Adios, y'all!

In just two hours I will be leaving my house and making my way to Logan International Airport in Boston for my 10-month teaching internship in Madrid, Spain. So far, I've been preparing for this adventure as if it is simply an extended vacation. I think that's why I've remained so calm in this last week. But I'm still a little nervous because upon landing, I'll be going straight to my new apartment I haven't yet seen and meeting roommates I've yet met. Perhaps I'll be too tired to acknowledge my nervousness and it will pass. Or maybe it will hit me two weeks from now. Who knows?

There are a ton of activities planned for us by our faculty advisor based in Madrid that will take the edge off things. Some business-related, such as meeting the head of the organization UCETAM in Madrid who recruits us teachers from the U.S. and getting Metro cards and cell phones. Some are more fun, such as having a picnic at Templo de Debod, taking a day trip to Segovia or Toledo (Toledo would be my choice having just seen the Spanish painters exhibit at the MFA in Boston), and having Chocolate con Churros and seeing a Flamenco show. What a first week...I'll already be crossing things off my to-do list. Talk about hitting the ground running!

¡Olé!

A few things on my Madrid must-do list (so far) are:


Go to a Futbol (Soccer) game

Go to the Bullfights as Las Ventas

Visit The Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia Museums

Stroll through the Parque del Buen Retiro

Buy trinkets and other fun stuff at El Rastro

Eat Chocolate con Churros at Chocolatería San Ginés

Eat at the world's oldest restaurant and, to Hemingway, "The Best"; Casa Botin (enjoy the music :-)

Watch flamenco dancers and musicians at Casa Patas

Getting my Bearings

My new Madrid apartment is close to Metro lines 1 & 6, approximately two miles from The Parque de Buen Retiro, one of the most beautiful parks in Europe, and the famous Prado Museum and three miles from Sol, the very center and busiest part of the city.

I will be working at the Artica School, a bilingual charter school southwest of the city center.

The distance from school to home is about seven miles by car, but I will be taking the Madrid's Metro public transportation, reportedly one of the best in the world.

I will be doing a few test runs of my commute to make sure I'm on time my first day, but it may look something like this:

Walk less than 1/2 mile from my apartment to the Pacifico Metro Station (Lines 1&6), take line 6 for six stops to the west to Plaza Elíptica, then take Line 11 out five stops to the end, La Peseta.

It will probably take me about 45 minutes to an hour; pretty comparable to an average commute in Boston, MA.

Acronym Excess

I've been going on and on about how I'm going to Spain, learning Spanish and, in the near future, eating and seeing all sorts of fabulous things. But I haven't really explained how this is all possible. Here is all the information:

In May 2008, I finished my M.A.T (Master of Arts in Teaching) graduate program at Simmons College in Boston, MA. In addition to a graduate degree, I also earned my Massachusetts initial licensure for grades 5-8 and 8-12 in English. Before I fully plunged into a job search for my first teacher-of-record job, another graduate program at Simmons caught my eye. For lots of personal and professional reasons, I chose to continue my studies for a C.A.G.S. (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies) in E.L.L (English Language Learners) through the Simmons in Madrid program. Here is a link for more information:

http://www.simmons.edu/gradstudies/education/madrid/

and some streaming video about the program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n58SkgdtKDA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjj9OVtqEuQ&feature=related

Habla Español bien? Ummm...no.

I took a total of six Spanish language classes in high-school and college. The only "practice" I have had since then was during a two week trip about 10 years ago through the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and 'muy' basic conversation with Spanish-speaking co-workers in various restaurants. My dusty Spanish skills needed a serious brushing up.

I asked everyone from a high school Spanish teacher to a salesperson at the bookstore what they recommended for someone like myself who wasn't a total novice to Spanish. Here are some great resources I found or reacquainted myself with:

Destinos
I still had books from a video-based Spanish course I took in college. I remembered that the class and the programs were a lot of fun and almost against your will were drawn into the dramatic situations in each of the 52 episodes of the telenovela Destinos. I found the videos online here: http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html%20pop=yes&pid=366#

No Fear Spanish
Very basic guide with explanation and exercises. The size of the book (7 1/2 x 5 in.) is perfect to pop into your purse or backpack and use when you get a bit of spare time. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&ean=1411401344#TABS

Spanish in 10 Minutes a Day

Another very basic workbook that comes with a CD, flashcards and stickers that you can label everything around the house to build vocabulary.

http://www.bbks.com/languages/spanish.aspx

Start Spanish and Spanish Whiz software by Braser Soft

Drill and kill software with exercises and explanation galore. The programs are quite the sticklers for spelling, too. Download and pay (reasonable cost) online.

