Am now officially a TEFL graduate. Hooray!
Final exam began at 9:30am and I was done a little before noon. Passed it with flying colors. Got my grades for my other projects, all passes. Had my 15 minutes with the moderator, who was actually slightly scary despite reassurances from the directors, and he didn't seem displeased with me so I'm going to count that one good too.
But of course am sick now. After a month of really intensive study and long days and air conditioning and weird Madrid weather (frying hot yesterday and almost chilly this morning) I suppose it's no wonder. On the one hand am annoyed because I really wanted to be able to celebrate, but on the other hand I'm grateful that I didn't get sick any earlier. At this point it's just a sore throat and a tiny bit of congestion...hopefully by taking care of myself (went to bed very early last night, drinking lots of orange juice, taking a nap today, etc.) I can ward off a serious cold. I went to the farmacia this morning and asked for some throat lozenges with zinc in them and the pharmacist looked at me like I had two heads. She gave me a box of tablets that are supposed to help throat infections. So far I can't tell that they do anything at all except make the front of your mouth (but not your throat) slightly numb and make you dizzy. Will try another this afternoon to see what happens.
Now am off to take a nap. Will take some pictures for you tonight at our celebratory drink event.
30 August 2007
29 August 2007
one day left!
Okay, a quick update because I need some sleep.
First, the girls and I have decided to take the piso out in BFE, but even BFE in Spain has public transportation. Love it! We will meet with H. this weekend to sign the papers, etc. Also, am crushing hard-core on H. Very bad.
Today was much less stressful than I anticipated, perhaps because I did homework last night until 1am. But aside from the final exam and moderation I am FINISHED!!!
First, the girls and I have decided to take the piso out in BFE, but even BFE in Spain has public transportation. Love it! We will meet with H. this weekend to sign the papers, etc. Also, am crushing hard-core on H. Very bad.
Today was much less stressful than I anticipated, perhaps because I did homework last night until 1am. But aside from the final exam and moderation I am FINISHED!!!
26 August 2007
stranger than fiction
Talked to the girls today, & they had quite a story to tell. They'd managed to lock themselves out of their apartment last night and since the owner is away on vacation and there's no portera, they had to wait around for a neighbor to appear so they could explain their problem. The neighbors did everything they could think of to help the girls break into their apartment, but nothing worked (good to know). So the neighbors called their friend over, who is a firefighter. The fireman tried a couple tricks of his own, but to no avail. Then he sent for his son, who's about 7 or 8 years old. The kid shows up with some rope and a harness. Everyone goes up to the apartment just above the girls' apt. The owners let them in, and the kid gets in the harness and his dad lowers him out of the window onto the terrace of the girls' apartment. Luckily the terrace door is open, so the kid just walks into the house and opens the front door for them. Of course the girls were completely mortified that they'd caused these people so much trouble, but at the same time it goes to show that some Spaniards will go to great lengths to help a sister (or two) out. How cool is that?!
Was going to go to a museum today, but I haven't gotten around to it. Fell asleep on the couch for a while, now am making lunch. Should probably just stay home & do some work anyway...god that sounds boring. Sigh.
Was going to go to a museum today, but I haven't gotten around to it. Fell asleep on the couch for a while, now am making lunch. Should probably just stay home & do some work anyway...god that sounds boring. Sigh.
25 August 2007
lessons unlearned, el piso, esperanzas
Got home a little before 7 this morning. It was definitely not my inention to stay out all night again, and for most of today I was sorry I had. At least had much less to drink this time, but still did not sleep well and felt a little iffy for a while. Am hoping next weekend I will have the sense to go home after tapas instead of following the girls to the O'Connell's dance floor. (Though I must admit, we did meet some very striking Morrocan men there who were fabulous dancers. Almost makes the hangover worthwhile...;*)
Despite the resaca (hangover), had to get up and head out to where the girls are staying. Had a little lunch with them and then we went to meet H., who showed us the apartment in Los Aguiles. The apartment is nice, though the decor is not at all to my taste. We would have to cover the couches with sheets and take down the hideous painting in the living room. But the apartment gets a lot of light and, while it's small, it's not a bad size. There is one bedroom that is about twice the size of the other two and has a double bed. The girls & I have already decided that if we take the apartment we'd have to rotate rooms every so often so we could all enjoy some time in the big room. But the highlight of the trip was H. himself. A beautiful, beautiful man in his early thirties...honest and warm and with a sense of humor...took a chunk of time out of his weekend to meet with us and was extremely patient while I translated. He's actually the son of the apartment's owners & is just helping them out while they are on vacation. The girls & I joked afterwards that we might have to take the apartment just to see H. every now & then. Hee hee.
On a completely unrelated note, I have to say that almost all my preconceptions about the Spanish have been proved false. Unlike Sevilla, Madrid is a place with a lot more diversity. For example, there is an enormous population of Latin American immigrants here. And while in Sevilla the women were stick insects and everyone dressed to the nines, here there are plenty of overweight individuals and most people dress just like they do in Portland. There's a little bit of everything. Have seen young men wearing baggy jeans hanging off their non-existent asses, have seen women go out in pink track suits with matching flats, everyone and their grandmother wears flip-flops (saw one grandmother wearing flip-flops with kitten heels!!!), and even saw one guy in the metro who was wearing pajama bottoms with his flip-flops. The good side to all of this is that I don't feel nearly as self-conscious and inadequate here as I'd expected to. I'd expected to feel fat and unfashionable, but instead I feel I fit in...and am even sometimes better dressed than most!
