a List

So, there've been few blog entries lately......frankly because life is just life.

Barcelona feels like home (especially since coming back from France) and well, home just doesn't seem newsworthy.

But, I bet I can muster up something interesting....like a list!

1. My roommate Lawson got into a fight (literally on the floor rolling around) with a muzzled metro guard dog on a moving train at 8am this Sunday and escaped the guard himself by drunkenly wandering away without realizing he was doing anything wrong.
2. I now sleep in parks as a rule on weekends. Not at night, but during the day for a little afternoon kip.
3. I stole a class from another teacher. I was her sub for 2 weeks and the class liked me a lot and I liked them, so I mentioned it to the course director (in the hope of stealing them 'cause I was desperate for hours), who text messaged me a day later saying it would be my class if I wanted. In total, I have been offered 6 extra hours of work this week and accepted it all, so once again I will be a real teacher, not just a 12-hour-a-week bum. Yet, my schedule remains perfect - I work my butt off Monday through Wednesday and then am finished for the weekend on Thursday mornings at 9am when class finishes. Woot!
4. Our lesson planning skills now are such crap compared to right after our TEFL course. We've resorted to teaching song lyrics and passing off sayings like "Whatchya knowing" as commonly used English. I went so far as to create pre-viewing tasks and post-viewing exercises for an original "Miss Congeniality" lesson that has gone on to some fame in the Barcelona TEFL community. Just wait til "Miss Congeniality: Armed and Fabulous" comes out. Then maybe I can teach my students more useful vocabulary about beauty pageants......
5. This coming weekend we are renting motor bikes and driving down the coast to fabulous Sitges. We plan to go clubbing and then sleep on the beach. This should be interesting.
6. My hair is growing out.
7. Weekend update: We got up at 8am on Saturday to go to one of the many outdoor markets to find cheap used bikes, but we failed. We did, however, meet a crazy old man who was the spitting image of Hemingway and wanted 100 euros for a dead 10 speed. Later we slept in the park and then spent the night at this insane squatter party in this big old abandoned hotel. The music was amazing and we danced until 8am. Sunday we were dead until the late afternoon when our friend Jordan came by with falafel for everyone; we scooped ourselves up and went out to the nearby plaza to watch the Barca-Madrid football match through a pub window. Barca lost and there was much sadness and chaos in the streets.

I'm Baaaaaack

Hola Hola Hola. I have returned, refreshed, and ready to teach again. Woo-hoo!

I have to say, I was getting alittle disillusioned with TEFL before my two-week vacation. I felt ragged and used. Not a good way to feel :( For now, I'm rearing and ready to go.

Andorra and Paris were AWESOME.

I have officially learned to ski and I don't suck! The first day, we got up the mountain too late for me to sign up for lessons for that day, so the Seeley family endeavored to teach me. They did a wonderful job but despite all their good pedogogy, I fell a lot and was dead tired at the end of the day. On day 2, Victor from Argentina gave me a private lesson in Spanish, which was hilarious. I learned tons of new words and there was a lot of Ole-ing when I fell....especially when I fell off the rope pull thingy, to the amusement of a long line of Spaniards, hehe. After my lesson, I quickly improved and would often hear Victor's "Hola On-jay-la!" as I sped around the slopes. There was only one minor incident in which I took out Oli's mom, but we decided to say it was both our faults. By day 4, I was going down red slopes (and even the last bit of a black!) and by day 6 I was having high-speed snowball fights with Oli. He kicked my butt as he was snowboarding and had 2 hands free while I had to slap both poles in one hand and pick up snow in one over-sized glove...but it was all good fun.

Paris was a blur of sunburn. That's right, I got burnt, B-U-R-N-T in Paris while chilling in Luxombourg Park eating sandwiches and cheese. Cheese. The French love them some cheese. Virginie and her roommate Vanessa could tell me what part of France each type of cheese and wine we had was from. While dining out one night, I accidentally said I wanted "vino rosado-pink wine" with my cassoulet (a beany ducky sausagey dish) when I meant "vino tinto-red wine." Virgi looked at me like an insane-o; "You mean RED wine, right?!"

