Teaching English While Learning Spanish:

I sort of got a promotion from my internship last week to work in an actual school to teach English! ...Well be the assistant to the teachers who are teaching English.

There are two classes that are I help out in. One is a half hour with the pre-school aged children who are quite the handful. We were teaching them colors the other day and they kept running around the classroom trying to find something that was "bwue" and kept grabbing at my blue shirt. To get them to sit for more than 30 seconds is a challenge. 

After, I help out older students that are around 4th-5th grade depending on the day of the week. It's tricky since it's the end of the school day and everyone is so tired that literally is the worst time to try and understand a second language. I was actually surprised at how many English words they knew! There are a few cuties who are kiss-ups and try to be all sweet! There are also other ones who I think Satan gave them a malicious heart. Well maybe not that bad...but they are the ones that understand you, but say they don't know English and attempt to run around the classroom while taking everyone's pencils...

I love this because I am able to understand more Spanish when the students have problems and ask me in Spanish. Also it is fantastic review of basic vocabulary that I really need to improve. The teachers I work with are amazing and so fun to work with. They constantly make me pronounce things for the class and correct grammar just to make sure it's right. I feel bad sometimes because they say things with a British accent and then feel like they said it wrong. My goal is that by the time I leave this school will all have American accents in English! 

I also love how the little ones try to pronounce my name and will randomly start cheering my name saying "NAN-TH! NAN-TH, NAN-TH!" It's like I have my own fan club! 

While it is an amazing experience, at the end of every day I am usually exhausted and happy that I am majoring in Secondary Education! 

I also got the chance to read/act out Little Red Ridding Hood for my one English class! While usually my accent makes kids wonder and excited, these kids were pretty scared of it at first. (That high five I am attempting in that picture got denied.) That was a wonderful experience too to see how important it is to start teaching another language at an early age. Children are smarter than you think! 

I really hope the US encourages other languages to start being taught at a younger age instead of "We speak English he'e in 'Merica". While most of the world speaks some bit of English, I think it's important to have the ability to connect at a higher level than barely climbing the language barrier. Maybe one day I'll be teaching pre-schoolers an English class in NY! (Though probably not after how tired I'll be by the end of this internship!)

 

Livin' La Vida Loca

Well not really the crazy life, but a fun one for sure! The longer I am here the less I want to leave! This morning I officially became a regular in the local diner when the owner knew exactly what my friend and I wanted to eat and drink! It was perfect! A coffee and toast with jelly is only 1.80! Then two of my friends from my class joined us and they ordered beers. I thought I was seeing things when it was only 10am. They told me it's Friday and they need to start early! Maybe on the day of my last class I'll ask for something extra in my coffee (which surprisingly a lot of people do!).

My Spanish is improving more than ever and is pretty much like a job to keep up with it. My writing is a million times better and speaking is getting there! I am starting to think thought in Spanish too! I really hope I don't lose it when I return.

The city is beautiful at night and the perfect place to study abroad. It's arguably the safest city I have ever seen and has the nicest people who are always willing to help. It's a calm little city that gives you a perfect mix of focusing on studies and the amazing nightlife!

I haven't really been up to much other than my internship and my studies. I plan on traveling a bit outside of Valencia again soon! Hope everyone back at home is doing well!

Hasta Luego!

Our Swiss roommate and us! 

Halloween:

Yes Spain has Halloween!

The day before Halloween is one of my friend´s birthdays so we all had a nice party before we went out to the club. In America, for Halloween the crazier your costume is the better. In Spain....less is more. There were some people that painted their faces but most people just wore a mask or hat of soem sort. A half hour before I went to my friend´s house I bought two flower headbands. I wore a dress and my boots and called myself some kinda of hippie. Everyone was suprised that I didn´t wear a lot because I am ¨la americana¨of our group. They thought I was going to go crazy because that´s how we are in the US. It´s pretty funny how many American sterotypes we truly do live up to in the eyes of Europeans!

We went to a club at around 1am and danced the night away. I keep meeting more and more people from my university and every weekend has been so much fun! I feel like I have made some of my best friends who aren´t even in my clases by going to social events. It´s truly the best way to practice Spanish and have the most fun!

Remember what I said about Spanish parties going super late? My friends and I didn´t get back to the house until 8am........I was so tired I had to take a quick nap on their couch before I went back to my own bed!

It was definitely one of my favorite weekends and I have all these beauitful and amazing people to thank for it!

US and España:

There are so many similarities of Spain and the US but there are definitely many differences! 

• The classes are organized differently. 

In the US, most universities supply a list of classes you must take in order to graduate. There is a few that only upperclassmen can take or specific perquisites for certain classes. However, students are able to choose when they want to take them and what times they prefer. Every schedule is different and there are different people in every class with the teacher´s usually being in the same room or building. 

Here in Spain and other European countries, depending on your major you are put into a group and a room number. You stay in that room with the same people all day and the teachers come into your classroom. It´s a college schedule already made for everyone in your major. 

• ¨Meet at 8:30¨

American timing: Anywhere between 8:00-8:15

Spanish Timing: Anywhere between 8:35-8:50

Every meeting and class I have had in Spain has usually started at least 10 minutes after the original timing. It´s not annoying here because you just count on everyone being a tad bit late. It´s almost like they are more calm than us Americans. If I am late to a class in the US, everyone stares at you and the teacher says some smart remark of why you´re a few minutes late to class. In Spain, if you´re late to class, most likely the teacher isn´t even there yet! I do think in the US we are always on the go and running but I do like how in Spain things are calmer and more relaxed. However, sometimes it can be a little too relaxed for me! 

