La vida vallisoletana

Hello (with a phlegm filled 'h')!

The Spanishized version of English that my students speak "ya me está pegando" (is really rubbing off on me)! Today I said "I am all the time going there." Okay...

I thought I would write an update now that I am finally settled in here. The happiest day of my life in Valladolid thus far was last week when the department of English at my high school was finally complete. The absent department head (who had been out sick since the first day with a shoulder injury...?) and the two teachers who had been in Connecticut with an exchange group for three weeks all returned. Not that the substitute teachers weren't nice, but they could have really cared less that I was there. Today was probably the second happiest day because my schedule is now set and I have my own classrooms! The idea is that for the English classes to which I am assigned (in the end I can't teach all of them) I will take half of the students with me each day for a separate "conversation" class and today one of the vice principals finally kept his promise and got me a classroom for each class I will be working with. We started doing this last week with a few classes and the students are so much better when they are just with me and there are just 15 instead of 30 of them. I'm kind of a novelty since I am both younger and foreign, so the students behave a little bit better for me. (As a side note: when I first arrived I was so appalled by how the kids act in class. It's completely unbelievable. But many people in this field--other teachers at the high school, my roommate, other teachers at the academy [more on that to come]--have all commented to me that a) now a days that kind of behavior is normal here b) the Spanish education system has completely gone down the tubes and c) they think the schools should be more like in the States. Wow. Definitely the first time I've heard anything like that).

Apart from the high school, the rest of my professional life has also been falling into place. Two weeks ago I was hired at a private language academy for children called "The Kids Workshop." I absolutely love it. I work two afternoons a week teaching English to children ages 4-14. The woman who runs the academy is fabulous. She is from Venezuela and often commiserates with me about being foreign in Valladolid. Her husband is Spanish and she has lived here for nine years, so she's also offered me a lot of insight as well.

And the kids are wonderful. The little ones are absolutely precious and they actually know English (if only the basics) and the older ones are so much fun.

That's the real reason why my boss sought out a native speaker because this year the older kids are putting on a play and my main job is to prepare them. We have a great time, especially with the acting part. I've always had a flare for the dramatics.

I've also been giving private English classes on the side and that is going really well. I got hooked up with a few different families through teachers at school and all the kids I give classes to are awesome. They actually want to learn English, which is nice. I think that's half the reason I like the academy so much as well. Not everyone at school necessarily wants to be there. Oh well, I was in high school once too. I don't take it personally.

About my new apartment, I've been here for a couple of weeks now and I really like it. The guys are great and I've been getting to know their girlfriends who are really cool too.

It's so nice to finally get to know some women my age (although I have to say that hanging out with the older ladies at work is nice and they often give me a lot of perspective, especially the ones who complain about their children going off to study abroad and never coming back home-- sorry, Mom! I'm getting to see the other side now).

I have to say though that the hardest part about "acostumbrándome" (getting adjusted) to life in Spain has not been trying to meet people, work, or my living situation, rather it's been the fact that my rose-colored glasses have finally come off and that has hurt a lot. I always had this idea of Spain as the most marvelous place in the world. But now I'm living here as a "real person" (as I like to call any adult who is done with school), and not as a teenager, with Marta's parents doing everything for me, so naturally things have changed. I have a bank account. I take the train alone. And I see everything through adult eyes. People here are rude! When I was an adolescent I never really noticed those things so I don't know if this is just in Valladolid (I assume/hope it is) but there is no "please," "thank you," "good day," nor "excuse me" here. (That last one really burns me). When I thank the checkers at the supermarket they either don't say anything or are so taken a back they say "de nada, maja!" (literally: you're welcome, nice girl). I'm sure as the year goes on I will go about forming new opinions and they will be good and real. For now that is all there is.

This weekend I am going to Málaga, a city at the very southern tip of Spain, to visit Miss Lindsay Kate Taylor! I am so excited to see her, I can hardly wait. It will also be great to travel down to her part of the country since I've never been farther south than Toledo. I will definitely report on the trip when I get back. Miss you all!

Love,

Katie