once again, thanks Yelp!) and set out.  Somehow, my night adventures end in abandoning my mission and finding a new place.  During the day though I never have a problem.  Maybe I am more jet-lagged than I thought.  

Got my wine and had my leftovers.  By the time I was done - I was exhausted and headed to bed.  

Another great day - I LOVE MADRID!!!

Day 1 - My Adventure Begins

The sunrise from the plane from portugal to madrid

I can't believe it's finally here.  After all the planning and dreaming - I'm finally leaving to spend a year Madrid!

You may ask, why would you pick up, sell almost everything and move to another country?  I got the travel bug when I spent a semester in London when I was in college.  When I graduated URI I wanted to travel immediately but I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to be financially independent so I got a job right after away.  Now, 17 years into my career, I decided an adventure was in order so now I'm off to Spain. 

Before I left for the airport, I was afraid that my bags were going to be overweight.  You're only allowed 50 lbs (23 kg) for each bag.  When I got to airport and they weighed them, bags were 21.9 kg and 20.6 kg.  In addition, you're only allowed one checked bag.  Considering I'm spending a year here, one bag was not going to cut it so I paid an additional $100 for second bag.  So much for a cheap ticket.  

When the flight was about to take off, I realized that had whole row to myself - very unusual these days.  I was even able to lay down and sleep for a few hours.  

Served two meals - chicken and curry with sides of salad, thinly sliced beef on top of what seemed to be potato salad, a roll and a desert.  The second meal was thick slices of turkey with cole slaw.  I watched Entourage (which I was hoping to see) and slept on and off. 

I arrived at my stopover in Portugal at about 5:30 am, a bit ahead of schedule.  I found my gate and read until the flight was called.  I got on the second flight and the sun started to rise. What a beautiful sunrise during take off.  I was even served a small ham sandwich and ate it watching the sunrise.  Fortunately, i was able to sleep for about 20 minutes and missed the landing altogether - so worth it for a few minutes of shuteye.  

When I got off the plane, it was cloudy, rainy and overcast - exactly the opposite of what I was hoping for.  Madrid and Spain are known for the beautiful sun.  I sure picked the wrong day to arrive.  I hoped in a taxi and was on my way to my new Diggs. 

The plan is to stay awake for the day - maybe find a last minute tour.  Not the first time I've been on vacation with only a few hours sleep the first day. 

Got to my flat and met Loretta (the owner of the flat) who showed me around.  I had been told that she spoke English but she was only speaking Spanish.  I later learned that she is only supposed to speak to me in Spanish to help me learn and I'm so glad that she is.  After I unpacked I went out in search of my SIM card which turned out to be an adventure in itself. Loretta pointed me in the right direction and I found the store easily.  The gentleman spoke English so I had no problem communicating with him.  I asked for a SIM card that was compatible with the AT&T international plan that I pre-paid for. The gentleman misunderstood me gave me a prepaid card which I purchased.  I left the store and realized what happened - he sold me a new plan which took the place of the AT&T plan. I went back and convinced him to refund my money.  Then I proceeded to find a new store.  I finally found one and the gentleman didn't speak English.  With the help of  broken English and charades he told me that he couldn't help with that and directed me to the Movistar store which is the big mobile provider, similar to AT&T and Verizon.  I proceeded there and the gal who helped me also didn't speak English.  Also in broken English, and charades and with the addition of broken Spanish she told me the exorbitant cost of their pre-paid plans.  She also told me that I needed a bank account for a contract with them, which I didn't have yet as I'd only been in Madrid for about 3 hours.  I then got smart (jet-lag has a funny way of getting in the way of analytical thought) and called AT&T.  As it turned out, the international plan I signed up for was not a good plan at all.  If I would have proceeded with them, my bill would have been around $1,000.  So defeated and with my tail between the legs I trekked back to the first store and got my pre-paid SIM card and a hairdryer to show how sorry I was.  Now I have a new phone number, a month early but I feel so Spanish.  

After that, I went into a lovely sweets and coffee shop for an jamon y queso panini sandwich and a hot tè con leche. 

Then I bought some water (shocking) and went back home.  By this time I was so exhausted that it was hard to think.  I made some phone calls and then forced myself to shower.  I found a cute place for dinner - got two tapas plates and a glass of wine.  Unfortunately, I was so excited when they arrived that I forgot to take a picture.  I did manage to remember half way through.  I was very happy with the bill when it came as well - €2,50 for each glass of wine 🍷. 

My meal half way through 

I made my way back home and achieved my goal of staying awake until 9:00 pm - yippee!!

What an amazing first day!