Working Girl (July)

This new segment will be solely dedicated to my work experiences throughout each month.

We’re coming up on the last week of July already. Still can’t believe how fast summer is going.
This month started my first actual work schedule with a regular class and steady private clients. So this meant that I had to travel to Madrid 5 days a week. I have to say that I couldn’t have asked for better students. My private clients were all decent. I had a few throughout the month that I saw for an hour or so 3 days a week. Then I had some that just came in for a particular purpose like a work-interview or traveling to the U.S. I picked up a few subbing classes and last minute clients for extra money. So all in all, it was a busy month of teaching.
For my first group class ever, I was given a Monday thru Friday, 5-7pm Elementary-level class. When I first saw my schedule, I have to admit I was terrified. Being a new teacher, I was comfortable teaching adults with a higher understanding of English. But now I would be in charge of 5 adults that knew little to nothing about the English language. So the weekend before hand, I grabbed all my grammar books and course materials and came up with lesson plans for my first week. I have to say that my first day was rough but after the first few days, I settled in nicely to the routine. I have probably the best class in the whole academy… no joke! I teach them what I need to but at the same time we laugh and joke around about everything. Each one has such a different personality. They range in ages from 20-45. Two work retail (Rosa #1 and Rosa #2), one is studying to be some sort of doctor (Elu), one is a university student visiting from Ecuador (Mery) and another is getting his doctorate in political science (Juan Carlos). Yet we sit there and talk about the difference between the words “slut” and “skank” and gossip about certain celebrities. They love to ask questions about my life in America and how I’m adjusting to Spain. Two even invited me to stay with them for a weekend to show me around their villages sometime later in the summer. I can’t express how lucky I was to get this class in the end. It made me realize how much I love teaching. I have only 2 classes left and I know I’m going to be so depressed to say goodbye to them. 3 of them are returning for August classes and they all requested that I be their teacher again. However, August is a relatively slow month at the academy, so I’m not sure what classes I’m going to get.

my Elementary classroom

I also finally received some responses to my carteles that I put up around Toledo for private English lessons. I had about 10 calls asking for my terms and rates over the month of July. A few weren’t willing to pay as much as I was charging (although according to other teachers I talk to, my rates are on the lower side of private lessons) But with the world economy right now, I understand how 15 euro/hour can be a bit high for some people. I had 2 men say that they wanted to receive lessons; however they never followed through. I did give private lessons to a very nice woman, Inma. She had a relatively high level of English but she had more of a confidence issue when using it. I worked with her out of my apartment for 2 hours on Saturdays. She also helped me through the most traumatic experience of my time here in Spain, which will be in another blog. Currently, she’s on vacation with her family, so hopefully in August, I will continue working with her.
The best job I took was these 2 siblings: Laura (14) and Manu (13). They are both high school students whose parents are extremely well off. Their parents are both lawyers and live a few miles out of Toledo in a very upscale ‘urbanizacion’. I traveled to their home 6 days a week for an average of 90 minutes a day for about 2 weeks. In that time, I made over 200 extra Euros. The main reason for a private tutor was that Laura is spending all of August living in London. So her mother wanted to make sure her English was up to par. Currently, the family is in Austurias on vacation. Come August, I will continue giving Manu private lessons a few days a week. Some days were better than others but towards the end, we became very close. We watched Adam Sandler movies like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore and another day we laid in their pool playing ‘Marco Polo’ for our entire session. They were really a fun pair to teach.

Between teaching Laura and Manu then traveling to Madrid to give my other classes, my only available time to private tutor was on weekends. So in the end, I had to turn down a few private lessons from people who wanted classes during the week. In August, like I said before, work at the academy will be slower, so I’ll probably be able to pick up a few more private clients here in Toledo. I’ll keep you posted in next month’s ‘Working Girl’ blog

Cultural Tricks of the Trade

Figured I'd start a segment about some of the big cultural differences between the United States and Spain... enjoy!

