What else is new?

School talk:

My school schedule has had a number of makeovers since the school year began. The most recent re-do was given to me this week. I have now lost all my classes with first grade (sad day… I was getting quite attached to them, and I enjoyed working with Carmen), with the preschoolers (misery averted…), and with all other random classes I was asked to pop into once a week (which was just plain pointless). As a result, I will only be working with both of Victor’s 5^th grade classes and with Cristina’s 3^rd grade class.

The reason behind the schedule alteration is because a fourth teaching-assistant has finally arrived. Now there are four of us: Yazmin from California/Mexico, Sharon from NYC, Kellie from Liverpool, England, and me! We are all quite different, and I think we bring a special diversity to our school.

Sunday news:

Call me crazy, but I went to two different church services this past Sunday. After attending the service at my “home church,” The Community Church of Madrid, I met up with Elaine in order to check-out Immanuel Baptist Church. I was surprised by how large the congregation was, especially with it being the second service, and I really liked how diverse it was. If I can’t make it to CCM because of volleyball, I think I’ll give this church a go.

Speaking of volleyball, almost all 12 of my teammates were present for our game Sunday night. We didn’t just win. We annihilated our opponents. Then again, the average age of my team is around 28 and that of losers was more like 16. But hey, a win is a win. Put that one down in the score books.

New friends!

"One Euro Wednesdays" at 100 Montaditos is the perfect way to get to know someone. Between sips from a jarra de tinto del verano and bites of mini-baguettes filled with deliciousness (aka un montadito), I found myself enamored with a girl I had met less than an hour earlier. Emily is a Kentucky-girl who grew up with one of my Furman friends who put us in contact with each other this summer. However, this was our first and long overdue face-to-face meeting. As if it weren’t great enough to make a new friend, Emily is a new friend who lives in my neighborhood, a stone’s throw from my school and where I tutor. I had the pleasure of meeting some of her roommates, and I have a feeling I’ll be popping in after work on weeknights. I’m excited about the possibility of having another group of friends to hang out with at random here in Madrid. One would think that living in a big city, surrounded by thousands of people everyday, would make it easy to find friends. Not so. Thus, I can’t wait to see where Emily and I will be going!

Holiday tunes

I was in the grocery store on Monday afternoon, and I heard it: the first Christmas song of the year. It was an instrumental version of “Sleigh Ride.” Yet, as much as it lifted my spirits to be filled with Christmas Cheer, I have to make it through being filled with all the goodness of a Thanksgiving feast… or two!