Certified

So, guess who is a certified TEFL teacher? Me!!!!!!!

It's officially over. The test has been taken, the projects completed, the lessons taught, the certificate received. Next step: land in Cuenca and do this thing! But before that, I still have some time here in Barcelona. And, I feel very content just chilling out in this city; no need for anything lavish or over-the-top. I'm here, I'm happy, I'm good. I have this sensation about me right now that's telling me everything is how it should be. I do not need to worry, because really, what does worrying ever accomplish? Nothing, except giving you a massive headache, maybe. This feeling of being at peace began around mid-afternoon yesterday. Yes, I think that's about accurate.

I was heading to the school to give my housemate some support, since she was teaching her final lesson. (She was given an A in the TEFL course, by the way, go her!) She was also expecting me, I think, because she knew I would want to say goodbye to the attractive guy who works at the school. So I went into the school to do just that, when I saw him with a girl, presumably his girlfriend. And yeah, that hurt and I got all woe-is-me, I knew this wasn't going to go anywhere, but just seeing the girl is very suckish, and even if I do find something special, it'll never work because I want to travel all over and blah blah blah. But that only lasted about an hour. It's my life, so I'm getting used to it. Anyway, I got over myself and congratulated my housemate for her job well done, and we headed for the Magic Fountain, which is just what it sounds like. Sort of.

We had lots of time to spare before the water show at the fountain, so we just sat on the steps of the art museum in front of the fountain and chatted. And it was wonderful. A little fitting as well, considering we did this after our first experience teaching in Barcelona. So here we were after our last experience teaching in Barcelona. And we were closer friends this time and we were accomplished and we were happy. And we were happy and we were happy and we were happy. A trio of street musicians began to play. Later, some film recording was going on, and this elderly lady had to repeat her one line for about an hour and adjust the crinkles in her scarf 80 times before the film people finally got the shot they wanted. The musical trio resumed playing, and I sat there, watching the sunset behind them, feeling the Barcelona heat on my shoulders, feeling completely at peace and wondering what I had done to deserve such a life. I must've been super-awesome in my past lives to be living this life right now.

My housemate and I got to talking about how we imagined our lives would be by the time we were 22, and I just had this to say: "I'm absolutely okay with where my life is right now...I have nothing to complain about." I have a thousand lifetimes of thanking that I have to live now, but I have nothing to complain about. In this moment, life is being extremely kind to me.

As with all feelings (the good and the bad), this one too shall pass. It can't stay forever, it's only nature's way. But that doesn't mean it won't return, and it also doesn't mean that this present feeling will be replaced with something horrible and ugly. So, for the moment, I'm going to enjoy where I am right now, and I'm going to be thankful for it. I'm not going to expect it to last, because it won't. And that's okay. When it leaves, I can think, oh, there it goes, but that's not so bad. I'm glad it was here.

One thing that won't be going anywhere anytime soon is my certificate. I am a certified TEFL teacher, what? For real? Before you raise doubts that someone becoming a teacher in a month, I must point out that this course is internationally-recognized and certified. I have completed all of the requirements for certification, including learning grammar, phonemics (among other aspects), and how to teach them. I have completed x amount of hours learning in class and y amount of hours teaching students. I have completed the projects required for this certification and I have passed the TEFL exam. I did it!

And I congratulate all of those people who did it with me.

Take the TEFL exam? Check. Give my final lesson? Check. I FEEL GOOD.

Really good.

And I'm getting very excited for the next stop on this road of life. I am feeling very positive right now, in case you haven't noticed! In fact, I have decided that I have a lot to be very grateful for right about now...

I'm in Spain, first of all. Again. (gratitude x 2!)
I have met some awesome people here, and I plan to keep in touch with them.
My parents are giving me a lot of emotional support right now that it makes me realize yet again, how incredibly selfless they are.
My mother made my week with this sentence: "Love you more than anyone or anything." I am not an only child, mind you...*hint hint* Favorite child! No, just kidding.
I have a job that I will soon be doing. I will be getting a paycheck. Ah...just the thought of this is enough to make me smile.
I feel great about my TEFL exam and my final lesson.
I am seeing a friend from Barcelona on Friday: my hostess from last summer...a.k.a. Tia Carmen.
I am pretty much living one of my dreams (travelling, and working while doing it.)

