Sharing Halloween with the Young'uns

Fridays are my days off. Today I went in to school because I wanted to share with two of my classes the wonder of that good ole American holiday: Halloween. It was quite the adventure getting the celebration ready.

Naturally, after baking a fantastic zucchini bread (I still have teachers asking me for the recipe), I decided my best endeavor would be to bake some treats. I therefore gathered my strength, channeled my mother's creativity, and set off on an adventure.

My adventure taught me several things:

1. They don't sell powdered sugar in bulk in Spain--I probably spent 8 Euro just on powdered sugar. 
2. Food coloring isn't hard to find (which opens up a lot of doors to fun times).
3. Brownies are easier to make than I first suspected.
4. Halloween is just super awesome.

I made graveyard brownies and a carrot cake (because while a pumpkin spice cake seems more appropriate, I know cooking your own pumpkin isn't as easy as) with a cream cheese icing Jack O'Lantern face.Gabi, the other T.A. at my school, helped me out.

At school we got the kids to bob for apples and made them say "trick-or-treat" before they got some of my homemade brownies. They had a lot of fun. One class even repeated the scary stories they had read in class a few days before. 

The kids' faces of excitement were worth coming in on a Friday.

Field Trips and Day Trips Spanish Style

If there's a Spanish phrase you should learn it should be one like this: La vida es chula. Life is awesome.

 This past week has been an excellent learning experience about how Spaniards travel. Both were distinct and informative.

My adventures started on Thursday with my school. I was invited to join a field trip to see the countryside of Segovia. You, astute reader, might remember that I made a trip to Segovia a few weeks ago with some of my Fulbright peeps. w00t. This time I didn't see the city, instead we went 10km outside the city and say the Palace of La Granja, or the Country Palace. La Granja, as it's referred to, looks like a mini Versailles and has acres and acres of gardens. The gardens play host to hundreds of fountains, each with its own theme. The trees were also in the process of changing. Most of Spain's landscape is distinguished with shrubs and pine trees. Naturally, as a girl who grew up with fall, I am currently missing my North Georgia mountains and the vibrant reds and oranges that are currently exploding all over the Appalachian foothills. 

Back in Spain there were trees at La Granja that whose leaves were changing and falling. Dad (and Jo Anne and Donna) would be so proud of me. As we were walking around, I looked at the ground and noticed a leaf that looked familiar to me. I doubted that Spanish royalty would have imported the trees, so I asked my Coordinator if she knew what type of tree it was. She said she didn't, but that she did know it came from the States! Look how smart I am. Now that we were on the topic of trees, I also became aware of other leaves that looked familiar. I knew that the one I recognized was a type of maple. Upon further research, I found out that the tree that looked familiar but that I didn't quite know was a (Yellow) Buckeye (It may not have been an Ohio Buckeye, but Go Buckeyes!--now I've made everyone previously mentioned + my mom happy).

Now that I'm done obsessing over trees, I'll explain how this walk through the gardens took place. I arrived at school at 9 am and waited for the bell. (Side note: The bell (which is more like a siren) literally sounds like the tornado bell we have at our schools. I still haven't gotten over it. Every time it rings (especially if I'm outside), I jump and attempt to take cover. My fight or flight senses take over and I have the desire to run for cover. The kids always get a good laugh) Once we had put everyone onto 2 buses (some 100 kids and 6 chaperons) we started the hour and a half drive to Segovia. We had to go through some windy roads (which I didn't find that windy), and some of the kids started getting mareados, or dizzy. We got lucky, though. The teachers on our bus came prepared with little bags. The minute one kid started saying they were dizzy, the teachers were up in a flash passing out bags and coaching the kids on breathing. In the other bus one kid puked in the aisle. 

Gotta love kids. The minute we stopped, everyone was miraculously ok. We got to the gardens. That was when the head of the school told 100 ten-to-twelve year-olds that they had 45 minutes to romp the garden as they saw fit. I think my eyes popped out of my head. MC wasn't shocked, but she did question why we didn't go into the actual Palace (the head of the school doesn't like doing...As an American I love that type of stuff). She also asked why we didn't at least give the kids maps so 1) they didn't loose themselves and 2) why didn't we do a short tour of the gardens and then let them play? Too much work seems to be the answer.

