1 week down...30 to go!

I completed my first full week of teaching on Wednesday night and the feeling was quite fulfilling. I was completed exhausted at the end of the day but I felt so accomplished that I couldn't wait for Monday to come and do it all over again. I only have class 3 days a week (Monday-Wednesday). Monday I have class from 7-9 pm and then Tuesday and Wednesday I am at the school all day. I have 11 classes in all and each class lasts for 1 hour. So that means I am only really working 11 hours a week! Yes, you can all be jealous.

I have a little prep-work outside of class but my teachers prepare basically everything for me. I just have to show up and execute the lesson. But there are a lot of other things that I want to do and teach so I'll do those on my own. I have come up with some different things using music and articles from magazines and TV shows but haven't figured out all the details yet. Not next week but the following week I am going to do something for Halloween. Right now I am searching for a pumpkin to carve and bring to class. Wish me luck!

I have almost 300 students and only see them for 1 hour each week so it's really hard to remember their names and to which class I have told certain things. I mostly remember the student's faces but only have been able to remember about 10 names so far. A handful of my students have been to The States and one even studied in Reno this past summer. It's really fun to get to teach them about Nevada or the U.S. I brought a map of the U.S. with me to each class to show them where Nevada is and I asked them if any of them knew where the state is. I have gotten the correct answer (Next to California) quite a few times but then I have also heard that it's next to Nebraska or Colorado or Texas. I just smile and show them the map.

My students also range in age from 16 to 60-something years old. It creates a really interesting dynamic in the classroom. I've noticed that a lot of the younger students will let the older ones talk over them and sometimes just don't say anything at all. So I really have to try to get them to talk and ask questions to them directly. Some of the students (especially the boys) just stare at me. I don't know if it's a good thing or not yet. Most of the time I don't want to even know what they are thinking.

I am the first American that has ever come to the school so it's been challenging for them and for me. They have learned or been taught British English their entire lives so it can be really difficult for me. For example, in one of the higher level classes I was helping them with a worksheet and after answering a couple questions I realized that I was telling them the wrong answers. The answer key was at the bottom of the paper and I had to look at it to see what the correct answers were. To me, what I was telling them was corect but in British English it was wrong. It's really hard for them also because they are accostumed to a British accent and I have a very American accent. I have to remember to slow down when I talk and really chew my words so that they can understand me. Some of the students have told me that I am the first American person they have ever spoken with. It's incredibly flattering and scary all at the same time.

In the intermediate classes this week we did a survey about physical appearances and if the students take pride in their appearance and if they are vain or not. It was very similar to the kind of survey that you would find in "Cosmopolitan" or a magazine like that. After they took the survey they got into little groups to discuss their answers and the description at the bottom of the page. I then went around to all the groups to listen to their findings and answer questions. I had to try to explain what "grunge" means and the expression "It won't do you any harm!" It was much harder than I ever imagined. In one of my classes I had a student (a male probably in his 40s) tell me that he thinks I am a very vain person! I started laughing and told him that he could think that as long as he gave me a vaild reason why. He just said something about how I am always very put together when they see me and that he could tell that I was someone who cared a lot about my physical appearance. I thought it was hilarious because I am probably the least vain person I know. Most days I run around in flip-flops with my hair in a pony-tail and no make-up. But I do dress-up more to go to class so I can understand a little why he would think that. It still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

In other news, I have found a couple other little jobs to earn some extra cash. I am going to tutor an American girl in the USAC program for Spanish and then give English lessons to a 12 year old girl in a suburb of San Sebastian. It'll bring in a little more cash and probably pay for groceries each week...by far the biggest expense I have here other than rent. I also had an interview at a different language school in Irun on Friday. It went really well and they want to hire me. I am still trying to figure out if I can even work here at another company being a foreigner and all. Hopefully this coming week or the next I can get everything figured out.

That's about all the new stuff that has been happening here. It's a lot...I know. I'm sure once I get into more of a routine life will be a lot less exciting. Hope everyone is well back on the USA. I miss you all lots and lots.