One Way Ticket

So... I bought my plane ticket to Madrid.

Yes...yes!!! I know...shouldn't I have waited 'til after my visa appointment to book this? Well, no! Tickets were steadily rising and I couldn't bear to pay an arm and a leg after I've seen dirt cheap flights.

I purchased my ticket through StaTravel (www.statravel.com). I first had to apply for a discount international student card ($25) which also doubles as a prepaid Mastercard (not a bad deal since it gets you tons of travel discounts for a year and the withdrawal fees are cheaper than most American banks when used abroad).

Because I am over the 26 year old age limit for STA and I have been out of college for a while, I purchased my card first (using the name of the school I was placed at) then called their help line and chose the option to speak to a representative for the student card. I explained the program to her and she helped me to book my flight over the phone and added a note on my reservation about the fact that I was traveling on a student visa under a governmental educational grant.


I decided to only do a one-way trip for now and deal with the rest later since I am pretty sure I want to travel around Europe a bit next summer before coming back to the states (or staying on for another year). Best part...my flight is a lovely overnight flight (see: me drugged up on Melatonin and passed out for the whole thing) and it was only $350!!!! SWEET!!!

So the official plan is this: Leave Miami on Sept. 17, quick layover in DC, land in Madrid early on Sept. 18, catch a morning bus to Logroño, check into lodging, crash until a reasonable time to grab some wine and pinchos!!!

As for lodging, that part is still a bit up in the air. A few assistants have been talking about getting a vacation apartment rental and splitting the costs while we all apartment hunt. Unfortunately, Logroño has very limited advertisements for cheap hostels. So, this is a kink that I still need to work out.

Completed Tasks:
- Finding a home for my doggies. (It  is awesome)
- Collecting all needed documents for my visa appointment
- Packing (I had to move anyway!)
- Purchased plane ticket


To-Do List:
- Relocate to Miami until the end of the summer
- Visa appointment at the Miami Consulate
- Find a hostel in Logroño
- Purchase a bus ticket from Madrid to Logroño, then back to Madrid for orientation
-Stress about getting my visa back in time


So yeah...still a few things left to get together...but I'm feeling the excitement again (this was lost temporarily in the teary anguish of giving away my pups and moving out of my house)...bring on España!!!!


Hasta Pronto!!!!!
XOXO

Seattle State of Mind

So, this summer I have been on this whole "discover the home front" kick. I have been forcing myself to try to enjoy more of the things going on in my own neighborhood, see some parts of America that I have not seen before, and explore some places that are on the fringe but not so far from home.

My first trip (not in America--I'm not that slow) was to Jamaica... Now here's the thing... Jamaica is my special place. Not unlike Vegas. And like Vegas, there is not a chance in hell that I would attempt to recap the experience on a website for all the world to read...if I were to tell you, I'd have to kill you. And no one wants the mess. So instead, enjoy this lovely photo of Jamaican scenery:

Ain't it lovely?!

After that I head over to Alabama and had a short weekend visit with some friends that Swift and I met in Jamaica. I'm on summer vacation, right? So, why not?

Most recently (see: last week), I headed up to Seattle, WA. A very good friend of mine was having brain surgery and we decided to go be cheerleaders for her recovery. (She is doing amazing by the way and I couldn't be happier) While she was getting her much needed rest, Swift and I jumped around the city, exploring all of its nooks and crannies.

Now, let me explain my feelings toward Seattle....if that's its real name...

I do not believe in Seattle. I don't believe in Montana. Or Wyoming. Or any version of a Dakota. They make no sense to me and I have never met anyone from these places. They are made up little lands, constructed to keep Texas and California from taking over the west side of the country. Really. It's true.

Visiting Seattle only managed to reinforce this idea. Sure I saw the beautiful snow-capped mountains while standing on piers and inhaling delicious salt-tinged air. But there were nurses named Tinkerbell and Elf. No one knew that the 90's were over and that grunge long ago died a swift and painless death. People were nice nasty and there was not a scrap of even mildly tanned skin for miles.

So you see, this place is a fairy land that does not truly exist. I am chalking the whole week up to a high that I don't know how I got and a camera that captures images from mental trips.

Go ahead...put on your best psychedelic look and ride the wave with me.

This lady was soooooo creepy. I love street performers.

Swift always speaks to strangers. One day this may prove problematic.

It was around 50 degrees all day....in JUNE!!!

I am all about conveyor belt sushi!

A baby crab on an oyster...Swift was the brave one and ate it.

Finally 65 degrees...time to TAN!!!!     -_-

So Seattle...land of the unreal...it was awesome to meet you (however much I made you up in my head)...and you shall definitely see me again some day!



Hasta Pronto!!!
XOXO

DC Days...Teach Me Patience...

This past week, myself and three other teachers took a group of 32 students to Washington, DC on a 4-day field trip.

The Washington Memorial

Now…let’s recap here. I teach 7^th grade Language Arts at a primarily African-American, economically challenged middle school. Most of my students had never been to the nation’s capitol before. Several were the first in their families to go. And a few were leaving the perimeter of Atlanta, GA for the first time in their lives. To say that the trip was a bit emotional would be a gross understatement.

We visited the usual sites like the Mall of Memorials, Arlington Cemetery and Union Station. But we were also sure to include places like the Holocaust Memorial, Frederick Douglass’s House and Madame Tussuad’s. Overall, it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

Getting ready to see Frederick Douglass's home--it was amazing!