I'm not trying to come across as boastful; it's just that it's a good time to realize where I am right now (figuratively speaking) and I need to reflect on the people and circumstances that got me here. It's truly amazing when you think about it...I was never even going to attend Albright. But I did, and there I discovered my love of Spanish. And through Spanish I was introduced to studying abroad. And through studying abroad I found out that I absolutely love it abroad. And through that love came the idea that maybe I could work abroad. And now I'm here, and I'm learning to become an English teacher, and I'm headed to South America in a few days, and I couldn't be more grateful.

So many people deserve a genuine thank you from me for all of their help. Too many to list here, and most likely, they know who they are. Many of them have been thanked before, but giving thanks for me is kind of like eating sushi-I can never get enough of it.

Speaking of sushi, I've been moving towards becoming a full vegetarian, and now the only time I eat fish is when I eat sushi. Being abroad, I probably won't be eating much sushi. It's not that it's not available, it's just that I need to pinch pennies like crazy, so no dining out! However, I will be eating better once I get to Ecuador. I must admit, I've been a bit nutrient-deficient here in Spain, due to how much I am trying to save money and "be cheap." But, I've come to the realization that I cannot be cheap when it comes to my health. I don't eat very expensive food anyway, so I made a promise to myself that once I get to Ecuador, I am going to treat my body right, and give it what it needs. I will also keep practicing my daily meditation, and I want to start doing Yoga more as well. Back at Albright, I loved going to Yoga class every Thursday. So I will try to do Yoga for an hour a week.

This post is becoming a rant about me. Too much me. Let's focus on Barcelona.

Right.

Yesterday I hit up the Arc de Triompf, which is a replica of France's arches. I can only imagine that the arches in France are quite a majestic sight, and the Arc de Trimopf in Barcelona is also worth a look. It is located next to a very beautiful park, a nice place to relax after a day of class. I had visited both the Arc and the park last summer, so it felt nice not to pull a tourist move and snap photos. I just walked leisurely through the gardens, said hello to the giant woolly mammoth sculpture, and scaled the stairs of the fountain to get a nice view of the city. Just because I'm creepy, I watched people paddle canoes in the pond that sits in the park. A father and his daughter, two friends spending the day touring Barcelona, a couple taking photos; it was a charming-if a bit tacky-picture of midsummer fun. Around the end of my stint in Barcelona last summer I also visited this park...that time with the closest friend I met in the city, my friend Areum. We still keep in touch, and as she lives in South Korea, she is super excited that I would really love to go there soon. Let's hope teaching works out well for me. Anyway, visiting the park at the conclusion of this stay in Spain seemed a bit fitting. Cheesy, but that's okay. I think I'm entitled to be a bit cheesy, considering I haven't been uber-touristy this summer.

That reminds me of how local I felt today! Walking down the street, I thought I looked pretty sharp: my white dress that I call my "Spanish dress" because it just looks Spanish (I can't explain it), my black blazer that I call my "teaching blazer" because honestly, when would I ever really wear a blazer (I'm not that polished), and a cross-body satchel that doesn't scream I'M A TOURIST (and yes, I used the word satchel because I happen to like that word.) Looking around, I blended in quite nicely with the catalans. A woman even approached me and starting talking to me in Spanish. And that made me feel extremely cool.

And I somehow managed to start and end this post with writing about how nice I feel. Hm, how nice.

Last Days!

Ah! My last few days in Barcelona! Quick...must see and do everything that I can! That's pretty much what's going through my head these days. Part of me wants to just run around the city and see things. Yet, another part of me just wants to relax and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere that is Barcelona in mid-summer.

