I have been in Granada for about two weeks and the latter was the most difficult. Between a strong urge to be at home and issues in my apartment, I felt very unsettled. Last Saturday I started to look for a new apartment and committed to a room on Sunday.
On Monday, I decided to go to the beach. The bus was to leave at 11 and after several minor delays, I missed that bus and had to wait for the next departure at 1PM. I walked around a very plain part of the city that I had never seen. I killed two hours drinking coffee, walking, and sitting on a park bench. The bus left the station a few minutes after 1 and arrived to the coastal town of Salobreña at 2. I walked 15 minutes from the bus stop to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and found a quiet section of the beach where I spent afternoon. Two hours went by quickly as I listened to music, swam in the admittedly cold water and made towers of pebbles while collecting a few to bring home as souvenirs.
On Monday, I decided to go to the beach. The bus was to leave at 11 and after several minor delays, I missed that bus and had to wait for the next departure at 1PM. I walked around a very plain part of the city that I had never seen. I killed two hours drinking coffee, walking, and sitting on a park bench. The bus left the station a few minutes after 1 and arrived to the coastal town of Salobreña at 2. I walked 15 minutes from the bus stop to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and found a quiet section of the beach where I spent afternoon. Two hours went by quickly as I listened to music, swam in the admittedly cold water and made towers of pebbles while collecting a few to bring home as souvenirs.
Tuesday thru Friday I went to work at the school. They have finally given me my schedule and it's a bit of a doozy. That's to say, I don't think I'll ever memorize it. My coordinator had to make two separate schedules and I will have to alternate from week to week. Ideally, I would see every group of students in each of their subjects at least once a week for an hour. Unfortunately, some classes are cut in half so I can work with two groups of students in an hour's time.
If you remember from an earlier blog, one group of students had to ask me a lot of questions and write an essay. I finally got to read them and they really crack me up. Here are a few gems from my biography written by :
Well, that was more than a few quotes, but they all made me laugh. I'll have to correct them later in the week and tell them that I don't have hobits, my parents aren't separated and I don't live in Virgen.
This week I taught fractions, decimals, equations, planets & outerspace, muscles & joints, parts of a cell, and heterotrophic & autotrophic beings. I am going to learn more biology this year than I did as a student.
If you remember from an earlier blog, one group of students had to ask me a lot of questions and write an essay. I finally got to read them and they really crack me up. Here are a few gems from my biography written by :
- She's nickname is Ellie but her real name is Danielle.
- She doesn't like tomato and she hasn't got a boyfriend.
- She hates snow, the cold and tomatoes. / She heat the snow.
- Her hobits are run read writte.
- She likes coca-cola and water.
- She had very good marks at university.
- She has got two nephews. Nephews' ages are 15 and 10 years old. The nephew that is 15 years old, is a pilot. They live in Chio. / Alex is 15 years old. He can fly a plane and do skateboard. Ellie has got a niece too! her name is Taylor, and she is 10 years old.
- Her favourite place is Waderndo. / Her favourite place is Watermalz. / Her favourite place is Watemala. (They meant Guatemala)
- Her mother have an adwards.
- Her parents are separated and live in Virgen. (I did not say my parents were separated. I tried to explain the concept of a half-brother but I think some things got lost in translation)
- She loves pizza, paella, to swim in the ocean, her dog, brocoli, gourd and the beach. (By gourd, they mean zucchini)
Well, that was more than a few quotes, but they all made me laugh. I'll have to correct them later in the week and tell them that I don't have hobits, my parents aren't separated and I don't live in Virgen.
This week I taught fractions, decimals, equations, planets & outerspace, muscles & joints, parts of a cell, and heterotrophic & autotrophic beings. I am going to learn more biology this year than I did as a student.
So on Friday, I moved to a new apartment (well, it's more like a house) on the other side of town. Where I was previously living had a lot of noise from traffic, construction, and drunks. The new neighborhood is much more "tranquilo". The house is very spacious and well lit. It feels homey and I felt comfortable immediately. My roommates are a German girl who studies translation at the university and the other is a Spanish guy who is an artist and a writer. They are both very friendly and I enjoy their company.
When it came time to move, most everyone who had offered to help me went off the grid for one legitimate reason or another. In the end, I carried all 8 bags (some suitcases, some small bags) to the elevator and got in a taxi which took me to the house which is up on a hill. The driver dropped me off around the corner from my house and in two trips I was able to get the bags to the door. I unpacked most everything on Friday, organized on Saturday and will work on decorating over the next few months. I sorely regret not bring any art or pictures. I'll have to print some pictures soon.
Here's a picture of the sitting room in the new place:
When it came time to move, most everyone who had offered to help me went off the grid for one legitimate reason or another. In the end, I carried all 8 bags (some suitcases, some small bags) to the elevator and got in a taxi which took me to the house which is up on a hill. The driver dropped me off around the corner from my house and in two trips I was able to get the bags to the door. I unpacked most everything on Friday, organized on Saturday and will work on decorating over the next few months. I sorely regret not bring any art or pictures. I'll have to print some pictures soon.
Here's a picture of the sitting room in the new place:
Not only is it a great space, it's also in a great location. The view from just outside the house is spectacular. The sun sets behind the Sierra Nevada and Granda lights up just below the mountain ridge. Near the house is a place called Carmen de los Martires which is a public park of gardens. I've seen some over-fed ducks and have been told that there are also peacocks in the park. (The term for peacock in Spanish is "pavo real" which means royal turkey. It's always made me laugh.) Yesterday when I walked through the gardens I saw three different couples taking their wedding photos. It was quite an ordeal. Like going to the Botanic Gardens in Chicago during Spring/Summer, but in a significantly smaller space. A lot of the park looks enchanted and at one point you can see the Alhambra in the distance.
There is another park just below the Carmen de los Martires. It has a fantastic photography exhibit of national parks worldwide and also cool animals and plants. Just walking down that path, I feel like I've traveled to many more countries. One of my favorites was a volcano in Russia (see below).
There is another park just below the Carmen de los Martires. It has a fantastic photography exhibit of national parks worldwide and also cool animals and plants. Just walking down that path, I feel like I've traveled to many more countries. One of my favorites was a volcano in Russia (see below).
Look out point in Carmen de los Martires
The building just in front of the mountains is the Alhambra, built in the 9th century as a fortress and four centuries later it was used as a palace.
The volcano in Russia
Hope all of you are doing well! Hasta pronto!
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