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| Boida helping us decorate! We dog-sat for a week and she got caught up in the middle of it all :) |
Although I won't be here for Christmas so that probably wouldn't be the best time to arrive haha..... because two weeks ago I booked my flight to England for the holidays! :) I couldn't be more excited! There is another au pair living here in Matadepera, Nic, who is from the UK. We've become pretty great buddies in the past few weeks and her and her family invited me to spend Christmas with them so I checked flights and happily agreed :) This trip is going to be doubly exciting because I also get to visit one of my favorite people, Meghann Clark who lives near London with her husband Aaron who is in the Air Force. I haven't had a chance to meet Aaron so it will be great to finally meet him. Meghann and I met by being on the IU Habitat for Humanity board some years ago and have been great friends ever since. I miss her dearly so it's going to be so wonderful to spend time with her! Not to mention I always tried to go to the UK when I was in Ireland but never managed to get that trip in. I leave next Wednesday and get back the following Tuesday. Of course I will tell you all about it when I get back :)
So onto Life in Spain!
The au pair-ing is going really great and the kiddos are a lot of fun. I love this gig. Roger is just sweet as pie and so great at being the translator between Anna and I. Teaching English to them has been a road of gradual progress! Roger is just brilliant and catching on to so much and Anna is starting to learn. She really loves learning it. She wouldn't repeat me when I first got here but now she repeats a lot of words. Her best friend Martha knows some English and she's always repeating Martha when she's here. She didn't know any English when I arrived and today we were eating lunch and she started counting in English! It was so great. Roger and I were clapping and saying yay Anna! Muy Bien! She had the biggest smile. A great accomplishment for her! I've been taking Anna after school on Tuesdays for 2 hours to teach her English on her own. We don't have a chance to really do that during the day because during break we eat lunch and she goes down for a nap then back to school. It's wonderful that the kids are so patient and we always find a way to communicate with each other even when we don't understand the other.
I had the meeting with Frank, the director of the English program here in Matadpera and he like what I could bring to the program. He said that the experience I've had is great and even though I haven't taught English before coming here I would be able to use the skills I've learned and should be successful in teaching, but he explained that he contacted me because it would be great to have a "fill in" for teachers who are sick. He also said that there are always new families that contact him wanting to put their children in classes and if that occurred hopefully I would be able to be the new teacher for those children. I told him that would be perfect! So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that something comes up! :)
It's the Holiday Season! So I've been getting them in the spirit and even though I won't be here for Christmas I'm taking every chance I can to celebrate with them until then :) I started blaring Christmas music about 3 weeks ago which they aren't familiar with and they're loving it! We're working really hard on "Jingle Bells" in English because it's one of their favorites. Of course as soon as Thanksgiving was over I was ready to begin decorating so I asked Susagna for her supply of Christmas decorations. . . thinking that (after having Jane Miller as a mom) it's pretty typical to have at LEAST 4-5 tubs full of great stuff that could turn any house into a holiday home. So we went downstairs and I was already thinking about what to do with the lights and the rest and then she showed me the box. One box. That had about 4 feet of tinsel and 21 ornament bulbs (Roger counted) in it haha It was too funny. She's like "You're probably dying inside right now aren't you?!" I couldn't deny it. I said well don't worry. I'll change that :) and a few days later we took a fun trip to Terrassa with the kids' big sister Rosa and her boyfriend Jaume to get some Christmas decorations at none other than a Chinese store haha Now I know it doesn't sound like they would have much but they had just what we were looking for. Strands of lights are insanely expensive here (9 Euros for a strand of 100!) so we can't go crazy with those, but we got enough to make do :) and we found some other great things that makes the house have more of a holiday feel. They don't have a tree so the kids and I decided to use our resources and make use of the very charming house plant and turn it into our tree :) A whole new meaning to Charlie Brown Christmas.....let me tell ya.... but we love it! On the morning we decorated it, Roger burst into my room before I was even awake and said "MARIA! Where are the lights?! Let's decorate!" So after eating breakfast and getting dressed for school we took time to put the 1 strand of lights on the plant. I'm not sure I've ever seen 2 children so excited about a single strand of lights. It was so great. They made sure to close ALL of the blinds so it was pitch black in the house so that the lights would glow as brightly as possible and they sat on the floor beside it until it was time to go to school. While they were at school I hung some lights in their bedroom which they absolutely loved. When they got home Roger went into the room, gasped, and said "WOW Maria." haha It's impossible not to act like a child at Christmas. It makes it so much more exciting.
Living in Matadepera, I have come to love living in the Catalan region. I began realizing early on that Catalonia has it's own idenity. It's own culture; and I love that I am able to learn about it. This region specifically has its differences with the rest of Spain and work hard to conserve its very own way of life. As you all know they speak Catalan, not Spanish and have holidays, traditions, and events that make them really unique, such as HUMAN Castle building! An amazing. . . phenomenon (what other word would describe it?) that has been taking place in Catalonia since the end of the 18th century. Every
person who create the Castles (Castells in Catalan) is called a Casteller (castle maker) and watching them create these castles is really really impressive. I was able to go to a practice of the castle building to see it for the first time and just kept saying Wow! haha It takes some serious concentration and strength to do this. My favorite part is that they have young children who are called canallas (youngsters) that complete the tower! They climb their way to top, put their arm in the air, and the castle is considered complete. If you go to see these you aren't just a person in the crowd. Everyone gathers around the base of the castle to be the support if someone falls which we did at the practice. After watching them complete the first castle I realized I hadn't been breathing while they were doing it! It's so intense and makes me so nervous to watch them, but is seriously one of the coolest things I have seen. Here's a YouTube video of one of the largest (or the largest) castle ever formed. Check out my Picasa album to see pictures from the night I went to see it.
