Amigos, Baile, Trabajo

The above three nouns summarize this past week. Everyday this week was filled with things to do and work to get done. I started working at the Empreza tambien, giving classes there to the Advanced and Pre-advanced levels of employees. I think I went out about every night this week, each time with a different person to a different place. I haven't seen an other American once.

And I've met so many people and I have had so much fun!
The first day of my classes in Barrios Aeropuertos (con la empreza) I had to take the bus from my house to there. I asked an older couple at the bus stop to help me find the right place. They were more than helpful and even other people around us jumped in to look at the map and tell me where to get off and where to go upon arrival.

One mujer in the line joined our circle and started talking about the states and the general stereotypes that come up about the states. "O, you're American? And you are studying Spanish, how cool. Whew I could not live in the states too many hamburgers and all that grease! uG!" To make the story more Ironic she started talking about Utah and the crazy mormones there. I couldn't help but burst out laughing then I told here that I study there and that, yes in fact, I was a mormona. That didn't stop her comments and she went on to inform everyone at the bus stop about the atrocities of the mormon church and how the men treat their fifty wives like cattle, all impregnated at the same time..."
At this time in my life, I don't get offended by comments like this. Its just sad how so ignorant people can be some times. Of course she got her information probably from the t.v. or some friends, and how wrong actuality it has turned out to be. How many times do we hear something o T.V. or through the grapevine, that we as well ignorantly allow to effect our opinions and beliefs. Just be careful with what you read and hear. Of course, you need to trust media sources to a certain degree, but don't build a wall of ignorance around yourself. Be teachable and skeptical. Anyway, don't worry yourself about her hurtful comments, I don't think anyone else at the bus stop took her too seriously - thank goodness to the old man, He supported me when I tried to tell her that we don't practice polygamy and our church is not asi. "We know, no its not like that" he said quietly and understandingly to me when she wasn't looking. He knew as well that some people are just ignorant and unteachable so it wasn't worth battling over.

I wish I could tell you that once I got off at the right stop I was able to find the place without any problems. But no, they would be a complete lie. After I got off that bus, I walked around the three block area for Two Hours asking everyone I met "sabes donde estaria una escuela de idiomas?" Yes, that I was looking for a English school was the only information I had about where I was going. I had erased the number of the one contact I had with me in my phone the day before. I didn't remember the name of the company, and to make things better, I didn't have the address, phone number, or anything because I had left the class role at home. The funny thing is that I didn't even know that I had the address at home either, or else I probably would have returned home to get it (I had arrived that earlier, there would ahve been enough time)So the whole time I'm cursing this company thinking that they had sent me out to a area in the middle of nowhere with no directions or anything!
But at last, it was my own stupidity and forgetfulness that I never found the place that day. I had to return home with never showing up to work.

I didn't call anyone and no one called me so I didn't worry about it to much. I went back again on Thursday, this time With the address and I found it right away. Its actually not at a school, but at a company - the company hires English teachers to come in and teach their employees the language in effort of increasing performance and international contacts. I haven't started the Advance class yet, but my T/TH class has four students - all women- youngest 30 - oldest probably fifties. They are all very nice and i think I will enjoy the class. We conversated for the hour then I booked out of there to my students in Alcala.

Thursday I had one student, then afterwards I went to Madrid to visit Valentin, Fabian, and Louis. I had promised Valentine that we would finally make brownies.
After the brownies Valentin and I went went out on the town! I was tired before we even left and it still pretty early, about eleven. We took the metro into SOL. Valentin is the King at finding free clubs to go dancing in. We walked around for about an hour collecting those free entrance tickets that you see people on hte corners giving out that you usually try to ignore because you don't think they are giving anything out worth having. It was weird to be collecting them this time.

We went to about five different clubs, getting into one, dancing there for a while then bouncing to the next. I was dead by three so we went back early to his place, he gave me a pillow and blanket showed me the coach and asked what time I wanted to get up. Unfortunately we both had work in the morning (I had a job interview at 9:30/10ish in the city) so we ended up getting up at eight. He let me shower and eat breakfast there and took me to the tren station. A lot of people are a little intimidated or weirded out by Valentin at first, but I have always had a great and easy time hanging out with him. He is a good friend and I like the granola and yogurt that he eats for breakfast.

