The Dog Days of Summer

These days I spend most of my time incarcerated in the Arevalo residence with no mode of personal or even public transportation at my disposal.  My incarcerated companions include: Oscar, Charlotte, Shelby, and Cole....the largest weighing in at 19 lbs.  I leave the confines of my domain to get the mail, walk the dogs, go to the pool, or (if I'm lucky and its only 95 degrees) bike to the supermarket.  I've left the housing development 3 times in the past 20 days...to go to the library and see my friends in Chapel Hill.  And people wonder why I love Spain?



I've decided my goals for the upcoming año escolar in Spain.  I'll no longer be working as an auxiliar de conversación for the Ministry of Education.  I'm doing the Programa BEDA, or Bilingual English Development & Assesment Program, in the Catholic School System of Madrid.  I was placed in northern Alcorcón, which is amazing because it is zone B1 (ie. barely outside the city and on metro, renfe, and multiple bus lines) and I can live in Madrid!  I'll be working a full Monday through Friday schedule and taking a mandatory night course during the fall semester at the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas with other BEDA assistants.  

My plan? tutor Andrea & Alba two days a week, take a dance class two days a week, and take an Italian class one day a week, successfully filling my 5 day week.  The only problem? the night course may prove to be more energy zapping than I'm expecting, especially after a full day of working with kids.  Then again, my new school is Pre-K through 12th grade, so if I get older kids I might not be so exhausted after work.  

The reason I want to tutor Andrea & Alba (and no one else) is because I've become so close to their family that it wouldn't feel right to be in Spain and not see them.  I overdosed on the clases particulares last year, so this year I'm taking it easy.  I'm most looking forward to the Italian class though.  I took Italian for 3 semesters at UNC, but haven't actively practiced it since Fall 2008.  When I went to Rome in January, I realized after 3 days how easy it was picking it back up.  I'm hoping to be intermediate/fluent by 2012 because I want to travel through southern Italy either over Semana Santa or summer break.  Which leads me to my next set of goals....TRAVEL GOALS! I must, must, must see northern Spain, more of Andalucía, London (purely to go see Les Mis) and southern Italy.  I'm not coming home for the summer next year, so if schedules don't permit my last destination between September and June....looks like I'll be spending le mie vacanze estive di lavoro nella bella Italia :)