Scene: I am seated behind a desk in a school office on a dreary Thursday. The day has been slow (Cue: tumbleweed rolling past the office door). A fourth grade girl comes into the office to call her parents and wait for them to come pick her up. She sits opposite me in one of the chairs in the office and kicks her legs back and forth. I tear myself away from the online article I'm reading on how to set up a Roth IRA.
Me: Are you having a good summer?
Fourth Grade Girl: Yeah.
Me: Do you have big plans? What are you doing?
FGG: Well, I'm going to NRH2O tomorrow with my friend. Then I'm going with my dad to Sea World and I'm going to stay with my grandparents for two weeks too.
Me: That's cool.
FGG: Yeah.
Me: Have you been to Sea World before? Are you going to ride the roller coasters?
FGG: Yeah.
Me: Awesome.
FGG: What are you doing for the summer?
Me: This. (Points to desk.) Work.
FGG: Oh.
Me: Yeah.
lunes, 25 de junio de 2007
martes, 19 de junio de 2007
Counting toilets.
Yep. That's what I did at work today. The Principal called....wait. Let me back up so you can get the full effect.
The Principal's wife is pregnant with their first child and could have the baby at any moment, she's ready to pop. He cancelled his interviews this afternoon to be with her and who knows if he'll come back tomorrow. So, I get a call this afternoon and it's The Principal's wife. And she sounds...panicky. Well, maybe not panicky, but like something is going on. So I think 'oh, man. She is having a baby and I am useless.' But to my surprise, she passes the phone and I'm talking with The Principal. And he asks me this: How many restrooms are in the school? I pause. Uhh...I have no idea. He senses my hesitation and asks me to go count the restrooms and he will call me back in five minutes.
So I get up from my desk and start searching the school. I note the four restroom doors pretty quickly, but then I panic. What if he wanted me count the actual number of stalls? Or toilets? And why does he need this information? So I hurriedly go back and go into every restroom counting stalls. And going into the boys' restrooms, I knock and announce my presence loudly even though I know the only other person in the school is the IT guy and I've already seen him sitting at his desk. But just to be safe. So I'm walking around the school, looking for hidden toilets, trying to remember how many urinals the boys' restrooms had and if those counted in the grand total and coming up with mnemonic devices to remember that the girls had one more stall and what exactly was the ratio of boys' stalls to urinals. I must have sounded like Woody Allen in Scoop (17 jet planes, 23 swinging midgets...). I neglected to bring a pen and paper with me. I didn't know that it would get this complex.
As soon as I get back to my desk, the phone rings. It's The Principal. "How many restrooms?" "Well, sir, are you wanting actual number of toilets or just uh..rooms?" I actually said that.
This is my job.
The Principal's wife is pregnant with their first child and could have the baby at any moment, she's ready to pop. He cancelled his interviews this afternoon to be with her and who knows if he'll come back tomorrow. So, I get a call this afternoon and it's The Principal's wife. And she sounds...panicky. Well, maybe not panicky, but like something is going on. So I think 'oh, man. She is having a baby and I am useless.' But to my surprise, she passes the phone and I'm talking with The Principal. And he asks me this: How many restrooms are in the school? I pause. Uhh...I have no idea. He senses my hesitation and asks me to go count the restrooms and he will call me back in five minutes.
So I get up from my desk and start searching the school. I note the four restroom doors pretty quickly, but then I panic. What if he wanted me count the actual number of stalls? Or toilets? And why does he need this information? So I hurriedly go back and go into every restroom counting stalls. And going into the boys' restrooms, I knock and announce my presence loudly even though I know the only other person in the school is the IT guy and I've already seen him sitting at his desk. But just to be safe. So I'm walking around the school, looking for hidden toilets, trying to remember how many urinals the boys' restrooms had and if those counted in the grand total and coming up with mnemonic devices to remember that the girls had one more stall and what exactly was the ratio of boys' stalls to urinals. I must have sounded like Woody Allen in Scoop (17 jet planes, 23 swinging midgets...). I neglected to bring a pen and paper with me. I didn't know that it would get this complex.
As soon as I get back to my desk, the phone rings. It's The Principal. "How many restrooms?" "Well, sir, are you wanting actual number of toilets or just uh..rooms?" I actually said that.
This is my job.
viernes, 15 de junio de 2007
Work.
I have decided to share with all of you the ever-increasing joys of my new job.
