My life in Brazil... I mean Spain

(some crazy addictive Brazilian song... wait for the beat to come in)

So I still don't have internet, but I have a break during school now and there's a computer in the teacher's lounge! Haha it's actually really funny to me that I spend a lot of time in the teacher's lounge. Beyond actually being in Spain, it's pretty funny just to be on the other side of the educational front, after spending my entire life as a student. I get such a different perspective on it all, and realize now looking back on my educational experiences, especially my younger years, that some teachers really don't have much of a clue what they're doing, while others are just obviously better. Also, hearing them talk shit about students is pretty funny too... I can't begin to imagine how much of that went on at St Mary's.

School is pretty good though. I only technically have to work 12 hours a week with this program, and some of my friends at their schools were able to set up their own schedules and work like Tue-Thu, 9:00-1:00 or something which sounds pretty sweet. However being that I am at a big high school, and I am the only "auxiliar" (there was supposed to be two but like me, the other had been switched to this school right before arriving, but he showed up at his old school and started there instead), I think they take my position realy seriously. I was given my schedule, made for me by the administration, and it's kinda wack. Not that I don't mind working or being here, but for example today I have the first class of the day from 8:30-9:30, and only work one other class, from 1:00-2:00. So while I'm not technically "working" during the hours inbetween, I'm still at school doing lesson planning or helping other teachers etc... And I live in Malaga which is 45 min train ride away so I can't exactly zip home in between. But it's also good because I'm really making my presence felt more than if I was only there every now and then or if I didn't have anything to do. If I do have down time at school, I've been reading the daily Spanish newspaper, especially the US news and the presidential updates, which has been really interesting getting a foregn perspective on US issues. Most articles seem pretty biased towards Obama, and have been instilling some confidence in me for a Barack victory. Unfortunately I won't be able to vote as I got my address late and couldn't get the absentee information sent in time. I really wanted to vote this year, for president because it is such a historic moment in history that I wanted to be a part of, but as I'm confident he'll win California, I feel only slightly less disappointed in not voting. But what I really wanted to vote for is the gay marriage bill, which I feel is equally as historic and if the ban passes it will be looked back upon as a dark time in civil rights history.

Otherwise life is good. I spend a lot of time walking around the city, especially to the train station and back, and including my time spent on the train everyday, I'm soaking up a lot of what "living" here is all about. My commute is in total about 1 1/2 hours each way, so as much as that sucks, it's kind of cool to really be a part of the working world here, and I get to observe a lot about daily life in Málaga and La Costa del Sol.

99% of my time while not working is spent with my roommates (well, the 3 Brazilian ones). We cook a lot for each other and otherwise just hang out 24-7, sharing stories about where we live and chopping it up basically... Everyone our age in the states is always saying "ohhh I want to go to Brazil so badly" but to me I was always almost against the idea of going to Brazil, just because it was the cool place to say you WANT to go to, even if people likely were never actually going to go. It kind of has this magical illusion attached to it, at least that's what it seemed to me in the states. But now I want to go sooo badly, because all they talk about is how beautiful it is, how much they love it, and how much fun it can be (especially carnaval.) And if the people are anything like the 9 or 10 Brazilians I've met so far here, they are amazing too. I'm aiming for February 2010 to hit up carnaval! It was my roommate Juliana's birthday last week and she was having a get together at a friend's flat, so I told her I woud make some food for her present.... so after a arduous search for all the ingedients, I made HELLA tacos for about 14 people, and I don't think a single one of them had eaten tacos before. Also made guacamole, which was a big time hit. Pretty funny having all these spanish speakers around who don't eat mexican food, but they all loved it.

I Took my first trip this weekend, two days and a night in Córdoba which was SO beautiful and rather small so it was easy to walk around. Pictures to come. I'm also realizing that I have to watch my money so much more this time around compared to last year when was studying and just kind of happy-go-lucky when it came to traveling and spending. I have a lot more responsibilities now and I don't think I'll be doing tons of traveling, although I'm in the process of planning Barcelona for thanksgiving with max and others, and christmas in Germany with the family. I'm also dying to go back to Salamanca and see my host family from last year. I still talk to them a lot and they keep asking me when I am coming. I'm really blessed to have good people in my life, both here and in the US.

If you're reading this, send me an update on what you're up to! LSpurgeon@gmail.com