The water and lighting situation will get its own paragraph because it is quite important. First and foremost, when you leave a room, turn off the light! Even if you are coming back 30 seconds later, just turn off the light. I have a bad habit of this and I know my roommates are going to ride me. Never leave the hallway light on unless you’re in the hallway. Getting ready for the night, don’t leave both your bedroom and bathroom light on even if you’re walking back and forth getting dressed and doing your hair. If there’s still daylight, don’t even consider turning on a single light in the apartment unless there are absolutely no windows in that particular room. I’m not trying to make the Spanish seem anal but this is their culture so you have to respect it. Alright, now let’s explain the water debacle. First off, water heaters don’t really exist in most apartment buildings. The Spanish use propane tanks to heat their water. It’s literally a tank that’s usually in a kitchen cabinet that must be turned on and lit with a match when you want hot water or to use the oven. When you run out of gas, you put the empty tank outside your door with some money and the propane man will bring you a new one. (So the running joke here is not the milk man but the gas man) For this reason, showers are a unique trick one must learn. This is what I do. Standing outside the shower, I turn on the water and put my hair under the faucet/ shower head. Turn the water off and put shampoo in my hair. This is because at first the water is still cold but I don’t want to waste it. So as I lather in the shampoo, I step into the shower. By now some water should have warmed up; so I turn the water back on and rinse. Turn the water off and put in conditioner. Turn it on and rinse and then quickly wash my body. I haven’t found a water conservative way of shaving my legs yet but I’ll be sure so let you know. It sounds ridiculous but it saves so much money on propane and your water bill that you’ll learn to love it.

The daily schedule in Spain definitely takes some getting used to. It took me the majority of the time studying abroad to get the schedule down. This time has been a bit easier but because I live independently, I tend to mix a little bit of the American lifestyle with the Spanish. On days that I don’t work early, I get up around 10-11am. I usually eat a very small breakfast consisting of a bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit or some type of muffin. I shower, clean and run some errands. Around 2:30-3pm, I eat lunch. Lunch here is a very large meal: equal to that of America’s dinner. Here I tend to vary that because I am still a ham and cheese sandwich type of girl. Then comes siesta time. If I don’t work at all, I’ll go back to sleep till about 6pm. If I teach in the evening, this is when I usually hop on my bus to Madrid and take a nap on there. It’s not that I’m lazy or really need a nap; it’s just what you do. Every store and business closes down from about 2-5pm.

So there is nothing to do but nap. I spend majority of my evenings at work till about 9pm and then I take the bus back to Toledo; I’ll get home around 11pm. Again, if I don’t work, I’ll clean, take a long walk, catch up on some blogging, emails or watch a movie. Either way, around 10 or 11ish I cook dinner. If I work all day, I usually prepare some food earlier and keep it in the fridge so I can just heat it up. 9-10:30pm is the usual dinner time in Spain. It would seem extremely unhealthy, but honestly it works out quite well. Dinner is still a big meal but not as big as lunch. More of your heavy carb foods like pasta are eaten at lunch. Dinner is usually your meat and veggies meal. Midnight to 1am is my typical bedtime. If it’s the weekend, the earliest time you can hit the bars is midnight. That’s pushing it but because dinner is eaten to late, you also need time to get ready. The average time to be in bed on the weekends is 4-5am. This is probably why the siesta is so important. If you go to a sit-down/ lounge type area, with every drink, you get a tapa (a free small portion of food)… not at the discotecas ‘dance clubs’ though.

