Went hiking this weekend in Madrid in the Sierra de Guadarrama - Siete Picos (Seven Peaks) It WAS AMAZING!!!
Check the photos out!
Here's one of a street sign on the
way up the moutain that was saying not to throw ciggarette butts out,
but it looked like Don't throw molatov cocktail bombs out your car
window.... Haha!
Shot of the town on the way up (Cercidillas, Madrid)
Seven peaks... count them!
And yes this is a cat on a leash...
The trails on the way up
View from almost at the top
View from the top was kind of blocked from trees, it was relatively flat
Too bad the sunset on the opposite side of the mountain... missed this one
Creepy house on the way down the mountain... Almost halloween!
I've been searching and searching for an apartment, and I finally found one!
I will be living in downtown Madrid near the Metro stop: Noviciado
I don't have my apartment number, but I will be in building 27 Fish Street -yes I said fish- (Calle del pez, 27). Its just NW of Calle Gran Via (huge street reminds me of something you would see in downtown NYC), and just south of the Centro Médico ICE.
I'll also post pictures when I move in. Looks like its going to be closer to the 31st of October when I move.
View Larger Map
View Larger Map
I'ts pretty much near all the center of Madrid, all the good stuff and easily accessed to and from the school I am teaching in. After all, April (who teaches in my school and lives in downtown Madrid) has been waking up later than I was (while I have been living in Majadahonda - which is closer to my school) and still getting there at the same time I was. It's going to be so nice to live here and I can easily take the metro and buses whenever and wherever I need to.
Also ran into a mariachi band on the street... I love when this happens. For my birthday I want to hire just the trumpeter to follow me around playing mariachi tunes all day! Haha
I've been enjoying my classes both at the university and in school here. The kids are getting more and more comfortable with me and they know how, "Heeeeloooww Ahhndeee" in the halls when they see me now. There has been a couple of other students that I have befriended here. Let me give you a run down of my "friends" in each class.
1st grade (A class)
Martin - He's the loud obnoxious one in this class. He's very clever, but almost too much for his own good. I usually have to keep an eye on him in class because he's quick to piss someone off and then pretend like he's going to answer a question when they're all worked up because he stole their favorite pencil.
Rodrigo - He always wants to answer my questions and loves to show me his drawings and tell me about something he did (always in Spanish, and he'll agree with whatever I say or shake his head yes, even when I asked him if he rode an elephant in the circus!)
(B class)Marta - She's just like Martin, but she will talk her head off the entire class. Bad thing is, is that she pays attention and loses focus quick because she is so far ahead of the others. She always wants to know what we are doing before we do it.
Cristina - She's very quiet and sweet and I will catch her shushing other students when I'm trying to get everyone's attention. Her Mom is one of the cafeteria ladies and she knows that I teach her daughter, so she always hooks me up on the portions when she's serving!
Alvaro - This kid is a mess. He has baby blue coke bottle glasses. He has to wear an eye patch over one eye because he has problems focusing correctly or something. His shirt is always brown when it should be white and when he talks spit flies out of his mouth all the way across the room. He's very animated and likes to incorporate war activity in any art activity I have them do. This kid is awesome! haha!
(C Class)
Sean - He's the only American student I have in all the classes, and I'm jealous because he is fluent in both English and Spanish, without any funny accents in both! He makes me feel better about myself because he laughs when I'm cracking a joke I know no one will laugh at (sometimes including the teacher in the room with me!)
Alejandra - She's very good at English and very studious. She also goes out of her way to say Hi to me in the hallway, including tripping over other children's bookbags.
(D Class)
Jesus - Yep, its Jesus. He hugs me everyday I walk into class. Don't you wish Jesus would hug you daily. He's got some sort of social disorder because he refuses to participate an any activity with other kids. He'd rather hang out at the teacher's table at lunch than the kids and we have to shoo him away a lot.
Andrea - She's another "shusher" or silencer of other kids. She knows her English, but today didn't know her right from left whether it was in English or Spanish... haha! Always look forward to seeing her.
Alvaro - He's the one that drew me the monster previously. He's been doing a lot of bad things recently, but I think its because of the people he sits with and I'm not allowed to move the children. The homeroom teacher is the only one that can move them, yet they are only with them for 10 minutes.
2nd Grade (A Class)
Dani - He's always got his hair slicked down and chatting with the ladies in the class. He definitely comes from a well mannered family because I only need to give him a stare and he knows to straighten up. His pronunciation of English is so bad, but I love to hear him pronounce things because he is ok with laughing at himself when he makes mistakes.
Paula - This girl is practically as tall as me and also very smart. She needs to be introduced to basketball or volleyball immediately. She hangs out with the boys and its hilarious to see her punch one of them because they fall over so easily!
(B Class)
Joel - He has some sort of attention disorder, however he is very calm. He likes to flop on the floor a lot and play with very elementary toys for his age. He also has that "I'm not really all here right now" look. I usually high five him randomly or shake him to keep his attention on me for the next time I do it.
Carlos - If ADHD had a defintiion it would be him. Two of these kids in one class. This kid is constantly screaming random things. He forgets to finish last parts of his sentences and gets so caught up in too many activities he just starts losing his mind. He is friends with Joel, but will quickly become his enemy. There is a teacher that usually comes to get him to work with separately.
(C Class)
Luca - He has a twin in D Class, they are both so similar. Luca sits in the back and helps keep the loud kids under control.
Juan Francisco - Yes his name is Juan Francisco - but he'll go by Juan Fran. He is the worst kid I have ever met in my entire life, but I am going to be his friend by the end of the year. He wants any and everyone's attention all the time. I usually ignore the smaller things he does and use him in my examples or stand beside his desk when lecturing. He is exactly what you might say a "little shit" would be. I think his parent's smoke weed too much.
Maria - She's so loud, but so nice. Her voice will pierce your eardrums, but its helpful when I am trying to get the kids to be quiet. She asks me how do you say.... in English all the time. I'm glad someone is interested in learning! Haha!
(D Class)
Dani - If I just say Dani, one of the kids will answer. There are four Dani's in this class and they are all great kids. Dani (that sits in front) knows English very well, and has a twin Luca in C Class. Its funny to see how they act so similar yet they are in different classes.
Dani - This is the Asian Dani that knows really no English or Spanish, and he just randomly shouts things in Mandarin Chinese. I usually just bring him up front with me while teaching and cover his mouth when he starts shouting.
Dani - This Dani looks at me like he wants to kill me, but then he will answer a question. I don't know whether or not this face is the look of, "I don't understand what you are saying" or "I hate you." Hilarious to watch while in class.
We'll thats all I have for now. Hope you are still enjoying my blog, sorry I'm slacking on pictures, but really I'm in school for most of my life here or sleeping.
Until next time...
