Giving Thanks

I celebrated Thanksgiving with Angelita's family and a family friend. Her daughter married an American, so they celebrate each year. I made the pumpkin cake again. Found out, after the fact, where they store the frozen crusts (the dough...you still have to form it in the pan) in my grocery store. The evening was wonderful; we ended up staying until around 12 am. Dinner conversation: a trip to Thailand and Laos on motorcycle; bugs that bite including lice, worms, and ticks; strange food including ingredients we can't find and eating bugs; and other travel adventures. Angelita's grandson and his wife, Juan Marcos and Yoli, entertained us all with their adventures. Sorry, still no photos.

Two weekends ago was full with Isma's cousin's birthday party, a visit to Colmenar youth group Saturday evening (about 45 min from our church), a Sunday lunch in an empty house (wonderfully relaxing), and Sunday evening filling boxes to send to the Sahara for Christmas. I could summarize it as a weekend of reaching out to new people. Meeting Isma's family, meeting and encouraging the youth from a smaller, more isolated city, and sending boxes full of goodies to unknown kids in Sahara in Morocco. It was a weekend full of blessings.

This weekend is an extra long weekend because I have work off both Monday and Tuesday. put that on top of the fact that I don't work Fridays, and I have a mini-vacation. Friday was the normal clean, cook, relax, shop day. I took advantage of Saturday to spend the morning with Isma looking for Christmas presents and the afternoon we picked up Tamy to hang out with the youth pastor's kids. Sunday was the third time I meet with a mini-group of younger girls from youth group to have a Bible study and accountability group. The experience reminds me of when I was in youth group in middle and high school and how much the women who led my discipleship groups affected me. Ann Smits, Rebecca Farrer, and Marti Stittsworth all are examples for me of how to gently lead others to question, search, and reach out to others in love. I am praying that I can lead them well as we all learn together. Today I've taken advantage of the time to cut my hair and translate part of a Bible study to English and try to relax and read a bit. It's been a relaxing day so far.

Cookies and English Camp

My birthday weekend, I went to English camp like last year. Friday Isma and Tamy came over to make gingerbread cookies with me for the youth group. Saturday, early, Tamy took me to the train station to meet my friend Carmen to go to Guadalajara for the camp. Carmen brought the most scrumptious oatmeal cookies, of which I think we devoured about ten each before getting to the station in Guadalajara to get in the van to shuttle out to the camp. Two of my private students, Marta and Sergio, and their mother, Paqui. My workshop about Thanksgiving went well. And for the next workshop I went to a class to learn to make pumpkin muffins. Mmmm. Isma wasn't going to come, so when I saw him standing by Tamy when we drove up at the camp, my cheeks turned bright pink and hot...well there was a smile in there too. Carmen enjoyed that, taking the opportunity to tease me. Oh well, I was very happy Isma came.

Sunday I celebrated my birthday by staying home for lunch, eating chili and cornbread with Isma at my house. Sometimes Sundays aren't very restful days, with so many people, so I considered it a birthday present to myself not to invite anyone else, to be antisocial, and relax. I was given a couple frog themed presents...that has a story behind it. I'll tell you the story later (it's already 10 pm...too late to begin to formulate it, especially since my brain works slower after 10 pm).

I've posted some pictures from the English camp and cookie baking the night before. Hopefully I'll have some from Halloween (that depends on the teacher who has them) and Thanksgiving soon.

Cookies and English Camp

Weekends in the Park

Two weekends ago I went to Retiro Park to go for a tour with my friend Carmen of the park, with an emphasis on the history. Unfortunately, she came down with the flu and couldn't meet up with me. I think that her elementary kids probably passed it along to her. I learned a lot during the 2 hour walk around the park. For lunch, Isma met up with me in the park, and I can't say that I complained about having a picnic just the two of us. I've got some pictures of the rose gardens and the park with fall leaves.

The Thursday after, those of us in the youth group had to say goodbye to two of our friends, Anderson and Israel (Isra), who left to go back to their home country, Brazil. We went out to a Brazilian restaurant to "celebrate." I suppose it was a celebration of our friendships, though most celebrations don't end in tears. Friday they left for Portugal, and by Saturday afternoon, they were on the plane for Brazil. Their presence is missed so much in youth group and Sunday morning. I think we all miss hearing Isra's beautiful voice and both of their powerful prayers and encouraging words and Anderson's samba dancing.

This past weekend Isma took me to see the Templo de Debod, which I know Amy saw about a year ago. Okay, more than a year ago. We were going to go on the teleférico (cable car?) above Madrid, but it was really windy, a little cold, and the line was long. An authentic Egyptian temple seemed like the better option in the moment. Afterward we went to eat at an Indian restaurant nearby. I'd have to say that the last two Saturdays have been wonderful.

This Thursday I went to eat with some of the other teachers at a pizzeria down the street from the elementary school. I'm enjoying the new atmosphere this year with more young teachers and some new attitudes.
This weekend is English Camp. I went last year, but this year I'm going to be leading a workshop about Thanksgiving. I'll let you know how it goes!