Another issue I want to share is Spain’s policy of public displays of affection. This is one culture difference that no matter how many years I live in Spain, I will never become adjusted. Here it doesn’t matter if your 16 or 60; if you’re in the mood for a make out session, you have the freedom to stop and have one wherever and whenever you like. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been sitting by a couple on the bus or metro when they begin swallowing each others faces. I never realized how ‘prude’ I was until I came to Spain. The people here have no inhibitions when it comes to their libidos. You can be in the middle of a crowded room making out with whoever you want. I realized that every time I see these awkward displays I always have the same disgusted look on my face like “Get a room already.” It is more common for younger couples: late teens to late twenties but you’ll see your occasional old person sucking face with someone who looks like your grandmother. It never ceases to amaze me. So let me share some of my experiences:
I was sitting on the bus going to work in Madrid when this couple comes and sits in the row right in front of me. Of course, there were like 5 consecutive open rows behind but they had to sit by me. Not 10 minutes into the 45 minute bus ride do they start going at it like rabid dogs. I mean tongues, hands and sound effects… the whole shebang. If they were any closer to me, I would have been able to feel their breath on my face. I was dumbfounded; I had no idea what to do. Awkwardly move to another row or endure the rest of the trip with this hormonal uprising. (I reluctantly stayed and kept my eyes locked on my paperwork sitting in my lap)
Here’s another example. Walking into the bus station a few weeks ago, there’s this couple standing at the top of the stairwell going at it and blocking all the people trying to get to the buses. It’s not like it’s a small bus station with nowhere to stand; there are multiple sitting areas with probably 50 chairs.
So I guess this is why it bothers me so much. It’s not their display of affection just the manner in which they decide to show it. Go to an unpopulated corner or at least limit your activity until you get to a private place. But no, the Spanish will start whenever the mood strikes them: next to old people at a bus stop, in front of small children at a park, in the crowded streets of Madrid surrounded by hundreds of people.

Well I can guarantee that there will be more cultural differences that I will explain, but these are just a few to help you understand. Enjoy and I’ll keep you posted from Espana!

Todo Sobre... Junio

It’s hard to believe but I’m quickly approaching the 2-month mark since my arrival here in Spain. I can’t even begin to explain what a hectic 7 weeks I have had. My journey to get this far has taken me through some very bumpy paths to say the least. June held the hardest times for me. Now I can say that I wish I had waited a few more weeks to move to Spain. I definitely came at an awkward time for both work and my friends.
Well let me begin by explaining my work situation so far. As I stated in one of my previous blogs, I did find a job within my first week. That was probably the best thing that came out of June. I researched some places before I left the US and sent my resume to an English academy in Madrid. They told me that when I arrived in Spain, to come into their office to meet face to face. Well Dani and I handed out a few other resumes and then stopped at this academy. They pulled up my file and gave me an interview right then and there. I spoke with 2 of the directors: Jerry and Jeff. They showed interest and asked me to come back to do a mock lesson later in the week. I did and they offered me a position on their staff. That was a big load off my shoulders.


Having no real teaching experience, I trained for two weeks and shadowed other teachers. But by the last week of June, I was substituting classes and giving private lessons. I took a few more interviews with other academies, but I felt comfortable at the academy I had first been hired at. The salary is okay but the teacher support and resources are by far the best I’ve seen. Plus, the rest of the teachers there are great. The teaching staff is mostly Americans (the US, Puerto Rico and Canada) with a mix of South Americans and Australians. So everyone brings something different to the academy from accents to teaching techniques to life experiences in general. But even with our completely different backgrounds we all have something in common: we were crazy enough to just pick up and leave our homes and move to Spain. Some made pit-stops in other cities and countries but we all ended up in Spain for a reason… because there’s no other place like it. The teachers at the academy are by far my biggest comfort especially when I get homesick or am dealing with culture shock. The first few weeks were harder just trying to fit in and learn the ropes, but after over a month, I already feel like part of the group.

