Well, you might as well call our piso the infirmary

It has been so long since I have written that I had to look back at my own blog to see what I last talked about – how pathetic. I can’t say that I’ve been too busy to post (that’s certainly not the case) but it’s more for our lack of internet and always having to go in search of it is getting quite frustrating (and it’s usually either at this bar that has wifi or McDonald’s – yes, of all the places in Spain we sometimes go to McDonald’s to use internet – and we end up spending money which we are all very tightly holding onto since it seems to be a precious commodity and we don’t get paid for another 3 weeks).
I made it through week one of teaching (or should I say of glorified art babysitting). Michael Lynn comes home every day and is telling us about how she taught the kids about bones or the circulatory system at her school in science class while Tad barely has any time with his children and spends more time planning with teachers and I spend my days wandering through art classrooms fielding hundreds of questions about myself and telling kids “good job” when they color inside the lines. It’s funny the range of work a person can have here yet we are all making the same amount of money. I drew an “autumn” scene for one of the classes. I gave it to the teacher and thought it was only going to be inspiration of some sort for the kids to draw something on their own. Lo and behold, I walk into the classroom to see my very elementary picture of a scarecrow by a fence with some corn and three pumpkins in the corner largely displayed on the smart board and the teacher is having them draw my picture. Didn’t know I was such a talented artist as to have people be reproducing my work already. Some of the kids did the picture justice while most just butchered it.

I drew mine free-hand but this is pretty darn close to what my picture looked like!


The teacher then informed me that he sent it to the other 4th grade teachers so who knows how many times I will see my drawing reappear.
Today is a national holiday in Spain and so we didn’t have school. I love how I have worked for a week and already have a day off. Normally, the students and teachers have that Monday off (yesterday) so that it creates a Puente (bridge) and there’s just a really long weekend but this was the first year in many years that they didn’t do that. We had to work on Monday but then supposedly we have more days off around Christmas.
I went to Granada on Friday to see my friend Juan Carlos and to celebrate his birthday. I know some of his friends from when I studied abroad in Granada. It was a good time and I was so happy to be in Granada. It is so much more of a “college town” with students and young people everywhere. Motril is not a bad place to live but it’s just a little boring and lacks a certain amount of young people to make it lively.

The welcome sign makes it seem likes paradise....but it's not!


However, Tad got to know a couple of other Americans that are working in Motril (Javier, Cynthia – who is also a UofM grad, and Sara). We went out with them last night and had a blast.

Here are our new friends in Motril.....Yes, I am carrying a rather large drink and no, it wasn't just mine.....we all shared it.


Javier’s parents are from Cuba and so he speaks Spanish fluently and Sara also speaks really well. We spent most of the night speaking Spanish with them and I think it will really help all of us to improve if we always speak together in Spanish. I also met some cool people when I was in Granada with Juan Carlos.

Here is a picture of Juan Carlos and myself...two years later and some other friends I met - some Spanish people and Germans







I am hoping to start making more connections and have things to do.
The roomies and I are going to Granada this weekend. I am so excited. We might go to the Alhambra on Friday. We aren’t sure of our other plans yet – Saturday is my birthday so I’m sure we’ll celebrate. It will be weird to be away from home on my birthday. This will be the first time this has ever happened. But mom told me there’s a package headed my way and I am so excited!!! She sends the best packages! Every time I opened one up when I studied abroad in 2008, it was like Christmas morning. Oh the creature comforts of things from home.
And now, getting back to the title of this blog post…..Michael Lynn and I have both developed pretty nasty colds and I think whatever sickness Tad had in Sevilla is still lingering with him as he is still coughing a lot. Put us all together and even combined, we wouldn’t make a complete healthy person. Mine started off as a sore throat and now has turned into a nice little cold in my head and chest. Michael Lynn’s started the same way only her sore throat was worse and she is having trouble breathing. I just hope we all feel better before this weekend and that the little rug rats at school would start covering their mouths when they cough and sneeze (oh the joys of being an educator!!)
Here’s where I stop making any promises about us getting the internet in our apartment…….we just don’t know when or if it will even happen and that’s all I have to say about that!
I send my love and hugs to the US!!
P.S. Tad and I watched the Michigan vs. Michigan State game this past weekend at a bar on his computer……what a disappointment. I brought my Michigan flag to Spain and have it hung up with sticky tack – only it keeps falling and so right now it’s crumpled up on my bedroom floor and I think I’ll just leave it that way for a while.