Friday, May 15, 2009
Hair Cut!
After much agonizing and even chopping a little of my hair on my own, I finally surrendered and went to the hair salon last Friday. Here's the evidence. One picture with the hair dresser styled hair, the second when I decide to do nothing. How lazy.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Friends, School, and Taxes
April 24-26
Friday after work I promised myself to conquer my 100 million task-long-list. I think I crossed off two before heading off to the young adults' small group. They were the most time-sensitive things, though. I was working on a "station" for a prayer night we were having Saturday evening. Basically, the stations consisted of a table, maybe paper to write on, and a short reflection, questions, and verses to think and pray about. I was doing one about carrying others' burdens and putting all your burdens on Jesus.
Saturday morning I went grocery shopping before heading over to San Fernando to help clean and paint the church. I was worried about getting a t-shirt very dirty (since I have a limited supply), so someone lent me a t-shirt to wear for the day. The irony is that I got not a pin-drop of paint on the t-shirt. My pants, the ones I own, on the other hand, looked half white, half the original blue. It ended up coming out in the wash. In the evening, we had the aforementioned prayer and worship night. It was good to spend time praying with friends for the group, church, and community and to sing together. The next morning I had a pounding headache, so I stayed home from church and slept. By the evening I was feeling somewhat better, and went to youth group. Even if I hadn't been feeling good, I may have gone because I needed to bring the snacks (sandwiches and homemade chocolate chip cookies, mmm) and I wanted to hear Guille, one of my friends, preach.
April 27-May 3
This week Eusebio was in Romania, so I substitute taught his class. Because I was taking on more responsibility and doing more work than usual, the school paid for my lunches. Nice bonus. The first day was horrible, but as the week went on, things went much better. It's amazing to see the difference between the two classes. One class is measurably chattier than the other, and mainly for this reason, the number of times the teacher must say "quiet," they get less done. Between Wednesday and Thursday I watched 1972 movie "Sleuth" with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine at Isma's house. There was no school on Friday, so Isma, Guille, Tamy, and I went to Parque Juan Carlos all day. We played Uno, talked, and lied around relaxing. A few of them got a little pink, but I was fine (thankfully...I do need to buy sunscreen, though). Saturday, my church had a barbecue in Alcobendas at the seminary where the pastor lives. I enjoyed getting to know the people in my church a little better. I talked with one of the women from Romania, Mihaela, who is an English teacher for businesses here. She lived 8 years in London, and has been here for about five. Such an interesting lady. After the barbecue, Isma and I took a walk from my house down to the river. I have some pictures in a previous blog. On our way back, yelling and fireworks filled the air. It appears that we were the only ones not inside watching the soccer game. Real Madrid lost. Boo hoo.
Sunday was Mother's Day here (Mom knows, since I called her), and Isma and Guille's mom invited me for lunch. It was wonderful to be included in their family for the day (and their mom cooks the most delicious food). After lunch and relaxing for a few minutes, the three of us left for youth group. Isma was leading that night, since all of the leaders would be at a church meeting about selling the existing church plots to buy land to make a church in which all of the smaller congregations could worship together. That was an emotionally charged meeting, I'm sure. What made the evening even better was locking the keys in the car and having to go (with someone else's car) the 30 minute trip back to Guadalajara to get the extra keys). Pffff. After all that hullabaloo, the evening went well, which I'm sure was not our doing.
May 4-8
This week I've been running around fretting and doing legal things. Monday I stood in line to get my application for a Spanish class next fall. All week long I was trying to complete my tax papers to turn in at la Hacienda. Each time I thought I was finished, I'd see another blank that I couldn't answer without 1. papers from my house or 2. explanation from someone who'd done it before. Wednesday, on my way to Guadalajara to visit Isma and his mom, I stopped in Alcalá, one city further out from Madrid than mine (Torrejón) to visit the language school and look into classes there. Turns out that each school does it differently. Near where I work, the deadline was Friday for every language. In Alcalá, you can't sign up for classes until September. Thursday I decided to stay in Madrid for the afternoon to do errands. After school let out for the morning at 12:30, I ran to Hacienda (like IRS office?) to turn in my papers and do whatever else they told me to do. That went smoothly. Then, to kill time until 4pm when the language school's office opened, I went to Retiro Park to relax and work on English classes. Around 3:40, after grabbing a hamburger for lunch at Burger King, I caught the bus back to the neighborhood I work in, waited in the ginormous line at the school, and turned in my papers. (side note: ginormous really is a word, from c. 1948, combining gigantic and enormous. Can you tell I looked it up?)