If you don't know or remember, I'm working at a school office for the summer. Most of the time it's just me and the principal in the school. He's interviewing for teachers for the fall right now, so sometimes the applicants will sit a minute in my office. I'm getting better at making small talk. You know things like "That rain's really coming down out there" or "Yes, this place really did used to be a Winn-Dixie" or my favorite, "Oh, the lights just do that" (More on that one later). Some people are really chatty and some people sit in a fidgety silence. Who enjoys a job interview? It' s pretty interesting being on this side of the interview, getting to see everyone who comes in, because for them, this is a nerve wracking, out-of-body experience and they will question everything they did or said as soon as they get in their car to leave in 20 minutes. (How I wish I was getting in my car to leave in 20 minutes.) But, me, I get to calmly observe their different behaviors and sometimes offer encouragement and distraction if they look like they need it. I think the principal is interviewing until the end of the month. Yay.
Amusing work anecdotes:
Anecdote 1: The lights in my office shut off every 10 minutes. They are motion activated and the sensor is by the door, so if no one comes in or out in 10 minutes then they just turn off. And I don't know how to keep them from doing this, so it happens often. So I'll just be sitting there, doing whatever, and boom, I'm in the dark. Most of the time, I don't even care that much to get back up and wave my arm around by the door so I just sit in the dark. It's funny if there's someone waiting to interview in here when it happens. People react differently to it. Looking around bewildered or just a raised eyebrow or just pretending like they weren't just plunged into darkness. So that's when I offer my line of "Oh, the lights just do that" and then go into the finer points of light-sensing mechanics. Quite stimulating. I feel it's a part of my job to reassure them that this is normal and no, they are not going crazy or experiencing a seizure of any kind.
Anecdote 2: Turkey. Turkish people. Everywhere. I have discovered that a lot of people from Turkey work at this school. The principal, vice principal, all the computer teachers and the IT guy. The IT guy is funny because he's so painfully shy and kind of won't talk to me. I don't know what that's about but oh well. So if you know anything about Turkey or Turkish customs, let me know.
Anecdote 3: My boss is strange. He's the principal. We have a serious breakdown in communication. Often. Take Wednesday for example. He had previously told me that he would not be in the office all of Wednesday so I was surprised to see him go into his office at 8:30 Wednesday morning. He came right back out, stopped by the front office (where I am) and told me that he would be at the school until 12. I repeated what he said back to him in the form of a question. "You will be here until 12?" I asked. "Yes," he replied. Then he went out the front door, got in his car and drove away. I did not see him for the rest of the day. What?!?!
I don't know about this job. Am I working for the Turkish mafia? Will I ever get paid? Why is the IT guy scared of me? These burning questions and more will soon be answered. Well, that pay check one better get answered.
If you don't know or remember, I'm working at a school office for the summer. Most of the time it's just me and the principal in the school. He's interviewing for teachers for the fall right now, so sometimes the applicants will sit a minute in my office. I'm getting better at making small talk. You know things like "That rain's really coming down out there" or "Yes, this place really did used to be a Winn-Dixie" or my favorite, "Oh, the lights just do that" (More on that one later). Some people are really chatty and some people sit in a fidgety silence. Who enjoys a job interview? It' s pretty interesting being on this side of the interview, getting to see everyone who comes in, because for them, this is a nerve wracking, out-of-body experience and they will question everything they did or said as soon as they get in their car to leave in 20 minutes. (How I wish I was getting in my car to leave in 20 minutes.) But, me, I get to calmly observe their different behaviors and sometimes offer encouragement and distraction if they look like they need it. I think the principal is interviewing until the end of the month. Yay.
Amusing work anecdotes:
Anecdote 1: The lights in my office shut off every 10 minutes. They are motion activated and the sensor is by the door, so if no one comes in or out in 10 minutes then they just turn off. And I don't know how to keep them from doing this, so it happens often. So I'll just be sitting there, doing whatever, and boom, I'm in the dark. Most of the time, I don't even care that much to get back up and wave my arm around by the door so I just sit in the dark. It's funny if there's someone waiting to interview in here when it happens. People react differently to it. Looking around bewildered or just a raised eyebrow or just pretending like they weren't just plunged into darkness. So that's when I offer my line of "Oh, the lights just do that" and then go into the finer points of light-sensing mechanics. Quite stimulating. I feel it's a part of my job to reassure them that this is normal and no, they are not going crazy or experiencing a seizure of any kind.
