More pictures.

These are some more pictures of the area surrounding where I live. It really is beautiful.

Pictures, an explanation

So I've come to the realization that I'm not disciplined enough to keep up a blog.
Laziness + unreliable internet access = no posts.
I'll try and fix this, but as things stand now, this is truth.

I arrived in Spain, in Madrid on the 11th of September, spent the night there, and left Saturday morning for San Leonardo de Yague, Soria. The pictures in the post below are from the town where I'm currently staying.

Well, what can I say? It has been a pretty good experience so far. I spent the first three days here in a hostel, met a really nice girl who became my roommate, and have been settled, relatively, ever since. The apartment has 4 bedrooms, and two bathrooms, so we each get two bedrooms and our own bathroom. Pretty sweet! The only downside is that I don't have internet at home.

Anyway, I moved in and since then, my roommate and I have been communicating with each other in Spanglish or Espanglish as she says. I'm crossing my fingers that by the end of my term here, my Spanish would have vastly improved.

I started "working" on the 15th of September and so far, so good. The kids are pretty cool and even though most don't speak much English, they seem fairly eager to learn. I was kind of taken aback when I met some of them because I didn't know that high school in Spain started at 11 or 12. Thus, I walked into class and had about a dozen pre-teen eyes peering at me. Cute. It's been a looooong time since I was a pre-teen or even a teenager for that matter (I'm not trying to give away my age), so I had forgotten what kids like to do. Here, they like to ride their bikes around town, hang out with their friends, and visit the ruins of a castle that lie just beyond the pueblo. Their childhood kind of seems like the kind that you read about in storybooks, very innocent and fun. I've probably judged it to simplistically but time will tell.

Anyway, that's all I can think of at the moment. Will write more later.

Finally pictures

And all is right with the world

I finally got an internet connection. Ahh, small town Spain. Pix to come.

PS: I like it here.

This is where I'll be

supposedly.

It's quite small, but authentically Spanish my friend tells me.

Like a rolling stone...

I hope that it's not too soon to declare that everything works out in the end.

Earlier this year, I had applied for two summer internships abroad. Both were offered by AVSI, an Italian NGO committed to development work in developing countries. One internship was in Nairobi, Kenya, the other, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Well, I ended up getting the internship to work with DIJO in Oaxaca, and I was all set to go until swine flu hit. I wasn't afraid, but my parents nipped those plans in the bud. I was bummed. I really enjoyed Mexico the last time I was there. I found the people to be friendly and the locales that I visited, beautiful. Though this wasn't the main reason I was disappointed. I was really excited to work with the children at the internship. I was certain that it was going to be a great experience.

But it didn't work out.

Around the same time, I applied for a teaching job in Spain. I didn't get it at first, but late in June, I was offered a position. Pretty sweet! And so the ball was put in motion for my move to Spain. As I went through the paper work for the program, specifically getting medical clearance, I couldn't help but think how much more difficult things would have been had I actually gone to Mexico this summer. I really tried to convince my parents to let me go, and I suppose I can now say, luckily to no avail.

And so now I can continue with my plans to be a rolling stone. My (pipe) dream for the next few years is to travel from place to place. What I will do in each new place, heaven only knows. Will this dream materialize? If God wills it.