more on daily life...

as per request, since I tend to write about the more exciting things I do...

a regular work day for me might go something like this:
7:30 get up, eat b-fast, etc.
8:30 30 min. walk to bus stop (often listening to music and dodging dog-poop on the sidewalks...)
9:00 bus to pueblo: Alhendín. (I've realized that I kind of use this time as "quiet time" or thinking time. I am noticeably irritated when I meet one of the other teachers and have to make small talk at the bus stop and throughout the ride. It was the same in Goshen, actually, when I met people on the trolley on the way to Elkhart. It was fun seeing people, but I actually preferred to let my mind wander...)
9:30 first class or conversation. If it is a class, it can be with any grades (high school-ish age). If it is a conversation, its with a professor who is signed up to be in the bilingual program and next year will need to give classes in his subject area in English. At least to the incoming first years. At first I thought these conversations would be very hard to sustain throughout the year... an hour of conversation was difficult at first. They've become quite interesting, however, with some of the profs. Particularly with one who is very interested in flamenco music (and plays the cajon!) He is also very well educated and passionate about history, anthropology, archaeology, etc. So really, I've started getting free lectures on these topics, and he practises the vocab, etc. in English. Good deal. Also, I learned one of the flamenco 12 beat rhythms from him the other day, and practise it while I walk places... :) On Monday I took my menno hymn. book to show to the music teacher. He really liked it and we sang a few hymns in the teacher's lounge, much to the delight (and no doubt amusement) of some of the other teachers. So I've been getting to know the other teachers in the school better, and its quite enjoyable. (Particularly the very animated Lit. teacher who calls me the Brazilian Dancer... not sure why... and is in my Wednesday evening English class-- separate from normal school stuff.) Developing relationships with the students is somewhat harder. Since I only have each class once a week (there are 2 or 3 classes in every grade), I don't see them often. This is good, because my presence is still interesting to them (I think) but bad because it makes it harder to get to know them (and learn their names! which was one of my first goals... going slowly...) I have anywhere from 2-4 classes/conversations each day. Sometimes I have an hour in between (which usually consists of having a café with one or several other teachers in the school cafeteria).
12:30/1:30 bus back to Granada
1:30/2:30 lunch time
afternoon: if sunny, read a bit in park. If cold/cloudy, siesta.
later: go running. sometimes around the university, sometimes through various streets-- a fun way to explore the city. shower, then supper.
rest of the evening probably spent on the computer.

This is "normal" day, which doesn't often happen. That is to say, there is often something going on in the evening, or I go on a walk with a friend (like tonight...went "shopping" but only bought tea. dried mint, mmm!) Or, some random friend of a friend needs a place to say and I am hostess. Also, there are a few of us here in Granada who play ultimate (and surely more, if we find them) and we are trying to organize a team. Our main problem is the lack of proper fields. i.e. grass. most of the futbol fields are dirt or cement. hmm.. But, it sure would be nice to have a group of people to play with, and something other than running to get a good work-out. Every time I go by the futbol fields I want to play. But there are only guys playing. Seriously, never seen a girl/ girls' team. Which is not normally an obstacle for me, but there is the fact that I don't actually play futbol so much... It would be fun to learn, but these guys have teams and probably aren't too keen on teaching me.

Anyway, so my schedule is quite nice, really. And its only four days a week. I never work on Fridays. (I know, I know...enjoy it while it lasts!!)

The picture is the Sierra Nevadas all beautifully covered in snow. View from the train station, early evening/sunset.