What's WITH Spanish students? They're really breaking their necks trying NOT to learn anything in class. You know that feeling that you get in your head when your brain is working, and you feel a bit frustrated and uncomfortable? That's called THINKING. Do enough of that, and perhaps it will lead to some LEARNING.
GOD.
13.10.09
9.10.09
Thoughts
1) So I think I found out where the ho stroll in Cordoba is today. I always walk down this street called Calle Rey Heredia to get to the part of town with all the shops, and I noticed there are always, without fail, girls sitting on the stoops of several buildings along the way. They're never talking to each other or doing anything. They just seem to be bored out of their minds, waiting for something...or someone? And, they are always vaguely provocative in their dress. Today as I was walking, I saw a girl sitting on a stoop wearing 5-inch (I guess) red strappy heels and a pair of coochie cutters and all of a sudden, it hit me. My route to the center of town takes me directly down the ho stroll. I don't know how I didn't put two and two together before. I need to get a map and find a new way to get to the center.
2) So Los Del Rio (that's right, the world-famous Spanish twosome who blessed the world with Macarena) are Andalucian. They're not from Cordoba, though; they're from Sevilla. Anyway, their name means "those from the river," right? And the "river" they're referring to is the Guadalquivir, which I can totally almost see from the window of my room. That tenuous connection to a thing that is famous for being terrible made me feel special for more than 10 seconds, which is embarassing. What I'm saying is everyone, please call me Macarena from now on.
3) Have the people here ever heard of pooper scoopers?!? I've seen more dog turds in the past three weeks than I had in all the years of my life prior to moving here. Walking to work, I have to maintain perfect vigilance lest I squish one and end up smelling faintly of poo for the rest of the day.
4) I think I'm obsessed with Fanta. Honestly, maybe four, five times a day I think, "Wow, I could really go for a tall, frosty Fanta right now."
5) This:
2) So Los Del Rio (that's right, the world-famous Spanish twosome who blessed the world with Macarena) are Andalucian. They're not from Cordoba, though; they're from Sevilla. Anyway, their name means "those from the river," right? And the "river" they're referring to is the Guadalquivir, which I can totally almost see from the window of my room. That tenuous connection to a thing that is famous for being terrible made me feel special for more than 10 seconds, which is embarassing. What I'm saying is everyone, please call me Macarena from now on.
3) Have the people here ever heard of pooper scoopers?!? I've seen more dog turds in the past three weeks than I had in all the years of my life prior to moving here. Walking to work, I have to maintain perfect vigilance lest I squish one and end up smelling faintly of poo for the rest of the day.
4) I think I'm obsessed with Fanta. Honestly, maybe four, five times a day I think, "Wow, I could really go for a tall, frosty Fanta right now."
5) This:
Masturbation from Nick Thune
7.10.09
I hate titles
My blog entries are really random, sorry. Organizing is annoying.
I'm at school, but I have a giant break. The weather is bad for the first time since I've been here in Córdoba. And, by ¨bad,¨I mean it's a little bit overcast. Nowhere near the impenetrable gray mass that looms over Bilbao for, like, ALL OF FALL. Looove it. The heat does get a little unbearable during the early afternoon, but I just stay inside and eat lunch, then maybe take a siesta--problem solved. When in Rome...
Yesterday, I spoke SO MUCH SPANISH. Turns out that most of the teachers here hardly speak a word of English. I definitely reviewed colors with one of them yesterday, and I taught the numbers 1-10 today. That's where they are, at the very beginning. I had to give the lessons about 97% in Spanish. Then, I had a couple hours of intercambio with two of my students after class. THEN, the neighbors next door came over for a visit and brought us ice cream, so I chatted with them for a while. Wow, was my mouth tired after all that. (That's what she said.)
But, I am glad about it. People in the south are more open and relaxed, so it's much easier to make friends/get people to talk to you. It's only been three weeks and I already feel vastly more confident speaking. Gone is that deer-in-the-headlights look/feeling when someone comes up to me and starts blabbing en español. Unless that person is Paco (one of the teachers). Seriously, who the hell knows what that guy is saying? It can't just be me.
This weekend, I'm planning to go to Baeza to pay Philip a visit (look at who's getting mentioned, get off my back!). It's a puente (three-day weekend).
I'm at school, but I have a giant break. The weather is bad for the first time since I've been here in Córdoba. And, by ¨bad,¨I mean it's a little bit overcast. Nowhere near the impenetrable gray mass that looms over Bilbao for, like, ALL OF FALL. Looove it. The heat does get a little unbearable during the early afternoon, but I just stay inside and eat lunch, then maybe take a siesta--problem solved. When in Rome...
