Galicia

Took a weekend trip north to Galicia for three days and was able to visit Santiago de Compostela & Acoruña while battling the wrath of Santiago and his tsunami. The Northwest part of Spain was anything I have ever experienced - I was able to try pulpo, walk through the Puerta Santa of La Catedral de Santiago, and visit the oldest functioning lighthouse in the world. After an hour long flight from Madrid I could have believed that I was in Ireland (until I heard all the locals speaking gaellgo).

La Catedral de Santiago:

Inline waiting to go through La Puerta Santa -

It is only open on holy years when St. Jame´s day falls on a Sunday:

In Acoruña at the top of El Torre de Hercules:

In Acoruña:

Un beso, Rachel

Alcalá de Hernares

Today was a festival day in Madrid. I didn’t have class and Maria and David didn’t have to work so we decided to spend the day in Alcalá de Herenes and enjoy the awesome fall weather. David, my intercambio partner, has a car so we had the pleasure of skipping public transportation (and enduring Madrid traffic - never again) and drove about 20 minutes to Alcala.

Alcalá is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. Christopher Colombus first met with The Queen Isabel in Alcalá to discuss his journey to America in 1504. I had a wonderful time having lunch, wandering the streets, and touring Cervantez’s childhood home.

Un beso, Rachel

Los Conciertos

The last two weekends have been filled with concerts and craziness! Last weekend I went to see Michael Buble with a co-worker from my old job. Michael Bublé attempting to speak in Spanish – life doesn’t get better than this.

This weekend MTV had their European music awards in Madrid. I can’t stand Katie Perry (or Kah-teeee Purrr-y as the Spaniards say) but I braved the crowds with my roommate and two friends to attempt to be blessed with a performance. Sadly (I am being more than sarcastic here) our closterphobia and common sense kicked in and we left after an hour of waiting. Below are a few pictures from the concert and the stage before the mobs of people almost took our lives.

Eva Longoria, the presenter of the European Music Awards, dressed up as jamón:

Before the MTV catastrophe we went to a festival inside Las Ventas in La Plaza de Toros. Las Ventas is the most famous bullring in all of Spain – I have yet to see a bullfight here in Spain but if I can get over my fears I hope to see a bullfight here before I leave.

Un beso, Rachel

La límonada de los limones

I’ve had big (and wonderful) changes lately in my life! A week or so ago I was struggling with my role and reasons for being in Spain. I came to Spain with the goal of improving my Spanish and while teaching English and enjoying life in Europe. After a month of working as a language assistant in el colegio I began to feel desperate – I spent most of my time sitting in a chair listening to a Spaniard teaching students in English and correcting the teacher’s pronunciation (I need to mention, though, that others here in the program have not all had similar experiences and some are being use effectively and correctly in their schools – more or less, I think it was luck of the draw).

Applying for this job I assumed I would have an active role in the classroom and would be provided with the opportunity to create lessons (or activities to supplement the content at hand) to improve students’ understanding of English and American culture, however, I felt that my position was far from my assumptions. Due to a lack of resources, communication and preparation, my role in the classroom was ineffective. Doing nothing has always been difficult for me – no matter the circumstances – thus, sitting in a classroom as a seat warmer day-in and day-out was not appealing (let alone beneficial to my students or me).

After much consideration, deliberation, and talking with the appropriate people I came to the conclusion it would be best to resign from my position and begin taking classes at a University in Madrid to use my time effectively. To quit this job was as much of a disappointment as it was a relief – I let myself down because I could no longer continue to teach students but in reality I wasn’t actually provided with that opportunity. I have signed up for sixteen credit hours at La Complutense in Madrid and will live in Spain through the Spring while teaching English privately to pay my rent ;)

I have already taken a week of classes and am amazed with professors and the university, thus far, and hope that I am able to use my time effectively while still being able enjoy Madrid. I’ll keep you updated – but hopefully this is the camino I’ve been looking for.

Un beso, Rachel