Retiro and Templo de Debod

Of friends and students

You know how good it feels to be wanted? Tuesday, upon my arrival at my students' house near the school, Marta burst out of her room with an anticipatory smile, ready to greet me with kisses and hear about my summer and tell me about hers. Sergio also, came out to say hi, a little bashful but happy to see me. Marta and Sergio are siblings, preteens I taught private English lessons to last year, and thankfully am continuing with this year. Last year I went to see the family in a play at their church and it's delightful to work for them. They also contract someone to help out with the cleaning in the house a few days a week, and she used to make an orange juice for me every Friday when I went to give Sergio a lesson. On my way from school to their house, I ran into the woman, Lucia, and we got to catch up in the 3 extra minutes I had. Then, I walked as quickly as I could so I wouldn't be late for the classes.

Wednesday was the third Bible Study. We're studying Mark, noting how Jesus mentored the disciples and how he interacted with the people, learning to be mentors ourselves. It's been delightful so far, and I've noted changes in me as we've gotten into the word more. It's great having a group of people to study with, and since we have "homework" for each day, it's creating a habit of reading and praying every day. I notice the difference when I spend more time with God...we're better friends. Funny how that works.

At school (work) we're working on classroom management and preparing to give the science test next week. I'm relating to the kids well, even better than last year, a good consequence of being in the main classroom the whole time and co-teaching. Some of the kids' lives really depress me, so with them I'm trying to give lots of love while balancing it with the needs of the whole class. At least there are two of us in the classroom. There is always so much to learn, and then some things that can be improved but never mastered, and then others that are new every time and so a mystery.

Back in Spain

Okay, I've been back for almost a month now, and shamefully haven't written or posted anything. My way back to Madrid was fairly uneventful; no running in airports to my delight. Dad and Mom drove me to Chicago where we played multiple rounds of Skip-Bo before I left to go through security. In the airport in Chicago, I met a young woman from India and we sat together during the long flight, during which I don't think I slept a wink. I was a very sleepy girl by the time Isma picked me up the next day at the airport and took me to his home for lunch. In bed that night by 8:30, I slept a straight 12 hours. Since then, I've connected up with old friends for picnics, started with a Bible study which is a formation for mentors, and investigated a Spanish class that ended up not panning out. October 1st was my first day of work, and last Wednesday I finally ironed out the last details in my schedule. I work Monday through Thursday, Friday for working on my private classes' lessons and housework. Two weekends ago the youth had a retreat in Camarma and last weekend I went to a church "yard sale" with my friend Carmen. At the later, I of course bought books. Four. I swear I tried, but just couldn't resist.

Here's some photos from a birthday party and the camp two weekends ago.

Birthday and Youth Retreat

September at Lindley

After the kids went back to school, I went to visit Flor, Ana, and the rest of the teachers and kids at Lindley, where I student taught. I ended up coming three times, visiting the classrooms, putting up a bulletin board, and the last time going out for a milkshake with Flor and Ana and talking about teaching, family, and love. I thought it amusing what Monica, one of the assistants, told me jokingly me during lunch the second day I visited: "La primera vez vienes a visitar, la segunda a trabajar, y la tercera a cobrar." (First time is to visit, the second to work, and the third to get paid.) One of my favorite parts was telling the kids about Spain, taking the kids' questions, most of which were actually statements about where their families were from or that they have an [insert object or family member, fictitious or not] from Mexico, and getting hugs from my old students.

Here's Flor.

Here's Ana.


Después de que los niños volvieron al cole, fui a visitar a Flor, Ana, y los demás de los profes y niños de Lindley, donde hice mis prácticas. Al final, fui tres veces, visitando los aulas, poniendo arte estudiantil en un tablón de anuncios, y la última vez saliendo con Flor y Ana para tomar un batido mientras hablábamos de la enseñanza, familia, y amor. Pensé que era graciosa lo que me dijo en broma Monica, uno de los auxiliares, durante la comida: La primera vez a visitar, la segunda a trabajar y la tercerca a cobrar. Una cosa que me gustó mucho era de contar a los niños acerca de España, responder a las preguntas, la mayoría de que no eran preguntas sino declaraciones sobre de donde eran sus familias o que tienen un [insertar objeto o pariente, ficticio o no] de México, y recibir abrazos de mis estudiantes antiguos.

Johnny Appleseed Festival

A few weeks ago, my parents and I celebrated the beginning of fall and apple cider season (which, sadly, I haven't drank this fall) by attending the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Johnny Appleseed Park. Bean and ham soup, corn bread baked on a wood fire served with homemade butter, apple dumplings, antiques, pioneer costumes, colonial music, antiques, crafts...fun! Mom didn't want to walk much on account of her foot hurting, so we spent a lot of time watching the dancing and listening to the music...pioneer days, folk, fiddle music, and a drum and fife corp. I marveled at the traditional crafts in between chasing down the bagpipers. Kilted people playing Scottish melodies is not to be missed.

Johnny Appleseed Festival