Yesterday, I spoke SO MUCH SPANISH. Turns out that most of the teachers here hardly speak a word of English. I definitely reviewed colors with one of them yesterday, and I taught the numbers 1-10 today. That's where they are, at the very beginning. I had to give the lessons about 97% in Spanish. Then, I had a couple hours of intercambio with two of my students after class. THEN, the neighbors next door came over for a visit and brought us ice cream, so I chatted with them for a while. Wow, was my mouth tired after all that. (That's what she said.)
But, I am glad about it. People in the south are more open and relaxed, so it's much easier to make friends/get people to talk to you. It's only been three weeks and I already feel vastly more confident speaking. Gone is that deer-in-the-headlights look/feeling when someone comes up to me and starts blabbing en español. Unless that person is Paco (one of the teachers). Seriously, who the hell knows what that guy is saying? It can't just be me.
This weekend, I'm planning to go to Baeza to pay Philip a visit (look at who's getting mentioned, get off my back!). It's a puente (three-day weekend).
3.10.09
Question
Why is it that Spanish people go out at like 1 or 2 AM and party until 6AM? Because they siesta. Why did I not see it before? It's all due to the siesta....
2.10.09
It's been a long day...
And it's only a little more than half over.
I went to the Subdelagacion del Gobierno today to renew my NIE card (makes me legal). Of course, it wouldn't just be that easy, would it? Now, I have to figure out something called an empadronamiento, which is, trust me, even less fun than it sounds. Ughhhhh bureacracy.
Random things.
- I went to a place called Duffin Dagels today. I think you can guess what it's a knockoff of (Dunkin' Donuts, okay?). The name made me laugh so hard I had to go in. I bought a doughnut and man, had I forgotten how delicious those things are. Deep fried goodness, mmm.
b. So, air quotes don't work in Spanish. I have realized this important fact. I do air quotes a lot, and I carry them with me when I'm speaking Spanish, but I'm fairly certain it only confuses people. I'm still going to do them, though. These Spanish people need to just get on the air quotes bandwagon.
3) I realized that I am right-footed. That left foot just isn't worth a damn.
End.
I went to the Subdelagacion del Gobierno today to renew my NIE card (makes me legal). Of course, it wouldn't just be that easy, would it? Now, I have to figure out something called an empadronamiento, which is, trust me, even less fun than it sounds. Ughhhhh bureacracy.
Random things.
- I went to a place called Duffin Dagels today. I think you can guess what it's a knockoff of (Dunkin' Donuts, okay?). The name made me laugh so hard I had to go in. I bought a doughnut and man, had I forgotten how delicious those things are. Deep fried goodness, mmm.
b. So, air quotes don't work in Spanish. I have realized this important fact. I do air quotes a lot, and I carry them with me when I'm speaking Spanish, but I'm fairly certain it only confuses people. I'm still going to do them, though. These Spanish people need to just get on the air quotes bandwagon.
3) I realized that I am right-footed. That left foot just isn't worth a damn.
End.
1.10.09
Hmm, hmm...
So today was my first day of "work." I got in touch with the head of the English Department yesterday (finally) and he knew nothing about me. I was like WTF. He told me to come in anyway this morning, so I did, and I met the head of the Bilingualism department, which is apparently who I needed to be talking to in the first place. Her name is Trinidad (cute), and she completely set me up with my sweet schedule and showed me around the school. Things that are already better about this school year:
1) I'm only working at one school, instead of two.
2) The school is a 10 minute walk away from my apartment instead of a 10 minute metro ride, then 45 minute bus, then 10 minute walk away.
3) My schedule doesn't change every week.
4) THE BEST: I'm working in the vocational school, not really the high school, so all my students will be above age 18 (whoo-hoo, no effing teenagers!!). Also, half my hours at the school are also just one-on-one classes with the teachers themselves. Trini is the only teacher who speaks English well, and all the others are just learning it now, so they need serious help.
I can't tell you how much I'm loving this situation.
Also, Monday we have an orientation, so I'll be getting to meet all the other people in the program, yay.
In other news, I have a big bed this year! It's soooo nice. Everything's coming up Milhouse.
1) I'm only working at one school, instead of two.
2) The school is a 10 minute walk away from my apartment instead of a 10 minute metro ride, then 45 minute bus, then 10 minute walk away.
3) My schedule doesn't change every week.
4) THE BEST: I'm working in the vocational school, not really the high school, so all my students will be above age 18 (whoo-hoo, no effing teenagers!!). Also, half my hours at the school are also just one-on-one classes with the teachers themselves. Trini is the only teacher who speaks English well, and all the others are just learning it now, so they need serious help.
I can't tell you how much I'm loving this situation.
Also, Monday we have an orientation, so I'll be getting to meet all the other people in the program, yay.
In other news, I have a big bed this year! It's soooo nice. Everything's coming up Milhouse.
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