Rain!

Rain! How I missed thee!

(oh god Hemingway is getting to me...)

Por fin para empezar

After a week in Coria, I finally have all my paperwork finished. I had to go to Cáceres, the capital of the province, about an hour away. Pedro, one of the ninety something teachers at the Instituto, helped me with everything there. We had a limited amount of time, since the police station closes at 2 in the afternoon and doesn't reopen until the next day. Ah, España. It will take 40 days to get my tarjeta de identificación, but now I can open an bank account. However, Ángela told me that it will probably take about 2 months until they pay me. How efficient. I start classes tomorrow. It is a high school, so the children are older and hopefully better. After a month and a half, I will finally have a schedule! I feel like a nerd, but I can't wait. One day a week I go to a school in Torrejoncillo, a small town nearby. Three I will spend in Coria, with one día libre. And the weekend. The school day is from 8 - 2, and one afternoon a week, after the siesta, I will teach two conversation classes for extra money, 30 euros per hour. How could I not?

Some wonderful things about my apartment:
-I can hear the neighbors arguing through the wall, and depending on the volume, the exact words they say. These neighbors include a man who shouts, a woman who sings loudly, a crying baby (various hours of the day and night) and an incredibly whiny young boy.
-The tv is in black and white.
-There is barely enough hot water for a short shower.
-If I use the oven, I can't use other appliances (or lights, apparently) or it will overload the circuit. I need to figure this one out better.
-I only have one knife, and it is equivalent to a steak knife.

A quién se importa, my address is:
Amy Tooley
Avda. Virgen de Argeme, Nº 66 - Pº 2
Coria 10800, Cáceres, España

My cell phone number is:
647140635, and you have to dial 01134 before the number.

My Spanish is improving, and I'm finding it hard to think in English; I have the compulsion to add phrases in Spanish. I hope to hear from everyone!

Coria

Months of anticipation. I am in Coria. First impression: cities are few and far between in the distance between Coria and Madrid (four hour bus ride). The landscape is fairly dry and barren, at least when compared to western Washington. I have yet to see much of the city, but it does not seem like there is much to see. Ángela, an English teacher at the Instituto, picked me up from the bus station last night. She told me the city is not very beautiful, but it is fine, adding that she is not from here. She fed me dinner at her house, just up the street from my apartment. It definitely was a Spanish dinner, with the mom serving everyone and telling them to eat more ("¡No has comido nada!"). I like her husband, Emilio, also a teacher at the Instituto. I ate jamón (not to be confused with ham) for the first time in 13 years, as I have decided to try everything I am offered. Edible, not as bad as previously thought.

So, yes, I have my own apartment, fully furnished, with two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, and a separate living room. It is right across the street from the Instituto. I was dubious, but now I am excited to have my own space. Now, about the cooking... As of yet, I still have no idea about my work schedule because I will be at a different school for half the time. This seems to be the way. I have the opportunity to give additional conversation classes through the school for a little extra money. It is sunny and comparatively warm here. It does not rain much here, I have been told. My Spanish is incredibly rusty, embarassing.

Madrid, finalmente

Sydney and I have made it to Madrid. It's strange to be here again, three years later. It's amazing how much my perspective (among other things) has changed since then. I don't know where to start, so I won't. But Spain is Spain. People still invade your personal space, disregard the concept of a "line" and "waiting", and shove past without a single glance. It's hard to believe I'm finally here. I bought my ticket to Coria today; I leave tomorrow. Well, it seems like it's time for a siesta. Vale.

Today is October

We're in October now. I don't understand time; how did this happen? It's nearing the end of 2007, it's fall now, the rains have begun, school has started for nearly everyone I know, my 23rd birthday approaches (eek!), all of this. It's disorienting, not going through the fall routine with all of my friends that I have done for the past four years. I am waiting. Today is the first day of school in Coria, Spain. I have been moving toward this date since May, when I found out was accepted as an English language assistant. I said goodbye to everyone and was ready to leave September 22, but my visa wasn't. Spanish bureaucracy, wonderful. Now I am wasting time, waiting until I can leave. I hate the concept of wasting time but it is very difficult to avoid this mentality with nothing to do. This state of limbo where I find myself is tremendously unsettling. I have never felt this homeless before. I don't belong anywhere, even though I feel welcome in many places. During this past month of waiting, I have come to realize that my parents' home is no longer my home, no matter how much I want it to be. Everyone must experience this at some point, probably sooner than I have. Shit, this must be a part of growing up. Something that I been resisting: adulthood. It seems like I should still be able to put it off for awhile longer, even though graduating from college is a big step in its direction. Shudder. Yet, this period of waiting (not yet over) has made me feel less like a capable adult than I have felt in a long while. No responsibilities, no routine, and no obligation. It seems nice but also includes relying on others, burdening them, and not having my own space. I guess it comes down to the fact that I don't know what I want and I probably won't be satisfied or content for a long time. At least that way I can't become complacent. And at least my first job out of college includes traveling, with very little commitment. I guess I don't have to get serious too fast.

Anyway, I leave for Spain on October 10. The school in Coria is finding me a place to live (thank god!). I can't wait to start using my brain again. I haven't spoken Spanish for several months, so this should be a welcomed challenge. I was advised not to write too much, so if this is too much, please stop reading. I hope to hear from everyone while I'm away. School ends at the end of May, but who knows when I will return?