Says it all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bziv4sXXdOU&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Exams tomorrow for certification

The Sunday Funnies

The church bells tolled this morning loudly through my window calling all the townspeople to worship. I counted the tolls and to my surprise realized that there were way to many. Figuring the bell toller was nursing a hangover, i forgave him and rolled over trying to get back in touch witht he blackness of my eyelids. The stresses, projects,and drama of this week fatigued me greatly and i begged myself to please allow for another moment of solitude before the beginng of a busy day. However once the light hit my pupils i was done for lacing up my sneakers to hit the pavement, a sunday morning ritual a cleanser from a weekend of late nights, dancing, and the occasional sangria festivities. As my feet hit the pavement, i watched the families scatter to and fro pushing their bundles of joy in overly expensive carriages. It amazes me how the children here dress, the baby buggies, and the general attention to detail when dressing children. I watched both the young and the old meander about the old cities, the old women clutched tightly to their sunkissed and wrinkled partners, decked out to the the extreme in their fur coats, bright red lipstick and matching hats. This is sunday in Spain, it is a day dedicated to families and they do indeed make that obvious with their glares as i run through the streets working out. The women look at me as to say ÿou go girl, while the men on the other hand are bewildered that i :
a: am not pushing a stroller
b: am in shape , unlike the other spanish women
c: am not clutched ever so tightly to a strapping young man that more or less would be in better shape than me
d: working out on a sunday and not at home preparing a lovely meal for my family. ( i was told the other day by an old shopkeeper that at my age, a healthy 23, i should be settled down by now).
Men tip their hats as i run by while others just stare in amazement. I asked a local friend why such the reactiont o which he cooly replied; oh men are smarter than women they shouldnt work out but cook and clean: i NEARLY CHOKED on my tapas, as i tried to clear my throat for air. AHEM it amazed me. This general mind frame in Spain i have been informed is a direct product of the Franco Era, a dodgy subject around here.
Needless to say as i ran, listening to the tripolar cd, recounting on my week of endless projects, classes, and teaching practicals. I was amazed to stop and think as i went to cross the street that i managed to get it all done. I smiled in my victory and reflected again. This week i taught the Elementary Evening class which were the most unbehaved gremlins ever as well as the Preintermediate class which proved to be a rather sophisticated bunch of unique personalities. To the extent that the other instructor and i went out for tapas with them and fought off their impending advances. He was being hit on my a busty overweight spanish woman who loved english men while i myself tried to save my honor from the grips of a local pilot in training whose good looks and game could easily be intoxicating for the inexperienced woman. We both i am happy to report escaped with our honor intact. Additionally this week we also had a series of projects due in addition to starting to think about job opportunities after the course ends. We were given a series of charts in addition to their hiring season and held private meetings to discuss our options or any other questions we might have. The thought of staying in Spain intoxicates me as i look into the very many possible next steps. I have had the help of a local man with many connections and we have discussed which ones would be the best fit for me, the most beneficial. Exploring my options puts me into a dreamlike state, as everything else tends to melt away as i daydream about staying in Europe. The decision wont come easy and is not a central focus as i have alot of work to do today, exams to pass before i can relinquish in this fantasy more. Until them satisfaction will come to me in the sheer possibility, a large bag of sweets from the local pastelleria, and a rendezvous with a local who may provide me with the answers i need.
xoxo
Worldy woman

Song of the day:
Stabilo
Everyday

manu chao

Perfect song to stand on the terrace with the wind blowing to relax to in the evening.

