The P.E. teacher at my school, Paco (remember the man with the reindeer antlers from the Christmas party?) plays on a football team in Galicia, and they were hosting a Super Bowl party at a local bar. After having completely given up on watching the game (for what would've been the first time in my life), I got a message about the party. I had planned on going alone to watch the Raven's win, but Angel, Francesca and Becca all wanted to watch an 'American' football game. The second I entered the door, I grabbed Angel's arm and "This is what I've been lacking." It was like taking a giant leap across the Atlantic. And landing in San Fransisco. Turns out the team that Paco plays on is called San Fransisco. This meant that even at my own country's sporting event, I was still in the minority. Francesca, Becca and Angel cheered with me for the Raven's, so I was not alone. The event was such as success that they published an article in the Galician newspaper about the turnout and game. Becca even won the Half Time Raffle, and now is trying to decide what to do with a weekend getaway, that requires a car.
Angel, me and Francesca with our Super Bowl tickets, 1€, cheapest entrance I'll ever get
Becca and Francesca (and the pregame NFL video game)
American style tapas, something that is mentioned in the article, they are quite proud of this.
Monday was a normal day of classes, but exhausting as I got home after 3am (the game was still going, but the bar was closed, time differences are roughest when you want to watch a sports game). I had my private lessons with Ana's kids, the gym and then crashed. Tuesday, however, was a field trip with the two older classes, tercero and cuarto (9th and 10th grade). The students came to Santiago for the day for a play and a rooftop tour of the cathedral. Let me explain how this field trip went (those of you who have ever led a field trip, or any youth group in the States will have a cow with this one).
10:30: We meet in the Plaza de Cervantes, and Isabel and Susana say "Coffee break (remember they just got to the city), be here in 20 minutes." Then the students start to scatter, and they decide to count them quickly...because maybe there were 35 or possibly 36 to start with...The students go who knows where, and the teachers somewhere else.
11:00: Time we actually meet up. The teachers were late, the students were all there. We head to the play.
11:30: Time play should start.
Closer to 12:00: Time it does start. The play is for younger students, and mainly in English (our group was the oldest by far), but it was too scary for kids. And they cussed. Props to the theater company. We left just before the end to make it, ideally, on time to the cathedral tour.
The tour of the rooftops of the cathedral was amazing, and somehow, coincided with the only time I've seen the sun in over a month. I was amazed by the amount detail that goes into constructing a cathedral like that of Santiago de Compostela, with a facade designed in Baroque style, to fool enemies, yet the rooftops designed to spot enemies. The cathedral was also designed to host the pilgrims, yet to not disturb Mass. All of these facts fascinated me, but were interrupted frequently by the students asking when we were going to go to As Cancelas, the mall. We had planned on going for lunch, but once we arrived I don't think a single student ate. They all went shopping, and met with the teachers at the main entrance an hour later. Not quite like the field trips I remembered. By any means.
The tour of the rooftops of the cathedral was amazing, and somehow, coincided with the only time I've seen the sun in over a month. I was amazed by the amount detail that goes into constructing a cathedral like that of Santiago de Compostela, with a facade designed in Baroque style, to fool enemies, yet the rooftops designed to spot enemies. The cathedral was also designed to host the pilgrims, yet to not disturb Mass. All of these facts fascinated me, but were interrupted frequently by the students asking when we were going to go to As Cancelas, the mall. We had planned on going for lunch, but once we arrived I don't think a single student ate. They all went shopping, and met with the teachers at the main entrance an hour later. Not quite like the field trips I remembered. By any means.
View from the rooftops
Cathedral from the second level. Attendees of Mass sit in the pews, yet pilgrims can walk around on the other side of the pillars without disturbing Mass
Growth on the Cathedral, product of the rain. This gives me hope that Spring will be beautiful (and better be to compensate for the ugly winter)
Statue of Saint James from the roof
Bell towers from the rooftops
Bell towers and Saint James
Cross where pilgrims used to burn their clothes after completing the pilgrimage, now it is done Finisterre
Plaza de Quintana from the roof
Bell and clock tower of the Cathedral
Mullion of Saint James. Students used to bang their heads on it for wisdom, a tradition that pilgrims picked up, and the reason for which it is now roped off. The head banging was causing too much wear on the pillar.
I also would like to add how I called the DMV yesterday, and I am sure there is not another person in the world who would say this, but it was the best experience. I was put on hold, transferred, and, in the end, had to leave a voicemail (asking them to call my mom, because I called from my Skype account). Nothing soothes the soul like an Idaho accent. Even if it a DMV employee.
As far as all of my applications and interviews go, I am now at the part where I have to hurry up, and wait (as my dad always says). I am looking forward to being done with applications and interviews for awhile, but the waiting is always the hardest part. I won't know anything until the end of April, and my visa expires at the end of May. Fingers crossed.
Tomorrow it's off to Budapest for five days, a whole other kind of adventure, and the forecast calls for snow. This may be the part I am most excited about as this is also my first winter without snow. Here's hoping!
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