Detalles

Te quiero mucho y bien comprendelo,
te quiero mucho con toda intensidad,
te necesito, te digo la verdad.
Te quiero mucho,
y pido sin cesar que no me dejes,
hoy que ya te encontre,
pues quiero amarte siempre,
quiero amarte.

Song from the Andalucia tourism commercial
TRANSLATION: I love you, and understand it well, I love you very much with all intensity, I need you, I'm telling you the truth. I love you very much, and I'm begging you not to leave me. Now that I've finally found you, I want to love you forever, I want to love you.



Te doy mi tiempo, te doy mi libertad, mi calor, y mis sueños, mis momentos mágicos, mi entusiamso, mi refugio y todos mis secretos. Te doy aliento y pasión, fuerza, emoción; una sonrisa, una puesta del sol....todo.

Commercial for tourism in the Comunidad Valenciana (where Alicante is)
TRANSLATION: I give you my time, I give you my freedom, my warmth, and my dreams, my magical moments, my enthusiasm, my refuge and all my secrets. I give you my breath and my passion, strength, excitement; a smile, a sunset....everything.

Toledo

This weekend I went to Toledo with my friend Jaclyn. We ended up doing the trip on the cheap because we found we could stay with one of the Auxiliares from Toledo that is doing the same work as we are in Ciudad Real. We stayed with Veronica, who is in her first year, and her roommate, who is in his second year, Powell. We went by bus, and it only took us an hour and a half. We explored all over the city, the narrowest streets I have ever seen, some only 7 feet wide, made in the 15th century. All the buildings there are centuries and centuries old. It's a gorgeous city and has so much history. It is one of the only cities in Spain and almost all Europe where Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived in peace for centuries. They call it the city of three cultures. For this reason you can find so many things to visit: cathedrals, synagogues, mosques.

My long awaited return to Alicante

This weekend I went to Alicante to stay with Aurora and to see the city I love and miss so much. Going back was the most overwhelming deja-vu I have yet to experience. When I saw Aurora there in the train station we hugged and kissed and walked back home with our arms around each other's waists...it was like no time had passed at all, as if I had been there the day before and would be there all the following. It was such a strange sensation walking the streets I had walked so many times, seeing all the same little intricacies that I always seem to notice. Being able to return to Aurora's house and stay in the room I stayed in when I was there was so incredible.
The first thing we did when I arrived was stop by the bakery to get our bread to eat with the meal she had prepared. She made "Arroz a la cubana" which is rice with tomato sauce and an egg on top and bacon. It of course was delicious. When we were at the bakery, Aurora took out her little coin purse to pay and I looked at it, and I looked at it, and then I said, "Pero, mamá, esto es mío!" (But mama, that's mine!!) She looked at me with confusion, then we both laughed. She had been carrying the coin purse I apparently left at her house with her for a year and a half. She found it one day and figured it was her daughter Bea's. When she asked Bea about her cute coin purse, Bea couldn't remember even buying it or seeing it, but she just went along with it.
Turns out that wasn't the only thing of mine that I found at her house. My books from my intensive Spanish class and one of my notebooks were still there on the shelf. She had accumulated a lot of books from the two girls after me, and now has quite a collection of books in English--the Da Vinci code, Kite Runner. She also has my toothbrush still in the cup in the bathroom. Just little things that I guess I forgot and never knew I left, that she just hadn't thrown out as a reminder. I was surprised to find things of my own a year and a half later at her house.
Later that night we decided to dar un paseito around the city and we walked all the familiar streets and she showed me all the things that have changed and all the things that have improved or gotten worse. For example, the TRAM that goes to all the coastal towns north of Alicante from Plaza Luceros, in the middle of Alicante, is now finished! They have a very impressive underground station that passes underneath underground parking garages on Alfonso el Sabio. On Sunday we took to TRAM from Luceros to playa de San Juan (the best beach in Alicante) and it was wonderful. We even SWAM!!!! That's how nice it was.