Luckily we found every kid. After that adventure, we headed off to have lunch in a park area. It was really beautiful. There was this shallow, wide creek that wound with lots of rocks. There were cliffs and the typical Spanish pine, which is super tall with a few branches jutting out toward the top. There were also trails that you could explore. We had lunch. Then the head of the school again told the kids to go for it... just to be back at 3:30. Then he promptly went to lounge in the sun, while some of the others had a siesta. 

Can you say liability?

MC and I went on a walk after lunch. I learned that she got her Master's degree in teaching from a school in Massachusetts. Once I heard that, I understood why she wasn't like any other Spanish teacher I'd ever met. MC is type-A, all for the kids Spanish teacher I've met so far. As she put it, learning English must have rubbed off some culture on her (no wonder we get along!). I couldn't agree with her more. From my own experience, I think the only way to really learn a language is to adapt part of the culture within you. You just won't get it otherwise.

We also saw children falling into the river, trying to build dams, and climbing the rock faces. Oh city children. Some kids went so far off that they couldn't hear you if you shouted. Oh city kids. At least they had a blast and were able to go off exploring. Was I freaking out on the inside, you might ask? Well, no. I knew I wouldn't survive unless I disconnected myself from it. MC worried enough, though. She and I also marveled at how we had the PE teacher with us (who'd been the spot before) and yet he didn't take the kids down a trail (he thought they'd be bored). 

After we managed to round them all up, we headed back home. And that was a Spanish field trip! I talked with Emily, who also went on a field trip. She said things weren't as chaotic at her school, and that things were a bit more planned. My guess is that the teachers in my school just don't care. Personally I think that makes them look completely pathetic. MC is in charge of another field trip in the next few weeks, so we'll see how this one compares.

On Saturday, I went on a day trip with my roommates and Emily. My roommates tenían ganas to "do tourist," as it's roughly translated. For an explanation of what "tener ganas" means, check out the link to my friend Janel's site. We went to Alcalá de Henares, which is where Miguel de Cervantes (the man who wrote Don Quixote) grew up. It was only 40 minutes to the northeast outside the city on the cercanías, or light rail system that reaches into the towns outside Madrid for commuters. The town holds a university that was built at the same time that the "New World" was beginning explored, thus becoming the model for many of the oldest universities in the North and South American continents. We got to see Cervantes home and cheesed it up in front of the statue commemorating Don Quixote and his faithful servant Pancho. 

All of these things the experience did not make. What was the greatest part was hanging out with my roommates for 11 hours. We arrived, decided we needed a coffee, saw the cathedral, bought some handmade bracelets from children raising money, took a tour of the university, decided we needed a tapa (which involves a drink), decided we needed to do some shopping, decided we should probably go see Cervantes house before it closed, goofed off, decided we needed another two tapas in a great place, then I decided I needed to buy 4 new pañuelos, or scarves. I think it may have been the wine with the tapas. Wow. What a day! 

I appreciate my roommates and new-found friends. They are caring, funny, welcoming, opinionated, and all have great senses of humor. I got super lucky.

Other news bulletins:

Ana and I are going shopping on Monday. I´m in desperate need of long sleeved shirts. As I was packing for Spain, I realized that I was going to have problems. However, I'm looking at this as an opportunity to gain a little European style. I've been dressing differently, and it has made a difference. More Spaniards come up to me assuming I'm Spanish. That's always a good feeling. I joke with my roomies that they need to make me look more European and take me shopping. Ana is taking me shopping. Raquel gifted me this awesome vaquera, or jean jacket. Jana dumped a pair of jeans (which I can squeeze into), a few shirts, and a super cute black jacket on me. I've been so surprised with how open and loving my roomies are. 

I cooked dinner for 10 people on Friday. It was just pasta, but I did it right. I made garlic bread, penne, gnocchi, and a red meat sauce. Here in Spain, they don't have the thick, chunky red sauce we're used to in the States. Instead they have this thin, flavorless stuff. I brought the flavor. I was really proud of myself. It was hard work, but completely satisfying. 