Of course, this all seems amazing but there are definitely some drawbacks. The biggest is by far the commute to work. It takes me 3 hours or more in commuting every day. 50 minutes on the bus from Toledo and another 30-45 minutes on the metro to the academy then do it all again to get back home. Plus it costs me an arm and a leg to travel. Currently, I pay 50 euro a week to travel to work. Doesn’t seem like a lot but when I was training and giving 1 private lesson a day, it was costing me money in the end. So for the month of June, I spent 150 euro in traveling to earn 100 euro. Once I get my residency papers, I can get card called the Carnet Joven, which allows adults under 26 to travel for half price. So my expenses will drop to about 30 euro a week. The directors continually ask me if I plan to move to Madrid. I can’t say that the idea isn’t tempting. However, my rent will double and my apartment will be a third of the size. I have more friends in Madrid now and I won’t waste the time commuting. But I absolutely love Toledo. Every time I’m on the bus and I see the view of Toledo as we approach, I stop breathing. This city made me fall in love with Spain, its people and its culture.

I can’t imagine being as happy living anywhere else. However, even Dani and his sister Ana are most likely moving closer to Madrid because that’s where their work will be. I have another month to think about this so for now, I’m going to leave it alone.

I put up new flyers around Toledo for private English lessons. I didn’t have any luck in June but finally received some work in July which I will discuss in the next blog.

The middle of June was the hardest for me because I wasn’t working, my money was going quickly and Dani was studying for his teaching exam. So I spent a lot of days alone walking the streets. I’m not trying to sound pitiful but when your fantasy becomes reality, you discover how hard reality can be. You realize that the world doesn’t stop just because your world has been turned upside-down. Those few weeks definitely tested my strength and my desire to stay in the country. There was no one to blame and nothing that could have been done much differently. Looking back, it wasn’t all that bad, just boring and a bit lonesome. I think the worst part was having so much time to think. Think about what mistakes I had already made and all the things that could go wrong. For about 2 weeks I woke up every day in a state of panic (no worries, I’m writing this now with a smile on my face because I overcame it). I just want anyone who is thinking of doing this to understand the reality of it. It sounds romantic to just leave your home and move abroad to live by your own means. But the reality is that every day is a struggle and you have to find strength in the little things. During the hard times, the little things are what help you survive. For me it’s hearing a song that I used to dance to at Bourbon Street on Ladies Night or skyping with my siblings and hearing about how many goals they scored in their soccer game and about their 8th grade graduation. Even Facebook messages from my family and friends saying how much they missed me but how supportive they are of my decision to move to Spain helped me get through every day.

my sister Windsor and brother Liam

Dani left at the end of June to return to his pueblo for the rest of the summer. He told me before I left the US of his plans, but I guess I just never really imagined what it would be like without him a block away. I was dependent on him for my first weeks here that I couldn’t imagine surviving without him. But at the same time, work at the academy picked up considerably so it was almost like I didn’t have time to sulk. I literally woke up one day and realized how much I could do by myself. My Spanish comes back more and more every day. Not using it for a year took its toll but now I can do the everyday things without any trouble. Dani took me around and taught me the local places to shop and the most economic ways of doing things. So now I’m finally adjusted to life here. Culture shock wasn’t bad at all. I still have little things that bug me and my usual blonde moments but other than that, I am finally completed settled and have a daily routine.
I can’t lie when I say that these past weeks have been the most difficult weeks of my life. But I’ve learned so much about myself throughout this experience. We need hard times and difficult decisions in order to enjoy the good times that come our way. And from what I can tell, I am due for some of the best times of my life!

The Search for the Perfect Apartment...

Well all things considered, I feel I was lucky on the hunt for my first apartment in Spain. If you are young and just looking for something affordable, you’re best option is to walk around the busier parts of town and look for flyers that people have put up looking for roommates. Usually they are students or young professionals that have an extra room that needs to be filled. I came at the beginning at the summer, so I had a few choices of apartments because many students return to their villages after school ends. Even more rooms become available towards the end of summer. This is because many landlords, after the school year ends in June, will not rent out the apartment for the summer because it is harder to find tenants. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across an apartment where at least 2 of the roommates are staying for the summer so they need to fill the other rooms that have become available.

