5 things i love about spain/year abroad

sometimes i forget to remind myself that life is good. living in spain is cool. having a year abroad is excellent.
so, in no particular order...

1. spanish. yes, even though i am still yet to enjoy a coherent conversation without feeling really awkward, i do actually love spanish. this is why im here, this is why im studying it, this is why im frustrated because im not fluent yet. and even though im two months into my year abroad and i cant see a vast improvement, i still dare to hope that at some point in life i will achieve near native fluency, and i still believe by the end of this year i will be reaching it, and by the end of my degree it will be within my grasp.

2. church. i love church. and im blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the newfrontiers church plant here. its already been a massive blessing, knowing some like minded people who are also struggling to get to grips with the culture and the language and how to proclaim the name of Jesus in this nation. im blessed that this year is not just about me learning spanish, its about getting stuck in to God's plan for the city of Madrid. wowza.

3. school. i really enjoy my job, which is almost a surprise to me. im seriously considering doing a pgce after uni now, with the aim of teaching french/spanish at secondary school. i enjoy a job where i am around people all day. i enjoy my cute 1st ESO (year 7) classes where we learn how to say Juana is opposite Raquel. I enjoy my humourous 2nd Bachillerato (A2) class where we have debates about whether sciences or humanities are better. I enjoy being surrounded by spanish conversation at break time and await the day i can work out what theyre saying quick enough to contribute a witty response. i even at times enjoy the 40 minute bus journey as we pass mountains and villages and i just get to relax and contemplate life for a while.

4. knowing myself. i think being thrown into a different culture with no friends and family and a lack of fluency in the language is definitely a challenging thing, but with challenge comes the opportunity to grow. outside of my comfort zone, i find i am realising things about myself, about God, about life in general that may usually pass me by in the busyness and ordariness of life.

5. friends. as the year goes on, i hope to make more friends and deepen friendships, and i have already met and got to know two lovely housemates and my super friendly language exchange partner and incredible people from the church plant and one of my best uni friends is only a short train ride away.

and this is by no means the end of the things i enjoy about life on my year abroad in españa, but i must admit, im absolutely buzzing to go home for christmas! i guess there is really no place like home. great britain for the win.

Trusting in God.

Nearly two months into my year abroad, and I feel like I can barely string a sentence together in Spanish. Apparently I don't know how to pronounce sí. I have no 'Spanish' friends. I haven't really got anywhere with my YARP. Sometimes I just want to give up, go home and work at October books for the rest of my life. But I know that I'm here for a reason. I know that this is where God wants me. He could have brought anyone to teach at Juan de Herrera this year. He could have chosen anyone to join the Madrid Church plant for nine months. I have to remind myself constantly, that God is with me, and has plans which he is working out for my good. And if, by the end of this year, I have achieved nothing more than understanding more of God, having a bit more faith, being more deeply in love with Jesus, then that is an immeasurable achievement. The purpose of this year, as with every year of my life, is to be more Christ-like. Not to learn more languages, get a first in my dissertation, or whatever else. And as well as that, I know that God is more than able to help me in each and every situation this year.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

UPDATE on life.

I was thinking today that this is currently the longest time I have ever been outside of Great Britain. And as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I currently do feel nostalgic for my home country with its tea and politeness and banter.

Having said this, I'm generally enjoying living in Spain. I feel like living elsewhere goes in phases. I'm past the wow I'm living in Spain everything is a novelty and fun times. And I think I'm just getting past the oh my life I'm living in Spain everything is so foreign and ridiculous. Well I guess the whole year I'm going to be in one of these categories to an extent, but at the same time I'm just getting on with life.

Today school was a good day, but I ended up teaching a whole class on my own without another teacher there, which is probably normal for some other assistants but the first time I'd done it. It wasn't a complete disaster, so that's good. Also I'd prepared a song with another class but we realised we couldnt have the language lab at the last moment, so we had to use the CD player rather than a computer and the available song which went with the textbook exercise was Justin Timberlake, always a bonus... or not.

I'm actually beginning to get somewhere with my YARP, by which I mean I have a feasible idea and have read a few articles. Having changed my plan, I still need to write a new proposal, yay. And an abstract, in Spanish. Who knows how that will go, since I feel like if anything my Spanish has got worse since I've got here. 

Definitely need to get on more 'intercambios' to chat Spanish in general life and probably try and actually keep a record of new words/ phrases I come across, and watch some more TV in Spanish, though it is very tempting to just watch in English, especially when there's a new series of Grey's Anatomy. But I'm trying to remind myself that I probably have my entire life to be in England and watch American TV so I should go out and speak Spanish and immerse myself into it a bit more proactively than I am right now. 