There's nothing I'm dying to do that I haven't done yet. Don't think that I'm saying I've seen all that Barcelona has to offer. I could never say that. It's just that it's to the point where I feel as if this place is a home away from home; I feel more at home here than back in my town in the U.S. I still stumble with the language (especially that catalan, I've GOT to learn that!) and there will always be political issues that I won't fully grasp or understand, but I've come to relish those days walking down the streets, getting lost on purpose, and then realizing I've been here before. I like that now I can go to places such as the Arc de Triompf or Port Vell, and I don't have to grip my camera and pause to take pictures of every little thing. I still walk by some masterpieces (Gaudi, hello?!) and marvel at them, but I can look at the tourist lines and the families with matching T-shirts and bucket hats...and I can move on and enjoy my day. I need to use a map less frequently now (so liberating!) and I now need more than my own two hands to count the number of friends I have who live here. Yeah, that makes me feel pretty cool, not gonnna lie.

As my days here wind down, I'm beginning to miss the city, yet again (even though I'm still here!) There are many things I'll miss: the people, the flags hanging from balconies, the view from the apartment I'm staying at...the attractive men, the number of bicyclists on the streets, the pictures of paella taunting my empty wallet...

I'll also miss the new friends I've made. I think I've met some keepers, most of them from countries other than my own...hmm...

So, I'm preparing to leave this culture for another...Cuenca, Ecuador. Of course things are much more different in South America. In Spain, there is still some Western culture, but Ecuadorian culture is very different. How different? I'll tell you as I learn!

The Good, the bad, and the ugly

Barcelona's got it all...and by that, I mean all the good things and all the bad things too. Maybe not really the ugly things (everyone here is very attractive; is it the water?) Even so, it's necessary to step back, take off the rose-colored glasses, and stop honeymooning in Barcelona.

That's not super easy to do. This city is wonderful: the people are open and friendly, the food is fabulous, if you're into booze, it's super cheap, there's natural beauty (beach, sea, mountains, parks, etc;) and catalans just have that easy-going, it's-all-good vibe about them that is contagious! Hello two-hour lunch breaks! This is the city where having a coffee break means spending 3 hours chatting with a friend, and a 10-euro menu del dia can fill you up for the next two days. It's where you can take your dog to the mall with you and then marvel that the mall you're in is actually a repurposed bull-fighting ring. And it's the place where a friend will tell you that it's okay if you crash at their place for a few weeks while you get settled...and they totally mean it.

Yet, Barcelona is like any other city, of course. It's not sheltered from the urban chaos and calamities that wreak havoc elsewhere. It's where the world's most talented pickpockets sneak around and train new thieves. It's where tons of tourists come for inexpensive alcohol and then make fools out of themselves in the streets. It's a city that has as much social and political tension as any other large city would have (I was told my watch, which has a Spanish flag design, may upset some catalans. Demonstrations and protests are also not a rare sight.)

I'm extremely happy to be here in Barcelona, for sure. Yet, I realized that I've only been here in the summertime, when the city is at its finest. After talking with people (locals and foreigners alike,) I learned that the city isn't always turned on. Come December, is Barcelona still that party-haven, that seaside city bustling with nightlife and clubs? No. The people here turn in early in the off-season (fall and winter) and the streets aren't crowded with people constantly interacting. Parties don't happen every night, and most locals would rather head home after work than go out with colleagues.

Personally, I'm okay with that. I haven't been to a club here yet, and that's perfectly fine. Part of the reason is because I'm broke. The other reason is that it's just not my scene. I think I would still love Barcelona if I were here year-round; there's plenty of people who have visited and stayed for the long run. But, I'm glad I'm leaving for now. I can always come back (hopefully. My wallet will be the judge for that.)

It's important to remember that no matter where you are, there are awesome aspects of the location, and not-so-awesome aspects of it. New places always seem fantastic because everything is new. Wherever you came from usually seems tired, boring, and ho-hum. And while that may be true, it's important to keep an open mind and see all sides of it. I don't want to go back to Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, no way. But, there are places within Philadelphia that are super-great. It'd be cool to live and work in Barcelona, but I have other opportunities presenting themselves to me.

As for right now, in this very moment I am sick with a cold. Sore throat, congestion, headache, it's fabulous. And while trying to rest in bed, the neighbors were singing loudly in French. On second thought, I wouldn't call this singing; she sounded as if she were choking on sangria. There's the ugly side of Barcelona, I guess.