Anecdote 2: Turkey. Turkish people. Everywhere. I have discovered that a lot of people from Turkey work at this school. The principal, vice principal, all the computer teachers and the IT guy. The IT guy is funny because he's so painfully shy and kind of won't talk to me. I don't know what that's about but oh well. So if you know anything about Turkey or Turkish customs, let me know.
Anecdote 3: My boss is strange. He's the principal. We have a serious breakdown in communication. Often. Take Wednesday for example. He had previously told me that he would not be in the office all of Wednesday so I was surprised to see him go into his office at 8:30 Wednesday morning. He came right back out, stopped by the front office (where I am) and told me that he would be at the school until 12. I repeated what he said back to him in the form of a question. "You will be here until 12?" I asked. "Yes," he replied. Then he went out the front door, got in his car and drove away. I did not see him for the rest of the day. What?!?!
I don't know about this job. Am I working for the Turkish mafia? Will I ever get paid? Why is the IT guy scared of me? These burning questions and more will soon be answered. Well, that pay check one better get answered.
martes, 12 de junio de 2007
Beautiful Texas Sunshine
Howdy.
I'm sorry I didn't write anything for my last weeks in Madrid. I've been home for awhile now and I miss Spain tremendously. The people, the food, the accent, and of course the dog poo on the sidewalks. Ok, so I don't miss that last part as much it sounds. But things that got on my nerves in Madrid have now become endearing back in the comfort of my own home. As it is with most things, I suppose. That's how the 'good ol' days' become the 'good ol' days'. Everything seems sweeter when you're looking back on it.
My last days and hours in Madrid were filled to the brim. Trying to squeeze in one last coffee with a friend, buying last minute souvenirs, having one last...fill in the blank with everything, and trying to soak up all the Madrid-ness possible. I remember in the last few days I would try to physically stop and listen and smell and take note of what was happening around me. Try to remember the taste of a fresh cafe con leche or the way my friend would say "hombreeee...". I don't know how successful this memory-making attempt was but I hope some things stick.
It was incredibly sad leaving. Saying goodbye is something that I'm not too familiar with and it was harder than I expected to leave these friends behind. Because, when I thought about it, I've never really had to do that before. Friends from high school or college, I didn't really say a final goodbye because the possibility still exists that I would see them again. We still live relatively close, most of us, in the same country at least, and there's more of a chance you can run into them at Wal-Mart or a wedding or something. But saying goodbye to friends that in all likelihood, I might not ever see again, is a weird experience. I don't recommend it. I hope that I see some of my Spanish friends again and although I will try to stay in touch through emails and things, it probably won't ever be the same. And I guess that will have to be ok.
Being back home is good. And strange. And sometimes boring. But it is fantastic to see my friends and hang out "en plan tranquilo". Sometimes Spanish just fits better than English. Now, it's getting even better because we're past that initial hang out where you have to try and catch up on the last three months. Now we can just be normal. Or whatever that is. I'm moving into my new apartment next month and I am really excited. I just started this new job working at a school for the summer and it's depressingly boring. Most of the time it's just me alone in the school getting calls from parents with questions that I don't know the answer to and I hate not knowing what I'm doing. But I'm praying that it will get better.
Which, if anyone knows any good churches in the Haltom City/ Watauga area I would love to know. I'm in the market.
I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but if you are, thanks. Thanks for sticking around. Or maybe this is the first post you've ever read. And to you, I apologize for it being pretty uninteresting.
I'll keep you updated.
I'm sorry I didn't write anything for my last weeks in Madrid. I've been home for awhile now and I miss Spain tremendously. The people, the food, the accent, and of course the dog poo on the sidewalks. Ok, so I don't miss that last part as much it sounds. But things that got on my nerves in Madrid have now become endearing back in the comfort of my own home. As it is with most things, I suppose. That's how the 'good ol' days' become the 'good ol' days'. Everything seems sweeter when you're looking back on it.
My last days and hours in Madrid were filled to the brim. Trying to squeeze in one last coffee with a friend, buying last minute souvenirs, having one last...fill in the blank with everything, and trying to soak up all the Madrid-ness possible. I remember in the last few days I would try to physically stop and listen and smell and take note of what was happening around me. Try to remember the taste of a fresh cafe con leche or the way my friend would say "hombreeee...". I don't know how successful this memory-making attempt was but I hope some things stick.
