It was the first day of our puente (four day weekend) and we were ready to do nothing but SLEEP and be lazy - which is just what we did!! Glorious! :)
By eight it was time to leave, but I took so long getting ready that I made it out the door way later than expected, and arrived at Chamartin emarassingly late. >_< Brother.
Scott was right there to greet me and had a bag of two star doughnuts in his hands to give me! We caught a train to Sol and I showed him around Plaza Mayor and stopped for some pizza before heading back to Alcala.
When we got home, Katie and Abby were all dressed up super adorably in their coats and hats and scarves, and ready for some tapas. I got home an hour later than I had anticpated and told them I would and was sure they'd bail on me because of it, so I was overjoyed when I saw them all dressed up and ready to go out with me and my friend!
See, I hang out with Katie's friends and Abby's friend, but it's never been my turn to bring a friend around for them to hang out with. I was a little nervous about it - as it's not something that I ever really do. I'm usually with someone and if I have a friend it's just awkward, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But the fact they were there for me meant the world to me! <3
We went out to my favorite tapas bar in Alcala and ate and drank and talked. It was totally perfect. A great introduction to Spain, if I do say so myself! ;)
Going out with those two and a visiting friend made me realize just how close I've grown to them. I had that same feeling I get when I'm in a relationship with someone where I think to myself, "I'm having a really good time, but you know what I really want? I really want to be at home, all of us in our PJs, piled on one of our beds and giggling about the day's successes and disasters."
I always thought that warm, squishy feeling of love and comfort could only be found in a romantic relationship, but I'm starting to see that this isn't the case at all. The fact that I honestly had no idea that I could feel loved and whole and part of something bigger and comfortable and comforted and supported all because of the friends I had makes me suddenly understand all those "Sex and the City" episodes so much better! I knew this was always what I wanted, I just didn't quite know if it was a real thing or if I'd ever find it.
I'm so happy I have. <3
XOXO
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Day 94: Eff This Sickness Soup
I felt miserable at school (one nice teacher even informed me that I LOOKED miserable - how sweet!) and could not wait to be done with my private lessons and get HOME.
When the day was finally over and I was walking from the bus stop home, all I could think about was how I wanted Tom Kha soup from Thai Chili Jam in Portland. I thought about how I would call the order in ("S2, please! With a side of white rice and a Thai iced tea!") and then would call J to pick it up for me on her way home.
It wasn't the fact that I was in Madrid and not Portland that made me see the impossibility in my desire, but the idea that J would actually go and pick the soup up for me just because I was "sick." I looked at the time. Yeah, she'd probably be at work anyway and wouldn't be home for another million hours. I'd just have to go without soup.
o_O
I don't know why my brain works the way it does sometimes, but it always keeps me amused and giggling at myself - and I'm forever grateful for that!
By the time I walked in the door I felt all out of sorts. My nose was running down my face, I was freezing, I was sleepy, but I was SO hungry. Abby asked what was wrong the moment she saw me and I told her I didn't want to go out to get ingredients for soup, but that's all I wanted and I would have no choice but to brave the cold and march my sick, sick butt to the grocery store.
"I was just beginning to make soup for Katie and myself - we're not feeling well, either. You know? That 'Eff This Sickness Soup' I found a recipe online for last week and made? You can totally have some when it's ready! Get in your PJs, cozy up on the couch with a blanket and relax! I'll let you know when it's done. How was your day?"
Have I mentioned that I LOVE Abby???
Like, seriously.
I rested on the couch and talked with her while she continued cooking and when the soup was finally ready we three gobbled it up. It was deliciousness in a bowl. Yum!! :)
It was honestly the most perfect night to a yucky sick day I could have ever dreamed up! <3
XOXO
When the day was finally over and I was walking from the bus stop home, all I could think about was how I wanted Tom Kha soup from Thai Chili Jam in Portland. I thought about how I would call the order in ("S2, please! With a side of white rice and a Thai iced tea!") and then would call J to pick it up for me on her way home.
It wasn't the fact that I was in Madrid and not Portland that made me see the impossibility in my desire, but the idea that J would actually go and pick the soup up for me just because I was "sick." I looked at the time. Yeah, she'd probably be at work anyway and wouldn't be home for another million hours. I'd just have to go without soup.
o_O
I don't know why my brain works the way it does sometimes, but it always keeps me amused and giggling at myself - and I'm forever grateful for that!