It's a relief to have those papers out of my hands. Now I just need to wait for Hacienda to send me the papers by mail, and see what I do with them at that point. They said a few days, others said a few weeks, and other people have told me a month. So, I'll be patient.
Thursday after shopping:
Laughing fit. Ouch.
Friday after work I promised myself to conquer my 100 million task-long-list. I think I crossed off two before heading off to the young adults' small group. They were the most time-sensitive things, though. I was working on a "station" for a prayer night we were having Saturday evening. Basically, the stations consisted of a table, maybe paper to write on, and a short reflection, questions, and verses to think and pray about. I was doing one about carrying others' burdens and putting all your burdens on Jesus.
Saturday morning I went grocery shopping before heading over to San Fernando to help clean and paint the church. I was worried about getting a t-shirt very dirty (since I have a limited supply), so someone lent me a t-shirt to wear for the day. The irony is that I got not a pin-drop of paint on the t-shirt. My pants, the ones I own, on the other hand, looked half white, half the original blue. It ended up coming out in the wash. In the evening, we had the aforementioned prayer and worship night. It was good to spend time praying with friends for the group, church, and community and to sing together. The next morning I had a pounding headache, so I stayed home from church and slept. By the evening I was feeling somewhat better, and went to youth group. Even if I hadn't been feeling good, I may have gone because I needed to bring the snacks (sandwiches and homemade chocolate chip cookies, mmm) and I wanted to hear Guille, one of my friends, preach.
April 27-May 3
This week Eusebio was in Romania, so I substitute taught his class. Because I was taking on more responsibility and doing more work than usual, the school paid for my lunches. Nice bonus. The first day was horrible, but as the week went on, things went much better. It's amazing to see the difference between the two classes. One class is measurably chattier than the other, and mainly for this reason, the number of times the teacher must say "quiet," they get less done. Between Wednesday and Thursday I watched 1972 movie "Sleuth" with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine at Isma's house. There was no school on Friday, so Isma, Guille, Tamy, and I went to Parque Juan Carlos all day. We played Uno, talked, and lied around relaxing. A few of them got a little pink, but I was fine (thankfully...I do need to buy sunscreen, though). Saturday, my church had a barbecue in Alcobendas at the seminary where the pastor lives. I enjoyed getting to know the people in my church a little better. I talked with one of the women from Romania, Mihaela, who is an English teacher for businesses here. She lived 8 years in London, and has been here for about five. Such an interesting lady. After the barbecue, Isma and I took a walk from my house down to the river. I have some pictures in a previous blog. On our way back, yelling and fireworks filled the air. It appears that we were the only ones not inside watching the soccer game. Real Madrid lost. Boo hoo.
Sunday was Mother's Day here (Mom knows, since I called her), and Isma and Guille's mom invited me for lunch. It was wonderful to be included in their family for the day (and their mom cooks the most delicious food). After lunch and relaxing for a few minutes, the three of us left for youth group. Isma was leading that night, since all of the leaders would be at a church meeting about selling the existing church plots to buy land to make a church in which all of the smaller congregations could worship together. That was an emotionally charged meeting, I'm sure. What made the evening even better was locking the keys in the car and having to go (with someone else's car) the 30 minute trip back to Guadalajara to get the extra keys). Pffff. After all that hullabaloo, the evening went well, which I'm sure was not our doing.