http://www.braser.com/

501 Spanish Verbs

My favorite, all-time Spanish reference book it contains common verbs and all their conjugations. I lost it once and promptly bought it again and have held onto this copy for over 10 years. Also contains helpful hints regarding usage.

http://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Verbs-Easy-Learn-Alphabetically/dp/0812092821

English Grammar for Students of Spanish

this book was recommended to one of my college Spanish classes by my Argentinian instructor. She said Americans didn't know their own English grammar, so how could they expect to learn Spanish grammar. I still find it useful for comparisons of both languages.

http://www.amazon.com/English-Grammar-Students-Spanish/dp/0934034362/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217956517&sr=1-1

Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur Language Programs

I needed a jump start for speaking Spanish and working on pronounciation and I got it with Pimsleur. Great for aural and oral language practice when you get a half hour (during your commute, perhaps?)

http://www.simonsays.com/content/index.cfm?sid=128

Lorousse Mini Spanish/English Dictionary

I have the mini and pocket size of this dictionary, but I've been very satistfied with the mini -- almost anything I want to look up is in there. Plus, it is so small I can carry it anywhere!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Larousse-Mini-Dictionary-Espanol-Ingles-English-Spanish/Larousse-Editorial/e/9782035421258/?itm=6

University of Texas Spanish Proficiency Exercises

These are online listening and speaking exercises featuring native Spanish speakers from all over the Spanish-speaking world. Very intersting to compare accents, pace and vocabulary. This was recommended strongly by a high-school Spanish teacher.

http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/

Lucky Numbers

You know that old saying that news, good or bad, comes in threes? Well, it was true for me today as I got three pieces of good news: my visa was approved, I got a great financial aid package from school for the upcoming school year and I secured my apartment by taking a deep nervous breath and wiring my new Spanish roommate a bunch of Euros.

I also found out that the apartment is on the very same Metro line as IKEA in Madrid, which, for me, changes the saying to good news comes in fours!

Tapas

Ahhh, tapas -- those Spanish bar snacks are the stuff of legend. I've always been intrigued with the tapas concept. This is partly due to ingrained professional curiosity (I am, after all, a former professional cook) and my pride as a champion snacker.

As I'll be posted in Spain for the better part of the upcoming school year, it is my duty to learn all that I can about tapas before pushing off to Madrid. I've only had these diminutive bar noshes at a few places scattered arudn the Boston area. Here is a list of the Boston restos that that will serve as my tapas training ground:



Tapeo -- http://www.tapeo.com/home/



Tasca -- http://www.tascarestaurant.com/



Dali -- http://www.dalirestaurant.com/



Toro -- http://toro-restaurant.com/


Estragon -- http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/37054/Hamming+It+Up?utm_source=dailycandybos&utm_medium=rss



My favorites dishes so far: queso con membrillo, pimientos de padron, queso, marinated octopus, queso con miel, Albóndigas...did I mention queso?



Dishes I want to like, but probably haven't found a good version of yet (or until I get to Madrid, perhaps?): Tortilla Española, Gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas.

Eat it up, yum!

Congratulations, Spain

I am really psyched to be living in Spain during the year they won the Euro Cup!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92021521

I began to get into World Cup soccer the last time it was around in 2006, but because of ho-hum interest and coverage here in the U.S., I haven't really kept up with it. Maybe things will change once I land in Madrid.

Congratulations, España!

The Consulate as Purgatory

Somehow I ended up with two appointments to apply for my visa with the Spanish Consulate on St. James Ave. in Boston. One was arranged by email and the other by phone. A "quick" phone call to sort out which was the real appointment found me on hold for 20 minutes, resulting in a brusque reply, "Many people getting visas. Don't cancel your appointment." Hmmm...I guess its better to have too many appointments than none?


So I was lucky and showed up for the first of my two appointments and they had me on their docket for that day. So far so good! Here is a modified version of my conversation with the Agent at the Spanish Consulate through an inch-thick sheet of plexiglass:



Agent: So you're applying for a visa to Spain.



Me: Yes.



Agent: Hablo Espanol?



Me: No. (in my mind: But I've taken 6 years of Spanish classes between high-school and college, and I'm brushing up now like a maniac!)



Agent: Please sign your application with today's date and location



Me: Okay (signing documents)



Agent: And you have copies



Me: Yes, how many?



Agent: Two. And your supplement?



Me: What's a supplement



Agent: (sigh) You don't have a supplement form?



Me: No



Agent: (irritated, handing me the form) Please go fill this out over there.



Me: um..



Agent: NEXT!



(I fill out the supplement form, which, interestingly enough, contains much of, but less of the information as on my Schengen Visa application and get back in line)



Me: Here's the supplement form, sir.



Agent: do you have more documents?



Me: (handing over my School acceptance and information form) Yes.



