Semana Santa in 60,000 Words or So

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Spending a Week at Sleep Away Camp

A few days ago, I pegged a thirteen-year-old girl in the face with a dodgeball, and I hardly felt bad about it.
I’m spending the week at an English-immersion camp with my 1-ESO students, who would be in 7th grade back in the United States. The majority of the students are members of the bilingual program at my school, thus I see these punks every Tuesday from 4-6pm.

While we ate breakfast one morning, I explained to the camp counsellors that I was the youngest child. With that, I never had much talent for sports in comparison to my older brother. I was always a slow runner, an awful hider, and never the first one picked for teams. But hey, put a 23 year old guy up against even the toughest 13 year old, and suddenly I’m a solid third round pick. Shocker.

This week full of hiking, rock climbing, capture-the-flag, and alternative sports has been what I like to call my faux “glory days”. Although I’m one of three chaperones (one other being from my school and the third from another), I act as if I’m one of the kids. I play the sports and talk to them in English as I grimace through the aches and sore muscles that these activities curse me with. I feel like I’m going through basic training or a real life gauntlet though I won’t ever let them see me sweat. One night a kid asked me how I ran so fast during night tag, and I responded by telling him to take notes. I had guts this week and I absolutely loved everything about it.

My school offered me this trip a month or two ago and I accepted without hesitation. A week of free food and housing, how hard could it be? I was told I wouldn’t have to do much but to take part in the activities with the kids and talk to them in English. Little did I know, I’d be elected our team captain of Capture-the-Flag and organize a bombardment of a dozen adolescent militants. I’m also not going to say that I didn’t take the flag from my teammate and run with it back to the base so it looked like I won it for us. Again, we won the game so who cares?

Dodgeball is a game in which I hold nothing back. I’ve seen the movie Dodgeball, and the legend of “Average Joe’s Gym” has inspired me for life. Unfortunately for Sandra, my glory days got the best of me. We had only been at camp for approximately two hours when I beaned her square in the nose, but she brushed it off like a champ. No pain, no gain – am I right? My team won (obviously), and we continued with the games in which I proved to my four-foot peers that I was for once in my life a force to be reckoned with. I was on a mission to show these kids who’s boss.

One positive outcome from the week is that the students like to engage in conversations with me now because I’m one of them. I’m no longer the awkward American who rambles for an hour in a language they don’t care to understand. They saw me climb the rock wall and cheered me on as I reached the top (twice, because I’m the bomb). Climbing out doors was a great way to challenge yourself with nature at your back. I wasn’t scared, but I maybe understand why a couple of them wimped out in the end. The kids also filled me in on the romantic drama that comes naturally with a group of teenagers at sleep away camp. It was tragic and passionate. At the end of the week, poor little hearts from both schools were broken as they all bid farewell to their star-crossed lovers. In all seriousness, I think for once, the teacher-student barrier dismantled during the week and we could finally overlook the ten-year age gap between us all.

When we went spelunking in the cave, my running shoes didn’t do me any good as I slid in the thick mud and almost burrowing down cliffs to my death. I held onto a 70lb kid named Eladio for support. If I was going down, so was he. We eased our way deep into the depths of a cave with nothing but jumpsuits and headlamps. I had never been inside of a cave before. Turning off the headlamps and sitting in silence was an awesome experience as we listened to bats chatter and the caverns drip. I only fell about six times over the course of an hour and eventually decided that it was easier to move on my butt rather than feet. I was afraid this showed weakness, but the kids didn’t make fun of me, so I’m still the man.

The week was amazing, and I must say, if you are an auxiliar and ever have an opportunity to go on a trip with your students, take advantage. It’s a great way to bond with them, take out some anger issues you may have, and even relax while having a great time outside of school.

Winter in Santander

In September, the sun couldn’t shine brighter, hikes couldn’t be fresher, and waves couldn’t crash upon the beaches of Santander in a more relaxing way. Living in Santander was a beautiful and everlasting daydream that seemed to wither away with the warmth of the sun. While living in Santander in general is still a blessing, its drawback is the fierce and unyielding weather that so many warned us of. They say that after a few months of the “honeymoon phase,” part two of culture shock kicks in with a slight resentment of the changes your psyche endures day-to-day. With that, coping with a new environment is hard once the body realizes you’re there to stay for the long haul.