By the time I walked in the door I felt all out of sorts. My nose was running down my face, I was freezing, I was sleepy, but I was SO hungry. Abby asked what was wrong the moment she saw me and I told her I didn't want to go out to get ingredients for soup, but that's all I wanted and I would have no choice but to brave the cold and march my sick, sick butt to the grocery store.
"I was just beginning to make soup for Katie and myself - we're not feeling well, either. You know? That 'Eff This Sickness Soup' I found a recipe online for last week and made? You can totally have some when it's ready! Get in your PJs, cozy up on the couch with a blanket and relax! I'll let you know when it's done. How was your day?"
Have I mentioned that I LOVE Abby???
Like, seriously.
I rested on the couch and talked with her while she continued cooking and when the soup was finally ready we three gobbled it up. It was deliciousness in a bowl. Yum!! :)
It was honestly the most perfect night to a yucky sick day I could have ever dreamed up! <3
XOXO
Friday, December 7, 2012
Day 92: Awesome Teaching Day
I'm not sure why some days I'm just really great at teaching, and others I wonder what the heck I'm doing in a classroom on this end of things. Today, happily, was one of the former days.
In first period we watched half of Forest Gump (awesome). Second period was my usual "wing it" class with the 2nd graders (Awesome Teacher saved the day by deciding we should make Christmas posters). Third period was the DREADED AWFUL class of the week, which continued to be awful because the Scream-o teacher continued her crazy screaming and nothing got accomplished once again.
But after lunch, it was my turn to have that class on my own... and so I welcomed the challenge. ;)
My way of thinking is so strange.
As they came in the room I wrote their "Penalty Minutes" in a box on the board. They were shocked to see they were up to 15 (don't know why they were shocked - I'm shocked it's so low). I reminded them they only had two weeks of class before the party, so this wasn't so great for them. One clever girl then asked if there was any way they could win minutes back. I thought about it for a second, while I watched kids tell her of course I'd never do that (they can clearly tell I'm not very fond of them), but then I responded, "Well, sure. If I don't have to put ONE minute on the board today, I'll give you five minutes back. But one wasted minute and it's all over."
They were incredulous and quickly agreed to my terms.
I wish the principal would have walked by that class as I was teaching it, because I swear that horror class has never been so well behaved and quiet and hardworking in their whole academic career. For. Real.
So I gave 'em their five minutes and they were so estatic that they couldn't for the life of them line up silentely at the door. So I told them as soon as they could be in silence and stand still for 30 seconds, they could run off to their favorite class - gym. It only took me eight tries to be able to fully count to 30 without interuptions. Brother.
Still, an overall win for me, I'd say. ;) I just had to start approaching the blackboard and they'd all fall absolutely silent. It was truly amazing. Haha!!
After so much success I was ready for anything, which was good, 'cause when I walked into class with my 4th graders, I was told I would be leading the class by reviewing for their test on Tuesday.
Oh goodie, little kids' English marks on the line. Wonderful.
We started with "has got" "have got" and "had got" ... and I was supposed to make sure they knew when to use which when. So I wrote them on the board in a funny triangular way.
"Are we supposed to copy it like THAT?" they all asked, clearly bewildered at a teacher writing something not on the lines.
"Um, yeah, please."
I then proceeded to draw a cute little "she" and a handsome little "he" on the board, along with a cupcake with the word "it" on the wrapper. I put them under the "has got" heading. After I was finished with my work of art, I asked them to copy that, as well.
You have to understand, at this point, I had no idea what I was doing. I was totally BSing EVERYTHING. As it turns out, BSing isn't just useful as a student, but a super great tool to have mastered while acting as a teacher, as well! Who woulda guessed!? ;)
I then drew a sun, under the heading of "had got" and then drew an arrow facing towards the left (or, towards the "past") and explained to them this: "Look outside! TODAY is sunny. This little happy sun right here?" I paused to draw a smiley face in the sun. "Represents TODAY. But oh! There is an ARROW pointing towards the PAST. THIS!?" I paused and drew a huge crazy scribble behind the arrow. "THIS is the PAST!!!" I continued to draw more crazy scribbles on top of my crazy scribble. "Please copy!"