The interview went great and I am even more excited about the opportunity than ever. They said they would call me this week with the final decision. I feel that the interview went as good as it could have, so if I don't receive the job it will be on account of my age and nothing more. I at least feel good about that. So, we'll see.

Friday afternoon I had David and a new student named Eduardo. David has a English examen this Thursday so his parents were all anxious again. O gosh, I hope he does well just for the sake of my job. COME ON DAVID!!

Between the two classes, I had a two hour break where I met up with a boy named Rodrigo. Yes, his name really is Rodrigo. He is 22 student here who has wanted some help with his English conversation. "But he's not your student?" you may ask. Al fin, no. Through some weird email communication we made a non-fiscal deal where we would do a language exchange instead. I.E. he is MY new Spanish tutor. I was actually pleased when we met to find he is good-looking and with an even nicer personality. But don't get ahead of yourselves, he as a girlfriend. Its probably for the best. Anyway we spent the next two hours just talking and sharing language tips. In the emails he wrote perfect English and my Spanish was terrible. But when it came to conversation, i surpassed him by far. He even said that he was listening to things to correct me on, but couldn't find a lot. Accent included. He was completely the opposite. I had to talk very slow and it took him awhile to form the responses. I think with just more practice though he will get a lot better. He helps me the most in the emails - with corrections of verb phrases and such.
We met up outside Starbucks and he asked me if I wanted anything when he got up to order. I said "No thanks, I don't want anything. Really, I'm fine." UG but of course he comes back with two cups of brown creamy drinks. O great. I didn't want to tell him at this point that the reason I didn't want any was that i don't drink coffee, so the whole time I just kindof twisted my straw around in the lid trying to be conspicuous. When I got home I put it in the fridge thinking EDU or madre could drink it. The next day Edu tried it and told me to my surprise and bashfulness that it was hot chocolate without a trace of coffee. haha, all that for a cup of hot chocolate. Next time I'm just going to risk crushing the poor guys pride. It was raining when we finished up our conversation time, Rodrigo happened to live by Eduardo, my next lesson, so he gave me a ride in his car.

It was the first time meeting Eduardo, and as normal I was a little nervous. (don't you love those anxious first days?) I could tell from our conversations on the phone he was older but other than that I really didn't know what to expect.
Well he turns out to be a 43 year old, short, half-balding man, who seems to live solo in a very clean apartment. But one of the nicest guys I've met since (thankgoodness.) He speaks English slowly with an accent and many filler words obviously. He also takes two classes a week at his work but is looking for more practice so that hopefully he will improve even more. He mentioned several times that he would probably like to add more hours later on, so we can only hope. We got into some good conversations about grammer and he told me right off that if he says something wrong or mispronounces something that I should stop him right there and point it out. 'Don't be afraid to tell me I am saying something wrong. i like my teacher at work because if I say something wrong he corrects me right then and there before moving on." I need to practice being quicker with my corrections, many times I notice a mistake but they continue to move on before I have time to point it out without hindering their story or expressions.

As I was leaving the apartment I got a phone call from Robert, one of the guys from my original dance class that was at the club last week. He asked me if I wanted to come cenar with some friends and then go dancing afterwards. "Of course!" I said. (Its funny though because up until I met them at the restaurant I was thinking that it was Carols who had called me- who I had talked to previous in the week promising that we would go dancing. The real Carlos called me several times later that night but i didnt get his calls until I had returned home. oopps.)
It ended up jsut being Robert, his friend Reuben and Me for tapas. We went to Indaluo, which is a very famous tapas bar here in Alcala. We took turns buying the rounds of drinks (you buy a drink 2E and you get a free tapa-good deal for 6E total). It was the first time I actually felt I was there getting tapas with friends as a normal dinner rather than a foreigner eaten out. It was still early when we finished eating dinner (casco Antiguo - the salsa disco- dosen't getting going until 12:30) so for the first hour or so we went to Gambana, a younger, 80s-90s rock/alternative/techno music discoteca. I am so glad to be me sometimes. I was dancing like crazy jsut being ridiculous and not being self-concious. The guys thought it was awesome and soon we were all jsut bouncing around having a good time. (Reuben was doing more of a bummbling around once he got to his third drink, sigh poor kid.)
At 12:30 we made it over to Casco Antiguo. We stayed there until about three-thirty. It was fun, I mostly danced with Robert and Reuben but a few other people as well. Although I am not the best dancer, do the moves perfectly, or have great technique, i always get compliments on how well I follow so I hold pride in that.