May 4-8
This week I've been running around fretting and doing legal things. Monday I stood in line to get my application for a Spanish class next fall. All week long I was trying to complete my tax papers to turn in at la Hacienda. Each time I thought I was finished, I'd see another blank that I couldn't answer without 1. papers from my house or 2. explanation from someone who'd done it before. Wednesday, on my way to Guadalajara to visit Isma and his mom, I stopped in Alcalá, one city further out from Madrid than mine (Torrejón) to visit the language school and look into classes there. Turns out that each school does it differently. Near where I work, the deadline was Friday for every language. In Alcalá, you can't sign up for classes until September. Thursday I decided to stay in Madrid for the afternoon to do errands. After school let out for the morning at 12:30, I ran to Hacienda (like IRS office?) to turn in my papers and do whatever else they told me to do. That went smoothly. Then, to kill time until 4pm when the language school's office opened, I went to Retiro Park to relax and work on English classes. Around 3:40, after grabbing a hamburger for lunch at Burger King, I caught the bus back to the neighborhood I work in, waited in the ginormous line at the school, and turned in my papers. (side note: ginormous really is a word, from c. 1948, combining gigantic and enormous. Can you tell I looked it up?)
It's a relief to have those papers out of my hands. Now I just need to wait for Hacienda to send me the papers by mail, and see what I do with them at that point. They said a few days, others said a few weeks, and other people have told me a month. So, I'll be patient.
Thursday after shopping:
Laughing fit. Ouch.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
From India to Spain
Since about a month ago Isma and I went to see an exhibit with Indian art, it seems fitting that a couple of weekends ago, when we went to the theater in downtown Madrid, we saw "Bollywoodland," a musical drama that was like a Bollywood movie place onto a stage. It was an interesting blend of English, Hindi, and Spanish languages and Spanish and Indian culture. The Indian actors spoke in English, the songs were sung in Hindi, and the narrator spoke in Spanish.
Upon entering the theater, we were greeted by two Indian men in traditional dress, each with a small bowl resting gently in his hand. As one of the men greeted me with, "Namasté," he dipped his thumb in the bowl and marked my forehead with red paint. I said "Namasté" in return, and entered the theater, mouth agape at the thought that just moments before, a man had left his large red thumbprint on my face. Inside the theater proper, soon after finding our seats, the orchestra took their places in the pit, the Indian singers to the left side of the stage and the narrator to the right. The lights dimmed. The play began. As in these types of dramas, a boy and girl fall in love under impossible circumstances, find each other, lose each other, are forbidden to see each other, believe that the other no longer loves him or her, and then at the end get married and dance and sing with the rest of the cast. Beautiful, a little unbelievable, and fun.
Unlike the majority of the people in the theater, we decided to not wash the red stains from our foreheads before leaving India and heading out onto the Spanish street. The looks people gave us! What fun imagining what the others were thinking, for one day to not blend into the multitude in Madrid.
Upon entering the theater, we were greeted by two Indian men in traditional dress, each with a small bowl resting gently in his hand. As one of the men greeted me with, "Namasté," he dipped his thumb in the bowl and marked my forehead with red paint. I said "Namasté" in return, and entered the theater, mouth agape at the thought that just moments before, a man had left his large red thumbprint on my face. Inside the theater proper, soon after finding our seats, the orchestra took their places in the pit, the Indian singers to the left side of the stage and the narrator to the right. The lights dimmed. The play began. As in these types of dramas, a boy and girl fall in love under impossible circumstances, find each other, lose each other, are forbidden to see each other, believe that the other no longer loves him or her, and then at the end get married and dance and sing with the rest of the cast. Beautiful, a little unbelievable, and fun.
Unlike the majority of the people in the theater, we decided to not wash the red stains from our foreheads before leaving India and heading out onto the Spanish street. The looks people gave us! What fun imagining what the others were thinking, for one day to not blend into the multitude in Madrid.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Misión Posible
The slogan of the weekend.
the high school
the speaker
The group that led worship was from Madrid, many from the church that Angelita goes to (one is her granddaughter Elisabet and Elisabet's husband)
Laura and Guille
youth from the group
Yedsim and Rebeca
Ester and I with our tongues stained by the Fun Dip. Go American candy!!!
I look like a kid!