"You want us to draw that scribble?"
"Um, yes, please."
They were clearly having the time of their life. It might not seem like much, but these kids are lectured on which color pen to use for which thing in which notebook and how many squares to skip in their notebook and how to write their letters just so, etc. To tell them to SCRIBBLE in their notebook next to a smiling sun? This was like the most sacreligious thing they'd ever heard of - and they LOVED it. It felt "naughty" to them! Haha... poor 'lil guys.
I proceeded to draw a flow chart on the board (which they copied) stating that FIRST one must decide if something was happening NOW (HAPPY SUNSHINEY DAY TODAY!) or in the PAST (CRAZY AWESOME SCRIBBLE OF PASTNESS). Once they determined that, if they believed it happened NOW, they had to decide... was the thing happening to a "she" or a "he" or an "it"!?! Yes? Use "has got"!! No? Well then go with "have got" and you will be just fine.
Now, believe me - I was EXTREMELY animated about all of this. I was jumping around the room... doing an interpretive dance of a "past squiggle"... pretending to be a radiating ball of happy TODAYish sunshine and twirling round and round. I was all in. They were enraptured.
And so it was time to see if this ridiculousness had paid off. I orally told them seven sentences and had them fill in the gap. When they were done with each gap, I told them to give themselves bunny ears so I could know when to continue. If they were excited about drawing big squiggles in their notebook, you should have seen the pure joy and bliss on their face when they bunny-eared themselves! WHOA! You would thought I'd just told them Santa was coming that very afternoon!!! O_O
When we got through it all, it was time to correct the exercise. They got them all right - except for sentences with the word "ago" in them. They clearly were not grasping that "ago" was a past marker... AT ALL. And so I explained the general gist of the term and then had them write "a g o" in their notebooks, but had the tail on the 'g' turn into a crazy awesome arrow pointing towards the past. Little light bulbs seemed to flash on throughout the classroom. Even the teacher smiled and said, "Wow! That's very clever! I like it!"
BAMF TEACHER *nanananannana* BAMF TEACHER!!! Oh.... YEAH!!!!!
^_^
Bet those kids never had so much fun reviewing for a test before. ;) Man, I'm awesome.
All in all, a most successful day as a teacher - yay!!
XOXO
In first period we watched half of Forest Gump (awesome). Second period was my usual "wing it" class with the 2nd graders (Awesome Teacher saved the day by deciding we should make Christmas posters). Third period was the DREADED AWFUL class of the week, which continued to be awful because the Scream-o teacher continued her crazy screaming and nothing got accomplished once again.
But after lunch, it was my turn to have that class on my own... and so I welcomed the challenge. ;)
My way of thinking is so strange.
As they came in the room I wrote their "Penalty Minutes" in a box on the board. They were shocked to see they were up to 15 (don't know why they were shocked - I'm shocked it's so low). I reminded them they only had two weeks of class before the party, so this wasn't so great for them. One clever girl then asked if there was any way they could win minutes back. I thought about it for a second, while I watched kids tell her of course I'd never do that (they can clearly tell I'm not very fond of them), but then I responded, "Well, sure. If I don't have to put ONE minute on the board today, I'll give you five minutes back. But one wasted minute and it's all over."
They were incredulous and quickly agreed to my terms.
I wish the principal would have walked by that class as I was teaching it, because I swear that horror class has never been so well behaved and quiet and hardworking in their whole academic career. For. Real.
So I gave 'em their five minutes and they were so estatic that they couldn't for the life of them line up silentely at the door. So I told them as soon as they could be in silence and stand still for 30 seconds, they could run off to their favorite class - gym. It only took me eight tries to be able to fully count to 30 without interuptions. Brother.
Still, an overall win for me, I'd say. ;) I just had to start approaching the blackboard and they'd all fall absolutely silent. It was truly amazing. Haha!!
After so much success I was ready for anything, which was good, 'cause when I walked into class with my 4th graders, I was told I would be leading the class by reviewing for their test on Tuesday.
Oh goodie, little kids' English marks on the line. Wonderful.
We started with "has got" "have got" and "had got" ... and I was supposed to make sure they knew when to use which when. So I wrote them on the board in a funny triangular way.
