As our first month in Spain comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on the incredible journeys we have taken and the experiences we have had. It is hard to believe that September is at an end.
Madrid is a dreamy place to be. The people are so friendly and the city extremely welcoming and safe. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings we can hear the changing of the guard from the Royal Palace across from our apartment. In the evenings we can hear beautiful violin music from street performers. Where we live is truly surreal.
Some Advice
At this point we are regulars at some of our favourite stops. If you are in Centro Madrid give these places a try! For an amazing café con leche and a cheap delicious breakfast try El Café de la Opera. For the best tapas and drinks (that only cost 1 euro), try La Paradita Tapas Bar. It’s always packed, mostly with locals, so you know it’s going to be the best!
Something we didn’t know that future TABbers might benefit from: it gets cold fast in Spain! We went from the sky high summer temperatures to much cooler days, and even cooler mornings and evenings, seemingly overnight. Bring a sweater or jacket, because I didn’t, and will now be running the the Humana thrift store after school to find one. Spanish people also love their fall fashion, so even on warmer days where us Canadians are sweating, they are wearing sweaters and scarfs, looking fashionable as always.
Teaching Life
Since the beginning the school has been so welcoming to us. We feel very comfortable here and our partner teachers have been nothing but supportive. It has been amazing to watch the journey from when students arrive in the classroom on the first day compared to now. Getting to know them has been a joy. For me, it has been challenge to work with early grades in math and english, as I am usually teaching secondary students! But I have begun to love the process more and more every day. Most of the work I do is one on one with the students, focussing on their individual skills. Below are some photos from our experiences at SEK Castillo so far. A large portion of my volunteer work is also cutting out decorations for the classroom and hanging student work!
It’s All Worth It
Some days aren’t easy. When you get on the wrong bus and go way past where you are supposed to be and unsympathetic bus drivers make you pay the fare 3 times. When the kids in your class will just not stop misbehaving, until you’re ready to pull your hair out. When you get locked out of your apartment. When flights get cancelled and plans change, much to the disappointment of all. When your entire household is sick with a bad cold plus you’re all exhausted after a long day. All these things have happened to us in the past month. But in the end, it’s all worth it. Every trial has been a learning experience that I wouldn’t change. Even when things are hard, I am so thankful for all the girls on TAB who make this trip especially meaningful. We have made such strong friendships in such a short period of time, and for that I am so grateful.
Finally: Some Highlights From September
- Going to Bilbao and San Sebastian and basking in golden sand on the beach
- Helping set up a classroom for the start of the year and bonding with my class of first graders. When I return from not being at the school for a day, the students tell me how much they missed me, which makes my day!
- Having an awesome pool day in Madrid at the largest swimming pool in Spain.
- Seeing the famous aqueduct of Segovia
- So, so, SO many park picnics all over Madrid. Lazing in the sun with cured jamon, cheese, a baguette and a book (or homework of course) is the best way to spend a day!
- Having Tim Hortons in Europe. It was definitely not as good as in Canada.
- Wandering the campus of the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest higher education institutions in the world.
- Eating world famous churros at Chocolatería San Ginés
- Having dolphins swimming alongside our Catamaran in Malaga! Plus went for a sunset dip.
- Visiting the Alhambra, an incredible World Heritage Site in Granada.
Looking ahead, some of us plan to visit Portugal for a weekend and attend a Real Madrid soccer game (If we can get tickets!). We also plan to soak up the fall season at Retiro Park and make it to the landmarks in Madrid we haven’t visited yet. We truly are living the dream…hard to believe there are only 4 weekends left before we fly home to Canada. Can’t wait to soak up every last thing that Spain has to offer!