La huelga and the peculiarities of my piso, or why I love it

After reviewing my previous posts, I realized that I had left out one of the most important events that has happened to me while I’ve been here in Madrid. On September 29^th, there was a general strike here in Madrid. As an American, a general strike is a foreign concept. Unions strike, employees working for companies strike, factory workers strike, those crazy hippies protest, but a general strike, one where everyone (well those who are interested) can strike is a bit weird. In Spain, I believe everyone (except I believe doctors and such civil servants) are allowed to strike. This includes teachers. The day before the strike, there was a teachers’ meeting where one of the teachers was trying to convince the others that we should all go on strike. The day of the strike I went to work, but a lot of students weren’t there.

I had only been in Spain at this point for 15 days, so I wasn’t looking to cast the first stone. From what I gathered, Spaniards are going through many of the same budget cuts that American’s are facing.

After living the strikes, though, I have to say I am not a fan. What disturbed me most was the destruction that the strikers left behind. All over Madrid the strikers spray painted S-29 (the date of the strike) and different “messages” to the government all over buildings, windows, and cars. A big group of people marched from one plaza to the capital building. At one point they marched up my street (the pros and cons of living on a big street). Someone so sweetly spray painted all the ATMs on the street. Many are still unusable. There were also a lot of stickers that stated the date of the huegla and they were stuck to EVERYTHING!!! I felt bad for all the peoples’ whose property was damaged.

In some towns, they burned tires in the road to create road blocks. In other places, the strikers broke windows to shops that were open. Some strikers even tried to prevent people from going to work, often resorting to violent measures. As you walked around town on the 29^th, you’d see stores with their storefront grates partly down with someone standing guard, ready to close shop if any of the protestors came around. The idea was that the strikers were forcing shops to close. Ana explained to me that in the eyes of the strikers, what mattered most to the government were the cifras, or statistics. If the government didn’t see high enough numbers of people “participating” in the strike, they could use the excuse that “enough” citizens were happy, and therefore the strikes would be futile. A little extreme if you ask me.

On the other hand, my piso is tons of fun! I will now tell you what you probably would want to know before visiting:

First: our toilet. Luckily, this epic adventure has finished.  To flush our toilet, you pull up on a knob located on top of the tank. This knob is connected to a long metal rod that essential pulls the plug at the bottom of the tank… or however it is that toilets work. When I first got here, you had to fish with the rod to hook whatever the rod was supposed to connect to. Sometimes you stood there for quite some time wondering if you were going to have to leave a “present” for the next because you were too frustrated to keep trying. Then, about two weeks ago, the whole contraption just… broke.

Please remember that we are 4 girls to one bathroom. And we basically go through a roll of toilet paper ever 12 hours (hey… don’t judge me! I use the allotted 2 to 3 squares, depending on the need). We had to pour buckets of water into the toilet to get it to flush for a couple of days. Then the landlord came over and took off the back cover. He said he’d return with a part in the next few days. 12 days later he still hadn’t returned. Oh landlords. So for the past 12 days we’ve been reaching our hand into the tank and pulling up on the broken part to get the toilet to flush. Sometimes tank water splashes back up on you. That really bothered Raquel. But it was just tank water. I mean, saves you a hand washing! Ha. That was a joke. No really, I promise!! Want to try this cookie I just baked?

The landlord came back today and fixed it. So now my toilet is normal and boring. I almost miss my old, more exciting toilet. Almost.

Our shower is also exciting. The shower head is one of those that detaches. For whatever reason, you leave the shower head down when you’re not showering. Then, when you shower, you put it in the holder-thing. I assume it’s just a “European” thing. Besides, at least I have a holder thing. Some of my fellow Fulbrighters don’t have one so they have to hold the shower head while doing their washing thing. This past Saturday morning we were awoken by a neighbor claiming that water was leaking from our bathroom into her apartment. She wanted us to turn off the water. We told her we’d call the landlord, but there was no way we could turn the water off—we’re four people to one bathroom! I think someone said we’d try to conserve water.

