It’s 52 and mostly sunny today (even though my weather thing says it’s mostly cloudy). It’s a little chilly with the wind, but otherwise it’s a nice day!

We had our school Carnaval parade this morning. Last year it was rained out three weeks in a row, so this was my first one. It was supposed to start at 11:00, and we were all ready and standing around (so I don’t know what the holdup was) but we didn’t actually leave until after 11:30.

All the teachers dressed up with their classes; first level was Romans, the three-year-olds Indians (super cute!) and fourth level was Flintstones, just to name a few. Oh and sixth level dressed as chinos, (like Chinese people) which I thought was a bit racist, but apparently I was the only one who thought that. Why is that bothersome? Why is it that when I saw Indians, Romans and Egyptians I didn’t give it a second thought, but I did the Chinese? I haven’t figured that out yet…

The specialty teachers (English, PE, religion) and the administration went as Vikings! We even had hatchets and blonde pigtail braided (is there a name for that?) wigs, complete with a Viking helmet! I forgot my camera at home, I was bummed, but I was in some of other people’s photos so hopefully I can get a hold of those!

The actual parade itself was a bit boring, I thought. We had a band that played as we went, but everyone mostly walked. There was some dancing here and there, mostly by the teachers (I hung with Marilu and the other sixth level teachers) and I swung my hatchet around quite a bit, but I thought it’d be more fun. I also started to get really annoyed with some of the boys because they kept asking to see my hatchet and I just had visions of them beating each other with it, so I refused to let them have it. Jorge, Alberto’s son, was and is one of the most annoying ones. Mari and I have talked about it before and we think that he always gets his way at home.

We got back to school and stuck around for some pictures. I think I got out of there about 1:15ish. I got home and saw I had a notice for the batteries I ordered. It says you have to wait until the following day to pick up your package, but Gunita said sometimes if the carrier has already returned you can pick it up that same day. Luckily they were still open, so I went and checked and it was there! So I have a working food scale again…YES! I’ve really missed it this week; I never realized how my I depend on it. I also ordered an extra, just in case, so I shouldn’t be scaleless again for the remainder of my time in Spain!

Xoxo,

Court

Today it’s a very mild 46 degrees; the sun has been playing peek-a-boo with the clouds the entire day, but even when the sun’s hidden it’s not too cold. Perhaps the bitterly cold streak has ended? One can only hope!

Infantil Ana is in Albacete for an appointment today so I didn’t have class the first four hours, only last with Marilu. I actually asked Aurora if I could maybe not come (because to me it seemed pointless just to come for last hour) but she said no, that I should. OOOOK. 

I decided to get up at 7:30 and take advantage of my free morning. I did a little exercise, looked over the recipe for Oatmeal Scotchies (which I was going to make this weekend and wrote all the ingredients down that I needed to get at the store. But then I decided to wait a few more weeks, since I just brought the Christmas M&M cookies at the end of January, I thought I’d space it out a little more) and went to two stores to get all my grocery shopping done for the week!

I got to school a little before one (last hour starts at 1:10) and they were still in science. We started English maybe like 20 minutes later and finished talking about Valentine’s Day. We watched this short video clip about Saint Valentine and just kind of had a discussion about it.

I’m going to school tomorrow because it’s Carnaval (at school…Carnaval week doesn’t officially start in the town until Saturday) and we’re having a parade! It starts at eleven o’clock and we’ll take a short little walk around town, for the locals to see if they want. We’ll be back at school by 12:30, the kiddos are free to go and then we’re off until Wednesday! WOOT!!!

Xoxo,

Court

Today it’s clear and 43 and considering what the weather’s been like lately, I’d say it’s pretty nice!

First hour with 1A, after the start-of-the-day review, they did an animal word search. I thought it was kinda cute because they’re just starting to learn to do these and all the words were right in a row! It was so simple, but they have to get used to the idea, I guess. They then had to color each of the eight words a different color.

3A and B started a new unit about animals and they’re habitats. Included in this unit are words like zebra, elephant, monkey, crocodile, river, tree, plants, flowers and some others. I then read them a story about a brother/sister team, Esther and Duncan, who take a trip to the jungle! They also did a couple of workbook pages

Ana had five-years B finish a Valentine’s drawing from yesterday. Actually only a handful of kids had to finish and in the meantime, before “breakfast” she put on this Spanish cartoon on her computer.

I also read 4B a story, the one about Vamp the Vampire from the other day. Based on their answering of the comprehension questions afterwards, they don’t seem to be as smart or pay attention as well as the other class. Plus the talk a lot more too, which means Analen yells quite often, so that’s probably why they’re my least favorite class of the school…

Not sure why, but I had a hard time falling asleep last night and so now I’m super tired! I started feeling really sleepy last hour and still do. Definitely going to be napping here real soon.

Xoxo,

Court

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!!

The weather must not be in the mood for celebrating the day because it’s an overcast, blustery day…perhaps a Winnie-the-Pooh Valentine’s Day. The temperature itself isn’t half bad, considering what it’s been lately; it’s a scorcher at 45!

Today was easy and repetitive. With the three fifth levels I went over this really simple PowerPoint about the symbols and customs of V-Day, which would have been better for younger levels, but both Rocío and Marina said to do it anyway. In Rocío’s afterwards did this worksheet where parts of the words were placed into two columns and you had to match the correct suffix to the prefix. For example HE- was in one column and then –ART in the other. Marina’s class did a word search instead.

Marina was renewing her driver’s license (I think she said) in the morning so she wasn’t there for 1B and I had a free hour…nothing really to do, just kinda hung out.