"Are we supposed to copy it like THAT?" they all asked, clearly bewildered at a teacher writing something not on the lines.
"Um, yeah, please."
I then proceeded to draw a cute little "she" and a handsome little "he" on the board, along with a cupcake with the word "it" on the wrapper. I put them under the "has got" heading. After I was finished with my work of art, I asked them to copy that, as well.
You have to understand, at this point, I had no idea what I was doing. I was totally BSing EVERYTHING. As it turns out, BSing isn't just useful as a student, but a super great tool to have mastered while acting as a teacher, as well! Who woulda guessed!? ;)
I then drew a sun, under the heading of "had got" and then drew an arrow facing towards the left (or, towards the "past") and explained to them this: "Look outside! TODAY is sunny. This little happy sun right here?" I paused to draw a smiley face in the sun. "Represents TODAY. But oh! There is an ARROW pointing towards the PAST. THIS!?" I paused and drew a huge crazy scribble behind the arrow. "THIS is the PAST!!!" I continued to draw more crazy scribbles on top of my crazy scribble. "Please copy!"
"You want us to draw that scribble?"
"Um, yes, please."
They were clearly having the time of their life. It might not seem like much, but these kids are lectured on which color pen to use for which thing in which notebook and how many squares to skip in their notebook and how to write their letters just so, etc. To tell them to SCRIBBLE in their notebook next to a smiling sun? This was like the most sacreligious thing they'd ever heard of - and they LOVED it. It felt "naughty" to them! Haha... poor 'lil guys.
I proceeded to draw a flow chart on the board (which they copied) stating that FIRST one must decide if something was happening NOW (HAPPY SUNSHINEY DAY TODAY!) or in the PAST (CRAZY AWESOME SCRIBBLE OF PASTNESS). Once they determined that, if they believed it happened NOW, they had to decide... was the thing happening to a "she" or a "he" or an "it"!?! Yes? Use "has got"!! No? Well then go with "have got" and you will be just fine.
Now, believe me - I was EXTREMELY animated about all of this. I was jumping around the room... doing an interpretive dance of a "past squiggle"... pretending to be a radiating ball of happy TODAYish sunshine and twirling round and round. I was all in. They were enraptured.
And so it was time to see if this ridiculousness had paid off. I orally told them seven sentences and had them fill in the gap. When they were done with each gap, I told them to give themselves bunny ears so I could know when to continue. If they were excited about drawing big squiggles in their notebook, you should have seen the pure joy and bliss on their face when they bunny-eared themselves! WHOA! You would thought I'd just told them Santa was coming that very afternoon!!! O_O
When we got through it all, it was time to correct the exercise. They got them all right - except for sentences with the word "ago" in them. They clearly were not grasping that "ago" was a past marker... AT ALL. And so I explained the general gist of the term and then had them write "a g o" in their notebooks, but had the tail on the 'g' turn into a crazy awesome arrow pointing towards the past. Little light bulbs seemed to flash on throughout the classroom. Even the teacher smiled and said, "Wow! That's very clever! I like it!"
BAMF TEACHER *nanananannana* BAMF TEACHER!!! Oh.... YEAH!!!!!
^_^
Bet those kids never had so much fun reviewing for a test before. ;) Man, I'm awesome.
All in all, a most successful day as a teacher - yay!!
XOXO
Monday, December 3, 2012
Day 91: SCOTTSKI!!
Today Abby and I actually woke up before noon. In celebration of this rarity, we went to the mall with Katie and Kaitlin. The three of them went primarily for the giant grocery store (/ Spain's version of Target), while I went to find the cheapest long sleeve black shirt I could find (2.99 euros - oh yeah!), as Al Campo was the main store near L's we'd go to for groceries, so it was far from a novelty for me.
After our mini excursion it was time for a nap and for Lazy Sunday to resume as usual. I did make it to the grocery store and made chicken marsala and asparagus for dinner, but that was really the excitement of the day!
Oh - except of course for one HUGE THING....
I'm getting my first visitor of the year on Thursday!!!
Bah! For real! Scott wrote on his Facebook a few days ago that he was thinking about taking a random trip to Europe for a few weeks. I casually commented on his post that I would totally be up for hosting him for a few days in Madrid and would love to show him around. He wrote me right back to tell me he purchased his ticket to Paris and would be in Madrid just in time for my four day weekend this week! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!?!?
