I've been waiting to post another blog entry because I figured it may take you a week to read my last couple entries, haha. I know they were a bit lengthy, but I suppose I had lots to say. :) I wanted to make sure that you were as close to being with me as possible since physically being here isn't an option. :) So, now that you've read a couple chapters of my book, we shall move on to the next one...
I wanted to share a story that happened a few weeks ago. (I forgot to mention it, sorry!) It's just a cute little story. I have a science class with the 1st graders. They are super cute. Anyway, I'm kind of obsessed about having chapstick or lip gloss on me at all times. I don't know, it's an odd obsession, sure, but it's necessary. Anyway, I was in class and I applied my shiny, minty lip gloss from Bath & Body Works. It's a habitual thing now, I don't notice when or if I do it. It's just part of me. So, I applied it and this little girl, Belen, came up to me at the front of class and told me that she had a sore on her lips. I just kind of brushed it off and said I'm sorry, haha, how am I supposed to fix that? :) Anyway, we continued on with class and I apparently reapplied my gloss again and she came up to me again telling me she had a sore on her lip. I really couldn't figure out why she kept telling me this and I didn't notice anything on her lips. I told her to go tell Blas (the teacher in the class) and that he could help her. Her response was to shake her head and say no. I still didn't put 2 and 2 together until class was long over, haha. She wanted my lip gloss and wanted me to put it on her lips, haha. Oooooops, my bad! HaHa! She was probably like, "How mean is this teacher?!" HaHa! Hope not!
I have officially submitted all of my documents, to my knowledge, for the reapplication process. If I did it correctly, then the process is much easier the 2nd time around. I didn't have to submit so many documents and have so many headaches! If they do offer me the position again and I accept it, I can just immediately go get my NIE card extended to cover my 2nd year, so I won't have to do the whole Visa process again. HUGE relief right there! IF things work out. I'm trying to keep myself grounded and not expect too much. I just want to be level-headed about it all. I should know something as far as if I am accepted by the end of April, I believe. And if it doesn't work out, I am sure that I'll be disappointed, but I won't let it get me down. :) Anyway, we'll see how that all pans out...
Believe it or not, I forgot to write something in my Madrid entry. HaHa... I meant to tell you all that I got made fun of for having an Andalusian accent while on my stay in Madrid. Apparently, I have adopted some of the tics that make up an Andalusian. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, haha. I like that I'm 'fitting in,' but their accent is so thick that I hope it doesn't make me unable to be understood. We shall see... :) I felt a lot more comfortable speaking with them than I have during my stay in Spain so far. I think a lot of it had to do with their ability to speak English. If I had a question on how to say something, I was able to explain it in English and they could explain it to me in Spanish and vice versa. It was nice to get compliments on my speaking ability, too. They told me that I spoke well, so it definitely gave me a boost of confidence. Then, I get back to the village and I feel like I'm kicking and kicking to keep my head above water, haha. I've started to attend a language (in Spanish) class in order to help educate myself. :) I hope it helps! Can't hurt, right?
I also forgot to mention a little note about Belgium that I intended to let all my bar family know about... Obviously, Belgium is home to quite the array of beers. What was interesting (and quite honestly, baffling) to me was that they had different glasses for EVERY BEER they offered. Even if it was a bottle of beer, they'd pour it into a labeled glass that brought out the essence of the beer. As a bartender, all I could think about was, "Hell no, I would hate to have to have a different glass for every single beer!" As a consumer, I thought it was a nice touch.
The rest of March is going to be a slow month for me. I'm running on fumes in the financial department since they still haven't paid us for our English Clubs for February. I'm obviously becoming accustomed to the slow and steady pace that the Spanish (at least around here) move at, but it still really frustrates me when we can't get paid for our extra work in a timely fashion. We got paid for January on March 1st. That just doesn't make sense to me. It's not going to be a big deal to me because I'll be around for an extra 6 weeks in the summer, but what about Joanne who is planning on going back to Scotland? How is she supposed to get her money? It's just really inconvenient. We've tossed around the idea of just not doing it through the month of May so that we can get our final payment at the end of May (hopefully). Anyway, I'm going to be pretty lame for the next few weeks, so my apologies in advance. Plus, I need to be putting back some of this money for what is shaping up to be quite the epic summer. I've used the term 'epic' before in reference to things, but I gotta say... this summer, 'epic' is going to go to a whole different level. I'm getting the opportunity to see and do so many things that many people can only dream about. And I get to experience these things with one of my favorite people.... Clinton Alan Massey! (who will be touching down in Spain in 82 days!) There is simply no way that this summer will suck, haha. Not a chance in hell! Summer 2012 is going to be AmAzInG!
