this blog. I feel like so much has happened and then not much at all but I need to keep updating!
I’m almost done with classes! I have 3 more TEFL classes and then I’m free! I started my first REAL teaching class today for a 40 year old man and his two kids (two different classes). It was more exhausting than I originally planned. I thought tutoring would be simple but since it’s a small class, I’m the only source of entertainment/learning/stimulation for the students. In big classes you can make them work
in pairs or groups. Not to mention I had to take a bus to a town outside the city and keeping my poor navigation expertise in mind, it took about twice as long as it normally should, especially seeing as how I was waiting at the wrong bus stop for a ride back. (You would think the ride back would be directly across the stop I got off on, but nooo.)The two little girls I teach are sooo cute. I swear, 95% of Spanish kids are the most precious things on earth and win over other countries, save of course my nieces and nephew. I had to read an article on Spanish kids for my class and it was so interesting; kids here are really doted on more than in the US, and not just by the parents but by other strangers, teachers, etc. An old man who talks to little kids aren’t considered pedophiles or potential kidnappers. And parents’ lives don’t stop just because they have kids; they bring them with them to the bars! It’s weird because the aren’t as bratty and even rebellious when they enter teenage years even though they get so much attention when they’re young. Maybe that’s why they live with their parents up until their mid-20s? I went to the park the other day and saw four siblings, ages 2-5, walk around holding hands for nearly an hour. The eldest was being so patient with the youngest and waiting on him and it was so weird because I feel like you would never see kids acting so composed and accommodating in the other places. Seeing as how the Spanish energy is so relaxed and slow, it makes a lot of sense. (See photo above)
It’s so funny here because people learn a lot of British English since the UK is in the EU. One of my little girls asked me for a rubber today and she meant eraser for all you dirty minds. My Spanish friend who’s been learning English his whole life said it doesn’t make sense to learn British English because he never communicates with that. He said any person he meets is from the U.S. And I don’t even want to imagine how to explain spelling differences when my students’ books say “favourite” and I spell it “favorite.” You don’t see words in Spanish being spelled differently when you compare Spain and Argentina.
It’s so weird to be teaching English. Before I came to Spain, I never really thought or worried about my job much, but now I realize I have so much pressure on me because my students have to actually learn English, have fun, and really improve! I know grammar like the back of my hand but I don’t know if I’m the best at making activities fun and learning easy. It’s going to take a lot of planning which, again, is not my strongest suit. If it’s even possible, I have a whole lot more respect for teachers (shoutout, Mom).
I’m trying to learn more and more Spanish, but it’s difficult seeing as how I make money based on being an English native. I went out for drinks tonight with my friend Pablo and I learned a few colloquial phrases aka stuff the Spanish books don’t teach. Spanish lesson: lo que sea (whatever), ni de coña (no way!), callienta pollas (what you call a girl who’s a tease), jodidamente (fucking ______, like estoy jodidamente cansada is i’m so fucking tired). Excuse my french but some necessary phrases!
I’m finally seeing how difficult it is to learn Spanish and English. Spanish is easy because everything is pronounced the way it looks and there aren’t a lot verbal phrases. English is easy because there’s no subjunctive, masculine/feminine, verb endings, etc. It’s so hard to pronounce though and there are so many verbal phrases! (ie pick up, get down, take out, etc etc etc and multiple meanings for every one.)
I’m glad life is finally settling down and I’m slowly going to be making money. I’m ready to stop worrying as much about my spending and be able to do more things in Madrid and beyond in Europe. I’ll keep ya posted! (Attached is a sweet sunset from Sunday evening.)
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