Observations

This past week has been a lot of fun, with nothing really out of the ordinary happening. We are back online, and the XXI century is as great as I remembered it being.

In my classes I have been having so much fun. I adore the students, even the ones who are quite intolerable, they all have their quirks. In Art with the Freshman they had the option to make short videos to hear how they speak. They wanted me in the videos, which means while they spoke, I sat there awkwardly smiling (and not knowing what to do with my hands, Dad). They also wanted me in their class photo. I felt all sorts of honored to be included in their fun. This whole week they are working all day, every day, on a project for a robotics competition put on by ESA (a European Space Agency). It is impressive to watch them work and I get the chance to help with their English (the project is in all in English and consists of a letter of intent and video for the first part, interviews for part two and a trip at the beginning of the next school year). They have made so much progress during the short time they have been working on the project, and they really deserve to pass to the next level. They have taken over the whole project and shown more initiative than I have seen from any student all year.

My favorite work moment came today, I was with the Freshmen and another teacher came looking for the main teacher, who was out. We chatted for a bit and one student overheard me, and summoned the rest of the class by yelling "TIFFANY IS SPEAKING SPANISH!" They all came running over (literally) and huddled around the teacher and me to listen to me speak. They then took the time to explain to every other teacher that came into the class from that point on (it was a decent amount because they wanted to see the robot before break) that I speak Spanish. But well. But really well. The other teachers all just laughed at them. I hadn't realized, this is the only class that has never heard me say more than two words in a row in Spanish because they love to speak English and understand really well so I never need to translate. I was proud that this was the case, but laughed a lot, especially because they said "falas castelan ben" which is you speak Spanish really well. But in Galician. Absurd.

On the social side of things, Saint Patrick's Day was an experience here in Galicia, the Ireland of Spain. We went out to a pub called Saint Patrick's Day Pub, seemed like a sure fire shot.

 Out of business (if it was just closed, then it should go out of business for poor planning) 

 We went to a concert at a small bar, two Guinness and you get this cool hat. I obviously drank mine and celebrated my heritage.

We hosted Sunday lunch at our flat. Angel made delicious Spanish appetizers and a dessert and I made glazed chicken with Thai peanut sauce and tzakiti with veggies. Not to be conceited, but our meal was the best. Group consensus agrees with this. Lunch was followed by the longest game of UNO in world history. Two hours.

 UNO has become a four letter word in our flat (comment, Xairo, a student from my private classes, whom I adore, wanted to play UNO, when he had one card, he yelled ONE!, it's called UNO in English too hahaha)

Tuesday night we went to a Galician concert. It was so cool to watch the band play and the Galicians dancing. The music has heavy Celtic roots and includes a tambourine, bag pipes, accordion and drums (somehow I typed drunks the first time, which also seemed to be the case here, so not really a typo)

 American looking tapas preconcert

Giorgia, Elena, Me, Lia, Francesca, Francesco, Becca

I have a video clip of the band on my camera...but it is not wanting to upload, maybe next time. This was my past week in a nutshell. I am having a great time with my friends and at work, and now I have to pack my bags because in 8 hours I'll be on a plane to Madrid. To see two of my favorite people. For those of you that care to read on my observations of the Spanish school system, continue.

It has been much too long since I did an update on the cultural differences between Spain and the United States. The biggest thing I am noticing right now (as it is the end of the trimester and that means grades) is the way the school system works as far as grading goes. The students are graded on a scale of 1-10, with  a 5 being passing (for the non-American's reading this, we do percentages, and to pass you need a 70%, but that is just scraping by, an 80% is more average). The grades are shared in front of the class, for everything. The teacher reads down the list and everyone learns their grade at the same time their peers learn it. So much for the confidentiality we hold so dear in the States. There is also no reason to beat around the bush about a students inability to understand something, this is addressed in front of everyone. I suppose that it is already really obvious who is smart, and who isn't, because they all know each others grades. I have been told that certain students are a lost cause, by teachers and other students alike, I have had teachers apologize to me because I (of my own violation) chose to spend extra time working one-on-one with students with learning disabilities; "Sorry, so-and-so is quite difficult, I just don't know what to do about her" I always want to say, you could start by teaching the student and giving them activities that are more suitable for their level (but that is just the equal opportunity, former Special Education Major in me talking).

Behavior is also a big part of the grade (and with this being taken into account it is a wonder that any of them ever finish school, keep reading and you'll see why), they get negatives for forgetting things, or talking in class (when the teacher is in a bad mood, because they always talk in class) positives can be given for an extra good job, or because you did the teacher a favor like going upstairs for the key (what?!). At the end of the trimester the teachers get together and finalize the grades, I am not a big part of grading in general, so I am not present at these meetings, but I know that some students get passed because certain teachers don't want 'to deal with them' again. These are observations I have seen in my school, stories from others who are or have taught in Spain, as well as stories from my Spanish friends from all over Spain. I am learning a lot about what my own teaching is and isn't from my short time here.

