Figuratively, not literally. Actually the sun ALWAYS shines in Spain. We hardly ever get rain (although I will say that a.) I probably just jinxed myself hardcore and b.) when it does rain, it monsoons. And the streets flood. I'm not looking forward to that part).
But honestly, today was supposed to be the worst day ever, and it's been bearable. Actually it's been more than bearable, it's been ENJOYABLE.
Here's my schedule:
Monday: Class from 9:30 to 1, then 3-5. Then starting next Monday, private classes from 6-8.
Tuesday: Class from 9:30 to 11:30, recess duty til 12, then Master's classes 4-8:30.
Wednesday: Same as Monday. Private classes as well.
Thursday: Class from 10:30 to 11:30, then Master's classes from 4-8:30. (this is my best day)
Friday: Class from 9:30 to 1, then 3-5.
Can you see how I have NO free time?! I have a 2 hour break for lunch there (it's the Spanish siesta time) except that doesn't give me enough time to go home, eat/nap, then come back. And because it's called siesta, I find it quite unfair that I can't nap. If I figure out how to say "cot" in Spanish, I might ask to put one in the teacher's lounge and request quiet time between 1-3 respectively. (kidding, I would never have the nerve) But it would be nice...I love naps.
Last night, during my Master's classes, I felt super sick (so sick I turned down an exploring adventure of the massive mall with IKEA...it was that bad). I was really worried that by morning it would turn into a full blown cold that would last forever. Probably because Jeri yelled at me on the phone about getting enough sleep. Anyways I took some Tylenol PM and unfortunately that was the night my roommies decided to have 2 girls from class over to have dinner (at 11:45 pm) and hang out. LUCKILY, though, I downloaded the Rock-a-bye CD's (popular rock songs turned to lullabies...Cloe you know what I'm talking about!!) and made a short playlist. It worked like a dream!! Nothing says "peace & quiet" like the best of Queen played on a marimba, I tell ya.
See? So peaceful! Although I do catch myself singing my own version of the words at times.
So anyways I got a great night's sleep (except for one nightmare I had...I have GOT to stop using my light-up pumpkin as a night light. I have the most bizarre dreams, but I love that damned pumpkin so much. Jeri gave it to me as a gift, so it's even more special. It just haunts my dreams, that's all...) and when I woke up I felt 20 times better! I still feel a little under the weather but in comparison to last night, it's infinitely better. I think it's a vitamin C pill I took. It tasted like Flintstones vitamins from when I was 5 but...worked! Yabba dabba dooooooooo.
Okay, back to today. I was 5 minutes late to school but my teachers are so sweet they didn't care. With my first graders this past week I have been struggling...and I mean torturously struggling, to teach them how to answer me in complete sentences. How old are you? 7. No.......I am 7 years old. *blank stare.* Repeat...I am 7 years old. *annoyed silent stare* That's when I give up. But today the class was INCREDIBLE. They started using complete sentences and because I was so thrilled with their progress (and the fact they didn't make me feel like a complete moron because 30 7-year olds were staring and judging me) I let them sing a song for the last 10 minutes. The song is only 1 minute long, though...so that got a little bit out of control. Let me explain how. First, this is the song:
Okay? So it's easy to learn (just listen to it twice, you'll have it memorized). Which is good, because they're singing. But somehow singing the song and dancing a little turned into a full blown mosh pit of 7 year olds pushing each other around and jumping up and down in unison making the floor shake. Oops. How did that even happen with the innocent little rainbow song?!? I still don't know. But it was definitely a mosh pit. Every kid was jumping up and down and bodyslamming the other kids, using their bodies as bumpers and flinging themselves into another unsuspecting victim, who was also doing the same thing. Therefore we ended class 5 minutes early. (yay!) Note: when it doubt, mosh pit out.