I knew starting off the search of some conditions I had. I couldn’t afford more than 200 euro a month for an apartment, I wanted to be closer to Dani since he was the only soul I knew in the country, and it had to be within range of public transportation. I didn’t know where I was working at the time I was searching for my current apartment. After my summer lease ends, this will be another factor I must consider for my next apartment.

Within the apartments themselves, there are things that must be considered. Coming from the U.S, I’ve been spoiled with certain amenities that are not commonly found in Spain. Apartments should have a washing machine but dryers are almost non-existent. If you find a dishwasher and an oven, consider yourself very lucky.

Most student apartments will come furnished by the landlords. It won’t be the most stylish or comfortable, but it’s definitely livable. Many landlords will even provide bed sheets and dishware. Air-conditioning is an added bonus; so don’t be disappointed when you don’t find it, especially in older apartments. Ask about the heating situation even if you’re looking in the dead of summer. Fall and winter nights can get very cold so you want to make sure windows are well insulated or there’s at least some heating system in every room. Internet is pretty much a no-go. If you’re lucky, there will be some unsecured WIFI connection that you can steal from someplace. Depending on how long you want to live in one apartment, you can look into setting up your own internet with the local cable company. However, if you’re living with students or young professionals, they most likely won’t help pay for it. From what I’ve seen, the Spanish are quite conservative with their spending habits especially when it comes to their living expenses. They can most likely get internet from their school, work or local library, so why spend the extra money? I’m currently adapting to this method of thinking, and I feel it will be quite beneficial in the long run. However, my Facebook and Skype addiction is already rearing its ugly head.

When you want to look at an apartment you’ve found, call first and make an appointment. If possible, have a native speaker of that country’s language go with you to check them out. They tend to know what to look for, what questions to ask and can get a feel for the roommates personalities that you may miss. This way you know that you’re getting all the correct information and there’s been no language barrier. Also, be careful of how you present yourself especially as an American. It may not be information you want to give out right away over the phone, but it should be mentioned when you first look at the apartment. The first apartment I looked at was run by an older couple. The old man looked at me and asked “Aleman?” (Are you German?) When I replied, “No, Americana,” he humpf-ed and walked away from me. Try not to be offended, it comes with the territory. After seeing the apartment, it is best to tell them that you will think about it because you’re looking at other apartments, and you’ll call with you’re decision soon. This may help you get some extra perks from the landlord but not always. Also, even if you go with another apartment, it is polite and expected to call or at least text someone from the other apartments to say ‘thank you but I choose another one.’

With apartment hunting in Spain, it’s okay to have standards as long as they are realistic. I liked the first apartment I looked at; however it was on the 5th floor and no elevator. Even for Spain, this was a bit extreme. I couldn’t fathom doing those stairs everyday especially with groceries and whatnot. Another apartment I looked at was with 3 male roommates. I walked in and all 3 men looked at me like they haven’t seen a woman in 6 months. The place was dirty (even though you can tell they attempted to tidy up) and it was not suitable for another male let alone a female. So I learned to give and take on some things. If I didn’t find the apartment I ended up choosing, I would have to sacrifice some things like climbing a ridiculous amount of stairs. On the other hand, I wouldn’t sacrifice my well being by choosing a place that would be like living in a zoo during mating season.

front entrance to my complex

the shared courtyard

my living room

The apartment I choose was the last apartment I looked at. It was a block away from Dani and two blocks from Reconquista (the main road for public transportation). It’s a newer complex with a gated entry way that leads to a courtyard that all 4 buildings share. I live on the 3rd floor and it has an elevator. The apartment has a nice sized living room with a balcony that has an amazing view of the Casco (Ancient part of the city). It has a great kitchen with a dishwasher and oven.

my room

My room is by far the best part: the master bedroom with a queen-sized bed, personal bathroom attached and my own balcony. There’s another small bed in the room that I’m suppose to share with someone else, but for the time being, I have it all to myself. So for now, I have 2 closets, a dresser, a desk, and a television. Most amazing part is that I only pay 175 Euro/ month and then electricity is separate. I live with 2 Spanish female students. We get along quite well and they are extremely patient with my lack of language skills. Overall, I feel like I lucked out with this apartment. I don’t have any access to internet but with Dani so close, I just walk over to his place. Immediately, I felt at home here, and it was exactly what I needed to keep me motivated for the journey ahead of me.

