Last Day of School!

Two very important things have transpired:

Number 1: Today was my last day of work until September! Summer vacation...yay hooray. Now you know why I wanted to be a teacher. The kids' last day was Tuesday, and after spending three days grading papers, I'm done. I've got some pictures from our last day.









Number 2: I finally managed to make a Spanish omelette (tortilla) that didn't end up A) completely scrambled eggs, B) halfway scrambled eggs, or C) on the counter. Colin said it looks gross, but I promise it tasted good. Now if I can only do it again. Next task I suppose is learning to make paella. One thing at a time.

All in a day's work

Reading to first graders
Speaking through actions and then words
Cajoling 6 years olds to stay in their seats
Practicing "How old are you?" for the millionth time
(and finally hearing "I'm 7," instead of "I'm fine, thank you.") Yay!
Giving cranky kids a surprise
(Spraying water down necks of overheating students)
Singing "the head bone's connected to the...neck bone"
Playing memory
Catching imaginary pickpockets
Playing grammar soccer and learning why we shouldn't invite lizards to our house
Imagining new uses for chicken soup with rice (like watering roses)
Explaining new words
Reading poetry
Taking a lunch break in the park

I really do like my job.

Cuenca Pictures

I don't remember if I said, but everyone who went to Cuenca forgot their camera including me except the boys, so I have some pictures now. Actually, you get to see them faster than you would if I had to put them all online. I'm kinda slow.

Cuenca

Hanging Houses and Funny Rocks

After spending a relaxing Friday afternoon and evening at home, I awoke Saturday to early morning sunshine, full of energy and ready to spend the day walking around the historical city center of Cuenca, in Castilla la Mancha (a province beside Madrid), and a park in the mountains with curiously shaped rock formations. It's the last group outing before Kristen and I head back to the US, the last weekend when we could possibly do it. Six of us, in two cars, made the 2 hour trip to Cuenca together, the girls in one car and the boys in another. Before heading on foot to the old city, we stocked up on food for lunch and parked the cars below the city. Slowly, we winded up into the old city on a hill, that long ago expanded by building even onto the rock cliffs on one side of the hill. The architecture here is different than in Madrid, and in the main square that faces the cathedral, the houses are all painted different muted colors: dusty pink, yellow, rusty orange, slate blue, gray. From the main square, we climbed to a lookout and then wound down the hill, hugging the shady side of the street, to find the famous hanging houses, houses build into the rock wall of the mountain, with balconies hanging over the ravine. Everyone was so hot, we almost didn't go see the houses after getting a little lost. That would have been really disappointing, but at the end Kristen asked a couple dressed as if for a wedding for directions, and we found them without any problems.

Our next stop that day was the Enchanted City (Ciudad Encantada) which isn't a city at all. Rather, it's a place in the mountains where the wind has eroded the rocks in such a way that they look like strange things. Maybe reminiscent of the picture rocks in Illinois or some rock formations out west. We ate lunch amongst the prickly plants and pine cones, played some games of UNO while trying to wait out the hottest part of the day (impossible!), and then walked through the park, awed by what we saw. God makes such wonderful things! I drank more hot water that day than ever, though not quite enough. We were probably all dehydrated, though still enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Before heading to our homes, we stopped to get a drink and a tapa in Alcala, and I'm sure that all of us arrived at home completely exhausted, but contented.

Summer's Here

Now that we have half days of school, 9-1 instead of 9-12:30 and 2:30-4, I've been eating more at home, which involves more cooking and grocery shopping. I've discovered that eating at home in this manner does not always give me more time. But, I've enjoyed cooking some. Despite two more free afternoons than before, I don't spend much more time at home. I do note that I have more time to relax and see my friends, to read and to rest and organize.

I officially have 12 more days of work before summer break and 20 days until I depart for the US. It is so close. I have mixed feelings about it. I'm really excited to see my family and friends back home, but know also that I will miss people here. I remember that it's goodbye for just the summer. At school, I've been learning to be more assertive (aka not a doormat). It was kind of stressful to stand my ground, but the situation has cooled off and things are good.