Douglass's house--dope by even today's standards

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Now for the honest part! (The other part was honest but there were more feelings than merely proud).

Let me begin this tirade by saying…I hate adults!!! Yes. This is extremely backwards. Most people bitch and gripe about the children and how frustrating they can be. But that isn’t what makes me hate my job. When a dumb ass 12 year old starts acting like a dumb ass 12 year old, I think to myself, ”Hmmm…that seems about right…because they ARE a dumb ass 12 year old.” This I can rationalize. This I can handle.

But when grown ups act like dumb ass 12 year olds, I’m pretty much guaranteed to lose my mind! The teachers on this trip were utterly ridiculous. Having students wait for hours on the bus while they shopped for souvenirs. Cancelling excursions that the kids had been looking forward to in lieu of what they wanted to do themselves (see: going back to the hotel for a nap). By the end of the trip I can confidently say that everyone was feeling my wrath. A few people escaped a scathing cuss out due to the close proximity of children, but all were not so lucky.

I was beyond livid. I mean I was seeing everything in shades of red and refusing to even be so much a civil by the end of the trip.

While teaching was not my first choice of careers, I still take what I do very seriously. I love my students. Yes, I imagine myself strangling them for most of each day, but I still really want to impact them and I really do love them. For the span of one year, they are my babies. I have exactly one year to prepare them for a world that will be outside of my influence for the rest of their lives. I take this job to heart. And it really gets under my skin when I deal with people who don't understand how precious that is.

Think of it this way (note to my fellow auxiliares that may not plan to be career educators and especially those that do): If a student sits in front of you for an entire year and they are angry, hurting, neglected, or under-challenged and you do not care, act, or even notice, and that kid later becomes depressed, homeless, non-productive or even abusive/suicidal/homicidal, then you must acknowledge that this is partially your fault. I do stress partially. But there was a moment, somewhere in that year, where you had an opportunity. An opportunity to care, act, and notice. 

Lincoln Memorial

Arlington Cemetery--this was the first time that being in a cemetery didn't make me want to hurl lol

So the lesson I have learned that I hope to apply to Spain: Travel in small groups. Make sure that those you travel with have the same goals in mind or at least are willing to not infringe on your travel plans. Have an exit strategy if things start to get aggravating. Remember at all times, no matter that you are not the lead teacher, to care, act, and notice the children that you work with.

Either way… I survived and thanks to some amazing kids, I will be leaving American public schools with some beautiful memories.

Anyone else with a travel horror story laced with a happy ending?

A Weekend with St. Simon

So this past weekend, on a whim and stemming from pure desperation to run away, Pixie, Swift and I hopped into the car (loaded with enough snacks and crap to feed a small country) and headed off to St. Simon’s Island. It is a little scrap of heaven on the very tip of Georgia; just a little south of Savannah.

Yes. You read correctly…there is something else to do in Georgia besides party in Atlanta or learn slave history in Savannah. There is actually…dun dun duuuunnnn….a sweet little beach town to visit! Who woulda thunk it, right? (Clearly, I am marred by years of ingrained Florida girl prejudice against the “real” South)

Now, before you get all ready for some awesome beach bum tales and bikini pics (not that I would ever post those pics before completing a full round of P90X) let me just spoil the thrill by letting you know that it was never above 62° F the entire weekend. Whose idea was it to go to a beach in February?! Oh right…mine! Not exactly what you put on a postcard for the folks back home.

However, hangover from hell notwithstanding, we managed to have a really good time….insert horseback ride along the beach here:

Swift all ready to giddy-up.

The heavenly beach that we rode on...there should have been a sunset and pirate involved...but alas...no such luck.

Swift, Pixie, and me! Love them both to pieces!!!

We went to an awesome little dive bar by the water and got smashed with the locals…see: previously mentioned hangover from hell. We also got to have some amazing food on the way out (Fair warning: Avoid any and all shitty hotel food offerings. It is a little bit more tasteless than your average continental buffet and it comes with a gag inducing bill for over $50 for three people…no bueno!!)

All in all, there wasn’t really that much to do but when you have spent an inordinate amount of time inland it’s just nice to smell the ocean again. Not to mention that anytime us gals get together, it’s going to be something to talk about!  I’m more than willing to retry this cute little getaway as the weather turns more playa friendly.

Still counting down to sitting in the Andaluz sun!!! Did I mention that my poor locks may be scattered all over the floor in the near future if I don’t hear about my placement soon. Yes, yes. They gave us a timeline. I know what to expect…but screw that! (I’m channeling a bad JG Wentworth commercial right now on the inside-- a la “It’s my placement and I want it now!!!”—did anyone actually catch that reference?!)

Hopefully there will be news to share in that department soon. Now to prepare for the deathtrap that I signed up for known as…the Spartan Race…aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!! (I really have to step away from the pipe occasionally so I can stop making these sorts of decisions…* le sigh*)

 *Note: I am not drug user—I just talk to myself, lack sleep, hallucinate occasionally, and regularly engage in poor decision making*

Hasta Pronto!!!

XOXO

SN ShoutOut: Congrats to my lovely best-friend KJ on getting her dream job in the Big Apple!!! Mazal tov, my love!!!! So very proud of you!!!