As the third week of constant rain showers soaked the roads of Santander, I inevitably reached my rock bottom being that second part of the culture shock roller coaster. Having already moved to Spain before, I know that phases like this are temporary. Regardless, I can assure you that I still love the city of Santander for it’s natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes. With the holiday season right around the corner, the lack of family at my side, and the endless amounts of christmas movies to remind me each day, I just couldn’t shake my funk. Ugh.

Winter here is a bit different than back at home. It’s much rainier, extremely cloudier, and less festive with regards to traditions of the holiday season. Thus, everything that seems to bring some type of happiness during the end of the year seems jaded or missing when living in Santander. A blanket of gloom haunts the streets while a few christmas lights hang across the roads. City workers also erect the frame of a wet and slushy ice-skating rink in one of the city’s main plazas. The Spanish tend to focus more on the holiday of the Three Wise Men on January 6th rather than the present-giving traditions of Papa Noël on Christmas day. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is something important to remember.

So now that I’ve painted Santander the grey colour that it is during the holiday season, it’s only fair to talk about it’s pros. In El Centro Botín, the city puts up an annual christmas market full of vendors selling products including everything from scarves and hats, to great toys. I’ve never had the opportunity to attend Christmas markets in the States, and don’t even know how popular they are outside of major cities. Because of this, it was a great thing to experience this year! The smell of roasted chestnuts fills the air, and food vendors set up shop to attract the countless couples and families walking the streets each night. On a day with nice weather, this place can seem downright magical, but during the times of hard rain and bellowing winds, it’s hard to appreciate any time outdoors.

From the bottom of my heart, I love the city of Santander, but damn it, I am quite eager for Spring to roll around. I think the most important thing to do is to take full advantage of the great weather when it comes and spend time with amazing people. Upon reflection, I realize that for me, culture shock is real and will pass with time. Above all, at the end of the day, I’m privileged enough to be living in Spain. How cool is that?!

11 Things I Learned During My First Two Months in Spain

Half of the experience of moving to a place is learning the little things – where to buy your perfectly dried figs, which stores charge the most for coffee, and how many ways can you incorrectly order a beer. Half of me wants to write this post to help newbs like myself, and half of me thinks that true adventure seekers would rather learn these things on their own. Whatever. Vagabonds beware; here are 11 things I’ve learned during my first two months living abroad.

11. Hidden fees sometimes cost A LOT.

The North American Language and Culture Assistants program is an awesome stint that forks over anywhere from 700-1000€ each month to auxiliares. With that being said, obtaining a visa and purchasing things essential for your year abroad can be a headache and a half. Make sure your wallet is ready for the initial sacrifice!

10. There are billions of ways to improve your foreign language skills.

Upon coming to Santander, I wanted to make sure my Spanish improved each day. If you have similar interests in mind, remember tools such as Rosetta Stone, language tandems, foreign music and television shows, and even making friends can all help with improving your conversation skills.

9. You are what you eat, and it’s okay if that’s a Doner Kebab.

While it’s easy to stop at a late night kebab stand to order some piping hot durum or doner kebab, continuing this tradition each night you go out could put a hole in your wallet. The meat from these shops is seldom unprocessed, but these stands are everywhere, and I’m not complaining.

8. Cameras sometimes don’t see the big picture

I’ve been hiking many times and the photos I take with my camera just don’t capture well the beautiful scenery around me. I think sometimes it’s important to put the Polaroid down and focus on the world around you rather than struggle for the perfect angle.

7. Next time I’ll skip the blue cheese flavored chocolate

It’s real. It exists. And I don’t recommend it. While the two flavors do seamlessly work together, I’m not a huge advocate of taking a risk such as this ever again. It’s fun to say I’ve tried it, but that was the extend of my content.

6. Budgets are essential

If you’re planning on living abroad for as little as a semester, creating a budget is essential. Of course, set money aside for rainy days or miscellaneous reasons, but keeping a close eye on your funds helps you stay more conscious of it throughout your trip. And don’t be like me and refuse to look up your bank account balance after weekends of extreme spending. Just because you can’t see you’re in the red, doesn’t mean you’re not.

5. American brands are traps

When I first arrived, I purchased a plethora of food from familiar American brands such as Heinz, but this isn’t always the best idea. A perfect example would be soy sauce- I bought the heinz brand because it was the first brand I recognized (good product familiarity!) but the quality was pure mierda. My main point is that sticking with familiar brands isn’t always the best, but regardless buying the crap is a right of passage of sorts.