Settling In...

So it’s been a long first week. I’m sitting at Alcazar, Toledo’s library, taking advantage of the free WiFi and trying to remember everything that has happened over the past 8 days. I guess Ill start at my arrival. I had a relatively easy flight: a 2-hour flight to Philly, an hour layover, an hour delay, and a 7 ½ hour flight to Madrid. I pulled an all-nighter the night before thinking I would sleep then whole plane ride. Mmm, not so much! I slept the way to Philly but just couldn’t manage to sleep more than 2 hours during the flight to Spain. I don’t know if it was the excitement, the paralyzing fear or the amazing assortment on free movies American Airlines offered. Well needless to say when I arrived in Madrid, they only thing I was looking forward to was siesta time. I have imagined myself walking off the plane for over a year now in the same outfit I saw Scarlett Johansson wearing in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. So, I run to the bathroom and throw on my distressed jeans, a simple button down cotton shirt, authentic Converse shoes and killer aviators, and I strut like no ones business down to security. I grab my luggage and go find Dani waiting for me in the other side.

Luckily, having gone through the whole traveling with large suitcases on public transportation last year, I knew what to expect. I brought 2 suitcases, a duffle carry-on and my laptop case as my personal item. It was the same amount as I brought the last time, however I didn’t have a strapping young Spaniard to help my carry everything. Plus I’ll be here for much longer than I was before. So if you’re considering living or traveling abroad for an extensive amount of time, picture what you can carry up and down subway stairs and lug around the streets by yourself. Though Europe has amazing and inexpensive transportation, most haven’t discovered the beauty of elevators or even escalators.
Dani and I spent the rest of the day chatting it up and siesta-ing in his car while waiting in a local village for his sister Ana to get done with work so we could all drive back to Toledo. It was a relatively simple day; no parades or angels singing from the heavens like I had imagined it. But it was probably just the jet-lag. I slept the majority of the day and the next trying to my Spanish legs back under me. Dani and his roommates graciously agreed to put me up for a few days while I looked at apartments. Well a few days turned into a week. Not by my choice but by waiting for a stubborn landlord who couldn’t make himself available for me to sign the lease. I’ll go into apartment hunting in more detail in another blog.
The job hunt has been difficult in some aspects and easier in others. I figured until I found a position at an actual school or academy, I would private tutor in my apartment or in the student’s homes. I made up some cartels (flyers) in Spanish before I left the U.S. and posted about 20 of them in a certain part of town. I created a special email address just for tutoring. It’s a better idea than your personal email so you can keep your work separate, seem more professional and not give out too much personal info to the public. I purposely didn’t add a cell number to the flyers for 2 reasons: I didn’t have a cell until I got to Toledo and I was scared of people calling me because my Spanish isn’t what it used to be. However, after a week, I have yet to receive an email. After discussing my concerns to Dani, he told me it was because there was no cell number. The only people that have emails or even use computers are students or business professionals. A housewife looking for an English tutor for her 10 year old son isn’t going to go through the hassle of finding a computer and creating an email just to contact a tutor. I had to get over my fears of speaking Spanish. I do know enough to get by. So after I got my Spanish cell phone, I manually wrote my number on every flyer. Hopefully after I put up more flyers this weekend, I’ll get some calls for private English lessons. This part I expected to be the easy but it turned out to be the opposite. Dani and I went to Madrid on Monday so I could bring my CV (resume) to some English academies. I handed out 4, a relatively small amount but managed to get 1 interview on the spot and a call back for an interview next week. Amazing. I’ll go into more of job hunting and doing interviews in another blog as well.
After a full week here, I’ve already had plenty of ups and downs. Lots of “I may not be able to make it” thoughts but even more “Yes, this is where I’m meant to be” moments. So after my first week, I’m starting to feel at home already. I moved into my first real apartment which is incredible and, as a little sneak peak into a future blog, I already have a teaching position starting on Monday. To end this blog, I’d like to thank Dani and his roommates for giving up so much this past week to accommodate me. Especially Dani: giving up his bedroom, risking the flu, and parting with hours and hours of studying time to help me start my life in Spain. I owe you more than you can imagine Papi!

