My university classes are going really well. Last week I had to administer a "boring" lesson that involved me talking a lot about uninteresting topics (in my opinion) like: "How long is one lap around an athletics track?" This week, however, Craig and I developed a lesson that entailed a personal quiz about being a "Fitness Fanatic" or a "Couch Potato." (They absolutely loved that expression.) Then we also created an activity for which the students walked around the class to ask each other questions. I think that was pretty successful considering that it was for a conversation class. Unlike a lot of activities in the book, this exercise got students talking to one another. Plus it entailed a "winner." It's amazing how motivated the Spanish are when a competition is involved, especially when you wave a piece of chocolate in front of them.
I started my private classes with two five-year-olds and a four-year-old. I told my boyfriend Adam that he needs to watch out...I'm falling in love with these three Spanish boys. They are adorable with their big brown eyes filled with excitement as they show off their drawings and Silly Bands. (Silly Bands, by the way, are now my tool to motivate them. For only 70 cents I purchased an invaluable bag of teaching gold. They each get one band at the end of the lesson if they're good.) I also tutor an eight-year-old for 30 minutes two houses down. He's always eager to tell me the English words he's learning in school. Next week we're going to simulate shopping for school supplies. He's pretty excited.
These clases are all on the campus of Espinardo (my Spanish Evansdale campus outside of downtown), so I just walk straight to my university classes from there.
As well as tutoring the four chicos, I also started tutoring the fifteen-year-old boy "Andy." He and I bonded pretty quickly when I asked him what he likes to do in his spare time and he pulled out Call of Duty: Black Ops. He told me the only reason he's learning English is because he has to pass a big course at the end of the year, and his parents are making him receive our private lessons. I'm hoping to make the classes interesting for him by taking the last 15 minutes of each class to teach him "COD/PS3" lingo. I'm also thinking about Skyping in my brother and cousin so that he is forced to speak English (he knows I understand some Spanish, so he ends up responding in Spanish. I want him to be in a situation where he can't resort to Spanish). I think I'm really going to enjoy our lessons.
I also received an inquiry yesterday to administer classes to two thirteen-year-old boys. But the parents don't want a formal class. They just want me to hang out and practice speaking with them. I really hope they have a PS3 too.
I'm telling you, if you are looking for a summer or retirement job, move to Spain, stand in the center of a city on a pedestal with a microphone, and start speaking English. Immediately people will flock to you waving their phone numbers begging for you to teach their children. It's good pay, tax-free and in Euros.
There is one catch to that...legalizing your residency.
Which is what I'm having a little trouble with. I went to the Extranjería (Foreigner's Office) last Friday to receive my foreigner's ID number, which I need in order to be paid. Luckily Kat went with me because I hear things can get a little chaotic--plenty of pushing in a line that goes out the door and police officers herding everyone through a crowded room. Fortunately it was quite tame that morning; but unfortunately I was lacking a document to receive my number--a letter from the university. Hmm...haven't I been in this position before?
Long story short--I had to go to the university a couple different times in order to explain the situation and convince the receptionist to give me the letter. Then I couldn't get another appointment at the Extranjería for another two weeks. I go on Friday. Hopefully I'll have a more successful visit.
Later that same evening I made dinner for Craig and Maria to thank them for helping me get adjusted to Murcia (they've invited me to parties, taken me to the mall, met me for coffee/lunch...I'm practically their adopted American daughter). So I made a meal that was pretty good, if I write so myself. I made pork chops in a wine/thyme mixture with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers--all served with rice. To go with it, we had fresh bread, cheese, and local wine. I also served "Ashley's Salad."
Now, I've been receiving requests to post Spanish recipes on this blog. And I thought I would be able to do this right away. But I'm finding that simply because I go to a Spanish market, purchase Spanish products, and cook in a Spanish kitchen doesn't mean I'm going to magically concoct a Spanish meal. I've concluded that I'm going to purchase a Spanish cookbook (in Spanish) and start experimenting. But until I get around to doing that, I'll post "Ashley's Salad" recipe, which resulted from a lack of food in the fridge but is still pretty good. And I have to admit that it's not very Spanish. As a matter of fact, it's Greek inspired. I also cook without measuring, so you may have to figure out the measurements as you go.
Ashley's Salad
Ingredients:
~1 Zucchini
~3/4 of an Eggplant
~1 clove of garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water
~1/2 c. Yogurt (Greek yogurt, such as Fage or Oikos, is best)
Dried dill
Fresh lemon juice
(If you don't like one or any of these ingredients, I would suggest you move on to Julia's salad, Rachel's salad, Martha's salad, etc. Not that I'm seriously comparing myself to any of these women.)
Dice about one zucchini and about 3/4 of an eggplant (just until they're of equal proportions). Also mince or dice garlic. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and garlic into a frying pan with olive oil (just enough so the base of the pan in coated). Salt and pepper to taste. Add enough water to allow the vegetables to eventually simmer. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are cooked.
Once vegetables are cooked, mix in yogurt, dill (to taste), and lemon juice (to taste) and allow to simmer for 1 more minute. Remove from heat (go ahead and turn of the burner too...they always forget to tell you that). You should get something like this:
Allow to cool, then transfer into bowl. Set in fridge to cool 1-2 hours.
Enjoy.
Here are more pictures from cooking that day. I quite enjoyed it (<-- I'm apparently picking up British as well).
We had a nice quiet dinner and finished it off with some wine and chocolate truffles.
The rest of the weekend consisted of meeting up with friends and enjoying good food. On Saturday I met up with Craig, Maria, and two of Maria's friend to attend an art festival, Manifesta 8. This festival is held biennially in various cities throughout Europe. This year it's in Murcia. We went to the old Murcia post office, which has been essentially transformed into a giant art exhibit yet preserved as an abandoned building. (See pictures below to make up for the inadequacies of my explanation.) We also went out for lunch.
Later that evening I met up with Kat and we went shopping down Gran Vía (the main street here) and met up with Medhi for dinner. Thanks to Kat's good selection, we went to my first official favorite restaurant here in Murcia El Chaflán. Kat and I love the vegetables served with apples, boiled potatoes with a garlic sauce, and fresh goat's cheese. It's a long story but I ended up going back to their place to bum Internet for a couple of hours and ended up sleeping in my old room there, since their roommate was gone again. They next morning we went out for coffee and breakfast, and then I went home for a long nap.
When I finally woke up, I met Craig and Maria and we walked down to the river to attend an play, but the tickets were sold out. Instead we wondered around through another portion of the art festival. Craig and I are quite the art critics. We made remarks such as, "What's the point of this?" and "This is just rubbish." We ended up seeing a foreign movie dubbed in Spanish.
A very good week.
And now the promised pictures:
1 comment:
You can make the salad when I come visit...key work being "when".
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