take the good with the bad

I had kind of a rough day yesterday. At school the kids were a little extra awful. Noelia and I were both tired and keeping control of them is exhausting. I just couldn´t make myself understood to anyone, to the kids or adults. I eat lunch at school on Mondays and Wednesdays and I was trying to follow the conversation of the teachers I was sitting with but I couldn´t - they just speak SO FAST and with so much slang that is barely resembles standard spanish. After a while one of the teachers turned to me - after I had been polietly smiling and nodding throughout most of the lunch as if I had an idea what was going on - and asked me a question. I didn´t even know what the question meant much less the answer. Then they started explaining but their explanation was just as fast and impossible to understand as the conversation had been. Then they asked if I understood, I tried to lie and say yes to not be as embarressed but they saw that I didn´t and then they just laughed it off and stopped trying to explain. I have been in this situation before, I know that sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn´t... but that does not make it any less frustrating.



On the way home Noelia noticed I wasn´t as talkative as usual. She started trying to console me and tell me about how when she studied in England sometimes she just wanted to cry because it was so hard. Then she asked if I missed my family and freinds. I told her on good days all I can think about is how lucky I am to be here, how awesome Spain is, how exciting I am to be living in Europe this year. But on bad days I just want to be home where I feel like a competent human being, not to mention to be with people I love that actaully understand me.



Anyway thing turned around in the afternoon though. Since we live in Sevilla, where the main office of our program is, we get the benefit of the services that our organization provides. Sara, teh girl in charge of we English teachers has been sending out emails about people looking for private tutors. Yesterday I went to go meet with a familt that wanted 4 hours a week of private lessons for their two high school aged boys. And I am going toeb paid 15 euros an an hour! (This is great, I only make 12 with my other lessons. Nothing like the promise of income to turn one´s mood around. The boys are very nice, the older basically knows English already and just needs a conversation practice partner. The younger not so much but he knows some and I will be helping him with homework and studying for tests.

Today I had to go through another class without Noelia but today did not go as well as last week. Pepe (the director´s husband) had to leave when it was time for me to teach and the other teacher who came wasn´t very much help with getting the kids to listen. Luckily I had a hands-on activity for them to do which wasn´t too complicated so after I shouted my explination at them while no one was really listening, they managed to figure it out more or less.

One more day of school and two more lessons til the weekend! I am going to Madrid with some freinds. Another very good reason for the extra 80 or so euro a week!

Hasta ahora,
MC