Random thoughts...I have a girl-crush in Barcelona, I have a teacher-crush in Barcelona, and I have a oh-my-gosh-this-guy-is-extremely-attractive-and-actually-a-good-guy crush. So I think I'm good.

Hasta luego.

Career Guidance

Sometimes we just have so much to think about, and we feel as if we don't have enough time to do it!

We recently received some career guidance at school, and although I'm not sure how much guidance it truly offered, it definitely got me thinking. What can I actually do with this TEFL certificate? I keep hearing different stories and opinions, and I'm crossing my fingers and telling myself that this class wasn't a waste of money (even though, on the bright side, I got to be in Barcelona again.)

I hear some people say a TEFL certificate is completely worthless in the States, which I'm kind of fine with because I want to be out of the States for a while. I have another person telling me they took this same class in the past, and it did not help them in the least. He has since started his own language academy in Barcelona and is apparently very well off. Hmm...I have other people telling me lots of places all over the world will hire someone with a TEFL certificate (or even without one.) I really don't know what to believe, but listening to this career guidance was still exciting.

Here's some of what I've learned (or at least been told): there are basically three tracks to take when teaching English. You could 1) teach at a language academy, 2) teach business classes (which is really teaching English within a company or business,) or 3) teach one-on-one or group private lessons. Of course, you would probably need to do some combination of two or three of these to be very well off. And, without a doubt, each option has its fair share of positives and negatives, as with any job.

As for locations, Barcelona is apparently a lush land of English-teaching jobs. Madrid is also a good choice, whereas more rural areas will have less openings. Makes sense. South Korea and Japan will pay for almost everything related to getting there and staying there, and the pay is phenomenal. China, Thailand, and Indonesia are also countries offering a nice salary; Southeast Asia in general would be a good bet. India would be more for "experience" rather than lots of money. Germany and Switzerland are out; very difficult to land an English-teaching job there (not sure why.) Turkey is a good choice if you are looking for money. Saudi Arabia is fairly generous in their salaries, but then again, you'd be living in Saudi Arabia and confined to a compound that guards your life. I didn't hear much about South America, but I'm assuming it's low pay (similar to what I will be receiving in Ecuador.)

Again, this is just what I heard in class. Still, it's enticing to think that I could travel to many different countries and teach. On Tuesday, I'll meet with my career advisor to go over my plans. And I'm making a laundry list of doubts, concerns, and questions for him! A pipedream for me would be ... do my year in Ecuador, go to South Korea (I have a friend there and I'm dying to go to Asia,) and I still feel a gravitational pull yanking me to Barcelona. Could be that it's the first city I've been to that's abroad, my first love if you will. I just feel extremely happy here. But, I think moving on right now is a good thing for me. You can't know what's best if you never try anything else. For now, let's go to Ecuador. Jeez, I hope they're ready for this crazy girl.

On a side note, I've been talking to my friends here about being abroad and how our families are taking it. Everyone except me seems to be getting bombarded with messages of "I miss you" and "come back home!" Me? I've heard from my mother once, my sister (who refused to hug me goodbye and then shut the door on me) barely seems interested in anything I do, and I hear from my dad occassionally. One friend has Skyped with me so far, which was amazing; just to get that face-time with someone back home that I care about. I'm not trying to whine that "nobody loves me or misses me"...and I know my family has never been the affectionate type. I also know my family and friends have their own lives that they need to be attentive too, and the world isn't revolving around me and my pursuits. It's just a little strange when all of your friends discuss how tight their families are, and you just kind of listen, go home, check your email, and find a bunch of spam. Nothing from family. Maybe that's why it's so easy for me to just pick up and leave.

I LOVE MY FAMILY. That's for sure; without a doubt. I'd do anything for them. It's just that right now, I'm on a different continent, and I guess we're all just fine with that. Someday, I want them to travel somewhere with me, to see what it is that gives me such life, that inspires me to sketch, that makes me want to leave all I know behind and take a risk and learn something new. Everyone's got a passion, and travelling is one of mine. It's not wrong, it's not right. It's not good, nor bad. It just is. And if we all could just be comfortable with what is, wouldn't it be so much easier to be happy?