“The key to happiness is having dreams… the key to success is making dreams come true.”

Making It Happen...

I finally did it. I stopped talking about what I wanted to do and I actually went a did it.

About a month ago, I hit a hard spot in my life. Financially, I am barely getting by. Emotionally, I was getting tired of the same old routines. At work, I reached my breaking point and realized that something in my life had to change. I went to bed one night thinking my life was always going to be like this. Then I had a breakthrough. What was stopping me from just packing up and leaving? I had my diploma, finished my TEFL courses, was dealing with another bad break-up, and had great connections waiting for me in Spain. It became so incredibly clear. Just do it... just buy a ticket and move to Spain.

As soon as possible, I was on Skype with Dani discussing my new found clarity. I simply asked if it was possible for me to move to Spain by June. His response, "Absolutely!" We talked about some possible kinks like finding private tutoring sessions, receiving my british passport, preparing my CV, searching for a flat... But within an hour, everything was set and all I had to do was buy the plane ticket. The plan was for mid-June but airfare was a bit out of my price range. (go figure) So I discouragingly looked at flights later and later in the summer. The prices of airfare rose and rose. Then Dani asked if I could come earlier than mid-June. Sure enough I found a flight leaving May 28th for less than $300! However, it was already the first week of May. But nothing was stopping me now. I booked it!

What next? Breaking the news to my family. Some took it suprisingly well, others were shocked and confused. I've talked about going abroad for so long now that most starting believing that all it would ever amount to is 'talk'. Overall, I was lucky to receive my family and friends support on my decision. I put my notice in at work and they trained my replacement. I finished my CV and made flyers for my private tutoring. I shopped for new professional 'European-style' outfits. Dani helped me out immensely on his end in Spain. He called around for flats (apartments) that needed renters and found me various schools/ websites to send my CV when I arrived.

As the days passed, I worked as much as possible to hopefully get a little cushion of money while I settled into Spain. Then I realized how many of the little things I overlooked. Mostly getting my bills and banking situation figured out. Like: my student loans are overwhelming, what if I dont make enough my first few months in Spain? I called and told the companies my situation and I was eligible for forebearance. Deferrment of a loan means you stop making payments and don't incrue extra interest (usually for medical, educational, military reasons) Forebearence of a loan means you stop making payments but the interest of the loan continues to incrue (usually for unemployment, economic hardship or personal reasons) Deferrment in the better of the 2; however, most people are only eligible for forbearance. This at least gives me a few months to get settled and not worry where I'm going to get an extra $700/mo.

Banking was another situation that caused some headache. My bills and loans must be paid from a US bank so what is the easiest way to get money from a Spanish account to my US account? The only away apart from mailing personal checks home for my family to deposit on my behalf and wait the 1-2 weeks for international checks to clear is wire transfers. They can be done online in minutes; however, each transfer costs $15-50 depending on the bank. But transferring large sums would be less stressful in the long run.

Then I had to call every credit/debit card to inform them of my move abroad. Most banks charge an extra percentage when you use your cards abroad and an extra dollar amount when you go to an ATM. I had to figure out what I was doing with my cell phone. I decided just to get a pay-as-you-go phone in Spain so Im not tempted to call friends from my US phone. This is the preferred cell method for most young Spaniards.

These were the majority of the pains I encountered. Other things like cancelling my gym membership and figuring what I needed to pack were tiny other things that I finished in my last few days here in America.