There is some weird plumbing going on here. For example, whenever you wash your hands in the bathroom, there’s a sucking noise that comes from the drain in the shower. Same thing happens in the kitchen. If you use one of the two sinks, there comes this weird churning sound from near the washing machine. If you live in my piso, you’re used to the place talking back to you.

The salon is where everything happens. Everyone hangs out in there all the time. I came home the other night to find the salon door closed and all my roommates sitting in there on cushions, wrapped in blankets watching “Letters to Juliet.” It was cute. We also hang our clothes up in the salon when we run out off room on our balcony. Nothing like underwear hanging around to start a conversation.

So there you go, a few details about my life in Spain. Hope you enjoyed them! Updates to come: school (I get to do the volcano experiment! You know the one where you put baking soda, liquid detergent, and vinegar all together?), my weekend, and the Hash. You know, all those details about my life that you live for. :)

Spending el puente in Valencia

This weekend I had a 4 day Fall Break. Everyone had a three-day weekend, but mine started a day early, seeing as I don't go into school on Fridays. The 12th of October (today) is not only the day that Columbus "discovered" the Americas, but it is also Madrid's Patron Saint's Day (Our Lady of Pilar). This year, the holiday fell on a Tuesday. The Spaniards then asked themselves: who wants to go to work on Monday after relaxing all weekend only to have one day off? Voila (that's French)! Monday became a "bank holiday," which means that schools and banks weren't open.

I then took off for Valencia. Valencia is an old Roman city, taken over by Christians, won back by the Moors, reconquered by the Christians. It apparently was also a stronghold for the Republicans (those who opposed Franco) during the Civil War. It lies to the southwest of Madrid, and is a short 50 minute flight on Ryanair (a budget airline). It was established by Romans in 138 BC on the banks of the Turia River. Valencia is known for hosting the world's largest aquarium (sorry Atlanta!), the Parks of the Turia River, and claiming ownership of the original Holy Grail.

My mini-vacation buddies were Brittany (who went to Berry with me, and is now doing a graduate program here in Madrid), and two of her friends from her program. The company was pleasant. The highlights came from the city itself. The biggest attraction is the City of Arts and Sciences, a huge, sprawling complex of five white-washed buildings set in a basin with reflective pools. It looks very futuristic and reminded me of the setting for the movie Aeon Flux. The entire complex is impressive and beautiful in its own way. In this complex is a science museum, the world's largest aquarium, an IMAX theatre, a dinosaur exhibit, and something else. We went to the science museum, the aquarium, and the dinosaur exhibit. The aquarium was fascinating. We got to see a dolphin show and I turned instantly into a five-year old. My favorite trick was when the dolphins tossed their trainer straight up in the air, at which point the trainer did a flip, and dived back into the water. It was thoroughly enjoyable. The dinosaur exhibit was a bit of a joke, but still enjoyable. The science museum was interesting, partly due to the fact that it was interactive. I learned about memory, light, sound, and (randomly) Hiroshima. You know, typical topics addressed at a science museum...

We also got to see the Holy Grail. Apparently, the Emperor Valerian brought it to St. Mary's cathedral in the 3rd century. He brought it from Rome, where it had rested since St. Peter brought it from Jerusalem. The chalice itself is a made of dark alabaster. The base of gold and gems was added during medieval times. Naturally there are those who are skeptical. The room that the Chalice is held is a side room off the main nave. When you enter, it's smoky and has this very old feel. There are pews facing the altar, behind which there is a plate of (I'm assuming bullet-proof) glass. Then there's the Grail. Being there made me think of my Mom, because I remember her reading tales of King Arthur and whatnot. Poor sucker: he should've gone to Spain. Ok, but seriously, it's fun to say "I've seen the Holy Grail," but having seen it takes the excitement and mystery out of the tale. I think I'll probably always assume that the real one hasn't been found, if nothing more than for the pleasure of my imagination.



Friday was October 9th, which is also the Day of the Valencian Region. In September of 1238, King James I reclaimed Valencia from the Moors. On October 9th, King James I marched into the city and held mass in the newly "purified" mosque, thus converting it back into a cathedral. We experienced a procession from the town hall to the church. Various political dignitaries marched along with people dressed in traditional Valencian costumes. The prettiest were the ladies dressed as part of the Valencian court. I stood next to a woman from Valencia and she was kind enough to explain the procession to me. I did have a heard time understanding, though, because it was vocabulary that I was unfamiliar with. I learned a lot though!