Otherwise, Paris is super beautiful and clean and extensive.....miles and miles of history and gorgeousness. The people were also not evil; no more than in any other city. In fact, they were quite nice. I had just gotten off the metro in my first hour in Paris and was orienting my map when some old man came up, took my map, put it in the right direction, smiled and said some French stuff, then walked away. Classic.

So thats that. Photos are on the web http://community.webshots.com/user/ajruiter .

Take Note

Today I commence my 2-week vacation from my already rather vacation-y life.

Oli and I are bussing to Andorra today to meet his parents and go skiing for the week...I just hope I fit in the ski clothes they bring and that I don't die, in that order, because frankly, I could deal with death but not death in baggy clothing ;) . All in all, though, I'm ready to take those mountains head on. Additionally, I think this marks the first time ever that I have left a place with 65-degree weather to vacation in one with 30-degree weather. Death!

And moreover still, it would be really cool if when I go to Andorra they stamped my passport, even though they usuaully don't check buses, because it's not part of the EU and therefore, this little ski shenanigan would renew my 90 days and then I could go to Holland with my friend Virginia in May...... Which one of the saints takes care of travellers again? I forget, but Holla to whoever s/he is.

I'll be home Monday the 28th and Tuesday the 29th and will check email and then it's off to Paris to see Virginie on the 30th until the 3rd.....I'm kinda wishing I knew French, but whatever, what I lack in substance I'll make up for in style (Thank you Helen Hunt and the film Girls Just Wanna Have Fun for that quote).

That's all for now.
Hasta pronto pals!

Can I help you to Improve your Spanish and ride Bike this spring?.. nice! :)

OK - So there is this website in Spain similar to Craig's List. It is called Loquo, and it is the bomb-izzle. My roommates and I have found people to do language exchanges with on this site, but more recently, we have taken to just perusing the ads for sheer entertainment. Check out the doosey below posted by a chick searching for an English speaker........not only the longest post EVER, but also, well, you'll see for yourself.............

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Yes yes!.. I am one foreign girl of 25 years.. !!" I am making my second curs about Administration in the University.. here in Barcelona.

I like Barcelona because here I can to find different cultures and languages.. I like the tourism, because My first curs is Hostelery – Tourism.

My Language is Spanish.. I like Spanish!! and is easy. becuase the pronuntiation is the same like you wrote..... and I like teaching my Language ..of course! I have not problems is teach..is a one placer..I like help and made that the persons can correct his faults or errors, because I understand perfecting it. I can feeling in your situation!!..becuase I was in the same situation in another country.. don’t worry!!.. if you confuse I can help you! And if you another time confuse the same word.. I can help you another time, but if you confuse for third time.. I will kill you!! Hahaha! It is a Joke!!.. smile!! Be happy!!

..but I wish to improve my poor poor English, bu bu bu.. :( because I have the intention to made more study in USA.. in the future....and I would like to learn Deutsch too, because I was living in Germany about one year.. And I can not go to the school, but I want to learnt, because I know that I understand a little..please help me... I will be very thank you if you help me too!!.. do you know that, sharing is good!!  hehe! And I like it so much it... believe me..

And the spring is caming!!.. oh oh!!.. I would like to have friends for driving bicycle, going to cinema, walking for the city.. going to the church, take pictures, and dancing ...and I can cooking for you too!!.. au au au... are you hungry? Hahaha!!....

but if you smoke, drink so much and if you have bad intentions .. please don’t write me.. I can not support cigarette ........ fooooooooooo.........withdraw.. jeje...

The friendship is very important for me.. and the time is GOLD and what better idea to use it in things useful ...yes?..

Well, with all the best intentions to share good time learning languages.. to pleased Virna. and please, write me , only persons with good intentions ok and dont play ... ok?