Agent: (wanting a photocopy of the above-mentioned form) Copy. Anything else?



Me: (handing over my health information forms) Yes.



Agent: Copy. Anything else?



Me: (handing over my financial information forms) Yes.



Agent: Copy. Anything else?

Me: (handing over my apostille) Yes.



Agent: Copy. Anything else?

Me: No.



Agent: Have a seat. We'll call you.



The office has filled up by this time and no seats are available. I sit on the floor where after an hour and a half of waiting, my butt falls asleep. I didn't know that was even possible! After completing the Soduko and crossword in the day's Metro Newspaper and reading some of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, I wonder if I am really in Hell's waiting room instead of the Consulate and if they are just gearing up to deny me a visa and kick me out of the office. There's no room for me, anyway.



Agent 2: (calls my name, in an irritated manner, numerous times).



Me: (scrambling up awkwardly with my sleepy butt) yes, yes!

Agent 2: Are you applying for a work visa or a student visa?

Me: Student visa.

Agent 2: but your visa application is for 10 months.

Me: Yes, my program is a combination of classes and an internship in a school.

Agent 2: (looking displeased) I will have to see if this is okay.

Me: (just now realizing that there is one/are many people beyond the plexiglass in discrete offices who are scouring everyone's application) okay.

Agent 2: Have a seat.

I wait for approximately 20 more minutes, when I am then recalled to the dividing wall between me and them.

Agent 2: Okay, so you will be reviewed for a 90-day visa. Call back on July 30 to confirm.

Me: So what can I do for the remaining time, as my program is for the year.

Agent 2: You can apply for an extension at the local police station once in Madrid.

Me: (stunned) ummm...okay?

Here's to my month-plus purgatory waiting for my visa. *Salud* as they say in Spain, or if you're feeling sassy and Mexican, "arriba, abajo, al centro, adentro" (up, down, center, inside)!

Apartment Hunting Abroad

Perhaps more nerve-rattling than the trip to the Spanish Consulate (more on that later), is the ongoing experience of distance apartment hunting online. People have recommmended different websites for finding a place to live in Madrid, but I have focused my energies at <http://www.easypiso.com/>. Hold your giggles about the name. Literally, in English, it means Easy Floor or Easy Apartment, but I think people find the similarity to the English saying "easy-peasy" somewhat silly.



This website is one of many branches of a company based in New York City that serves as a repository for domestic and international roommate listings. You can browse and have limited communication access with other members for free, but it seems to be worthwhile to pay for membership, especially as you evolve from a casual to a serious apartment hunter. A paid membership (available for different lengths of time) gives you get full contact information for all members of the site, the added insurance of knowing that people are serious about finding roommates and the ability to transfer money to your new roommates through the website, thus creating a paper trail.

Through a combination of random conversations and general research, I was prepared to spend 300-500 Euros for an apartment sharing situation in Madrid. I have been really impressed with the listings and have both sent and received emails at a good rate with potential roommates.

Wish me luck!

Roommate Emails

During my search for home-sweet-home in Madrid, I've been cobbling together emails in Spanish to potential roommates. Most of my emails seem to have been understood on the receiving end, and I must give thanks to Babel Fish in helping me accomplish this http://babelfish.yahoo.com!





I've been using Babel Fish -- the fabulous online translation utility -- as a back up to check my continually improving (I hope) Spanish.

Babel Fish can translate blocks of text or full web pages to and from 12 languages. Beware, though! Although this utility tries to match up the meaning of the original language to the translated language, it is not 100% accurate -- something for which, in the name of corporate integrity, I am glad that Babel Fish is quite up front about in their website FAQ. For instance, internship (English) is puesto de interno (Spanish) which means something like station of internal. My Spanish is probably at the intermediate level and I could be wrong, but this didn't sound right. In doubt, I used the English word -- internship-- and crossed my fingers.

As I said, I haven't had trouble communicating with potential Madrileño roommates so far. However, I'm still working on my Spanish, so, really, how would I be able to tell anyway?

So THAT"S why they named a credit card after it!

Although I've known since April I was going to teach English in Spain in September, I didn't make an appointment until today to apply for a visa that would enable me to legally stay in Spain for a length of time. Yes, it has taken almost two months to gather all the paperwork from the State of Massachusetts and various towns therein, the bank, my graduate school and the excessive, requisite number of photocopies. Yes, folks, I couldn't believe the amount of legwork or the mound of paperwork, either.


Perhaps not surprisingly, I need to give the Spanish Consulate here in Boston a non-refundable fee of $100. for the pleasure of looking over my application and paperwork. I now realize that the credit card brand name "Visa" is all too appropriate -- a visa does, indeed, give you access to the world, but you'll pay for it!