After having a couple tapas and cañas at Dos Gringos, the new bar that was just a thought when I was there (my friend Julio designed all the logos and menus when I was there, and showed them to me. what a surprise to see them come to reality!) We walked my all my old favorite spots in the Barrio. We walked to the place where Ravi and I so long ago had taken a ton of funny pictures one night. Its on this pedestrian street across the Rambla from the Barrio. Aurora and I were admiring all the adorable little terrazas they have there. I told her about the time that Dylana, Ravi, and I had taken the pictures there on Ravi's second-to-last night in Alicante. All the sudden, we both fell silent. There was a violinist just in front of us and we both realized at the same time that he was playing Aurora's favorite song, "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright. It gave me goosebumps. The right place, the right time, the right people.

Saturday we went to eat churros for breakfast! SOOOO delicious.
Then while Aurora went to buy the things she needed, I took a much needed long walk around the city. I was feeling very nostalgic. I felt at home, but so many things were different. Not in the city, but I was different. Sometimes I wonder who I was before I had all the experiences I have been so blessed to have. They have really helped make me who I am, and the people I met in Alicante and the experiences I had there are things I will never forget. They make up a big part of who I am. I am so thankful to have been able to live a part of my life there. Without Alicante, I wouldn't know Aurora, her family, Ravi, or the wonderful friends I still have from there. Can you imagine how different life would be?
Aurora and I had an interesting conversation on Sunday as we walked by the flat where Ravi lived in Alicante, right next to the train station. She asked me if I remembered when we were all meeting our families for the first time, at the hotel in Alicante. Armando, the director, called her name. "Aurora Romero! con Ravi" He had put Ravi with Aurora. Aurora told Armando that he must be mistaken, she asked for a girl, she didnt allow boys to stay with her because her son doesn't live with her anymore. Armando, making a quick decision, called my name instead. I remember looking at Ravi, and being like, "Sorry!" Of course Ravi pretended to be crushed, but quickly was put with another family. Just think...what if Ravi had stayed with Aurora? Would I have gone with his family? How different the story would have gone, all the way until now.

During my walk, the first place I went was to Ravi's flat. I stood in front of it, took pictures of the balconies, wondering if one of them had been his. I had never been to his family's flat before. I wondered how many times he had rung the bell, or put his key in the lock to open the entry door. I wondered how many times he taken the elevator down and turned right out the door towards the Barrio or the beach. I don't really know what I was feeling in that moment. Longing, I suppose. Wishing for all the time that was lost to come back and to be able to do it all over again. Wishing for more time with him. But that's everyday.

The walk was just what I needed at that moment. I went by all of my friends' flats from when they lived there, remembering all the good times we had.
Alicante is such a beautiful city. There are people there from everywhere, and they live in the street, not indoors. I walked down to the beach, to the hotel Porta Maris, where Ravi and I first met and where he later told me he thought I was boring upon first impression.

Saturday Aurora cooked and the whole family came over--Ana, Juan Carlos, Bea, Jose Carlos, and MARINA! She remembered me, "Breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!" and we played for hours and hours. She is unstoppable energy and when she left, Aurora and I were both ready for bed. Afterwards, though, I met up with Julio, one of my friends that lives there. We went to Havana Barrio, one of the new bars, and then went to the Sidreria in the Barrio to try Sidra (cider beer) typical of Asturias, a region to the north. Sunday Aurora and I spent the day at the beach, and then I had to say goodbye, yet once again. The good thing is, though, this time I know it won't be so long before I return.

The whole weekend was great. It was not the same as before, though. I believe it is the relationships we have with others that make us who we are, and this weekend was a perfect example. It was perfect, and I was able to see many people I hadn't seen in a long time. But, nonetheless, there were many very important people missing.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I went this morning to get my NIE number (for foreigners card, that you can't do ANYTHING without) and I FORGOT MY PASSPORT. You have to get there 30 min before it opens and stand in line and you get a number and you only maybe get in if someone who has an appt. doesn't show up. So I came home, because by the time I realized I didn't have it, after sitting there waiting, they were already giving out the numbers.