4. Never go out the night before a day-trip

This simply doesn’t work. Go to bed somewhat early and rest. A day-trip hungover or extremely tired is not fun for anybody.

3. Sliced bread sucks

Normally, the store-brand sliced bread in Spain is a lot drier than ordinary sliced bread back in the States. For instance, if you fold a piece of bread here in half, it breaks. MAYBE I DIDN’T WANT A WHOLE SANDWICH, OKAY. Stick to the freshly made baguettes!

2. Putting yourself out there helps tremendously

Whether you are meeting new people, learning a new language, or exploring your completely new area, put yourself out there. Jump outside of your comfort zone with the ideology that everyone has been in your shoes once before. Especially with regards to strangers, you’ll probably never see them again anyways…

1. Explore the backyard!

Many people move abroad anticipating extensive travel each weekend to fill the pages in their passports. To me, one of the most important aspects of living abroad is learning your host city like the back of your hand.
You want to be able to leave the experience saying you now have a second home. This can only happen if you give it the attention it deserves!

(This is actually my back yard)

I hope these help, and with that, I’m out!

A Walk Through Santander

Here’s a video that I took with my iPhone from the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) in Santander to the Faro (Lighthouse) at the other end of the city. Enjoy!

My Stint at I.E.S. Foramontanos, Following Week Two

As I head into my third week of classes tomorrow, I figured it’s time to give some insight into what it is that I do each day of school.

For starters, I work at a middle/high school in a very small mountainous town called Cabezón de la Sal and help students from ages 12 to 23 years old. Some of these students have been studying English for years and are members of the school’s bilingual program, while others are simply taking the course as a general requirement. Various auxiliares across both Spain and more specifically Cantabria, have the pleasure of being able to assist in PE or art courses, while others are primarily utilized within the schools’ English departments. For me, I am one of those who works with the English teachers helping to promote conversation among their students once or twice every two weeks.

Cabezón is a bulky two hour commute door-to-door from where I live in Santander, and includes an hour long FEVE train ride, and a thirty minute walk to and from the stations. While some may be deterred by this walk, I enjoy it as it helps me gather my thoughts and plans for the day before being pummeled by questions from groups of curious seventh graders.

So far, I’ve noticed that the students have been warming up to me more every day, and I often times hear their “Hey Mike!” cries echoing down the halls. One largely hidden secret within the school, a conspiracy of sorts, is that the students are not allowed to know that I can, in fact, speak any amount of Spanish. While it would be immensely unusual for an individual to live in Spain twice and not know the language at all, this rule stands particularly strong while I’m in the classes with younger students. Often times, when auxiliares are found to be able to speak the students’ native languages, it makes it hard to have them ask questions in English instead. Therefore, it’s all English, day and night, from the time I leave for work until the time I get home. Any exceptions may be made within the teacher work room, but many times the professors want to practice their English as well, and so unfortunately it isn’t very often that we practice our Spanish.

The school’s program director’s name is Maite and she has been extremely helpful in setting up the program and making sure that I am perfectly comfortable with everything they are asking of me. If I ever have any doubts or questions, she the first person to spring to my aid, and I couldn’t be more grateful for a school that is as organized and supportive as IES Foramontanos. Maite also sympathizes with the fact that my commute is out of this world and has worked with the teachers to allow me to only go in Mondays through Wednesdays. This gives me a large four-day weekend each week to maximize my time in Santander, or do traveling if I so wish. I really can’t complain about that!

Like I said, the professors have all been extremely helpful making sure I’m comfortable; giving me rides to the train station, inviting me over for lunch during siesta, and even telling me about great hikes I should do while living in Cantabria are all nice gestures I’ve received in only my first two weeks. I already feel like I’m one of the team, and that’s important when working in a new office environment.

Each week I prepare a presentation about a specific American topic or myself. So far, I have discussed the regions and history of the USA, given a thorough description of my life back in the states, and have explained the differences between some American and Spanish holidays such as Christmas, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve. As this is a huge learning experience for me, I have actually noticed that I would like more participation among the students. Thus, I think it’s necessary to give slack on the presentation route, and to instead include more interactive activities such as videos and/or games during this upcoming week. While I do feel quite comfortable in my position as an auxiliar, I also see great opportunities to improve over the next few months in Cabezón. I’m looking forward to the time ahead and hope my efforts succeed in engaging each one of my English students!