A couple of weeks ago I went with the family to a village where Susagna's parents have their holiday home for an annual market/festival taking place. Toni plays a traditional instrument called a Catalan shawm that has been used in Catalonia for ages to play for traditional Catalan dancing and events. The group he is in was invited to play in the parade at the market so we spent the beautiful Sunday enjoying the atmosphere. The parade started shortly after we got there so I took Roger to the front of the market to see it. I was with the mothers of Roger's friend and we were standing on the side watching it begin but began walking along as part of the parade without me even realizing it. The kids were enjoying it and the traditional music was really great to hear so we walked the entire way around the market with the parade. As I was talking to Mary I quickly got shoved to the side and got told what I am sure was "move!" in Catalan, I didn't realize what was going on until I turned around to realize that I was about a foot away from being squished by a Giant! yes, an actual giant. Of course they're made of wood and worn by people but a giant nonetheless! and they are massive! The people wearing the giants aren't able to see very well so they have to be directed and it's up to the people around them to stay out of the way. They're beautifully crafted and it's custom that they make appearances at many celebrations and events. So cool these giants! If they're not stepping on you :) There are a lot of villages who have their own giants but there are also traveling giants. Susagna's mother was directing them throughout the parade and during their circle dance at the end (see Picasa album!). At the end of the parade everyone made a circle for them and Toni's group played the traditional music while the Giants did traditional dancing. After the market, we went to Susagna's parents' house where 30 people shared a great meal :) I was able to meet some great people from all over the world! Susagna's brother had friends come from Barcelona to enjoy the meal and I enjoyed some great conversation.
Last week I was invited to go to the Christmas Market in Barcelona with some friends and we had such a great night! Barcelona is just a beautiful city. I still haven't had a chance to fully explore it but will hopefully do that soon. The market was jammed packed with bustling people and the stands were full of hand-made gifts, Christmas decorations, nativities and and fresh mistletoe. We went into the Cathedral next to the market and after you've seen as many cathedrals as I have it becomes a bit monotonous but THIS cathedral was spectacular! It was an ancient Gothic cathedral and man was it beautiful. (Don't worry Amber! I followed all the rules this time so I could enter without worry haha) After visiting the Cathedral we continued walking around the city and saw government buildings and o the Music Palace which was also such a beautiful structure. Barcelona has tons of Christmas lights in the street so I was lovingggg the walk. Before heading back to Matadepera we stopped to have a beer at the greatest pub. It's hidden and you have to know it's there or you'll miss it when you're walking on the street. After you climb some stairs it opens up into the seating area which is outside. It has trees that are lit by strands of white lights and the atmosphere is so relaxed it's hard not to feel right at home. I will be going back there sometime :D It was a great night with great people and after waking up the next morning I had to think to myself, "I am so incredibly happy." This place has really become home.
Last week we spent 3 days for the holiday break in France visiting and exploring the Pyrenees mountains. It was just what I was looking for! Two great days of hiking, lots of fresh air and the Pyrenees surrounding us. The hikes that we took were pretty simple so the kids could manage but they were so beautiful and led us to amazing spots. (these pictures are also posted on Picasa!) There were tiny villages all throughout that reminded me of exactly what a mountain village should be. My favorite part of the trip was visiting an outdoor pool in the dead of winter :) The water comes from the mountain and is naturally warm so it's like you're taking a bath. . . but with an incredible view of a full moon making the snow-peaked mountains glow right beside it :) Absolutely perfect. I didn't want to leave! Of course we indulged in delicious French cheese. Cheese that would make my brother Nathan want to send it to his house weekly. It was like nothing I've ever tasted. Even the cheese in Paris I had didn't compare but that's probably because this cheese came from a tiny Formatgia (Cheese-ery) that had one single counter and housed the cows and calves that help to make the cheese right next to it! The kids loved seeing the cows. :) Happy cows make happy cheese!
We completed the trip by driving to Barcelona on Saturday night to welcome Helena and Eloi into the world!! :) Susagna's sister Gemma had her twins a day before. A boy and a girl and they're absolutely perfect. Not even 24 hours old and So SO precious!! Reminded me of holding baby Joseph when I got back from Ireland in July :) Nothing like it when they grab your finger and squeeze so tight. I was lucky enough to see them again this past week when we went to Gemma's apartment in Barcelona for her oldests' birthday party.
Well I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week and I hope this has helped you feel a bit more caught-up on the Spain adventure. :)
Make sure you check out my Picasa albums to see all of my pictures! :) Spain 2011 and France. The Pyrenees Mountains
I'm also including a clip (Swimming pool stop motion) my friends made and I love if you want to check it out.
Countdowns
England 5 Days!
CHRISTMAS IN 9 DAYS!!
Africa 19 Days!
Swimming Pool Stop Motion
Love from Spain!
xxxxx