On a lighter note, all 33 Chilean miners are safe and the rescue workers as well!

On an even better/more exciting note....I'm going to Alicante tomorrrowwwwwwww!

Wednesday.

Today I finally went back to work. Man, those days off put you in the mood to do nothing! It was a good day though. We started out with the bilingual teachers meetings, like every Wednesday, where all the teachers that teach their classes in English go to coordinate and talk about difficulties with the teachers that can actually speak English. Today it was funny, because after a while of speaking in Spanish, finally the coordinator said, "We need to start speaking in English!" Then, all the yelling and discussing stopped. For once, a room full of Spaniards had nothing to say! Ha! So I started talking, haha, because obviously I have no trouble with English! We ended the meeting with clarifying a lot of doubts they had about commonly used words in the classroom, like "Sit down." "Put the blinds down." "Open your books." "Put your books away." "Did you understand?" We argued awhile over what the Persianas were called...they are blinds that close over the whole window so when you put them all the way down no light enters at all. And of course I said there was no perfect translation because Persianas don't exist in America. And it was funny because they were saying, "Close the shutters." I told them "blinds" were much better although even that is not a perfect translation. I would like to know how rich the person is that invented Persianas.


Then, I was in two classes. After that, I came home, ate a bocadillo with chorizo and tomato and olive oil, then went running for the first time in over a week. All I have to say is, I don't know what I'm going to do when I can't run on the trails I run on now, because its too cold, or when I become to old/overworked to run, if there ever is a day. I think I will just die, maybe. I love it so much, especially here. The trails I find just by exploring make me so happy. Sometimes I will just be running and I'll have to stop--and just stare---because I can't believe I'm there and that I'm running someplace so beautiful. The mountains in the distance are so pretty...if it were drier and desert-y I would say the mountains look like the mountains in Tucson.


I've been a little bit down today because it is hard to escape from the news of the 33 Chilean miners anytime you turn on the TV. So many have been rescued already, by this time. Every time I see the footage though, I can't help but cry. It hits so close to home, and it is such a miracle that today, when they brought the first miners up, I couldn't help but cry and get goosebumps. Part of me is so jealous--and I hate feeling jealous--of the families, because after a mining accident, they still get to be with their families. It blows my mind that not one of the miners died in the accident, out of 33 people, they are all still healthy. It also gives me a lot of happiness to see the rescue though, because I know Ravi is there helping each and every one get out alright. Their families must be overjoyed, but I can't help wondering why them, and why not Ravi? I know these are probably not thoughts that I should be having, but it is impossible not to be reminded that in each surfacing miner's happiness, there is in me a gaping hole left by losing another on a similar way. I have such mixed feelings, it is overwhelming.

I also had my first clase particular today (tutoring!) for the son of one of the teachers at my school, Carmen. His name is Abel and he is studying English at the University in his second year, and he's 18. He speaks very well but they have these really tough exams in December, and he has to speak perfectly on it. He lives, like many of the students here, in a flat by himself, but then he commutes home on the weekends to where his parents live, in a little pueblecito.

Tonight we have Germans making us dinner again.. Wish me luck. The last time this happened, I got super sick. But I don't think it was the food.

New trail I discovered today, looking more beautiful than ever!

I was on the news in Castilla-La Mancha Tuesday! Then this video was played at the parents meeting at my school, on Wednesday. So even though I wasn't there, they got to see me.

http://www.departamentos.ieshernanperezdelpulgar.eu/

I also had some interesting experiences happen today...one of the kids passed out outside the school (one of the Bachillerato students, so a bit older) and was throwing up and the ambulance came. They thought he might have taken drugs. Welp. As the ambulance people were treating him, they had him trying to walk around the school building, and the woman that was holding him up walking, was smoking. The medic. Was smoking while being a paramedic.