Analen had 2B do this worksheet about animals. They were given a grid of sorts, with animals shown vertically and actions (like run, jump, fly) shown horizontally and had to either check or X each box. After that they had to color the animals on their vocab page.

Well, the battery in my food scale has died :(. I’m a little miffed because I’ve only been using it since the end of September and I thought they lasted a lot longer, otherwise I would have brought another. I started seeing the low battery light on Sunday, so right away I ordered another one…that scale is, like, MY LIFE! I got an email that it shipped yesterday (from somewhere in the UK) and I’m hoping it’ll arrive by the end of the week! I’ve become such a Nazi about my food portions; I don’t like not knowing an exact number…I’ll have to guestimate the best I can. :I

Xoxo,

Court

It’s a cloudless 39 degrees this afternoon. I’m glad it warms up throughout the day because generally it’s in the negative digits (Celsius) on the way to school…FREEEEZING!

I got a little annoyed with 6A this morning. Marilu had a ton of things to do/finish up, so she was kinda like “here, do this and that and this”, which was fine, but the class was all spaced out and not paying attention (Monday blues, I guess). I read them a section about Valentine’s Day from their books and then started asking questions—super easy questions—and almost no one raised their hands and when I called on people every time they were like “Can you repeat, please?” They were seriously wearing down my patience. Luckily 6C was better and more alert!

To 4A I read a story about Vamp the Vampire who didn’t have any teeth! It went through his daily routine and how he didn’t have any friends because he was toothless. But then he bought some at a party store and was all popular!

I gotta say, I think I misjudged that class, or maybe they’ve just gotten better, because they were able to answer almost every comprehension question I asked them afterwards (some of them, at least). I also don’t find them annoying or nearly as annoying as I once did…WIN!

The adorable little three-year-olds were a bit annoying today as well…cansinos, as they say here! Ana asked them if they knew what’s special about tomorrow and they were all like “CARNAVAL!” (Not quite…the parade’s Friday and we don’t have school next Monday or Tuesday) and then when Ana said no, one kid was like “CHRISTMAS!”, lol!  They colored in this big heart that said “Valentine’s Day” and then watched a short Sponge Bob Valentine clip. They all love SB so they wanted to get as close to the computer as possible. There was pushing and hitting and cries of “I can’t see!” could be heard everywhere.

Oh and one sort of weirdly funny thing when the first three-year-old class was coloring: at one point I looked over and this kid had pulled his pants down, was kneeling on his chair and just kinda swinging his little bum in the air! My first thought was he was gonna start peeing or worse right there (like, why would you pull down your pants?) but I didn’t see anything (PHEW!). I didn’t say anything to him at first because sometimes the kids don’t listen to me, but then his little tablemate goes “Corni!” and pointed to him. The Anas (the regular teacher of that class is Ana too!) were otherwise engaged so I went up to him and said “Pull up your pants”. I don’t think he knew I was behind him and could see everything because he looked embarrassed when I spoke! I think he thought no one could see him and he was just gonna have a little fun and shake his little booty!

Class at 4:30 and then some relaxation…oh and laundry too!

Xoxo,

Court

It’s clear and sunny this afternoon, though quite cold…27. It’s supposed to get up to 41 today—we’ll see of it does!

Radio wasn’t too bad. It was either a short movie or a short discussion (I’m guessing the latter) because I got home about 9:15 and usually it’s closer to ten. Before and after the movie Eloy explained a little bit about it and we discussed it (afterwards) and he used the word “retarded” to describe Radio. In my head I was like “NOOO! Don’t say that!” Then in the movie someone refers to him as retarded as well, so I figured that’s where he got the word from.

So I went up to him after everyone left and was just kinda like “Just so you know, it’s a little harsh/insulting/offensive to say that”. He said that he knew that calling some a “retard” was offensive, but didn’t know “retarded” was bad too. “Yeah, they’re both bad to say. It’s better to go with something like mentally challenged/handicapped”, said I. Not that anyone else knew the difference, but I thought he might want to know, in case the word ever came up again, especially if he’s talking to a native speaker.

I think I’m getting a cold :(. I noticed Friday afternoonish that my throat was getting scratchy. Now my nose is running and I’m a bit sneezy. My throat isn’t really at that scratchy/irritated anymore, though it does hurt when I sneeze. I’ve been pretty lucky this year, as far as sickness goes, so I can’t complain too much!

Nothing really noteworthy has occurred this weekend…mass last night and today I’m going to look for a Valentine’s songs/poems/PowerPoints because I forgot to look before and I know Rocío’ll ask!

Xoxo,

Court

It’s a sunny 45 degree day…and if you’re in the sun the wind’s bearable!

This morning I went to the market and bought some more almonds…half a kilo for seven Euros. Is that good? I don’t know but at any rate it’s better than the store price. I also got some raisins, which I’ve never bought at the market before, but since everything is cheaper there, why not?

I then went to the store, Ahorra Más, for a few more things. Writing about AM made me think of the dates I bought at Mercadona the other day; dates are my new favorite things to eat—well, one of them. I don’t think I’d ever had them before, not that I can remember anyway, but I love them…they’re yummy!

Other than that I haven’t done a whole lot today. I noticed my floor was dusty so I decided to sweep earlier. I swept the other rooms as well, but since it’s not my week to clean that’s all I’m gonna do!

Tonight is English movie night. Eloy called me last night and told me what we’re watching: Radio with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris. He called me last week also to give me a heads up on the movie, which kind of surprised me because the first week he said it was a “surprise”. Maybe he thinks if he doesn’t tell me I won’t come. I’m glad he tells me though so I can decide if I find it interesting. Luckily this year his theme is uplifting/inspirational movies!

Xoxo,

Court