More from my journal recap I wrote for my school:
Thursday the 13th greeted us with a bright sun and the warmest weather of the trip so far. Luckily for us, that was our day to go to Woolacombe beach and take a walk along the hills of Mortehoe after morning classes. It was another beautiful day in North Devon and even more breathtaking views than the day before. We walked from Mortehoe to Woolacombe along a path that zigzags through sheep pastures (while trying to avoid the smelly presents they leave behind) and took a group photo on the hillside. In Woolacombe it was a bit windy to enjoy the beach, but the town’s surf shops are exactly what our students were hoping for. That night we saw Iron Man 2 in the local cinema, a movie full of spectacular action but a bit difficult to understand.
The next day we had class in the morning again and spent our afternoon in Barnstaple, the nearest big city with the Pannier Market and other shops. Unfortunately, the weather was as bad as it was good the day before, and it rained pretty hard for most of the trip. Due to the nasty weather we also had to cancel our football activity on Friday night, but it allowed our students to spend more time at home to practice their English.
Finally the weekend! All of us piled into the bus Saturday morning for the long trip to Bath, an ancient English city that was once a vacation resort and sacred ground in Roman-occupied England. A natural hot spring was discovered buried underground, and after further investigation they discovered a whole leisure complex, complete with several bath sites of different temperatures, multiple holy temples, and the most advanced technology of the time in terms of central heating and water irrigation. Nowadays this site has been completely remodeled with the main bath as the centerpiece. Inside, many of the smaller bath houses are open to the public and thousands upon thousands of relics have been recovered from the different rooms and pools at the site. The writer Bill Bryson was featured on certain parts of the tour, and his comment about the water is what struck me most- As water continues to bubble up to the bath from deep within the Earth, you have to take a step back and realize the antiquity of the site. The Romans may have created this architectural and technological masterpiece 2,000 years ago, but when you think that the very water we can see and touch here may have traveled well over 10,000 years to get here, it makes the Romans seem like latecomers. The afternoon was spent at Clark’s Village where there are factory stores of many famous brands, and even the most frugal people like myself managed to find a few deals!
On Sunday the students spent the day with their families. This was a chance for the families to show the students their personal favorite spots around the area, and most importantly to grow closer by doing activities outside of the house. Some took day trips to Woolacombe or other local areas, others played sports and outdoor activities, and some visited other family members. That evening we had a wonderful boat trip on the Ilfracombe Princess planned, but due to Murphy’s Law, it rained all morning and the trip was canceled. Ironically, by the time we would have left on the cruise the sun was out and the sea was calm, but that is what tends to happen with this crazy English weather, especially here in the southwest. (Congratulations to Malaga CF by tying Real Madrid that evening and staying in La Liga for next year!)
After Monday’s morning classes, we went to Arlington Court, a pristinely preserved mansion of the English aristocracy. Much like Dunster Castle, this former house of the Chinchester family gave us a view into upper-class English life from centuries ago. From the balcony overlooking the entrance hall, I tried to imagine myself at a high society gathering with the men in tuxedoes and women in elaborate gowns. We also saw the carriage collection and learned how carriage technology advanced through the years.
That night our activities leader Mr. Chamberlain organized a disco-night for the students at DJ’s. The local student group P.A.L.S. also came and helped get the party started. Thanks to the money we had gathered all week from the students coming late everyone got to enjoy a refreshment from the bar, and it’s safe to say that every single person had a great time. Most danced the night away while others chose to play a round of snooker, and overall it was a great way to celebrate our trip and have one final party.