Also it's been awesome to see my besties Natasha and Hanna here this weekend/week, although tonight I was too tired after school and my commute to go over to Alcala to hang out with them tonight, they're coming over again tomorrow, so that will be super.

And I literally can't wait to see Dave next weekend.
All in all, loving life. 

Finally got round to writing this!

I've now been in Madrid nearly three weeks. In some ways it feels like a lifetime already, and in others I feel like I just got here, but that's life I guess! I've done two weeks at school, I'm enjoying it :) I've got 16 different classes with a few children in more than one but mostly different so it's quite hard to get to know names etc. So far I've just told them about myself and my life in England and they've asked me questions, done a presentation on the Royal family, quite jokes cos some of them couldn't understand that the Queen is actually called Elizabeth, not the Spanish translation Isabel, and William is not called Guillermo. I don't really know why the Spanish love translating names so much, but there you go.

Some things that I've noticed differences with are cool, like people are generally friendlier and say Hola at bus stops to strangers and have a chat with you in the fruit and veg shop and invite you to have a tour of their hometown. Some things are not so cool of course, but generally it's all good. I'm glad I brought my fairtrade tea bags with me, tea here is like grim lol. And I've ordered a kettle off amazon cos they just don't exist here! Another thing I've noticed is that everyone seems to have all the time in the world, even the telebancos (cash machines) take like 7 years to give you your money.

So moving on, after being sola in my apartment for a week my housemates moved in and I suddenly lived with two American girls. At first I was like ahh I'm never gona speak Spanish and at times I think my brain almost thinks I'm on my YA in the US and gets like super surprised when I suddenly hear someone speaking Spanish in the street and then I'm like oh yeah I'm in Spain, cool. But anyway, they're like so nice, I love living with them already. It's also quite nice to just be able to chill at home and speak English, even though they like laugh at everything I say!

Church is also pretty awesome. So I've like got involved in the Madrid Church Plant which is super cool, the team are awesome people, their faith is pretty inspiring just the way they've just taken their family and moved to Madrid and are now just living here meeting people and building church. I'm also going to Amistad Cristiana and it's just a great church, everyone's super friendly and the presence of God is so there in the meetings, and I was super pleased to actually understand the service since it's ofc all in Spanish. Also I went to the meeting for university age people on Tuesday and it was pretty epic.

I guess a lot more has occured, but I'll leave it there for now, with a few pictures :)

mi habitacion :)

the park just down the road

my roomies in sol ♥

In two weeks time...

I have been thinking about the fact that in two weeks time I will have been in Madrid for almost a week, and have spent the first couple of nights there without the parents (they're coming with to take more luggage lol and have a little holiday). And just last night I was feeling slightly anxious about the fact that I have no idea where I shall then be sleeping! But just this morning I got an email from the English teacher offering me a place to stay in her home, which is super nice and very good to know I shall not be homeless lol. So I'll stay with her family until I find a flat! Cool beans. Also it was much an answer to prayer in my opinion because I was just praying about the sitch with somewhere to stay and just general Spain thing this morning and like an hour later I received the email, so yes.
I still have a lot of packing to do, for the YA and the move to Wales lol. And friends to see and things to buy and Spanish lessons to give my parents. Fun times!

The school I'll be working at

The exciting things

I like to be good at things. But there are some things I'm good at which I wish I wasn't, such as losing things, breaking things, and worrying about things. I currently should stop worrying about: the NIE. (Crazy Spaniards and their crazy systems.) And somewhere to live. I’m sure I’ll find a flat when I arrive and anyway the school are not gonna leave me homeless (I’m staying with a teacher until I get a flat, apparently – who and where I have no idea as yet, but I have Ramon’s word) so it’s all good. 

Anyway. I have come up with a list of exciting things about my year abroad.

Madrid Church Plant: getting involved in a new church, exciting times. Worshipping, praying etc in Spanish. Telling people about Jesus. To sum it up, serving God in a local church which has a vision to see people saved: always good.

Learning Spanish: Basics whatever happens I’m going to be good at Spanish by the end of it. which is obv an achievement in itself. Along with less chance of failing my degree. Better job prospects etc etc.

The YA project: lololol how am I buzzing for this? Ok I’m not. But I am buzzing to have completed a project entirely on my own, and to say I'll have written 6000 palabras en español, excelente.

Making friends: I love people, and meeting new people. Although sometimes daunting, especially if they are speaking v rapidly in a foreign lang, but yes, buzzing to meet some amazing people and make some friends for life. 