I've been in Spain over a week now, and it's almost surreal being back in the city that gave me the travel bug. Visiting places I've been before and feeling that eerie sense that it's familiar, but it's still new. I love that.

For example, the other day one of my housemates and I went to the Laberinto d'Horta, a stunning area full of lush gardens, classical architecture, and a dizzying maze constructed of greenery. It's one of those places that young girls imagine having their wedding at (except me). Seriously. I was here last summer, but I still managed to find new things this time around, such as a wooded hiking trail (that was cut short due to my inadequate footwear; I destroyed a pair of flats, but they were on their last legs anyway.) I also discovered a sculpture that I didn't remember, very gorgeous. It was a great bonding time with my housemate, and it was nice to be surrounded by so much nature in a fairly industrialized city. That's one of my favorite things about Barcelona: I still get to be in an urban setting, but I don't need to go far to walk along the sea, explore the mountains, or simply take in the fresh air of a large garden.

My second teaching experience just took place this afternoon, and while I don't feel as thrilled about this one, it was still fairly decent. I think I may be tougher on myself than my own teachers! Things I'm very good at: letting my personality and sense of humor shine through in the classroom, and using it to establish a solid relationship with my students. While doing that, I still present myself in a professional manner, and my "teacher talk" (pace, monitoring, etc.) is on-point. I use the board efficiently, and I concept-check often. The students always seem comfortable talking with me (but then again, that could be my extremely youthful appearance. Who cares, I'm just gonna work it!) Things I need to improve: my approach to giving instructions needs a whole lot of polishing. No need for details here, but it's a major adjustment that needs to be made! Luckily, I have Thursday to redeem myself!

It seems a little crazy that I'm going to be doing this (teaching) for real in a few weeks...will I be ready? Will my students learn enough? Will I get fired? Will I just break down and want to go home? Will I go hungry from lack of money? (SERIOUSLY BROKE OVER HERE...) Yet, I just feel that everything will work out; the world has a funny way of working, and if we spend too much time worrying about the future, we'll totally miss out on the present moment. Which for me is being in Barcelona, a city I love, learning how to be kick-ass at my future job, meeting new friends, and having awesome experiences that I can look back on later and say "I'm so glad that I did that." And that's what's up.

My weekend was spectacular. I visited Parc Guell, and was reminded of why I busted my ass for a year writing a thesis on it. And then I gazed at Gaudi's lovely masterpiece and realized, hell, he busted his ass way more than I did. I sat in the park and sketched for a bit, which made me feel amazing, because sketching after a short break from it always makes me feel amazing. I'm cutting down on those breaks between sketches, which is also wonderful. Even though I'm not pursuing a job in the arts right now, it's still a huge part of my life; it's part of who I am, and that's never going to change. When I have some sketches I consider worthy enough for this blog, I'll post 'em.

I also met one of my pen-pals last weekend. Three cheers for not getting catfished! While he lives in Spain now, he is originally from Peru. I asked him about the whole Peruvians-having-a-beef-with-Ecuadorians thing, and he told me it's embedded in their history. He said nowadays, most people are okay with each other, but those who live near the border are a little more on edge. I think I'm going to do some research and figure this out a bit more. Anyway, we went to Camp Nou, the stadium where FC Barcelona plays. I can honestly say I have a much greater appreciation for soccer-I mean futbol- than I did before this visit. In the States, it's such a minor sport; it's not even secondary. Yet, almost everywhere else in the world, it's the national pasttime, and honestly, I can see why. I was actually pretty into it! The museum had interactive displays and big-screen TVs recapping some great moments in FCB's history. Just watching some of the players score goals was incredible. The game seems so fast-paced and exciting, with the crowd's energy, and the commentators' GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!, and the amazing feats these athletes pull off. I would be interested in seeing a game, live. That won't happen during this visit though, sorry (wallet probs.)

