I've done some nice things this last week. The festivities began on Wednesday night when one of the teachers from my school took me to a concert. We went to see a well known Spanish artist named Maria del Mar Bonet. Bonet, along with her accompanist, played a beautiful acoustic set of Spanish folk songs. Each song was introduced, in Spanish of course, by the singer. Love, nature, and strength were common themes. It was evident that the audience held much respect for Bonet. While they sat absolutely silent throughout her songs, each one was followed with a deafening eruption of applause. This concert was another great opportunity to experience some quality Spanish culture. It was nice of Inma, my coworker, to invite me to come along...especially considering she speaks zero English and is fully aware of my suffering Spanish skills. Inma and I had met in the staff room a few days earlier, I guess teaching someone how to scan can have it's payoffs. She's also offered to speak Spanish with me after school over coffee sometime, we're probably going to do that next week. It's always nice to meet good people, and I really appreciate her taking the time to include me in her night.
After school on Thursday, my co-worker and I rewarded ourselves once again with a vegetarian feast. I took some pictures this time so you guys could get a feel for the restaurant, it's called Viva la Vida. The decor and vibe remind me of the unique kind of places you see in San Francisco, or Portland. Can't wait to go back!
Thursday night I was very proud of myself as I took myself on my first ever me date. I've never been partial to doing things out and about on my own, but I've come to realize that in some instances it's not only necessary, but it's just better. In this case, my inner theater nerd needed a fix. I had read that The Cherry Orchard, a play written in the early 1900's by Antov Chekov, was playing at a college in Madrid for FREE. Determined not to miss the opportunity, I decided that I would go...regardless of whether or not I could find someone to nerd out with. It ended up being a nice, relaxing, evening and I was proud of myself for doing something that I wouldn't normally do. See guys, I'm growin' over here!
Sunday, I stuck with this new I'm so independent motif and took myself to the Palacio Real de Madrid. Madrid's Royal Palace is the third-greatest in Europe. It boasts more than 2,000 rooms, luxuries/tapestries/chandeliers galore, and still functions as a royal palace (the royalty, however, live in a mansion a few miles away). Today, it is a place for state receptions, royal weddings, and of course tourists like me! Taking pictures was prohibited, but I knew I couldn't leave you guys photo-less! So, you better enjoy these stealthy snapshots...
 |
| entryway where horse-drawn carriages, or limos, drop guests |
 |
| my favorite room, ornate from floor to ceiling, the kings bedroom |
 |
| internal courtyard |
 |
| opium den themed smoking room |
 |
| view from the palace's courtyard |
 |
| awkward picture of me by me, downside to me dates |
 |
| courtyard in front of the palace |
Do I enjoy working with children? Yes. Am I attempting to relive my childhood through them by requiring them to make turkeys by tracing their hands on construction paper? Yes! This week, I introduced Thanksgiving to my classes at school. They were impressed by all of the food, and tickled by the picture I included in my powerpoint of the Simpsons sitting down to their very own Thanksgiving feast. I also got to create my very first elementary school display board, Thanksgiving themed of course. I had the kids write something they are thankful for on leaves...I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. My teacher was very happy with the result, she told me today that the staff, and students from other classes, have been asking her about it all week.
One of my classes has disciplinary issues, and this week they nearly got me to cry...I won't let them see me break! I'm coming armed with stickers next week, you'd be surprised what effect a couple of stickers can have on a seven years old's behavior. Best 2 euros I've ever spent! Overall though, I really am enjoying the time I spend with the kids. I've even started a collection of gifts that my students have given me. So far, I've got a chewed up acorn, a silly band, and a seashell with my name, Asli, written in it. Nothing fills that I-miss-my-loved-ones void in my heart quicker than being mobbed by mini hugs in the hallway, and last week a 5 year old boy named Alberto even planted a kiss on my cheek when I was looking the other way. Donny's been warned that he's got some serious Spanish competition.
We're hosting a Thanksgiving dinner at our piso tomorrow night. I'm hoping that the turn out, and the food, will be great. I made a visit to Taste of America today, a food store in Madrid that sells American brands like Betty Crocker and Quaker. It didn't take me long to decide that I didn't miss American food that much...this decision may have been supported by the fact that a box of Fruit Loops cost 11 euros (converts to about 15 dollars). Need I mention that I skipped the 18 euro pumpkin pie?
So, tomorrow will be the first time, in 23 years, that I'm away from my family on Thanksgiving. I think I'll handle it alright, especially since I'll be seeing EVERYONE at Christmas...only about 4 weeks away now! December is going to be one adventure after another. In a few more weeks I'll be boasting about my time in Rome and Amsterdam, and by the end of December I will have visited four countries in one month. Prepare yourself for some stories, and stay tuned for Thanksgiving in Madrid photos!
I hope that everyone has a love filled Thanksgiving.
No comments:
Post a Comment