The architecture was also beautiful. I feel like it's what one would expect when they think of Europe. You had the modern building next to the stone one next to wrought iron balconies. Valencia also has a fair amount of street art, but not graffiti per se. The entire city has this slightly creepy theme to it, and every artist seems to incorporate that theme into their personal work. The beach was also super excellent. The first night we went the weather was really stormy. The second time Brittany and I enjoyed a fabulous breeze and strong sun. I didn't have my swimsuit, but I enjoyed laying in the sun while Brittany read Don Quixote. At one point, a woman walked up to us and offered a foot or neck massage for € 5. She had one of those posters that shows the pressure points on the foot. Don't worry, she wasn't creepy, she was just someone who offered a massage rather than those guys that go around selling sunglasses. If I hadn't needed to buy dinner later, I totally would have taken her up on it. 

This weekend I got to know Brittany in a more personal context. She'd always been around in the Spanish department and we had a few classes together, but seeing her outside the context of school, sharing a language and culture that we love was fantastic.

A quick note on the flight for those who have never flown Ryanair. Ryanair is a budget airline that has extremely strict weight restrictions, flies all over Europe, and offers extremely cheap fares (sometimes starting at € 8! ). The "downside" is waiting in lines at the airport, potential cancellations without reimbursements, late flights (like our return flight to Madrid at 11pm...), and no assigned seating. This means that if a flight is overbooked, people tend to rush the plane to try to get a seat. The captain sometimes even starts a chorus of applause after a flight as a way of saying, "We actually made it!" It's always an adventure with Ryanair. 


The flight to Valencia really was quite fast. By the time we got into the air, we had only been flying for about 20 minutes when the captain would announce preparation for landing. Brittany and I were amazed! I know realize that the flight itself is probably 25-30 minutes long, but that taxiing from/back to the gate in Madrid is what take so long. Madrid has one of the longest tarmacs I have ever encountered in my flight life. It easily takes 10-15 minutes to taxi either way. So those of you planning to come visit, don't get all excited the minute you touchdown: hold your horses, you have a good 10 minutes of just riding in the plane as it drives to the gate. That's a weird feeling. 


More pics on Picasa!

¡Poned las máscaras!

Breaking news: I finally have my schedule! MC has been very kind to me, and I don't have to come in before 10 any morning. The "downside" is that I don't leave school until 2 or 3 each day, but as long as I bring a snack, I should be fine. My schedule permits me to run errands in the morning, or to go out during the weekends, and then get home in time for siesta. My weekend starts early (Fridays off!!), allowing for three day weekends or day trips. I'm not entirely stoked about the classes I'm helping out in, but overall, I have no reason to complain. I've definitely have to give my schedule some time to start working before I can judge. So people who are coming to visit, you will have the later part of the morning and until mid-afternoon to amuse yourselves until I get home.


Last we spoke about school, I was going to present a unit idea to the group and see what they thought. Well, they liked part of it. I really hate to say this, but I feel like the teachers at my school think the students are bags of rocks. I hate that. I do not know if the teachers feel that way because the students really are dumb or if it's because the students are from a lower socio-economical area (and Spanish tend to think that means something). I have found that the kids are generally attentive (though I am still new), even if they don't understand me perfectly. We'll just have to see.


I have felt discouraged because I have been offering so many ideas, and they are all "too hard for the children," "we're not in that unit," "uhhh, maybe?" There is still tension which is affecting my reception. Spanish teachers are not used to being observed in the classroom at any point in their career. They also don't work with others, not even someone like par-pros (which don't exist here). Therefore, having me in their classroom, particularly a native speaker when they are teaching in a second language, is seen as a threat. Most teachers have been kind to me, but especially when I offer ideas, I think they are taking it personally. MC is trying to get the teachers to work together, but they don't even seem to want to work with her. Her biggest idea is a cross-collaborative curriculum so the English vocabulary the chavales (youngsters) are learning is reinforced multiple times. However even asking that the teachers send MC their unit ideas seems to create tension.