Now, we have a whole week off of school at the beginning of April. It's like Spring Break, in a sense. It's Holy Week here. Anyway, I've been toying with a couple ideas... There's a possibility that I may join some people on a trip to Madrid (the new love of my life!(Madrid, not the person I am going with)). If that works out, then great! I love Madrid and would love to go back! The other option I am considering if Madrid doesn't work out is to make a plan to not make plans. Get it? I'm going (by myself) to pick a place to start and just travel for a week in whatever direction I decide to go. I am fairly confident that I will start in Granada and then from there, who knows? I'll stay a night here & a night there and get back to my village with the last bus on Saturday. How fun does that sound? It'll be interesting to do things like that alone, but being a 'tourist' in Ghent by myself while Leah was in class, kind of just allowed me to be free. (I hope that makes sense the way I would like it to make sense) I didn't mind eating alone or having coffee on the plaza while watching all people go by. I didn't even mind visiting some of the attractions of the ciy by myself. Sure, it'd be great to have someone to go with, but I also don't like to make a schedule so set in stone and structured. And I don't want to have to cater to another person's schedule, either. Unless that person wants to have a flexible schedule and not make plans with me! And then also be willing to try new things! HaHa! I want to have the freedom to just go... (Some of my friends from back home, I guarantee you, are like, "What the hell is wrong with this girl?! She would never say that!") HaHa! You heard it right! :) Spain's got ahold of me & she won't let go... :)
So this entry is a bit all over the place and my apologies, but I'm just kind of making updates as I go along. A funny thing happened today that I simply must share so that you all can have a little laugh. Mondays are my day with the 4 year old class. The teacher decided she wanted to go to the computer room with the class. She led the group to the other room and I stayed behind to bring up the rear and round up the stragglers. A few of the kids were taking their sweet time in getting to the other room. I was helping one and turned around to gather the rest when I see this little boy standing in the classroom with his pants (undies and all) around his ankles. I was a bit startled, haha, to say the least. He was using a wet-wipe to, well, wipe his bottom. He then placed the used wet-wipe on the desk. I refused to touch it, so I kindly directed him to throw it away. He did throw it away once he got his pants pulled back up and we went on our merry way as if nothing happened. :) Kids will be kids, right? HaHa! Hope you got a little laugh out of that. I'm sure the startled look on my face would have been quite entertaining. :) Aaahhhhh, kids! Never a dull moment! I should also note that these kiddos have thoroughly enjoyed watching "The Wizard of Oz." They don't understand it all, of course, but they sure liked it when the witch came on the screen. And then, they all cheered when she died, haha. They got the idea. :)
I am kind of having an internal battle. Maybe you can offer some insight? Today, during one of my 6th grade science classes, the teacher left the room for awhile (15-20 minutes) leaving me to teach on my own. This isn't abnormal, but these kids were acting awfully today! They were throwing things across the room, even after I asked them multiple times to stop. They wouldn't sit down or be quiet when asked. They were doing the typical "behind the teacher's back" kind of thing. It was really a frustrating day and I was not happy with them. As soon as Isa came back into the room, I didn't even hesitate a second to tell her how badly they have behaved to which she quickly reprimanded them... loudly and sternly. She then 'punished them' by informing they would not be allowed to play in their next handball game. She says this is a serious punishment because they will have to forfeit a game. The two kids throwing things around the room were to sit out 2 games. At the time, I didn't feel bad. I was too pissed at them to even be bothered. But, as the day went on, I let it get to me and started to feel bad. Obviously, I am still concerned about it if I am choosing to write about it, haha. I genuinely did not want to get them in trouble on a serious level, but I do want them to pay attention to me when I am speaking and listen to me when I ask them to be quiet or sit down. Joanne told me that they all came up to her during her class with them and told them to tell me, "Thanks for getting us punished." I have a ton of these kids in my English Club after school and I don't want them to hate me, haha. I don't need to be loved, but I feel really bad. Maybe I'll go talk to Isa tomorrow and see if we can't use this as a scare tactic, maybe, and use it as a warning. ??? I shouldn't feel this bad, huh? I want them to like me! But I also deserve respect. Ugh... advice? :) Update: I did talk to Isa asking if we could reduce the punishment, but she said no, that the needed to learn to respect me. Fair enough. I had a ton of the kids from that class approach me asking if I would take away their punishment, haha, but I can't... I tried, but I can't... :)
Ok, enjoy the next chapter in my story... I hope this finds you all well!
PS: Happy Belated Birthday to my big brother, Brad, and Janet (Happy 50th!)!
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