Clinic visit

If you have a weak stomach, stop reading here!!!

So I went to the clinic today because I was puking and under, well, a LOT of distress, a lá the big D.

Clinic trip = most efficient thing i have ever done in Spain.
1) I suddenly had a bad bout of the D right when i was walking into the doctor's room. went to the one-er bathroom. a FAMILY walked in on me. A FAMILY. All I could do was laugh (2 hours after)/
2) By the time i got over my embarrassment and exited the bathroom, after them seeing my ENTIRE bottom and hearing me spout things, I went into the office where my roommate Kylah (god bless her soul) had already told the young doc what was going on. i laid on the thing for a total of 1 minute and he asked me...ehhmm...2 questions, whether my appendix hurt and whether i had eaten anything weird.
3) then he wrote me a prescripton. for 3 medicines, which i proceeeded to purchase at the farmacia for a whopping 5.50 euros.
4) no medical history, no co-pay, in and out in less than 20.
And then I proceeded to hit my head on my headboard. Again. When I tried to scoot up.
This day just makes me laugh.

VIVA ESPAÑA! And I really hope to feel better soon.

In Plaza Mayor in Ciudad Real there is a huge clock, and every hour on the hour three men come outside playing instruments and play a tune for about 3 minutes. It wouldn't let me insert a video but if you type in "Ciudad Real Clock" on youtube.com, you can see it.

Today I saw my first plastic-covered stroller, to my dismay, fall is here and soon the babies here will be wrapped in sleeping bags and underneath plastic to protect them from wind, rain, and I guess, breathing in the same air as everyone else.

I just returned from a delightful 2 and a half hour walk with two of my flatmates, Noemi and Madeleine. We went out south of the city in the area called La Vía Verde (the green path, more or less). My legs are sore form walking so much.

Last night we went out to a botellon, which is more or less a parking lot filled with 500 young people drinking. It was fun. Like nothing you could EVER see in the States. Think tailgate, but at night, and no cars, and no food. Later we went to a place called Momause about 10 min from the university and one of the guys we were with was from Kurdistan (I think) and 8 of us--4 american girls, one american guy, 2 german guys, and one kurdish guy, held hands in a circle and did a traditional Kurdish dance that he taught us in the middle of a crowded club on Saturday night in Ciudad Real. So funny.

My new job(s)!

So I will be teaching in a secondary school, mostly kids from age 12-16, for the school year, and there's the possibility to renew my contract if I really want to (gah my mom would kill me). I will be in the math, science, and English classes acting as a TA, basically. These three subjects are taught in English. So far, my schedule is looking pretty great. I do a full day on Monday and Tuesday and Wed/Thursday a half day and I don't have to work on Fridays! I havent set up any tutoring appointments yet. I have, however, started in the classroom. Today I went into a math class of 7th graders with a teacher named Victoria, and an English class with the coordinator of the English program, Teresa. I feel very comfortable there and I like everyone I have met so far. They are much less formal here, with the teacher/student relationship. You can yell at kids and grab them if you really need them to be quiet. And the students kind of yell back. I think thats more just Spanish culture. Everybody tries to talk over everybody else, haha! The kids call the teachers by their first names, all the time. The teachers wear polos and jeans or a sweater and jeans, nothing formal. I brought stuff I know I'm never going to wear. :/

The kids had fun asking me questions in English about Missouri..."Is there a beach" "If you go to New York, how do you go?" "Do you know any famous people?" " "In Missouri, does you eat hamburgers all the time?" but it sounds like "Een Meesoori, duhss yu eht hambehrgehrs aw de tiiiime?" "Ehh, what food do you dehtest? (detest! what a word to know in English) Their accents are very very thick but the more they speak in English, the more they learn. So far, I like it a lot.

Did I mention I loved how cheap it is in this city? My stipend will suffice! Plus tapas are free if you order a drink. They just GIVE THEM TO YOU. Amazing.