Deep thought of the day: I find it both odd and compelling that the word esperar means both "to hope" AND "to expect." They don't have separate words for these concepts. Which means that hopes and expectations are the same thing in this language.
A cool thing happened just now: a Real Madrid game is on TV and most people in my neighborhood are watching it, either at their homes or in bars...somebody must have made a goal (or barely missed it) because just now a cry of surprise rose up and filled the barrio. I could hear it through the closed patio door and over the buffeting wind.
Despite the resaca (hangover), had to get up and head out to where the girls are staying. Had a little lunch with them and then we went to meet H., who showed us the apartment in Los Aguiles. The apartment is nice, though the decor is not at all to my taste. We would have to cover the couches with sheets and take down the hideous painting in the living room. But the apartment gets a lot of light and, while it's small, it's not a bad size. There is one bedroom that is about twice the size of the other two and has a double bed. The girls & I have already decided that if we take the apartment we'd have to rotate rooms every so often so we could all enjoy some time in the big room. But the highlight of the trip was H. himself. A beautiful, beautiful man in his early thirties...honest and warm and with a sense of humor...took a chunk of time out of his weekend to meet with us and was extremely patient while I translated. He's actually the son of the apartment's owners & is just helping them out while they are on vacation. The girls & I joked afterwards that we might have to take the apartment just to see H. every now & then. Hee hee.
On a completely unrelated note, I have to say that almost all my preconceptions about the Spanish have been proved false. Unlike Sevilla, Madrid is a place with a lot more diversity. For example, there is an enormous population of Latin American immigrants here. And while in Sevilla the women were stick insects and everyone dressed to the nines, here there are plenty of overweight individuals and most people dress just like they do in Portland. There's a little bit of everything. Have seen young men wearing baggy jeans hanging off their non-existent asses, have seen women go out in pink track suits with matching flats, everyone and their grandmother wears flip-flops (saw one grandmother wearing flip-flops with kitten heels!!!), and even saw one guy in the metro who was wearing pajama bottoms with his flip-flops. The good side to all of this is that I don't feel nearly as self-conscious and inadequate here as I'd expected to. I'd expected to feel fat and unfashionable, but instead I feel I fit in...and am even sometimes better dressed than most!
Deep thought of the day: I find it both odd and compelling that the word esperar means both "to hope" AND "to expect." They don't have separate words for these concepts. Which means that hopes and expectations are the same thing in this language.
A cool thing happened just now: a Real Madrid game is on TV and most people in my neighborhood are watching it, either at their homes or in bars...somebody must have made a goal (or barely missed it) because just now a cry of surprise rose up and filled the barrio. I could hear it through the closed patio door and over the buffeting wind.
24 August 2007
welcome, weekend!
Finished the learner profile & turned it in. Am super glad that's over. Just hope I don' t have to re-do any of it. There's another thing due on Monday, but that's not as serious. It's the three teaching practices I'm a little worried about. But the one on Monday is going to be fun fun FUN! The topic I was given is "dance," so we're going to listen to some music and of course do a little dancin'. Disco dancin', 80's style dancin' (a la Breakfast club), cha-cha, HA HA! Is going to be FUN! =*)
Going out tonight with the girls for a little while. Tomorrow we have plans to search for apartments & we have an appointment with a landlord to look at one place...it's cheap and furnished and seems really nice...but it would be a 30 min. metro ride to get to the center of town. We're also looking at a 5 bedroom place right next to Retiro park. The rent (with five of us) would be slightly more than the other place, but the location is BOMB! Would love to live right next to that enormous, lush green park. and it's closer to the city center and in a really beautiful neighborhood. Will keep you updated on all that.
Hmm...no interesting observations for you today, I'm afraid. My brain is a bit too fried. Though some of us from the school did go into a cafe this morning and the owner was working and seemed really excited to see us despite it being a fairly busy place, and when we all got up from our table to gawk at the food display and some other people came in & tried to sit at our table the other waiter told them they couldn't sit there because it was ours. They had some great tortilla, and they've managed to make their coffee taste like it's spiked with Kalhua or something. I thought that was rather nice, actually. I would go out of my way to eat at that place again.
Going out tonight with the girls for a little while. Tomorrow we have plans to search for apartments & we have an appointment with a landlord to look at one place...it's cheap and furnished and seems really nice...but it would be a 30 min. metro ride to get to the center of town. We're also looking at a 5 bedroom place right next to Retiro park. The rent (with five of us) would be slightly more than the other place, but the location is BOMB! Would love to live right next to that enormous, lush green park. and it's closer to the city center and in a really beautiful neighborhood. Will keep you updated on all that.
Hmm...no interesting observations for you today, I'm afraid. My brain is a bit too fried. Though some of us from the school did go into a cafe this morning and the owner was working and seemed really excited to see us despite it being a fairly busy place, and when we all got up from our table to gawk at the food display and some other people came in & tried to sit at our table the other waiter told them they couldn't sit there because it was ours. They had some great tortilla, and they've managed to make their coffee taste like it's spiked with Kalhua or something. I thought that was rather nice, actually. I would go out of my way to eat at that place again.
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