I've been DYING to have somebody come and visit me!!! I am so excited to plan out what to show him and to pick him up from the airport and show him all around!!! I forget I know people who are just as jet-set and adventurous as I am, and can't wait to nerd out about travel and foreign cities with somebody else who will truly appreciate it!!! YAY!!!
XOXO
After our mini excursion it was time for a nap and for Lazy Sunday to resume as usual. I did make it to the grocery store and made chicken marsala and asparagus for dinner, but that was really the excitement of the day!
Oh - except of course for one HUGE THING....
I'm getting my first visitor of the year on Thursday!!!
Bah! For real! Scott wrote on his Facebook a few days ago that he was thinking about taking a random trip to Europe for a few weeks. I casually commented on his post that I would totally be up for hosting him for a few days in Madrid and would love to show him around. He wrote me right back to tell me he purchased his ticket to Paris and would be in Madrid just in time for my four day weekend this week! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!?!?
I've been DYING to have somebody come and visit me!!! I am so excited to plan out what to show him and to pick him up from the airport and show him all around!!! I forget I know people who are just as jet-set and adventurous as I am, and can't wait to nerd out about travel and foreign cities with somebody else who will truly appreciate it!!! YAY!!!
XOXO
Day 90: Abby & Chelsea Take Madrid
We woke up late (as usual), and then realized we were feeling much better and thought it a perfect day to take on Madrid together for the first time!! ^_^
We got into the city around 5pm and went on a mini adventure through the Letter's Neighborhood in search of the super yummy cookie store! A half hour later, we finally found it and bought a bag of 10 mini cookies to split (they lasted us all of twenty minutes - haha). Their new flavor - dark chocolate chip and raspberry - was incredibly delicious. OMG. I may just have to go back there on Tuesday before tango class! ;)
After our cookie journey, we went to Sol and up Gran Via for a little shopping. We started at the ginormous and gorgeous H&M, where I got a lavendar infinity scarf and Abby got a cute little marroon beanie/hat, and continued on our way until we reached the yummy pizza pie shop. A pizza and a fanta later we were on Fuencarral. We stopped in Mango, where we discovered the upstairs was an outlet and Abby got a beautifully chic black wool coat.
Sometimes I wish I could dress as mature and European as she does, but then I remember how much I love fuzzy things and bright colors, and I just give up. I have plenty of years to dress like a normal member of society - or plenty of years to embrace my strange style. o_O Sheesh. In all honesty, if I could find a gorgeous bubble gum pink wool jacket, I would totally go for it - color and class. The day I find my dream coat AND have the money, things will start coming together. ;)
We continued up through Malasana and back down to Plaza Espana. While we walked back up towards Callao, we came across the most ADORABLE leather store!!! Oh. My. Goodness! We walked around all three floors of the adorable store (called Salvador Bachiller) and Abby got a red leather pencil case and I got the most adorable little travel purse!
See, when I travel, I like to have a really tiny purse that I can always keep track of so that nobody has a chance to steal anything and so that it doesn't get too heavy while I'm walking about. This little purse is in the shape of a camera!! It is SO CUTE it's ridiculous!
With my crazy Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat coat, it looks admittedly really silly, but I think when I'm dressed in a real outfit, it will add just the right about of whimsy to it all to seem chic and playful!
After our amazing find, we walked to Plaza Mayor, but the lights still weren't lit. :( We decided to take a detour to Cien Montadidos for tapas and a cana (pint of beer) to end our night. :)
All in all, I really fun time with my dearest room roommate!! <3 It was really fun to be able to go into the city and not be at all nervous about the company I was with for the first time. Abby is the bestest and I'm so lucky and grateful she's my roomie!!
XOXO
We got into the city around 5pm and went on a mini adventure through the Letter's Neighborhood in search of the super yummy cookie store! A half hour later, we finally found it and bought a bag of 10 mini cookies to split (they lasted us all of twenty minutes - haha). Their new flavor - dark chocolate chip and raspberry - was incredibly delicious. OMG. I may just have to go back there on Tuesday before tango class! ;)
After our cookie journey, we went to Sol and up Gran Via for a little shopping. We started at the ginormous and gorgeous H&M, where I got a lavendar infinity scarf and Abby got a cute little marroon beanie/hat, and continued on our way until we reached the yummy pizza pie shop. A pizza and a fanta later we were on Fuencarral. We stopped in Mango, where we discovered the upstairs was an outlet and Abby got a beautifully chic black wool coat.