Samuelito con queso

Yo -

My bro Sam came to visit this past week and he well photo documented my life here in Spain. If you like, check out pics of us and my pals at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/ajruiter

Also, a shout out to my brother for being an exemplary American while traveling abroad. He didn't bug my roommates to say things "in British" and he didn't ever turn his nose up at Spanish stuff, especially not those lomo con queso bocadillos, of which we ate MANY. Additionally, he understood how unecessary it is to visit all the monuments and pay to go inside them, as this makes for a lamely unfulfilling trip. He was content to chill in the various parks and beaches and hilltops of Barca and to actually have a great time getting to know people and enjoying their company rather than running around snapping photos of everything. Kudos to you, my wise-beyond-his-years brother.

Holla!

PS - HAPPY SAINT PATTY'S DAY! Take a swim in that green river for me :)

American, boy, girl and handicapped people

1. Americans (***disappointed head shake***)

Americans are sooo embarrasing when they travel abroad. They can't stop announcing all the things that are different about Europe and the US. "Oh my God, everythiing is so small here! Everything is big in America!" They LOVE accents and make other English speakers from England, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and Scotland say things again and again. If I hear "Say something in British!" one more time, there may be bloodshed.

So, in true American form, this girl chatted Matt up the other day at the club and went on to proclaim that she had just recently figured out the difference between the English and Australian accent. To test her, Matt tapped Lawson, our super-Scottish roommate, on the shoulder and said, "Tell me where he's from." Lawson, feeling the tap, said, "What do you bloody want?" With that one phrase our American friend pegged it; "Oh my God! You're Australian!!!"

Lawson almost puked up his beer, then quickly recovered and said, "Why, how did you know?"

We died; frankly we couldn't believe he hadn't resorted to violence......and then we continued the charade for the rest of the night, making up a whole Australian life for Law......who, by the way, is from Melbourne.


2. Boys and Girls

So my roommate Matt looks and talks almost exactly like this girl Virena who is from his hometown. She came out to visit once and the similarity almost knocked me over. No one else sees it, but I do and I tell Matt every time he does something Virena-ish.

While my bro was visiting, I continued this habit. At one point Matt turned to Sam and said, "Do you have any idea what it's like to be told you look like a girl on a daily basis?"

In response, Sam smooshed his face next to mine and said, "Why yes, I do." Classic.


3. Broken Spanish.....and people

So my Spanish is getting decent, but I still have my lost in translation moments.

Take the other night when I was trying to say that two people had broken up. I meant to say "they broke up," which would be "rompieron," but I thought this verb would be reflexive in this case, since Spanish is full o' reflexives. I thought I should say "se rompieron" in order to indicate that "they broke up with each other," but this means, "they got broken."

My friends just paused quizzically and then Marta said, "Did someone break a leg?"

Homes named for sewing equipment

Man I love England. Sorry to support imperialists, but I'm beginning to think maybe we should just let the beefeaters colonize everyone (including us!) since they and their country are just so cool.

Take addresses for example. Addresses are just numbers that help you track down a location, right? WRONG! In England, well, at least in Surrey and Oxfordshire, many homes are well old and have their own name. Oliver's house is called "Buckleigh House." Very vintage.

The best ever, though, is Matt's relatives' home. He's applying to this summer TEFL course in the UK and needed to pretend he lives in Oxford in order to get some funding, so he used their address. I kid you not, it is:
Thimble Cottage
Dark Lane
Oxford, UK

!

I found that so funny that I drew a picture of what I thought the house might look like.

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On a different note, many travels and visitors coming up! Here's the list:

March 11-17:
My brother Sam (a.k.a. Samuelito con queso) visits me!!!! We're going clubbin and mountain climbing....in no particular order!
March 22-27:
Skiing in Andorra (a tiny country between Spain and France) with Oli and his parents. Woot! I'm gonna enroll in some ski lessons while I'm there.....bruises, here I come!
March 30-April 3
Off to Paris to see my old roomie Virginie and experience being in a country where I really don't speak the language, without a guide (Virgi has to work during the days...but at night they'll be no stopping us).
April 13-18
Miss Vicki (a.k.a. Victoria Kost) comes to visit me!!!! Can we say "insurmountable fun"?