Great song from radiohead, perfect to listen to when buried under mass ammounts of work! :)

Will post soon when the madness ends and it is break time :)

xoxo

El facil silencio

I awoke this morning to the sound of gushing water. Seeing as i just woke up my frist instinct was to head straight to the bathrrom upon hearing such a sound but instead i remained still. I opened my window just a crack which voluminized the sound of a terrential downpour. All in the monastery was quite not a noise aside from the water pouring in through our center courtyard opening. I left the security of my bed to witness such a celebration of water free flowing through the open aired roof as the other tenants huddled in their bed happy to have a morning which they could rest. This week has proved to be a difficult one as most of us have been pushed to inches, some centimeters, of our breaking point. The overwhelming work, multiple projects, and stresses of living with adverse individuals had played hard on all of us tenants and was clearly written on our sleep deprived, tired, and fragile faces. Yet in this new profession to which we are all striving for proper certification, this sometimes can be the life.
While the entirity of us march back and forth between projects a single thought flickers in the back of our overworked brains. " What will i do when the course is done". For some of us living in the monastery a clear answer can easily be provided. But those of us, myself included who have opportunities back in their home country as well as opportunities here are left to ponder this lurking question, the purple elephant in the room, when we have a freee moment away from making lesson plans and cutting out stast from construction paper. My biggest decision in all of this comes down to a single word to which i feel the average person, and boldly the average American lacks: happiness. I am not refering to happiness, but True happiness, the ability to be in contact with your soul and inner being and instead of finding it weighed down with the pressures of life, sadness, and societies norms, to be ignited in full flame. Since coming to Spain i have found that my inner fire, that had been burning so very brightly when i lived in Italy as well as my senior year of college came to dwindle with worry and the real world. My visit to Spain has rekindled the inner spirit and for that i am truly grateful and happy beyond to be expressed in simple English. As a great man once said " Often times in life our inner fire goes out and is extinguished. That is until we come into contact with certain individuals who reignite the inner spirit and for that we should truly be thankful."

xoxo
Worldly Woman

Song of the day
Song: Breathing
Artisit: Ingrid Michaelangelson

La cosa mas important en la vida.

I woke up this morning at 730, the longest i had slept in a while after an interesting evening in the city. Yesterday i taught the pre-intermediate class which went pretty well to the point that myself in addition to the other instructor were invited out for tapas. However given spanish custom and the difference between men and women in general in spain, tapas were not the only thing on the mind of our oh so innocent students. Keith, the other educator and myself were hit on the whole evening. He dealt with the advances of a large barely bilingual woman with large breasts while i fought off the advances of a Spanaird who refused to believe that i could bench given my slimmer frame. We spent the evening jabbing eachother in the legs are they became friendlier and friendlier and free drinks continued to land in our empty spaces on the table in addition to the piles of tapas, a nice absorbant for the alchohol being force fed. Needless to say we escaped unharmed, myself with my honor and the offer of three dates this week and keith with scratches clutching to my protected hand. We laughed into the night as we walked back to the residencia eager to tell the housemates of our savage students.
This morning i found myself with teh ability to sleep in which allowed me to go to the gym to get a much needed stress releasing workout in addition to a stop at the local grocery store for tonight´s dinner. A smile came across my face in the grocery store when an old feeble man helped me pick out some good apples and tipped his hat towards me in respect as i mangled from my run returned the smile gratefully. The remainder of my day got better to include dancing in the shower to the Eat Pray Love soundtrack which provided clairty on my imprending decision. I danced vibrantly as i watched the steam roll out the wooden window and blen into the view of the old Albazyin village. Happiness as the song played on .. DOg days are over, time to breathe, and be free oh free oh ahhhhhhh. I sang along. Today for lunch i found myself lost in a plate of homemade paella in good company with two fellow trainee. It was delcious as i tested my food boundaires trying mussels, squid, crawfish, and baby crabs the size of a silver dollar. Most of these new flavors danced on my pallet while the crunching of the bones and crawfish shell in my mouth did the exact opposite. Not to worry though a quick trip to Casa de pastelles solved this problem as i whisked off to phonology class, cake in hand with the intent of upon its completion to buy the 15 euro boots in town with Lindsey.
Today i can´t stop smiling and feeling the warmth all around me despite the impending weather and dark overcast skies. I am happy, i am laughing, i am carefree and am enjoying life. It took me three weeks to reach this state, but the best things in life i reckon are worth waiting for. :)

Besos a todos
Worldy Woman

Song of the day
: Dog Days are Over