We have one more full day before we go home on Wednesday morning at the break of dawn. We are crossing out fingers that the volcano ash from Iceland will allow us to fly (although I think some are praying that we’ll get to spend a few more days in Ilfracombe!) We’ll have our boat trip Tuesday night and then have our sad goodbyes with the people we have called our families for the last 12 days. This has been an amazing experience for everyone, and I hope that all the English the students have been learning will stay with them when they return to Spain! For many of our students this is the first time they have gotten to know a new culture, and this important life-lesson has the potential to change their lives forever. I hope they will return to Spain with more of an open mind in terms of accepting people different than themselves, understanding different cultures, and that they will remain curious to learn more about the rest of the world! I speak on behalf of Belen, Mr. John, and I when I say we are extremely proud of every single one of them and the progress they’ve made.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Since I don't have Twitter-
Yesterday I think I got the best indirect compliment ever when after speaking with the bus driver and then hearing me speak with my students he said "How'd you learn to speak English so well?"
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Our time in Ilfracombe
My journal I am writing for the school, documenting the England trip:
I arrived without complications on Monday evening to Exeter airport and was eventually picked up by Sergio (who works at Country Cousins as well) at Barnstaple train station. Soon, I was eating dinner in Ilfracombe with my host-mom Erika, discussing English customs and past students in her house that overlooks the sea. Sergio also rents a room in the house, and along with her Turkish partner, we are quite the diverse family.
On Tuesday I came to the school and saw the students for the first time. Wow! Even in three days I could see the difference in their English skills. I don't think it was that they had already improved a ton, but I noticed that their confidence was much higher and they weren't nervous to speak to me. In the hour I spent with them at lunch, I only heard them speak in Spanish a handful of times, and most of them showed a lot of effort to use what they have been learning in class and at home.
That night we went to the local bowling alley for a wild round of bowling between all 33 of us. Everyone had a lot of fun and really got into the game, even if they were just being silly posing for pictures or laughing at everyone's crazy bowling styles. After a bit of freetime playing foosball and billiards, we headed back to our houses to rest for the big day on Wednesday.
Bright and early Wednesday morning we packed ourselves into the two mini-buses and set off for the ancient Dunster Castle. Although it's a bit far from Ilfracombe, the drive was well worth the wait! Everywhere you looked there were beautiful views left and right: from magestic rocky cliffs meeting the blue sea, to the deep green pastures that blanket the landscape. We passed hundreds and hundreds of sheep, and there were even a few wild horses who were nice enough to model for our cameras.
The 400 year old Dunster Castle was a special site, and with its situation on top of the hill it provided gorgeous views from any window. Inside, the students filled out a small quiz as we passed from room to room, teaching them about the Luttrell family and all the artifacts within the house. It gave the students an idea to what ancient English life was like, and again, the photo opportunities were endless.
From there we had a quick lunch and were off to the towns of Lynton and Lynmouth to wander around the seaside and marvel at the breathtaking views. We also got a lift up the steep hillside by the old cable car built in 1888 and powered only by water. Luckily for us, the weather cooperated and we had nothing but sun and stunning views of the English coast from the top of the hill. We returned to the buses along the narrow Coast Path and made some new friends with the goats who feed off the hillside. By the time we got back to Ilfracombe we were exhausted and ready for dinner
At night the students stayed at home with their families practicing their English, and the lucky ones were able to watch Atletico Madrid win a thrilling victory over Fulham in extra time. Most students seem very content with their families (although it's a little harder for some to get accostumed to the food) and they are getting along well amongst each other. At school, Joe's puppy "Smithy" keeps everyone in a light-hearted mood and it's impossible not to be happy while he's around.
More fun to come soon...
I arrived without complications on Monday evening to Exeter airport and was eventually picked up by Sergio (who works at Country Cousins as well) at Barnstaple train station. Soon, I was eating dinner in Ilfracombe with my host-mom Erika, discussing English customs and past students in her house that overlooks the sea. Sergio also rents a room in the house, and along with her Turkish partner, we are quite the diverse family.
On Tuesday I came to the school and saw the students for the first time. Wow! Even in three days I could see the difference in their English skills. I don't think it was that they had already improved a ton, but I noticed that their confidence was much higher and they weren't nervous to speak to me. In the hour I spent with them at lunch, I only heard them speak in Spanish a handful of times, and most of them showed a lot of effort to use what they have been learning in class and at home.