• Much more than a handshake:

I thought it was a stereotype that Spanish kiss both cheeks when they greet each other. My first week I don´t know how many kisses I got while being introduced to people. For those who know me I am not one to hug or be all cuddlely with my friends but Spain has managed to change my ways. It almost feels weird meeting someone or saying good bye without cheek kisses. It´s even better when there´s a cute guy you are being introduced to and before you even say your name you get two kisses! When they ask what we do in America I say, we like to not touch each other if possible and tend to do a head nod. Okay..it´s not that distant but Spain is definitely more touchy feely! I actually prefer it here. It´s fun always feeling loved by your friends! 

• English Sarcasm is tricky:

For anyone going to study abroad be careful how you word things in English. It´s one thing to learn a language but another to understand the culture of it. I´ve had sarcastic comments of Spanish fly over my head but I believe there is a lot more sarcasm in English and it is much more subtle. When I speak to others in English who don´t know it as their native language, I say one thing and they take it a bit literal. I think one time when someone asked what I am going to tonight, I said ¨cry until I fall asleep¨ since I had had a long day. There were very concerned and wanted to make sure I wasn´t going to cry! I felt bad! It is a relief to meet people from a place like Ireland and just let the sarcasm flow. It´s almost stress relieving! 

• Timing of Parties:

An average party in the US usually starts at 9:30 but most people come at like 10 so they aren´t early but aren´t late either. Then you play a few games, see your friends, laugh a lot and at midnight you might go to a bar or a club or just simply stay home. Then at around 2am/3am, you head on home. 

In Spain, they eat dinner at around 9/10pm. Then they don´t meet up with their friends until midnight which is pretty early. Then at around 2am, 3am they head to club and return home to sleep at around 7am. I tried that and lasted till 4am. I do not know how they do it. They do have that siesta in the middle of the day to recover! 

Spain is an incredible country and it´s not a huge cultural shock but it´s cool to live somewhere where things are a bit different! 

There definitely aren't a lot of castles in the US! 

Spain Changing Me For the Better and Forever:

There are days I still can't believe I am here. I look at the days that I have left and I used to look and think ¨Alright this many more days until I get to hug my mom and dad!¨ Now I look and think ¨Damn, this many more days until I have to say goodbye to all my friends here.¨ It's quite strange how the world works. Personally, I have always been a free-spirit that didn't necessarily have one group to fit into. I do have quite a few friends but only a handful I am able to consider to be my closest friends in the whole world after years of knowing each other. However, here it's so different. I make friends so easily and feel so much more accepted here. I don't know if it's because as an outsider you do have to try to socialize more. I love my college back in NY and the people there, but there is just something about these people here that I feel more at home with. It's strange because I can hardly speak their language but yet I still have so many friends from around the world. Maybe what it comes down to is here I am not afraid to be myself. Here I am not a DIII athlete, a student of this specific major, a girl from a family that is well-known in her town, an employee, or any other labels I have gained over the past years. Here I am just Nancy, a student traveling and seeing as much as she can. It's a beautiful thing. In one way or form I feel that I have regained a lot of happiness within myself that the teenage years tend to wash away from a lot of people. My age is such a weird time to be living because you're an adult but you're not quite there yet. Sure you can get serious about a long-term job or relationship but at the end of the day I am only 19. I have this urge to start my life and settle as soon as possible but then again, that could be at least 10 years from now! Overall this rambling specific post is a mix of how studying in Valencia has been the best thing I have ever done and I am forever grateful to have this opportunity
not just for the experience but for changing me for the better.

Friends From All Over!

I have mentioned a lot recently about my Spanish friends from my university classes. I also have many friends who are international students like me! I was not expecting to meet so many people from around the world. It truly is a beautiful thing how there are other adventurers like me studying. I have friends from Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and so many other wonderful places! My geography of Europe has definitely improved and also my sad mindset I had that every country had it's own language (Belgium speaks French and German!). It's nice to have fellow students that are in the same position with classes and living abroad as you are. I think I tend to make faster friends with international students because of that. I hope I get to visit them in their countries and show them the great United States! However, I have come to really pay more attention to politics in the US since arriving in Europe. I hate to say it, but there are a lot of things we aren't doing so well in compared to a lot of countries in Europe. It's fun being from the other side of the world because it seems like everyone wants to talk with the American! Even after two months here, this adventure is still amazing!

International House:

I started my internship a few weeks ago with International House. This an international program that supplies courses and living arrangements to those who wish to learn another language. I work as an assistant/teacher aid in my internship. Besides all my classes at my university, I have one class with IH and they are the ones that chose my host family for me. They are an incredible organization who really want to show that anyone can learn another language. The IH location in Valencia isn´t only for people like me that wish to learn Spanish. I have the pleasure of working in one of the English classes for children here and it's so much fun! The children are all locals who parents want them to start learning English. There are also German, Italian, French, and even Chinese classes that anyone of all ages can take! Not only are there classes of various languages but there are also many activities offered daily to show off the city of Valencia. Working with the behind the scenes of this organization has shown me how they are all caring and beautiful people whose main goal is to help others learn languages. They aren't here to scam people and they are extremely careful with the families they hire to host students. They are truly amazing and you can find other IH locations all over the world! You could even study in South Africa if you wanted to! I am very grateful for International House because they have given me an amazing family, an awesome internship, and an extra class to help me improve my Spanish. If you want to learn another language definitely look into this organization!