Victor, Yedsim, and SamuelThe majority of the group from San Fernando went up by bus. I rode in a van that went along with the buses with some of the other girls. I have to confess that I probably slept about an hour of the trip. We stayed in a public boarding school in Huesca, from which you can see the Pyrenees. How beautiful they were, snow covered peaks beyond green and yellow farm fields. The high school the conference was at has a building that looks like a pyramid, hence the name IES Pirámide. The trip home was a wonderful opportunity for me to talk to Debbie, asking advice and wisdom. I ended up staying at Debbie's house Monday (spent the night Sunday night on the couch) to keep the kids company while their parents were in Madrid with the youth from the Canaries (see previous photos to see photos of Jacob and Rebecca...their brother Nathan was there too) .
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Little Things
I'll have to say that one of the highlights of this spring vacation has been running out of pages in my old journal, a journal that has been with me for three years. After a long and arduous quest, I had found the holy grail (a ruled journal), and was eager to use it. The classic, ebony bound journal, with a ribbon to mark the pages like in the hymnals, an elastic band to keep it together, and beautifully lined cream-colored pages. You have no idea how hard it was to find a lined journal here. The paper most students use here is checkered, like science lab paper. I couldn't bring myself to write thoughts, stories, and prayers on what feels to me like graph paper. Memories of science labs in Mrs. Fisher's chemistry class...ahhh!! How nice it was to be able to satisfy my whim.
Monday, April 6, 2009
April Showers Bring May Flowers
And another month begins. April Fools Day, Palm Sunday, Easter, Spring Break, youth conference, day trips, taxes, and signing up for classes. So much happens, yet so much of what happens matters little. And the things I do not list, those not listed on the calendar, those without particular dates or deadlines, are of course the most important affairs of all. Time spent with a friend, a special smile, a heartfelt hug, a run through the park as the weather continues to warm, prayers and time given, quality conversations held with acquaintances and friends, these are what I am looking forward to this month. So much more meaningful than my lists and calendar.
To be honest, I completely forgot about April Fool's Day, though it would have been a fun holiday to celebrate with the kids. The other assistant told her 3rd graders that they had a 10 page exam. Priceless. I did remember St. Patrick's Day. I wore a green t-shirt, since my "Kiss Me I'm Irish" pin is in the states, and told the kids a little bit about St. Patrick and our tradition of wearing green so you don't get pinched. Of course, they all got a soft pinch from me, since I was the sole person donning green clothes.
At school, I have been preparing the fourth graders for their oral exam in May. It's such a daunting task. I get each group once a week to try to make sure they're ready for these tests. Some of the grammar elements have not been introduced in class yet, so it's quite difficult for the students to remember how to use them. I've been teaching the present perfect, which takes time away from other needed vocabulary development. There's less pressure with the first graders, since they don't take the exams till next year. Thursday before spring break began, I made bunny masks with them and then we read "Little Bunny Foo Foo." They liked hopping with their masks and "bopping" the mice on the head.
Last weekend I went to Toledo with Isma. We seem to have bad luck with weather and travelling. Last time I went with him and Tamy to Aranjuez and Chinchón, it was misty as well. The morning was beautiful, a little overcast, but not too hot, which is good when you are constantly walking up and down hills. I'll show you some pictures. Though I don't believe we took that many. In the past, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities lived in the city together. Of course, during the Inquisition, all except the Christians were driven out. We visited the synagogue, which was beautifully adorned with carved scriptures in Hebrew, remniscent of a mosque. It was interesting to read the history of the Jews in Spain and see the many artifacts that were in the museum. After seeing an exhibit with some paintings by El Greco, we ran to the car, soaking ourselves in the rain. All in all, I did still enjoy it, even though (perhaps coincidentally) I got a horrible cough that evening and was wet from the rain. I won't forget the day!
This Friday I went with Kristen and Carmen to Aranjuez, a town about an hour south of the city of Madrid. The royal palace there was beautiful. My favorite rooms were the room decorated with a porcelain China motif and the room modeled after La Alhambra in Granada. We had a picnic in the garden beside the palace and then walked to the other garden by the river as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to share since all three of us forgot our cameras. The area is famous for its strawberries, so we bought some strawberries with whipped cream at a restaurant to share. Mmmm.