That night we went to the local bowling alley for a wild round of bowling between all 33 of us. Everyone had a lot of fun and really got into the game, even if they were just being silly posing for pictures or laughing at everyone's crazy bowling styles. After a bit of freetime playing foosball and billiards, we headed back to our houses to rest for the big day on Wednesday.
Bright and early Wednesday morning we packed ourselves into the two mini-buses and set off for the ancient Dunster Castle. Although it's a bit far from Ilfracombe, the drive was well worth the wait! Everywhere you looked there were beautiful views left and right: from magestic rocky cliffs meeting the blue sea, to the deep green pastures that blanket the landscape. We passed hundreds and hundreds of sheep, and there were even a few wild horses who were nice enough to model for our cameras.
The 400 year old Dunster Castle was a special site, and with its situation on top of the hill it provided gorgeous views from any window. Inside, the students filled out a small quiz as we passed from room to room, teaching them about the Luttrell family and all the artifacts within the house. It gave the students an idea to what ancient English life was like, and again, the photo opportunities were endless.
From there we had a quick lunch and were off to the towns of Lynton and Lynmouth to wander around the seaside and marvel at the breathtaking views. We also got a lift up the steep hillside by the old cable car built in 1888 and powered only by water. Luckily for us, the weather cooperated and we had nothing but sun and stunning views of the English coast from the top of the hill. We returned to the buses along the narrow Coast Path and made some new friends with the goats who feed off the hillside. By the time we got back to Ilfracombe we were exhausted and ready for dinner
At night the students stayed at home with their families practicing their English, and the lucky ones were able to watch Atletico Madrid win a thrilling victory over Fulham in extra time. Most students seem very content with their families (although it's a little harder for some to get accostumed to the food) and they are getting along well amongst each other. At school, Joe's puppy "Smithy" keeps everyone in a light-hearted mood and it's impossible not to be happy while he's around.
More fun to come soon...
Random condensed thoughts
Lately I keep thinking "ooh I should write about this later" and then forget or I'm too lazy. So since I find myself with some freetime I'll try to put down what I can remember from the last 6 weeks or so.
- My street and neighborhood are a bit... seedy I suppose you could say. Not exactly dangerous or really poor, just kind of dirty and a lot of people are on their hustle. With that in mind there are people along the street selling things (mostly produce) on the sidewalks, there's the bootleg dirt parking lot next to my building where the 'attendants' sit on a beat up old lazy boy and take cash only, not to mention every other business is either a 'chino' store (think dollar-store) or a bar. So the other day I saw two guys pushing a nasty old shopping cart in a hurry down the middle of the street, and it was FILLED to the top with 4x2 foot slabs of meat. They were basically the exact size of the inside of the cart, and about 15 on top of each other. No lining protecting the meat from the rusty metal of the cart, no butcher paper separating each cut; just about 100 pounds of beef in a shopping cart pushing on down Paseo de los Tilos.
- Along those same lines, I walked by a typical little Spanish hatchback car the other day and I look in the back seat, and it is completely filled with oranges and lemons. It's as if the owner just rolled down the back windows and literally dumped their entire supply into the backseat. They were spilling into the middle console and onto the floor of the front seats. A mess.
- If you heard about our first attempt to play basketball, you'll know IES Las Salinas isn't exactly the Miami Heat. However, we had another game in the normal school league about a month ago and again I went to help. Since our school doesn't have bachillerato (the two years after high school, before college) we play against teams with older kids, so this time we brought in a couple ringers who apparently graduated recently from the school, though I don't recognize them. These players were pretty good, the other team was pretty bad, and they asked me to referee, and I'm proud to say we came out winners. And I was an awful ref.
- I also have been playing basketball at school against the kids every Tuesday at lunch. Mollywhoppin'.