Sometimes I wish I could dress as mature and European as she does, but then I remember how much I love fuzzy things and bright colors, and I just give up. I have plenty of years to dress like a normal member of society - or plenty of years to embrace my strange style. o_O Sheesh. In all honesty, if I could find a gorgeous bubble gum pink wool jacket, I would totally go for it - color and class. The day I find my dream coat AND have the money, things will start coming together. ;)
We continued up through Malasana and back down to Plaza Espana. While we walked back up towards Callao, we came across the most ADORABLE leather store!!! Oh. My. Goodness! We walked around all three floors of the adorable store (called Salvador Bachiller) and Abby got a red leather pencil case and I got the most adorable little travel purse!
See, when I travel, I like to have a really tiny purse that I can always keep track of so that nobody has a chance to steal anything and so that it doesn't get too heavy while I'm walking about. This little purse is in the shape of a camera!! It is SO CUTE it's ridiculous!
With my crazy Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat coat, it looks admittedly really silly, but I think when I'm dressed in a real outfit, it will add just the right about of whimsy to it all to seem chic and playful!
After our amazing find, we walked to Plaza Mayor, but the lights still weren't lit. :( We decided to take a detour to Cien Montadidos for tapas and a cana (pint of beer) to end our night. :)
All in all, I really fun time with my dearest room roommate!! <3 It was really fun to be able to go into the city and not be at all nervous about the company I was with for the first time. Abby is the bestest and I'm so lucky and grateful she's my roomie!!
XOXO
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Day 89: Sick Day
I woke up this morning with a terribly sore throat. I could barely swallow and barely talk. I texted my boss at the school and asked her if I should stick it out for my two classes I had that day or if I should just go to the doctor. A little while later she told me to go straight to the doctor - that I only had two classes and not to worry about them. She told me to rest up and feel better soon and then texted me a little kissy heart smiley face. <3
Aww!!!
So I went back to sleep around 8:30 am and didn't wake up until 4 pm!!!
Clearly, I really needed extra sleep - bad. Maybe it was the two tango classes this week that took it out of me?
I awoke to find Abby napping in her bed. Apparently, she had a sore throat, too. By the time I woke up it was almost 100% gone, but hers was still bothering her. So we lazed around in bed a bit more and then finally got ourselves to the doctor.
Because the country has public healthcare, and we have private healthcare with our program, everyone goes to the doctor for the smallest thing (i.e. a sore throat). I felt a little guilty, like I was taking advantage of their system and wasting the doctor's time, but it's just something that seems to be normal here. We went and she told us we were just fine - just a swollen throat that would go away with rest - and she wrote me a doctor's note for missing work, and we were off!
We went to the grocery store and came home and made tomato basil bisque with grilled cheeses and cozied up on the couch and watched "Mickey Blue Eyes."
Sometimes, a sick day is just what a couple of girls need. <3
XOXO
Aww!!!
So I went back to sleep around 8:30 am and didn't wake up until 4 pm!!!
Clearly, I really needed extra sleep - bad. Maybe it was the two tango classes this week that took it out of me?
I awoke to find Abby napping in her bed. Apparently, she had a sore throat, too. By the time I woke up it was almost 100% gone, but hers was still bothering her. So we lazed around in bed a bit more and then finally got ourselves to the doctor.
Because the country has public healthcare, and we have private healthcare with our program, everyone goes to the doctor for the smallest thing (i.e. a sore throat). I felt a little guilty, like I was taking advantage of their system and wasting the doctor's time, but it's just something that seems to be normal here. We went and she told us we were just fine - just a swollen throat that would go away with rest - and she wrote me a doctor's note for missing work, and we were off!
We went to the grocery store and came home and made tomato basil bisque with grilled cheeses and cozied up on the couch and watched "Mickey Blue Eyes."
Sometimes, a sick day is just what a couple of girls need. <3
XOXO
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