Saturday I went into Madrid to see a free Indian art exhibit. I learned three things. (1) Krishna is blue, plays the flute, and sometimes looks like a woman, though he is eternally a prebuscent boy in stature. (2) Krishna and Radha are lovers. (3) Krishna is not very faithful, which makes Radha mad. I now feel educated. After lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon in the park. So wonderful and peaceful and lovely. If I could have made the time with sunlight last longer, I would have. I think I walked 3 miles (probably slightly exaggerating), making the grand total this weekend quite a large number.
This week then, is spring break. I am determined to use it semi-well. So far I have stayed up until 2 am talking to Justine and Colin on the phone (time difference makes this possible for them), taken a mid-morning jog to the river, done cleaning and washing of clothes, listened to a sermon online, written an e-mail, written this blog, and this evening I'll spend with friends. Tuesday I'll be in Madrid for the afternoon with a friend from church, and Wednesday I believe I'll work on lesson plans. Thursday I leave for Huesca along with thousands of other young Christians from all around Spain for Misión Posible (a play off the movie Mission Impossible), a youth conference that runs from Thursday till Sunday, taking advantage of the vacations that even working young people should have. After the conference, I have one more day of vacation, Monday, which may be spent with visitors from the Canaries, babysitting, or recuperating from Misión Posible before going back to work Tuesday.
I hope that gets me caught up from the last time I wrote, awhile back. The pictures from Toledo are linked at the bottom of this post, along with any other stray photos.
To be honest, I completely forgot about April Fool's Day, though it would have been a fun holiday to celebrate with the kids. The other assistant told her 3rd graders that they had a 10 page exam. Priceless. I did remember St. Patrick's Day. I wore a green t-shirt, since my "Kiss Me I'm Irish" pin is in the states, and told the kids a little bit about St. Patrick and our tradition of wearing green so you don't get pinched. Of course, they all got a soft pinch from me, since I was the sole person donning green clothes.
At school, I have been preparing the fourth graders for their oral exam in May. It's such a daunting task. I get each group once a week to try to make sure they're ready for these tests. Some of the grammar elements have not been introduced in class yet, so it's quite difficult for the students to remember how to use them. I've been teaching the present perfect, which takes time away from other needed vocabulary development. There's less pressure with the first graders, since they don't take the exams till next year. Thursday before spring break began, I made bunny masks with them and then we read "Little Bunny Foo Foo." They liked hopping with their masks and "bopping" the mice on the head.
Last weekend I went to Toledo with Isma. We seem to have bad luck with weather and travelling. Last time I went with him and Tamy to Aranjuez and Chinchón, it was misty as well. The morning was beautiful, a little overcast, but not too hot, which is good when you are constantly walking up and down hills. I'll show you some pictures. Though I don't believe we took that many. In the past, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities lived in the city together. Of course, during the Inquisition, all except the Christians were driven out. We visited the synagogue, which was beautifully adorned with carved scriptures in Hebrew, remniscent of a mosque. It was interesting to read the history of the Jews in Spain and see the many artifacts that were in the museum. After seeing an exhibit with some paintings by El Greco, we ran to the car, soaking ourselves in the rain. All in all, I did still enjoy it, even though (perhaps coincidentally) I got a horrible cough that evening and was wet from the rain. I won't forget the day!
This Friday I went with Kristen and Carmen to Aranjuez, a town about an hour south of the city of Madrid. The royal palace there was beautiful. My favorite rooms were the room decorated with a porcelain China motif and the room modeled after La Alhambra in Granada. We had a picnic in the garden beside the palace and then walked to the other garden by the river as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to share since all three of us forgot our cameras. The area is famous for its strawberries, so we bought some strawberries with whipped cream at a restaurant to share. Mmmm.