The teachers liked part of my unit plan, so that was good. However, the history teacher thinks that it would be too hard for the children to research a general U.S. historical event that's given to them (like "The Dust Bowl," "Jamestown" or "The California Gold Rush." etc.). See what I mean? I just hope that MC gets the other teachers to cooperate with her, and by doing so, we get a unit list. Then perhaps my suggestions won't seem so much as a threat as assistance. Like, you know, why I'm here...


In other news, I have found a gym to go to. It is on the same metro line as my school, and lies between work and school. As I start getting use to my school schedule, I plan on working in the gym time. I haven't decided whether I want to work out before school, or whether working out on the way home would be good. The biggest time puzzle being that it will be almost 3pm on the way home, and I won't have eaten lunch. Time shall tell! Janel recently recommended me investing in dried nuts to help tide me over between Spanish eating times,  and I could always bring lunch with me. 

Speaking of Janel: Emily and she had a piso party last Friday that was off the wall! We enjoyed a masquerade -themed evening. The party was also graced by several Spaniards, including Janel and Emily's roommates. 
the Janel popped up her unique caramel-chili popcorn (it was actually addicting) and also served homemade hummus (which I've been craving). Naturally the only picture of  me on Facebook shows me being a fatty and stuffing my face :) It was good. I bought my mask in the Chino underneath the piso. It's super sweet. I hope I get to wear it again. 

Sadly I left the party early because the next morning (Saturday) I went to Segovia with a group of people. The bus ride was only an hour and a half northwest of Madrid, and cost a little more than 12 euros. In other words, it was the perfect day trip! Segovia was founded under Roman rule in 80 A.C. and totes its very own, super authentic aqueduct! Segovia also has a beautiful cathedral that was consecrated in 1517, and it's own castle! Queen Isabela I (the queen whose marriage created Spain, and the benefactress of Christopher Columbus (if you've heard of him)) was crowned in the main plaza in 1474. The town has a lot of history, and is quite beautiful in an antique way. 


My travel group and I also enjoyed a taste of Segovia with a "ponche segoviano." This pastry has a sponge cake layer on the inside, separated with a custard, then wrapped in marzipan and sprinkled with powdered sugar. You can taste granules of sugar, and also a peculiar "burnt" flavor. Yes. It's, like, made to taste burnt. One of the girls with me said it was almost like creme brûlée. It's not my favorite, but definitely worth trying. (PS: more pics on my Picasa website-check it out!)

The irony of my life: Friday night, Raquel and Laura (who, you will remember, are from the same part of Spain) were arguing about how Segovia was chosen over Cáceres, which is the capital of Extramadura (their province of Spain) as a UNESCO World Heritage site. When I told Raquel that I was going to Segovia in the  morning she made a face and jokingly said "Bah! Segovia? Don't speak to me about that Godforsaken place!" Gotta love the Spanish. I will reserve my feelings about which place is better until I've seen both. ;)


The last part of my week that I shall talk about  occurred on Thursday. That day I attended a jornada, or an all-day orientation. It was the exact same type of orientation that we had with Fulbright three weeks ago, just this time with the Commission of Madrid. The Commission is what hires the other T.A.s that come to work in Madrid. They are also the people who pay us. Apparently in Spain, you don't go into anything with some type of "training," and even though Fulbrighters had already done orientation, we had to do it under the Commission's eyes. For the most part it was terrible boring, but at the very least I got to hang out with several of my favorite Fulbrights. I also met the other T.A. that will be at my school. She's from Puerto Rico and has been studying in Madrid for a couple of years.

It is now October (can't believe it!), which is exciting on its own. Funnily enough, this year I am less excited about Halloween (though I did find another chino close to me that has tttooonnnnsss of disfraces (costumes)) and am more excited about Thanksgiving Dinner. The source of the excitement might have to do with a visit I should be receiving around about that time. My roommates are also thrilled. I am greatly tempted to tape an American football game and have it playing while we're making dinner--or, maybe not....


Oh, and my gardenia bloomed! I was so worried that it was dying on me, but now I have a beautiful white blossom!