- The bilingual coordinator at my school "Mr. John" is an avid golfer, and after two years of giving him crap about taking me, I finally made it out to play golf. It was a beautiful day and the course was a hilly one like Lake Chabot with lot's of pretty views of the Mediterranean. With a big meal and a beer at the clubhouse afterwards, it was absolutely the perfect day out.
- We had the Feria de los Pueblos (international fair) in Fuengirola, which I personally think is better than the 'official' Feria de Fuengirola in October. What is funny to me is that Spaniards from 18-108 love drinking and partying and dancing, and the feria is where you really see everyone let loose, including myself and my fellow teachers. The thing is, in a pretty small town, my students are all over the place, but it's actually not a big deal for them to see you drinking, nor do the teachers feel any shame. I of course try to pretend that I'm not tipsy or that it's just coca-cola, but it's really more in jest. Anyway, the Tuesday following I happened to show up late to the class of the older, "less academically oriented" students, and when I walk in tardy they join in on the obligatory oooooooooohhhhh. Once they settle down, Roberto in the back says "Why are you late? Too much apple juice at the feria?"
There are moments of pure comedy every day at school so I have to try to write a few down before I forget them all!
- My street and neighborhood are a bit... seedy I suppose you could say. Not exactly dangerous or really poor, just kind of dirty and a lot of people are on their hustle. With that in mind there are people along the street selling things (mostly produce) on the sidewalks, there's the bootleg dirt parking lot next to my building where the 'attendants' sit on a beat up old lazy boy and take cash only, not to mention every other business is either a 'chino' store (think dollar-store) or a bar. So the other day I saw two guys pushing a nasty old shopping cart in a hurry down the middle of the street, and it was FILLED to the top with 4x2 foot slabs of meat. They were basically the exact size of the inside of the cart, and about 15 on top of each other. No lining protecting the meat from the rusty metal of the cart, no butcher paper separating each cut; just about 100 pounds of beef in a shopping cart pushing on down Paseo de los Tilos.
- Along those same lines, I walked by a typical little Spanish hatchback car the other day and I look in the back seat, and it is completely filled with oranges and lemons. It's as if the owner just rolled down the back windows and literally dumped their entire supply into the backseat. They were spilling into the middle console and onto the floor of the front seats. A mess.
- If you heard about our first attempt to play basketball, you'll know IES Las Salinas isn't exactly the Miami Heat. However, we had another game in the normal school league about a month ago and again I went to help. Since our school doesn't have bachillerato (the two years after high school, before college) we play against teams with older kids, so this time we brought in a couple ringers who apparently graduated recently from the school, though I don't recognize them. These players were pretty good, the other team was pretty bad, and they asked me to referee, and I'm proud to say we came out winners. And I was an awful ref.
- I also have been playing basketball at school against the kids every Tuesday at lunch. Mollywhoppin'.
- The bilingual coordinator at my school "Mr. John" is an avid golfer, and after two years of giving him crap about taking me, I finally made it out to play golf. It was a beautiful day and the course was a hilly one like Lake Chabot with lot's of pretty views of the Mediterranean. With a big meal and a beer at the clubhouse afterwards, it was absolutely the perfect day out.
- We had the Feria de los Pueblos (international fair) in Fuengirola, which I personally think is better than the 'official' Feria de Fuengirola in October. What is funny to me is that Spaniards from 18-108 love drinking and partying and dancing, and the feria is where you really see everyone let loose, including myself and my fellow teachers. The thing is, in a pretty small town, my students are all over the place, but it's actually not a big deal for them to see you drinking, nor do the teachers feel any shame. I of course try to pretend that I'm not tipsy or that it's just coca-cola, but it's really more in jest. Anyway, the Tuesday following I happened to show up late to the class of the older, "less academically oriented" students, and when I walk in tardy they join in on the obligatory oooooooooohhhhh. Once they settle down, Roberto in the back says "Why are you late? Too much apple juice at the feria?"
There are moments of pure comedy every day at school so I have to try to write a few down before I forget them all!
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