I also reunited with my hostess from last summer. I consider her more as an aunt, and she's absolutely wonderful; proof that once you make a friend in Spain, they're your friend for life. We planned to meet in the city's main plaza, which had me kind of skeptical, because we both dislike that area (too many tourists and super hectic), but then she led me down a narrow street, and told me she was taking me to a secret place, a place only the socios know.  We ended up at the Ateneu Barcelones, an institution for literary learning (she's taking a class on novels there right now.) It was breath-taking inside, with a huge library that had frescoed ceilings and ancient texts (mostly in catalan), a bar area for students to snack at, and a large courtyard with a garden and pond, where we sat and chatted for a while. She really calmed my nerves about a lot of things I've been stressing about (money, what the hell I want to do with my life, and where I want to go, both literally and figuratively.) Maybe it's a Spanish thing, but everyone I talk to here just seems to ease my mind and help me believe that I will be okay. And I firmly believe that they're right.

Maybe I don't know that teaching English is the career path I want to take. Maybe I'll be scraping by for a while, just trying to make ends meet. Maybe my future won't be super-easy, and mapped-out, and flashing at me in bright neon colors. But, that doesn't mean that I'm going to just sit at home, cower in fear, and whine about it. I'm young, capable, open, and willing to learn and experience. This is the time to just go for it, and that's what I am going to do.

Student Teaching

First experience student teaching. Wow!

I was so terrified (me? Teach English? I'm just starting to understand English grammar!) Even so, I had an awesome group of students. They were in Level 3, which is Intermediate, so they had good vocabulary, and they were comfortable with English. More importantly, they were comfortable communicating with me, which made my job so much easier. As I learned, it's about the students doing the work. Outside the classroom is when I work, but inside the classroom, the pressure should be off of me (given that I planned ahead,) and on the students.

After my class, my observing teacher had lots of great things to say! I had no major slip-ups, and he told me that I conduct a very calm, relaxed classroom environment. Hey, I'll take it!

After teaching, I headed to the Magic Fountain with my housemate, and we were greeted with a rainbow when we got there! I swear, it was surreal...almost out of a dream. The beautiful MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Arte de Catalunya), the huge fountain, and an ominously dark sky intermingled with an arco iris (rainbow!)

Life is good.

El primer dia

The first day of classes. Wow. I'm beat. It's pretty intense, with the school day starting by 10am and ending around 7:30-8:00pm. Lots of information today, and it's kind of a whirlwind! But in a good way. I've already learned so much!

First, we all introduced ourselves, and there were so many different accents going on that I almost forgot I was in Spain. There are a handful of people from the US, lots from the UK, and a sprinkling of other fun nationalities...Algeria, Romania, Catalonia, Turkey...Very interesting to learn British slang and pronounciation. Try saying "neighborhood" the British way and the American way. It's really funny how the same words can sound so different. Sometimes, I have to ask my classmates from the UK to repeat themselves, even when they're speaking English to me! I guess us Americans can sound funny to them as well...hm..should I teach my future students to pronounce water my way (wooder)? Represent, Philly.

After introductions, we had to give a mini-lesson on whatever we wanted. I chose to give a lesson on deep breathing. I am now referred to as the kind-of-hippie-girl who practices yoga and meditation. And hey, I'm totally cool with that! I also met a fellow classmate who taught English in Ecuador last year! Very exciting; a different area than me, but she loved it, which makes me very eager for my journey!

Later in the day, we observed two teachers in their classes, and I learned a lot just watching two classes today. I enjoyed sitting in on the classes and watching how the teachers engaged with their students. Still, it will be terrifying to do it myself, but that's what I'm here for!

Class today was followed by FREE TAPAS. Um...yes. Please. I was very happy with that. Patatas bravas, tortilla de patata, pan con tomate...and more. Yum yum yum. Can't turn down free food. Especially free Spanish food.

I am exhausted after today. Even so, it was a good day, and I like my group of classmates. Always a good sign.

Well, bona nit. It's time to call it a night (although it's early by catalan standards, 11pm)

Bienvenido a Barcelona

The croissant they served us for breakfast on the plane seemed fitting, given we were about an hour from landing in Barcelona, Spain. Being so close to France, a croissant is a very common snack here. Surprisingly, I got some sleep (after I contorted myself into the fetal position in a tiny airplane seat, which apparently was the position my body demanded for me to fall asleep.) Nine hours in a plane is not fun. Of course, there were lots of Spaniards on my flight, and seeing the difference in their behaviors and attitudes was quite striking. So many of them were so upbeat and peppy, even after such a long flight. I heard laughter, saw smiles, and felt some of that carefree vibe that people around here just seem to give off. How do they do that? Even speaking with one of my program directors, who is from London, it seemed that this city just exudes "relax" and "life's good." Although, having read up on Spain, life is not exactly fantastic. There are still troubles and problems to deal with, but the stress level just seems to not exist here, at least not in public.