Then, during recess the teachers who don't have recess duty usually go get coffee. Or smoke. Most of my teachers smoke...so I figured they didn't go for coffee. BUT today Eva (my teacher I thought didn't like me) invited me for coffee (yay!) She also invited Ivan, the sexy blue-eyed teacher (that doesn't talk to me). I was stoked. Except Ivan STILL wasn't talking to me, and I started realizing that Eva and Ivan are potentially dating and living together. Crap. They were sharing cigarettes, talking about how they got home during the strike the other day (that's a whole other blogpost later) and shared money at the bar. Double crap. BUT I found out why Ivan doesn't talk to me! Turns out it's not because of my undeniable charm & good looks (unfortunately...although Eva is cute as crap) but instead he thought I only speak English. Therefore he's been avoiding me like the plague because he's embarrassed he doesn't speak a word of English. His response when he found out? *jaw drops* JODER TIA, you speak Spanish!?? I had no idea!!! So sorry I've never spoken to you before, I had no clue!!" heh. It's okay Ivan, menos mal, the temptation would have been too much, I'm sure. (joke...)
Sigh. So the hot teacher is dating one of my teachers. Fair enough, I think that happens a lot, actually, because all of the teachers are super young (mid to late 20's...maybe MAYBE early 30's) and super attractive. Plenty of fish in the sea, though. I'm just excited that everyone found out today I speak Spanish because now they'll be friends with me! They're all so nice, though, and always willing to help me out (because our school layout is less than stranger-friendly). So they see little Chelsea wondering around and always "carry me" to my next class (it's a very common mistranslation to English, but I think it's cute so I always ask them to carry me anyways) Yay!
Colonel Nun's class was eye-opening as always, though. Somehow, between Wednesday and today, she has developed a problem with her S's. Instead of saying "yes" she is saying "yesh". Or "she eesh ungry."
If you've been reading my previous posts...then you know that this OF COURSE leads to pronunciation problems and mis-pronunciation of various important words. Important words that, when pronounced incorrectly, sound offensive.
Colonel Nun: BABIES!! Look (said like Luke), looook at jour peektures. What do jew see? Come on!! Come on now!! Shee dat pirate? What's dat? How duz dat pirate feed? Jesh, how does dees pirate feed? (feel) He is shat, yesh. And dees pirate? How do shee feel? She eesh thirshty. Yes.
Shat?? Since when is shat a feeling?! I immediately flipped through my new teacher's book (I finally told her my book was in Catalan...she thought that was a hoot. Truly. I've never seen her laugh harder...but she got me a new one in Spanish) and searched for the picture. Then I realized "shat" was sad. He was SAD. Geez. The only resource that class has to give them any hope are the audio CD's that have listening activities...and even those are RIDICULOUS. First of all, the speakers have a heavy British accent. Second of all, the British accent hinders that comprehension of the words. Example: "Look at the picture. What do you see? Cat. Dog. Parrot. Too-tuss. Rabbit. Hampstuh. Snake."
Tootus?? WHAT. Immediately started flipping through my book again to see what on earth a tootus is...tortoise. Tortoise. Right. Why don't that just teach the word turtle anyways?? Lord. And hampstuh. That one is just funny. P.S. I found a pet store!! I can buy myself a hampstuh for 7 euros. The guy at the pet store told me he had one that was "white like the snow". How could I NOT get it?? I might even name it Snow White. Maybe :) Maybe I'll just name it Blanca...if it's a girl. I might have to research hampstuh gender identification.
Well, it's getting close to time to go back to school...during my lunch break today I've been at the cafe. It's been lovely up until now, when KissTV (a rival of MTV) is playing an Elvis-esque cover of Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars...it's like a completely backwards cover. It sounds like it's from the 50's. Ugh. Murder. To give a look into the randomness that is KissTV, they played One Headlight (Wallflowers), Usher's new single, Ke$ha's Take It Off, and now this 50's B.S. I will never understand.
All I can say, though, is that I hope my classes go quickly, instead of dragging on like they usually do. Like a tootus, maybe.
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