It was incredibly sad leaving. Saying goodbye is something that I'm not too familiar with and it was harder than I expected to leave these friends behind. Because, when I thought about it, I've never really had to do that before. Friends from high school or college, I didn't really say a final goodbye because the possibility still exists that I would see them again. We still live relatively close, most of us, in the same country at least, and there's more of a chance you can run into them at Wal-Mart or a wedding or something. But saying goodbye to friends that in all likelihood, I might not ever see again, is a weird experience. I don't recommend it. I hope that I see some of my Spanish friends again and although I will try to stay in touch through emails and things, it probably won't ever be the same. And I guess that will have to be ok.
Being back home is good. And strange. And sometimes boring. But it is fantastic to see my friends and hang out "en plan tranquilo". Sometimes Spanish just fits better than English. Now, it's getting even better because we're past that initial hang out where you have to try and catch up on the last three months. Now we can just be normal. Or whatever that is. I'm moving into my new apartment next month and I am really excited. I just started this new job working at a school for the summer and it's depressingly boring. Most of the time it's just me alone in the school getting calls from parents with questions that I don't know the answer to and I hate not knowing what I'm doing. But I'm praying that it will get better.
Which, if anyone knows any good churches in the Haltom City/ Watauga area I would love to know. I'm in the market.
I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but if you are, thanks. Thanks for sticking around. Or maybe this is the first post you've ever read. And to you, I apologize for it being pretty uninteresting.
I'll keep you updated.
lunes, 30 de abril de 2007
Springtime in the City
Mom and I got back from Venice last night and then I dropped her off at the airport this morning. She's heading back to Texas and I'm heading back to bed. I'm exhausted! It was kind of a crazy week and a crazy weekend, but we had a great time. More on Venice coming soon.
Shannon just told me about this cool site - Splash Cast - and I've been creating some slideshows to post on the ol' blog here. Here's one with some pictures of stuff that's been happening here in Madrid: baseball game, bowling with friends, eating lunch on campus, and who knows what else. I hope you enjoy!
Shannon just told me about this cool site - Splash Cast - and I've been creating some slideshows to post on the ol' blog here. Here's one with some pictures of stuff that's been happening here in Madrid: baseball game, bowling with friends, eating lunch on campus, and who knows what else. I hope you enjoy!
viernes, 27 de abril de 2007
Shine or Rain
Earlier this week we had some of the best weather we've had all spring. High 70s and warm, it was great. Then Wednesday, the rain came. It cooled off quite a bit and I think it's supposed to rain into the better part of next week too. Bummer that my last bit of time left will be rainy, but hopefully it will clear up soon. Enough of the weather report...
So Mom got into Madrid on Sunday and I've been running her all over town ever since. She's been seeing everything Madrid has to offer and she even took some side trips to Segovia and El Escorial. I think she's having fun; I hope she is! This afternoon we are leaving for Venice for the weekend and I am really excited about that. I keep kind of forgetting that we're actually going because I've been so busy the past few weeks but I'm looking forward to a good weekend.
Last Saturday's baseball game was a ton of fun. We had a lot of Spanish friends come out for the picnic and game and I think they really enjoyed it. The food was great and we had a lot leftover. It was fun trying to explain the rules of baseball to them because there are so many rules that you don't think about people not already knowing them. Like when you have to stand on the base and when you can run through the base. And who to throw the ball to. It was fun. We also taught them "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during our 7th inning stretch and popcorn break. We didn't really play 7 innings, but you know. After the game, we went to Jan's and had coke floats and some people watched The Sandlot. A classic for our generation, but slightly hard to translate to Spaniards. Americans are just weird sometimes.
So this week has been pretty crazy and I'm starting to say goodbye to some of my friends and having some of our last meetings. Our director, Jan, had a little goodbye party for us interns and she made us hamburgers and milkshakes and it was delicious. I had a pickle for the first time in months and I was ecstatic. So I have about a week and a half left now and I'm trying to fit everything in. A few things left in Madrid that I want to see and of course hanging out with friends 'one last time'. I've been having a lot of 'one last times' recently and that's been pretty sad. Or sentimental really.
Well, I have to go pack my suitcase because we're leaving in a few hours and I've packed nothing. Have a great weekend everyone! Love you.