But I'm not complaining...I'm in Barcelona; that city that infected me with the bug. The I-need-to-go-everywhere-and-anywhere-I-can bug. Note: there is no remedy for this bug; only more travel. Upon arriving at the airport, I was greeted by one of the assistants to the school I will be attending (by the way, I'm here to learn how to teach. In 4 weeks, yes, but let's hope they're some incredibly intensive 4 weeks.) As he drove me to my homestay, my eyes wandered around, dancing over all of the sights. Some were familiar (Mount Tibidabo!), others weren't (where did that above-ground cemetery come from?) It was as if I were in a dream. Then I realized I was broke and had to penny-pinch to the extreme. I think that's when I woke up.

All kidding aside, I am beyond happy to be here. Without sounding too gushy, there are so many people to thank for this experience. Above all, my parents. Without them, I never would have been enrolled in an English-teaching course in Barcelona, and then on my way to Ecuador for a job as a teacher. My parents supported me right from the start, which is a lot more than some people can say. I realize how lucky I am. I feel almost like a rich brat (which I'm NOT) when people ask me if this is my first time in Barcelona, and I answer "no, I was here last summer." It makes me feel privileged, which I suppose I am, truthfully. It makes me feel a bit guilty when I talk about where I've been and what I've done. I hear it all the time, "I can't afford it." Well, honestly, neither can I. I got loans, I spent my life savings, then saved up for a year and spent my life savings again. I had tremendously generous people who believed in me help me out. I'm in debt. How American.

Speaking of being American (or, I should say, from the U.S;) I already experienced some-I'll call it dislike-over my nationality. I know lots of people from other cultures don't like people from the States, or have skewed perceptions of them. Likewise, people from the States have false ideas about other cultures as well. I'm probably the first U.S. citizen to say I'm not really "proud to be an American", as awful as that sounds. I have some beefs with this country, but don't we all? Anyway, I went into a tienda today, and the cashier was not Spanish, but she wasn't from the States either. I want to say she was from India. And what the hell, I happen to find India's culture one of the most interesting! So, there were two customers ahead of me (both Spanish), and the cashier is very polite and courteous and all. Then she gets to me, and transforms into an ice queen. I say "thank you" and "have a nice day" in Spanish, and she doesn't say anything. I wait for a few seconds, and she scolds me for saying "have a nice day." According to her, it wasn't the right time of day to say that. Then she stares at me until I leave. Ouch...I have now been on the receiving end of prejudice. And there was a slice of humble pie at this end. Live and learn! (Does this change my perceptions of people who share that cashier's nationality? No way.)

On a positive note, my homestay is nice. My hostess is kind, and her apartment is huge! I swear, "apartment" here means "palace." I think it's the size of my dad's house, if you aligned all the rooms horizontally. Also, everything is on an overwhelming scale...the entrance has huge iron gates, the elevator is tiny, but old school with hinged doors, and most of the rooms are spacious and open. My homestay is on the 4th floor, and the architecture is a little ornate and decorative. The doors are almost floor-to-ceiling and on a grand scale. There are two balconies that bring a refreshing breeze through the hallway. Downside: pigeons like to congregate outside my bedroom window. Hopefully they're not as bad as Philly pigeons, but these ones can actually fly. The apartment is situated in a less hectic part of the city, but a straight shot to the more popular cafes, shops, and restaurants. There are 4 others living here, and 3 of them will be taking the same course as me. So that's exciting! More on them in a later post.

Tomorrow is our first day at the school. I'm super-excited. I can't wait to meet people, to learn, and to be overwhelmed (in a good way!) I'm going to see if I can do this 4 week stint here without a metro pass, because it will save me money. Hm...what do you think?

Hasta pronto!