Saturday was raining a storm! I had to walk to both my classes and I was drenched at the arrival of each. Daniel was enjoyable to talk to and he walked me halfway to my next lesson. David was bouncing off the walls and only wanted to play monsters. Plus i was late getting there, so his mom was trying to prepare lunch while I was running around the house with him on our treasure hunt.
I cam home about three, we ate pronto, and after that I went upstairs and slept till eight. I wasn't planning on going out again last night, but...well Carlos called me again, and i felt so bad for standing him up the night before that I agreed to going out for a little bit. He came to pick me up around 12:30. We went to a different Latin club in Alcala. It was awesome! It was a lot newer and nicer than Casco and the crowd tended to be younger. Plus they had karaoke, which we were actually going to do but I had him take me home before that (hah, I am kind of grateful) He introduced me to all of his friends. It kind of bothered me because with each person he introduced me to he would add, "O, and shes American. Talk slowly, she's still learning." Well with a great introduction like that people kindof give you that pity uncomfortable look in which you jsut don't know what to say, and if you try to talk anyway, they for some reason can't understand what you say then jsut look around with a ' o gosh what is this thing saying to me look' No, but they were all nice. I don't think the girls liked me that much but i hit it off great with the guys. I don't think I sat out more than three songs the whole time. The great thing about this club is that there are three/four professional dancers who work there and go around and dance with everyone. They are so good! And I love it! The funnest one is Javi, (who I met last week and Casco) who is about four and a half feet tall but just throws you around like hes sleeping. Raul is one of the others, hes very much Spanish if you know what I mean. I think we will talk again, for better or worse. Well I had a good time there with the new group of people. About mid way through, Carlos tells me that he likes me (after he's unsuccessfully tried to kiss me like five times)and asks me what I think about him. Poor guys. I told him straight up, I think your nice but I don't want a boyfriend and I don't like to kiss. "O, yea, I'm not the kind of guy who likes to rush things either. I think that you need to hangout with a girl a lot of times before you date seriously or anything." Well, for that reason I don't know how I feel about you yet. I said. "Does it bother you then when I try to kiss you?" He askes. Yes it does, and I don't like when you do it. But now that you know so we can be better friends now and i don't have to be so distant.
We left satisfied and it was a good night all in all. I ahd him take me home a little early so I could be rested for church today.

At church today, I finally talked to some of those new BYU kids. Actually just two, but thats enough for me. One of the boys I met, Daniel is nice. He lives where Garrett and Brock used to stay with maria. I should go visit her someday. But I made real church friends there! I talked to this one girl who I've always wanted to talk to before but never really had the change and we became like best friends. Well I hope so. She's taking me to the Lincoln Park concert! she is from Columbia and although has lived here for three years, dosen't really have a lot of friends here either. She actually works at the same building where I go to teach english classes. I told her I will call her this weekend to go out with me to dance. I hope we can some day. Also another girl named Laura. She's little bit more - wahha - over the top cheerfully , ditsy. But she loves to dance so we made plans to meet at Casco this friday. I'm excited that church wasn't all the way misreble. Even other members in teh ward talked to me. At last!

Well thats been my week so far. This next week I will finally be working my full 17 hours of students. Wahoo.


I think that one the fun, successful scale, this week has been the best one yet.