Well, the time has finally come! Tomorrow I'm leaving for Spain! I've had a relaxing and enjoyable summer and I'm ready for my next adventure (well...unless you think 'ready' means having your bags packed...I'm still working on that part).
Much to the chagrin of my friend Tyler, I have some lists for you all.
Top 5 Things I Will Miss:
1. Friends and family. Duh. I know that there are these fancy things like the interwebs, smartphones, and skype, but it just won't be the same. I'll miss you all!
2. Qdoba. Those of you who know me well know that one of the hardest things for me about going to school in a small town was the absence of one of these fine establishments. I'll give you one guess as to where I'm eating dinner tonight. And possibly two other times in the past week. Maybe.
3. Driving.
4. Diet Coke. I know Coca Cola light is a thing in Spain, but it doesn't taste the same.
5. Being able to instantly understand everything. News, signs, the funny things the people in front of me in the line at the froyo place. Getting back into the groove of speaking Spanish everyday will take some getting used to, but I know I'm up for it.
Things I WON'T Miss:
1. Buying gas. Yuck.
2. Being judged for taking a mid-afternoon nap. The siesta is a beautiful thing.
3. People who think I'm crazy for wearing a scarf when it's not winter.
4. Getting lost. I'll be in a smaller city, so hopefully I'll be able to learn my way pretty quickly!
Things I'm Looking Forward To:
1. Teaching! I can't wait to meet my students and the other teachers I'll be working with at my school!
2. Getting the opportunity to travel around Spain and Europe.
3. Living on a beach. I've never been at a beach in the winter really so this will be something completely new.
4. Perfecting my español!
5. All of the new friends I'll make, both españoles and americanos.
The next time you hear from be I'll be on the other side of the world! Can't wait to tell you all about it!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
The 7 Day Difference
This is a big thing that I'm doing.
One week from right now, I will be on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean heading for a new life in southern Spain.
Two weeks from right now, I will have experienced my first day as an auxiliar. I will have found an apartment, or piso, met new people (hopefully made some friends!), and done most of it in my second language.
This is a big thing that I'm doing.
By contrast, two weeks ago I was watching Jeopardy reruns and packing for a trip to New York. One week ago I was at the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial in Manhattan. Today I am unpacking from my trip and getting ready to turn around and pack again -- this time for a much longer trip.
I will be returning to a country I have visited twice previously, but going to parts of it I have never seen and will spend the next 8 months working with people I haven't yet met. I will definitely be keeping in touch with friends and family in the States, but it's bizarre to think that people who will very soon be my coworkers, confidants, and close friends are people I haven't set eyes on. I'm sure they are all wonderful individuals, and I can't wait to learn more about them! Whoever they are, they are probably sitting in Montana, Málaga, or myriad other places right now wondering some of the same things about me.
This is a big thing that I'm doing.
One week from right now, I will be on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean heading for a new life in southern Spain.
Two weeks from right now, I will have experienced my first day as an auxiliar. I will have found an apartment, or piso, met new people (hopefully made some friends!), and done most of it in my second language.
This is a big thing that I'm doing.
By contrast, two weeks ago I was watching Jeopardy reruns and packing for a trip to New York. One week ago I was at the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial in Manhattan. Today I am unpacking from my trip and getting ready to turn around and pack again -- this time for a much longer trip.
I will be returning to a country I have visited twice previously, but going to parts of it I have never seen and will spend the next 8 months working with people I haven't yet met. I will definitely be keeping in touch with friends and family in the States, but it's bizarre to think that people who will very soon be my coworkers, confidants, and close friends are people I haven't set eyes on. I'm sure they are all wonderful individuals, and I can't wait to learn more about them! Whoever they are, they are probably sitting in Montana, Málaga, or myriad other places right now wondering some of the same things about me.
This is a big thing that I'm doing.
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