My work week was nice and it went by very fast, especially because I am teaching 5 one-on-one private English lessons to students from my school after the school day ends. These lessons are held in the homes of students that live only a block from the school. They each last for one hour, and they set me up with a comfortable amount of spending money for the weekend. Woot!
I've also really been enjoying the company of the other English Language Assistant at my school, her name is Rakesh and she is English. During lunch (remember the Spanish lunch is 2 hours long) we take cover in one of our classrooms and watch TV shows on the computer, total rebels eh? It's really nice to have someone my age, who speaks English, to chat with during our breaks. Next week our lunch plan is lunchtime yoga. We'll see how that one pans out.
Today I met, for the second time, with a Spanish guy named Alberto. Alberto and I met through a Language Exchange (intercambio) website that serves to help people improve their second language. You create a profile on the website stating your native language, and the language you desire to learn, then you can contact other members to meet and converse in both languages. While often times creepy people take advantage of these types of sites with aspirations of meeting "easy American girls", I'm happy to report that Alberto is totally normal and nice. We live in the same neighborhood which is useful because he is knowledgeable about the area. When we meet we walk around and speak in both Spanish and English, often correcting each other's mistakes, and it's actually a very comfortable environment for practicing. So good news, my Spanish is coming along, poco a poco.
The weather has taken a crazy turn towards the cold side the last couple days. One of the teachers I work with told me that her thermometer read 6 degrees this morning, Celsius of course, which converts to about 42 degrees Fahrenheit. It seems that there is not much of a transition between seasons here. A week ago it was really nice and I was wearing shorts...today, however, my legs would have fallen off.
So the little thing I've been missing? Peanut butter.
It is not a common food in Spain and few places sell it. After Alberto and I met today, I visited a mercado (grocery store) that I had never been to before. And there I found, in the very last section before the registers, sitting before me in all it's glory and splendor, crema de cacahuete. I don't have to convince those of you who know me well that I nearly cried when I tasted my first spoonful. I'm sure that to most people buying crema de cacahuete is an insignificant experience, but to me it was quite symbolic. It brought me a sense of comfort, it made me feel at home, it reassured me that things are falling into place.
Yep. All that from peanut butter folks.
I'm happy that the weekend is here and I love that we get 3 day weekends every week. After 3 days off I actually feel refreshed and ready for another week of school. It's cannot believe that we're already nearing the end of October, can you believe I've been a Spaniard for almost a month!? I've already begun counting down the days until I come home for Christmas. Donny and I talk about it every day, I can't wait to hug my family and kiss my boy. But, for now, I'm here and everything is going well. I know I am where I need to be, even if it isn't always where I want to be.
Stay tuned, Toledo is on the agenda for this weekend.
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