A job: So I will actually have a proper job for eight months. And only 12 hours a week, so plenty of time for funsies. And I’m hoping this is going to be the easy part, but perhaps not. I have no idea what I’m expected to  do, but I’m sure all will be revealed.

Visiting other places in Spain/Europe: From Madrid I can super easily get to other places, I’m thinking Barcelona – I went with college and it’s a v nice place; Portugal – never been, seems fun, and perhaps I haven’t forgotten all the Portuguese I spent first year learning, And France, seeing as French is half my degree and one of my best friends will be in Bordeaux. Howevz money may be a slight issue on this one.

Good weather: Compared to Preston, where it rains far too much (in fact appaz it holds the UK record for the most rain to fall in five mins lol) I am so looking forward to being in a more sunny location! 

And I’m sure there are many other things beside that have momentarily escaped me, or perhaps have never occurred to me, but will be amazing benefits of the YA.

Loving life.

And finally, I may be slightly jel of all the other lang students already in their foreign destinations! But just reminding myself it is a bonus to be leaving on the 24^th as it means I could spend my birthday with the fam and enjoy meals out and the like with my beautiful friends and even spend a week with my boyf, buzzing for that.

a random picture of Madrid (:

Three weeks to go!

I can't believe it's September already - I feel like I have done nothing with my summer. And in three weeks, I'll be on a plane to Madrid ahhhhh! I'm not sure whether I'm excited, nervous, or terrified! I just keep reminding myself that God is with me and it is going to be a great year, although I know I'm probably going to have no idea what is going on for the first few weeks, I'm yet to find somewhere to live, and I haven't spoken any Spanish for three months... But as I like to say, due to my northern roots - it'll be reet. It really is an amazing opportunity to go abroad for eight months. Hopefully in about a months time I'll be feeling like a madrileña already.

the packing process begins (:

Moving to Moncloa...

Having given some more thought to where I might like to live during the year, I'm thinking of living more centrally in Madrid. I've emailed the assistant from last year, and she also recommended living in Moncloa, (central Madrid) rather than the town, because there is more to do, more young people etc. I had thought that transport would be expensive, but I might be able to fit the twelve hours I'll be working to just three days a week and it's even possible that student finance will reimburse travel costs, but I'm not sure. I also emailed the Madrid church plant leader and it turns out he and his family live in Moncloa, so that's really cool! I'm really looking forward to getting involved in a church out there, and just getting immersed in the crazy Spanish culture, and I think living in Moncloa is probably going to be the optimum place of opportunities.

The Countdown Begins….

My year abroad is finally starting to seem real… Today I booked my one-way flight to Madrid and bought nine months of year abroad insurance! I can’t quite believe I’ll be starting my teaching assistantship in less than two months. I think I should get back into practising some Spanish, having just spent a week with a French friend I’ve realised how quickly you lose the language when you don’t use it for a while, and it would be a bit awkward to turn up having forgotten how to say anything except ‘Hola’.

Apart from the language, I need to look into teaching English and prepare some teaching materials, going to use the British Council website for that which looks like it will be quite useful. I also need to find somewhere to live, but I’ve been told the best thing is to find a flat when I arrive so I’m going to stay in a hotel and possibly with a teacher from the school if it takes a bit longer than I’m expecting. I’m hoping to stay near the school where I’m working, (in San Lorenzo de El Escorial) so that I can hopefully get more involved in the community and enjoy the more traditional, friendly vibe than in the capital city itself, but we’ll see. I’m also going to be looking to join a church while I’m out there, which I’m really looking forward to. From what I’ve been able to find out, the only church in the town is Catholic and not being Catholic, I’ll look further afield; at the moment I’m thinking either the Newfrontiers Church Plant, or the Baptist church in nearby Collado Villalba.

Finally, the part I think I'm least looking forward to (except perhaps not seeing my boyfriend for like months at a time), I need to get cracking on my preparations for the YARP; for non-Southampton students, it’s the year abroad research project where we have to come up with something to research and write a dissertation in Spanish. I’ve decided to take the ethnographic approach, hoping people will want to participate; otherwise it’s going to be a bit awkward… And the topic is about the influence that people’s faith has in their lives – sounds a bit vague, I have written a 2,000 word proposal but I won’t go into it too much here. Basically I’m really interested in Spanish people’s lives and culture, as having visited for a month last summer it seems really different to the UK, especially when it comes to religion and that sort of thing so I’m hoping it’s going to be an interesting project.

 

I probably won’t have much else to write about until I arrive in the last week of September, but I’ll try and update as regularly as I can once the adventure begins!