It's hard to believe I even work....which I do, and somehow manage to save money in the process (?) and really like what I do (usually). I love you TEFL.

Overconfidence

They got me. My roommates got me.

For weeks Oli and Matt have had me fooled and have laughed uproariously as I declared time and time again to the world that I could not be fooled by them. Que mala leche.

Background info: Oli is the biggest practical joker ever. He's so clever and really listens to what people say. In the moment it takes for someone to make a statement and then inhale, he will have thought of a joke that could be played on that person based on what they have just said. It's a little psychotic.

He's tried several times to get me, but I always called him out. He got close once. I had asked him if the British pronuounced "item" as "eetem" because one of my students had said he thought that was true. I didn't believe it could be possible and Oli said it wasn't but that maybe in some regions of England they might use that pronunciation. I left it at that. Later, when we were all together I asked Timo if he said "eetem," and he said, "What? Do you mean like an eetem on a list?" I almost died. "Oh my God! ," "I can't believe this! You say 'eetem?! I was just talking to Oli about this and....." And then I realized who had set it up.....so he almost got me, but not quite.

So I got all overconfident and Oli realized this, and he then had the key to my downfall.

It started small. One day he said, "Hey, I have to wash my duvet (doovEt). Can I use the machine?"

I said, "Duvet (doovEt)? You mean duvet (doovAy)."

"No I don't."

"Yeah Angie, doovEt." Timo added. Matt nodded.

"Well, we say doovAy in the States." Todd said.

We agreed that it was one of those British-American pronunciation differences.

So for months (Nov-Feb), I brought up doovEt as a funny difference and sometimes said it when wanting to razz the Brits.

Then one night, running home, we saw an old lady with a walker. Matt turned to me and said, "Poor old dear with a Zimmer frame."

"You mean 'walker,'" I responded as we ran.

"Zimmer frame, chica," Matt returned.

"That's ridiculous" I said, "stop trying to fool me."

In the elevator, we ran into Oli.

"Ols, what do you call the metal things old ladies use to walk?" Matt asked.

I turned my upward glance from Matt to Oli waiting for his response. I caught a suggestive glance from the two of them. I could have sworn Matt had mouthed "ZImmer frame" to Oli.

"Zimmer fram!" Oli yelled, laughing.

"I caught you! See, you just can't get me, losers! Zimmer frame is sooo fake," I shouted, busting out of the elevator.

Then Oli's dad came out and I spent three days touring the city and reading books in the family room with him, since Oli had to work a lot. We were buddies; he asked me to go skiing with the fam over Easter in Andorra. After all this, Matt and Oli unveiled their deception and my gullibilty in front of my new pal.

Doing the dishes together one evening, we got onto the subject of Oli's practical jokes. I, being an overconfident braggart, call out, "Oh, but he's never gotten me. That son of yours is just no match for me!"

"She's right, Dad. I just can't get her." Then he and Matt turned to each other and melted into giggles.

"Ha! I said, you think it's funny that you suck so much?!"

"Yeah!" they said, dying of more laughter. "Tell him about doovEt."

"What? DuvEt wasn't ever a joke. You say duvEt and we say duvAy." I responded.

"You mean a duvAy, dear?" Ray (Oli's dad) asked.

"WHAT?!" I screamed. "You DID get me? AHHH!!!"

"And hey, Dad," Oli sad through victory laughter,"What are those metal things old ladies use to walk around?"

"Zimmer frames?"

"AHHHHHHH. You reverse got me! You didn't only get me to believe something false, you got me to disbelieve in something real!!!!"

I was crying from laughing and gagging so hard.

It was definitely the best fun I've ever had being wrong.

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