Son Sueñossss

November 22, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Some people say that dreaming in a foreign language is a sign of fluency. I’ve yet to dream in Spanish, and I consider myself pretty proficient in it.

I was half asleep on Saturday evening watching a documentary on China on TV. I pretty much came out of a coma to start talking about Beijing and gymnastics and my trip in February.

Kike just laughed and said, “Pretty amazing you’re awake and commenting on the program, when two minutes ago you were sobada and muttering, pero ninaaaa donde estan tus clips? in your sleep.

Turns out I AM dreaming in Spanish! I don’t care if I was asking someone where her hairclips or paperclips or TV clips were. A milestone is a milestone.

Filed Under: languages, Spanish Language ·

Vejer de la Frontera

November 15, 2009 by · 2 Comments

The only giveaway to the pueblo blanco nestled on the crest was the white barricade snaking around the hill.

“Did you know that this town has one of the highest suicide rates in all of Spain?” Kike asked as we climbed. “They say the wind drives you mad.”
Nice introduction.

As part of our agreement, I would go to the base with him on Saturday to do nothing more than watch TV and sleep if he took me somewhere on Sunday. I chose Vejer de la Frontera, one of the oldest white villages along the Cadíz coast. Sitting at about 150km from Sevilla, it was a two-hour drive from Morón to Sevilla and down to Vejer.
As the village sits in between two twin peaks just six miles from the Atlantic, but it remains hidden until you drive around the very last curve in the highway. After a barrage of advertisements of rural apartments and supermarkets, it sits quiet upon entering the Plaza de España. The whole village is white, save for the iron gates on windows and doors and the multitude of flowers covering doorways and slinking up walls.
But Kike was right – despite the beautiful views of Cabo del Trafalgar and the picturesque white walls, the old Moorish castle and ramparts and the quiet still of a Sunday afternoon, it was easy to see that anyone could go crazy here. There isn´t much to the village. The streets were dead. We even saw a funeral procession of about 15 people. And the wind was piercingly cold, exacerbated by our sweaty bodies from climbing up and down do many alleyways (and all of the streets in this town seemed to be called Callejón de something).
So we climbed down towards the coast, passing through Barbate and onto Zahara de los Atunes, one of Kike´s favorite beaches. We stopped at a chiringuito to eat atún a la plancha, puntillitas, and calamares with our feet in the sand, watching the Germans in swimsuits (it was about 60 degrees, mind you). “Esto sí que es vida,” Kike commented.

The wind in Vejer may kill you, but the tuna from Trafalgar can bring you back to life.

Filed Under: Andalucia, Andalusia Tourism · Tagged: , ,

Career Direction? ANDA YA!

November 5, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

This week, I taught my children the words: Muttonchops, FML and bullshit.

Maybe it’s time to rethink my career choices…

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Filed Under: Auxiliar Program, Auxiliares Norteamericanos, teach abroad, TEFL ·