Lessons continued this week. I’m slowly starting to get into the whole Science thing and bits and pieces from my studies at GCSE are coming back to me! I can tell the teachers are desperate for me to do something other than just read passages from the textbook; one has even asked me to prepare an activity on eclipses for next week. A step that I hope the other teachers will take too!
Other than that the only other thing of note that happened in the classroom this week was when a pupil stayed behind after class to explain to me why the Welsh dragon isn’t included in the Union Jack (as I couldn’t explain why during my introductory presentation the week before). He even brought in a book in English and pointed to a passage as he tried to explain. These are the reasons people teach: to stimulate and inspire thought and knowledge. Hopefully there will be more moments like this throughout the year. (For those, like me, that don’t know: Wales is a principality, not a kingdom so they are excluded from the UK flag)
The main source of excitement this week, however, came from our trip to Madrid, mainly in aid of the British Council Orientation that had been arranged for us on the Friday morning but we decided to make a weekend of it. We set off on Thursday afternoon; we were quite tolerant of the 3 hour bus ride thanks to our tiredness and a rather provocative George Clooney film.
I genuinely love underground Metro systems. Having visited Barcelona last Christmas and experienced London’s Tube for the first time over the summer, I really can appreciate the engineering of such networks. Madrid’s underground system is, according to my well-travelled friends, one of the best in the world and it’s easy to see why. Spacious platforms, beautifully air-conditioned carriages…I do crave a busier, more stressful lifestyle so I can use them on a daily basis!
We arrived at our shockingly-good-value-for-money hostel after some shoddy direction and quickly became acquainted with the local bars and cuisine.
The next day was the day of the conference which was useful…in places. The thing is, being in Castilla y Leon meant we had started ‘teaching’ a lot earlier than everyone else. So we already had obtained our NIE’s, opened our bank accounts and settled into Spanish life. Hearing people worry and ask about every single detail was a bit frustrating but all in all, the day was a good opportunity to meet other assistants and find out more about our role.
…and then it was sightseeing time! Unfortunately the weather was typically British for our arrival and I was not prepared for the rain and cold that accompanied our excursions to tourist attractions. The architecture in Madrid is truly beautiful; from the compulsory Plaza Mayor to the exquisite surrounding Palacios, it definitely has something for everyone.
Plaza Mayor, quite grand and special
The Reina Sofía Art Gallery was also a stand-out moment from the weekend. Seeing Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ was definitely an experience. Having heard so much about the history of the painting and the symbolism, to see it in its enormity (11ft by 26ft) was quite breath-taking. I always feel like I want to learn more about art and artists after visiting art galleries and it was definitely the case after this visit. Now seems as good a time as any to pursue my interest in Spanish art; Picasso, Goya and Velazquez are just some artists that I would love to find out more about.
Reina Sofía from afar, home to Picasso’s ‘Guernica’
We decided the Retiro park was a good thing to do on the last day to nurse our hangovers and it turned out it was the best day to do so. The sun was shining on our pale faces as we wandered through the beautiful park, 50 million times bigger than Soria’s equivalent, La Dehesa. There was a nice pillar feature near the lagoon which was an ideal spot for group photos and to sit, chill and chat. I don’t think we got to see the whole park as our trip was slightly rushed towards the end; it being the last day we had to make sure we caught our coach back to Soria in time, but still it was a short but sweet encounter with the famous landscapes.
Well-pruned trees in the Retiro
Alas, I can finally say I’ve visited the capital of Spain. The constant hustle and bustle, abundance of English speakers and high cost of living does make me partially glad to be in a much, smaller city like Soria but I can’t help wonder what my life could’ve been like if I had been placed there. In a short space of time, we joined a random street party (literally on the street!), helped an American with her bags across the city, came up with an exciting, plausible business concept, bought (and lost) some fake Ray-Bans and found ourselves in the middle of the riots! 29-S, we were there! I definitely intend on visiting Madrid again multiple times; I think the next visit will be in Winter when Spain’s preparations for Christmas begin! Hasta Diciembre!
ESPANA IN THE WORKS 