The Difference Between Macaroni Noodles and Penis

What? Hear me out.

Last week I had the pleasure of describing the various regions in the United States and explaining differences between each one of them – the West, the Midwest, the Northeast, and the South. My presentation consisted of a brief history of the US and then dove right into everything from terrific Mexican food in Southern California, to the massive Irish and Italian presence in the Northeast. It was up until my “Southern States” slide that everything was going according to plan, however bleak and dull that plan may have been. Regardless, I was holding the attention of the students despite it being about a half hour from the end of the day.

On my “Southern States” slide, I have a collection of pictures depicting everything from Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC to an elaborate display of southern food such as barbecue ribs and macaroni and cheese. Damn that picture of macaroni and cheese. I then asked the students whether or not they have ever had mac & cheese simply because it’s one of my favorite classic southern dishes. Many raised their hands and one student called out “Oh, like spaghetti?” So this is where it all goes downhill.

Obviously the students were a bit confused about the different types of pasta, so I decided to pull out my dry erase marker and explain using pictures. On the board I showed them the difference between macaroni noodles, spaghetti, and penne.

NEVER TRY TO EXPLAIN PENNE NOODLES. I REPEAT, NEVER.

The class breaks into hilarity, and I stand utterly befuddled. Finally, a student raises his hand and says “Mike, here in Spain…pene means..” and points down to his lap. It wasn’t until then I noticed what I had done; I had been repeating the Spanish word for penis for five minutes to a group of twelve year old kids. Their innocent class about American customs and culture had accidentally become a crash course in sex ed. As the laughter simmered and I laughed it off myself, I realized that I’d probably never forget that lesson and the amused looks on their faces. Some of them tried so hard not to laugh, but at the end of the day, it is a situation like this that shows you not to take life too seriously, especially in the auxiliar program.

Bottom line is that they now know the difference between macaroni, penne, and spaghetti. Thank god.

Spanish Bank Accounts 101

Simply put, I chose to roll with La Caixa bank because they refrain from charging los jovenes, or “young people, with any fees until they turn 26 years old. Rather than make the decision quite complicated over a series of pros and cons, it really is dependent on which bank you can find nearby, and which ones offer the best rates. For me, La Caixa had the whole package. Seeing as how they can be found almost anywhere throughout Spain, I imagine they could be a great choice for you too. Other options include the Bank of Santander (which is known to sometimes charge unexplainable fees, although not always) and BBVA, which has a no-charge Blue account for young people as well. All I needed was my official NIE stamped receipt that has my NIE number printed on the top and a passport to sign up.

The tellers were more than eager to teach me how to use the various cash machines (sometimes you can use a bank account book instead of a debit card to take money out of the ATMS), and also gave me several walk-throughs of the website to ensure that I would know how to transfer money between several accounts. When opening up a foreign bank account, make sure you brush up on foreign terms to help you through the process, but in my experience, everyone was more than helpful when I was slow to understanding something. In three business days, I’ll be able to pick my debit card up from the branch I opened the account with – simple as that!

Have you opened a Spanish bank account? Which one did you work with? Tell me about any positive or negative experiences you may have had!

Quick Breakdown of Cantabrian Auxiliar Orientation

A hop, skip and a jump away on the 6th bus line of Santander took us to Avenida de Deportes where we participated in our first (and only) orientation session as language assistants. For those of you who are considering doing the program – they continued to explain that as auxiliares, we are not teachers. As obvious as that sounds, many students come into the program thinking that they are going to take the ball from day one. However, on the contrary, our role is to help the teachers with tasks and serve, literally, as a language and culture assistant whether that be in English, French, or German.

We learned that in terms of our students, we shouldn’t let them know that we have even the slightest knowledge of Spanish or else the students will utilize it to their advantage and use it as a crutch when trying to explain difficult concepts or unfamiliar nouns. Us auxiliares also learned a lot about the city of Santander and the process we need to follow in order to live legally within Spain when our visas expire. This process of obtaining a Número de Identidad de Extranjero or NIE, is going to be a bit extensive and I’ll be sure to talk about it in another post.