My family and friends had a great going away party for me. Memorial Day was my last day of work and now I am hours away from departing. Saying my goodbyes wasn't as hard as I thought because I know that I have full support from everyone. Plus, with technology today, I know my family and friends are a click or Skype call away. So my next blog will be from the imperial city of Toledo. The city I have daydreamed about for over a year... a daydream that in less than 24 hours will be my new reality!

My advice for anyone is to follow your dreams. You'll be amazed at where they can take you!

Keeping Focus...

It's been 3 long months since my last update. I have made great discoveries but little progress in that time. I guess my personal life did side-swipe me for a large portion of that time but I always had my mind on my plans for going abroad. Let's start where I left off...



Good News. I finally sucked up all my fears, had 'Spanish month' talking with Dani, studied hours and hours for weeks and finally took that test that was keeping me from my dilpoma. After waiting 15 of the longest days of my life, I got the results. I finally had earned my Bachelor's degree!!!

That was one load off my mind to say the least. Now I could put all my efforts into job searching in Asia and Spain.



I worked with my advisor from Oxford (where I got my TEFL certificate) on creating my CV, the Euro/Asian version of a resume. He also helped me create some very snazzy cover letters to add to my applications. However, the job search Oxford couldn't really help me with so I did most on my own. I found amazing websites for TEFL/ ESL teachers listing thousands and thousands of jobs all over the world. I must have sent out 25 applications to schools in Asia in the first day. By the end of the week, I had over 100 emails replies from schools wanting me to set up an interview.



Any person would have been as thrilled as I was. I thought I would have a job in a matter of days. However, as I started reading thru all the emails, almost every single one wanted me for at least a year. I really wanted to live in Asia for the summer but not an entire year. So it has been almost 2 months since I started summer job searching in Asia and have found little to no success. The summer jobs I did find were only available to English speakers that were already living in Asia. The schools don't provide any accomadations or airfare for just a summer post.



I expaned my search to other continents for summer work and found similar problems especially the pesky EU restrictions. I did take a few interviews with some promising schools and had a few job offers but nothing that really felt right or made sense for me. I was really excited about this summer Englsih camp in Florence, Italy. But after my interview, they told me the only position they had left was for the program for June only and they dont pay airfare. So after June I would be jobless and be too early for jobs in Spain. So unfortunately I had to turn the job down.



I also ran into a lot of scary job offers and scams. A tip: when it comes to working abroad, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Example, I was offered a job in Nigeria by a Swedish family whose father was recently transfered there for work and needed to learn English. They offered me my own apartment and over $7000 a month. How could I turn that down, right? Well I replied asking some personal details. He gave me his work info and even sent a family photo. But I researched the father's company and found it didn't exist. And in my research found out that white slavery is one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria. It may sound funny but these things really do happen.



More Good News: with the nice chunk of change I received from my tax return, I can finally finish getting my dual citizenship and EU passport. After researching, I discovered that most schools dont really pay attention to the passport restrictions but are just happy you have one in general. So now I can start searching more schools in Europe once I get my passport underway once again.



Let's end this blog with some Spain updates. I find out April 15th where I get placed in Spain for the upcoming school year in August. I had to send in my police background check and medical clearance to the Embassy of Spain in Washington DC last week. I'm guessing that means I received one of the teaching positions for American within the Spanish government but I just don't know where they are sending me. I put in my CV that I had ready accomodations in Toledo so could work in the general area. Dani and his sister will most likely take jobs in Madrid and commute to work from Toledo, so hopefully I'll get Madrid.



Dani also found me an American institute in Madrid that is at the front of ESL teaching. I sent them my CV and they asked me to come in for a personal interview (in Madrid) as soon as possible. We are in negotiations now to see if I could do more from the States before I fly to Madrid. But I just started talking with them so hopefully next blog I'll be able to give more updates.

If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and throw some away, and it will renew itself. You need do no more.

-Clarissa Pinkola Estes