Saturday I went into Madrid to see a free Indian art exhibit. I learned three things. (1) Krishna is blue, plays the flute, and sometimes looks like a woman, though he is eternally a prebuscent boy in stature. (2) Krishna and Radha are lovers. (3) Krishna is not very faithful, which makes Radha mad. I now feel educated. After lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon in the park. So wonderful and peaceful and lovely. If I could have made the time with sunlight last longer, I would have. I think I walked 3 miles (probably slightly exaggerating), making the grand total this weekend quite a large number.
This week then, is spring break. I am determined to use it semi-well. So far I have stayed up until 2 am talking to Justine and Colin on the phone (time difference makes this possible for them), taken a mid-morning jog to the river, done cleaning and washing of clothes, listened to a sermon online, written an e-mail, written this blog, and this evening I'll spend with friends. Tuesday I'll be in Madrid for the afternoon with a friend from church, and Wednesday I believe I'll work on lesson plans. Thursday I leave for Huesca along with thousands of other young Christians from all around Spain for Misión Posible (a play off the movie Mission Impossible), a youth conference that runs from Thursday till Sunday, taking advantage of the vacations that even working young people should have. After the conference, I have one more day of vacation, Monday, which may be spent with visitors from the Canaries, babysitting, or recuperating from Misión Posible before going back to work Tuesday.
I hope that gets me caught up from the last time I wrote, awhile back. The pictures from Toledo are linked at the bottom of this post, along with any other stray photos.
 |
| Toledo and Churros |
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Sun-shiny Sunday
What a wonderful weekend. Yesterday, I must truthfully say, was a wonderful day. I went downtown Madrid with a friend to look at camera lenses, relax in Retiro Park, and watch the Clint Eastwood movie, Gran Torino. It's March, but the temperatures are almost in the 70s. The summery weather makes a body want to stay outside, strolling, lying in the grass, playing catch...which reminds me that I should buy a ball. At the end of the day I was so so tired, but there are moments when the state of the physical body doesn't matter much, because a sleepy happiness is still happiness. On the way home from Madrid, I got to change the gears in the car from the passenger seat. Maybe someday I'll drive a manual...maybe...
Today there is a potluck at the church. I forgot (until yesterday morning) that I needed to make food, so I will buy an empanada or a tortilla on the way to church to share. I have some chicken in cream of mushroom soup to eat myself. After the potluck there is youth group. I think I'll slip away between the two to read and write a bit, to recharge my people friendly battery. Being around so many people all day is enjoyable, but quite tiring.
Dad, I read this in a book that I'm reading, and thought you'd enjoy the sentiment:
"There is no more thrilling sensation I know of than sailing. It comes as near to flying as man has got to yet--except in dreams. The wings of the rushing wind seem to be bearing you onward, you know not where. You are no longer the slow, plodding, puny thing of clay, creeping tortuously upon the ground; you are a part of Nature! (...) Your spirit is at one with hers; your limbs grow light! The voices of the air are singing to you. The earth seems far away and little; and the clouds, so close above your head, are brothers, and you stretch your arms to them." (apologies to Jerome K. Jerome. "Three Men in a Boat")
Can't wait to go sailing with you when I get home!!
Today there is a potluck at the church. I forgot (until yesterday morning) that I needed to make food, so I will buy an empanada or a tortilla on the way to church to share. I have some chicken in cream of mushroom soup to eat myself. After the potluck there is youth group. I think I'll slip away between the two to read and write a bit, to recharge my people friendly battery. Being around so many people all day is enjoyable, but quite tiring.
Dad, I read this in a book that I'm reading, and thought you'd enjoy the sentiment:
"There is no more thrilling sensation I know of than sailing. It comes as near to flying as man has got to yet--except in dreams. The wings of the rushing wind seem to be bearing you onward, you know not where. You are no longer the slow, plodding, puny thing of clay, creeping tortuously upon the ground; you are a part of Nature! (...) Your spirit is at one with hers; your limbs grow light! The voices of the air are singing to you. The earth seems far away and little; and the clouds, so close above your head, are brothers, and you stretch your arms to them." (apologies to Jerome K. Jerome. "Three Men in a Boat")
Can't wait to go sailing with you when I get home!!
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