After a morning session in which we learned the roles of the teachers vs. the roles of the auxiliares, and we went over extensively what to expect when arriving to our schools, we got to hear a thorough presentation from other individuals who had participated in the program for the past three years. The advice they offered was invaluable and also supplied us newbs with a packet of relevant information about the city including the norms of dining out and the best place to obtain an affordable bus card. Lunch was a combination of typical Spanish foods – croquetas, rabas (calamare), papas fritas (french fries), vino de tinto (red wine), and topped off with some chocolate cake. All in all, the meal was a great opportunity for us to meet other auxiliares around Cantabria. I’ve been taking advantage of every opportunity like this to introduce myself to others, as everyone is new in the city and really eager to make friends.

To be honest, the afternoon session was a lot more of what we learned in the morning, with a little bit of “you’ll see when you get there” mixed in. Everything was in Spanish, and the presenter had a thick Andalusian accent. Regardless, I did my best at concentrating on what he said, and within the hour it was all over. The bus ride was 1.30€ each way and the day was pretty long (10am-5pm). Regardless, the information was very useful, and I’ve already met quite a few more people who I’m interested in connecting with along my way. I’m interested to see how work turns out! Work starts Monday, and I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Coping With a Conventional 9 to 5: How to NOT pull your hair out

As crazy as it may sound, being constantly called “Excuse Me” loses quite a lot of appeal after 2-3 thousand times.

While I may not be able to talk somebody through their career in Corporate Tax, if they do, in fact, have a future in moving abroad or to something a bit more exciting, this post may actually be of some value. I received my student visa after ten very short days (quoted for 3-4 weeks) for my nine-month stint in Spain, and shortly thereafter booked my excruciatingly painful $836 one-way flight from Savannah, GA. For the record, it’s incredibly cheaper to fly from larger airports such as JFK or Washington-Dulles so if you have the opportunity to take a train to one of those for cheap, take it. The countdown stands at 35 days – for 35 days I’ll be making lists and packing bags, for 35 days I’ll be improving my knowledge of English grammar, and for 35 more days I’ll be getting free refills for people who demand their food be cooked quicker and priced cheaper.

I’ve had the tremendous privilege of being able to work at the same pizzeria that i’ve worked in since I was sixteen. I say privilege because not many establishments would willingly re-employ past employees for only 3-4 months per year; but in a resort town, seasonal employees help make local business thrive. Keeping this in mind, there’s still something terribly off-putting about returning to this same job after graduating college. Regardless of one’s great plans of traveling abroad, these harshly ordinary jobs can often times be difficult to bear leading up to departure. Whether your job is in an office, restaurant, store, or elsewhere, I wish you luck as you slowly but surely make your way through one customary day to the next.

Having plans to go to Spain has made each day of this dreadfully long summer as tedious and redundant as possible, aside from living with two of my oldest best friends (shout out). My ability to focus is skewed and blurred due to the immense anxiety and planning I undergo on each of my days off. This, as I’ve learned, is 100% ordinary among individuals participating in the Auxiliare program that I’ve recently accepted. While there’s absolutely no way for me to correct the “burnt out” feeling I have each day of work, it definitely helps to view every shift as an opportunity to pay for something: a trip to Finland to visit my old roommate; an opportunity to backpack on the Camino de Santiago; or perhaps to pay off my electricity bills that will lighten my wallet immensely from December through March. Each dollar adds up and at this point, with 35 days left (should I say that again?) it’s so important that I make each day, and every amount of money count towards my goal of having the best year abroad ever.

Another positive light to view your (or my own) ordinary 9-5 under is the fact that simply working keeps you from spending. I would’ve blown much more money over the past three months had I been given the time to shop around mindlessly for products I probably won’t need. Instead I’ve been working 50+ hours a week making sure people got lemons with their waters and croutons on their salads for a mere $2.13 an hour. With an awesome trip coming up, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle that pressures you to make purchases “just to be safe.” I’ve definitely learned from experience that preparation is important, but over preparation can be dangerous to the budget.

As your countdown diminishes, and you make your way through the last few days of your job, keep your head up. You’ve got a lot to look forward to in the coming months. And even if you don’t have a trip coming up, perhaps you have something bigger and better. A day you work your hardest is never wasted, and these days will only push you further towards whatever goals you may have ($$, experience, etc). Good luck to everyone participating in the North American Language and Culture Assistants program as you eagerly await your departure, as for me – I’ll be right back with your side of ranch dressing.

Commence the countdown! Have you ever been more excited for a future job than your current one? What advice could you offer to me or anyone in that situation? Drop a line and say hello.