In other news, the church Angelita goes to, which is the mother church to mine, was robbed last week, though they only were able to run off with a laptop and something else. They had everything ready to take, but a neighbor called the police and they headed off further loss. This past weekend I went to a play/musical downtown Madrid to see some of my students and their parents perform. Thursday (yesterday) was a holiday, and I spent my day off visiting friends in Alcala and then walked around downtown Madrid with some friends. The best part of walking downtown in 90 degrees was stopping to eat pineapple and raspberry sorbet (one scoop of each) in a waffle cone. I have to say that it's scorching hot here, so I don't even want to see what it's like in July and August. It's been getting up to 95, though it's bearable since it's fairly dry heat. Imagine that...95 degrees three days in a row in June.

Marseilles

The last weekend in May, I went to Marseilles to visit Amber Veldt for the weekend. I left work a little early Thursday, which wasn't a big deal since the kids were busy taking their oral English exams. We visited the city Thursday and Friday, went to Aubagne Saturday, and visited Monaco Sunday. I flew out on Monday morning. The flight from Madrid was about 1.5 hours long, after which I had to take a 20 minute bus ride to the city itself. The ride cost more than 8 euros, which is pure highway robbery. In Madrid, I can go on a ride like that for less than 2 euros. I wasn't feeling that well Thursday, so we took it easy that evening, going into the city after a few hours of rest to see the sunset over the water and visit Palais Longchamp. We wanted to see the sunset from above the city, but since after waiting and waiting for the bus, it didn't come, we settled for watching it from the marina. Palais Longchamp was beautiful on the outside, but inside there is a collection of mangy stuffed animals. Apparently not very well kept. When we got home Thursday evening, we warmed up some curry chicken on the stove and put some snails in the oven. Second time to eat snails...though I have to say that Angelita's tasted better. As we were turning in, tired as can be, a small gecko scurried into the room from the open window and disappeared behind the heater. We brainstormed how to get rid of it, but coming up with nothing, let it be and went to sleep.

Friday morning we awoke around 8 and were out by 9:30. Crepes for breakfast made by Blandine, and eggs and coffee compliments of Amber. Once in the city, the smell of the harbor reached us before we reached the ferry to buy our passage to Chateau d'If. The fish market, complete with eels and strange fish, stretch along the font of the harbor. When we got to the ticket counter, I saw, to my surprise, students from ECA in Madrid. The senior trip was a cruise, and one of the stops was Marseilles. Lynn, Bryan and William Calderwood, as well as the French teacher Marie and other students were all there. We ended up seeing them all about 4 times throughout the day. Amber and I said goodbye to them for the moment and boarded the ferry to Chateau d'If, the fort/prison where the "Count of Monte Cristo" takes place. It was interesting to see and the boat ride was wonderful. Afterwards, we took a train up to Notre Dame de la Garde, eating lunch and sightseeing along the way. The church impressed me with it's beautiful and detailed interior. We missed the return train, and so walked down the hill to the tram to go back to her home there. In the evening we made tortillas, fresh limade and limonade, and had a water fight with the boys.

Saturday morning we got up to go to Aubagne, where Amber takes viola lessons. We stopped by an artisan market, and bought some Marseilles soap. We smelled so many different soaps that by the end, we were both sneezing up a storm. We walked to her conservatory, and then I went back toward the old center to wander the cute streets and shops. We got home around lunchtime, ate, packed, and left for Blandine's sister's (Mariel) place halfway between Marseilles and Monaco. It's near Cannes, and they say that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie live just on the other side of the mountain (that I took a picture of). That evening the home's owner, Marcelle, made us pizzas cooked in a stone oven. It was a loooong French dinner, but me not understanding French may have contributed to my sense that it was never ending.

Sunday morning we, Blandine's family, our hosts, and Amber and I, got up at 6 am to catch the train to Monaco. I was so sleepy after the late dinner that I snoozed in the car until the train station. Once in Monaco, I believe my favorite parts were the aquarium museum, the changing of the guard, and just walking around the idyllic, fairy tale city. Midday, we ate a picnic in the park and got scolded for touching the sacred grass. After lunch and seeing the palace and such, we took a bus to the Monte Carlo to see the casino. I stepped in to see the lobby. It was absolutely beautiful, not ruined by the slot machines that were further in.

Monday morning we got up around 6 again to head back to Marseille and catch my plane. The whole family that Amber stays with there took me to the airport, and I said "au revoir" to everyone, and gave kisses. I may have picked up a few French words, which I'm sure I've lost by now. I have said "merci" on accident a few times, though.

Marseille