So Mom got into Madrid on Sunday and I've been running her all over town ever since. She's been seeing everything Madrid has to offer and she even took some side trips to Segovia and El Escorial. I think she's having fun; I hope she is! This afternoon we are leaving for Venice for the weekend and I am really excited about that. I keep kind of forgetting that we're actually going because I've been so busy the past few weeks but I'm looking forward to a good weekend.
Last Saturday's baseball game was a ton of fun. We had a lot of Spanish friends come out for the picnic and game and I think they really enjoyed it. The food was great and we had a lot leftover. It was fun trying to explain the rules of baseball to them because there are so many rules that you don't think about people not already knowing them. Like when you have to stand on the base and when you can run through the base. And who to throw the ball to. It was fun. We also taught them "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during our 7th inning stretch and popcorn break. We didn't really play 7 innings, but you know. After the game, we went to Jan's and had coke floats and some people watched The Sandlot. A classic for our generation, but slightly hard to translate to Spaniards. Americans are just weird sometimes.So this week has been pretty crazy and I'm starting to say goodbye to some of my friends and having some of our last meetings. Our director, Jan, had a little goodbye party for us interns and she made us hamburgers and milkshakes and it was delicious. I had a pickle for the first time in months and I was ecstatic. So I have about a week and a half left now and I'm trying to fit everything in. A few things left in Madrid that I want to see and of course hanging out with friends 'one last time'. I've been having a lot of 'one last times' recently and that's been pretty sad. Or sentimental really.
Well, I have to go pack my suitcase because we're leaving in a few hours and I've packed nothing. Have a great weekend everyone! Love you.
jueves, 19 de abril de 2007
The time is flying...
So only three weeks left here in sunny, beautiful Spain. Hard to believe.
This week we have a volunteer team in Madrid hanging out with us and helping us with some of our events this week. They are a crazy bunch of ladies from Tennessee that have serious southern accents. I love it. Everything they say just cracks me up. It's been too long since I've heard that deep south talkin'.
Monday we had another baking day where we invited our Spanish friends over and this time we taught them how to make chocolate chip cookies. It was a lot of fun and we had a bunch of people show up. Even my roommate and some of her friends came which was exciting and they are just hilarious so I was glad they came. Since they are hard to come by here, we sent all the Spaniards home with some chocolate chips and brown sugar so they could attempt to make the cookies on their own at home. Tomorrow, Friday, we're having another baking day but in this one, the Spaniards are teaching us how to make tortilla espanola! I'm excited about this. I think they'll get a kick out of it too.
This Saturday is our big event for the semester...a picnic and baseball game! We're going to have the all-American picnic foods: hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, apple pie, popcorn. And then we're going to teach our Spanish friends how to play baseball and maybe some ultimate frisbee. I can't wait! I think it's going to be hilarious to see all of us play, or attempt to play, I should say. Everyone's pretty excited about this week, so pray that people actually show up! We're thinking around 30 or 40 but you can't really tell.
And then...Mom comes on Sunday! That should be pretty exciting. We are going to Venice not this weekend, but the next and I'm really excited about that. Yay!
This week we have a volunteer team in Madrid hanging out with us and helping us with some of our events this week. They are a crazy bunch of ladies from Tennessee that have serious southern accents. I love it. Everything they say just cracks me up. It's been too long since I've heard that deep south talkin'.
Monday we had another baking day where we invited our Spanish friends over and this time we taught them how to make chocolate chip cookies. It was a lot of fun and we had a bunch of people show up. Even my roommate and some of her friends came which was exciting and they are just hilarious so I was glad they came. Since they are hard to come by here, we sent all the Spaniards home with some chocolate chips and brown sugar so they could attempt to make the cookies on their own at home. Tomorrow, Friday, we're having another baking day but in this one, the Spaniards are teaching us how to make tortilla espanola! I'm excited about this. I think they'll get a kick out of it too.
This Saturday is our big event for the semester...a picnic and baseball game! We're going to have the all-American picnic foods: hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, apple pie, popcorn. And then we're going to teach our Spanish friends how to play baseball and maybe some ultimate frisbee. I can't wait! I think it's going to be hilarious to see all of us play, or attempt to play, I should say. Everyone's pretty excited about this week, so pray that people actually show up! We're thinking around 30 or 40 but you can't really tell.
And then...Mom comes on Sunday! That should be pretty exciting. We are going to Venice not this weekend, but the next and I'm really excited about that. Yay!
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