Santa Tegra

This past week has been incredibly productive, it's funny how high the correlation between not having Internet and my level of productivity is. Not to worry, we are back online as of last night, and I plan on being lazy again (just kidding). We made many trips to the cafe in front of our flat, and they didn't even have to ask what we wanted to drink. I went to the gym, read a book, went to work, planned classes and a little field trip as well. Although it was great to be forced to do other things with our free time, I am thrilled to be back online, because I can actually call my family. Ideal. Here are some photos from the last couple of weeks I wasn't able to share in my last entry:

 Last Sunday's lunch group

 Enjoying the view of the Cathedral

Music and a hike

 Favorite door knocker.

 Waiting in the Praza de Galicia, our meeting point before heading out

Headed out

QUAKER OATS! I explained the history of William Penn and Quaker oats to Ángel, so we are the only two in all of Spain to know how great they are

Sunday I set off with Ángel, Francesca, Giorgia and Giulia to head to the ruins of Santa Tegra. The ruins are the remnants of a Celtic village, whose construction began in the II-I century B.C., and was inhabited consistently until sometime in the I century, A.D. when the inhabitants began to slowly abandon the village. After its abandonment, the village went undiscovered until 1862. The circular structures were homes, with a small patio with a fireplace for cooking. The rectangular and square shaped structures were workshop and stores. The wall surrounding the village was for protection, and after spending time there, I think it is safe to say the Celts were really trying to protect themselves from the wind than from enemies. The village overlooks the Atlantic and just absolutely beautiful. We took our time to walk around between the ruins, went to the peak of the mountain (so many crosses everywhere, it would seem the Celts had a lot to pray about) and had a picnic while enjoying the views, and huddling behind walls to block the wind.

  The other Idaho, in the lovely town of Cuntis...

                                                 

 Fighting the wind to get a photo at the top of Monte Tegra

 View of the mountain going down the back

 Crosses everywhere

 Picnic in the ruins

 Town of A Guarda from the top of Monte Tegra

 Headed down to the ruins

 Reconstruction of a house in the village

 Perfect size for Francesca (she is writing her thesis on the Celts, this was paradise for her)

 Greenery, the upside to the rain

 Modern day Celts

 Castro do Santa Tegra

 Castro do Santa Tegra

 The approaching rain from the ocean, the Celts picked an ideal location to build their village, the view is amazing

Remnants of the houses

Castro do Santa Tegra

After our time at Santa Tegra, we went down to the town at the base of the mountain. A Guarda is a charming, typical, small sea town. The town is on the border of Portugal and Spain, and the radio stations all aired in Portuguese, giving us a good laugh. I did not have my passport, and being the only non-European, I had to explain that this is actually a problem. Europeans can travel around with their country ID cards, whereas my ID card for Spain will not get me out of and back into Spain. The Italians wanted to see more of southern Galicia anyways, so they were not nearly as bummed out as Ángel and I. Portugal is at the top of both of our lists. The tide was too foamy to be able to refresh our tootsies in the ocean, so we had a coffee at a cafe on the waterfront before heading out again to Vigo.

 Foam, foam, foam

Coast of A Guarda

Headed out of A Guarda to Vigo

In Vigo, we walked around and enjoyed being a city that is so different from Santiago, but so close. I have been to Vigo before with Kim. Vigo is much more modern, and much cleaner, than Santiago. It is a port town, and has the atmosphere of being such. The people are open and were all out enjoying the evening along the boardwalk. We also enjoyed the sunset over the ocean from the pier before heading to Pontevedra (another town I have visited before with Kim).

 ¡PLAFF!

  Ivy and potted plants

 Park in the center of Vigo

Walking around Vigo

 Sunset over the pier

 Group shot, Giorgia, Giulia, Ángel and me

Graffti, Jason Mraz style

Pontevedra is probably my favorite town so far in Galicia. It is small, but seems to offer all that a carless person would need. We walked along the river to admire the bridges (Pontevedra is Latin for 'old bridge', referring to the Roman bridge) and then followed a lit up path to the center of the town. The path has small blue lights used to guide the pilgrims to the church, known as the Pilgrim's Church. After arriving to the main plaza, we had a drink and then headed back to Santiago. We arrived back tuckered out and already thinking about our next outing.

 Ruins of an old church (something hard to come by in Europe...)

Orchestra of Pontevedra

 New bridge and old bridge in Pontevedra

 Just a bunch of good looking people