High ho, high ho, It´s off to work I go!

This may be the last post for a while, as I don´t know the internet café availability in Los Narejos, where the camp is, on the coast. So savour my silky words while they are fresh.

So, I wrote last after I returned to Madrid and had lunch with Julian, on Friday June 27. That afternoon I spent an extremely annoying hour and a half looking for the mail boxes, etc. location I had found online to send my package to my mother. No dice, so I came back to my hostel and found a DHL, where they told me it would cost €72 to send it to my mom! What the crap!?!? It is not heavy or large at all, it is just long, so I said no and left. Maybe I will have to keep carting it around. I am going to check with UPS and FedEx to see if I can find something better. (cheaper)

Okay, so after that ridiculous errand, I had my first meeting with my director and the other staff of the camp. We are as follows, myself and Ali, the two Canadian counsellors, both from the U of Guelph. Andrea is one of the English teachers and is from Holland. She is probably one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my entire life. Tall, blond, high cheek bones, blue eyes, thin... and exceptionally modest. She is very funny and polite and I think the children will love her. She worked at a similar camp in Italy last year and has such funny stories from it:

"I told the children to sit on the ground to start their English lesson and this one girl looks at me and says ´These are Prada jeans, I am not sitting on the ground´ So I said 'Fine, you can stand.' " -Andrea

The other English teahcer is Gillian, a German born, American citizen, who grew up in Germany, but went to university in Nashville. She is very funny, and loves potatoes with hot sauce.

Next, the Spanish contingent: Patricia, Mária and José. Patricia is our director, and I think is only maybe 21 or so. She is nervous right now, but she has a quiet confidence and I think she will be a good leader. Next, Mária, who will be my partner in crime for the arts and crafts activities. She is very, very funny and we are going to run an hour and a half arts and crafts session together everyday. We picked our favourite lessons from our two lesson plans and are going to have a lot of fun making paper maché piñatas, chocolate cake, tye dyed t-shirts, hemp necklaces and dream catchers. Finally, José is Ali´s partner in the dance/theatre/sports workshops. José is very, very funny and dramatic, his sense of humour reminds me of my other male Spanish friends, very cheeky. They have the same schedule as Mária and I, and the children will rotate between us day to day.

The camp schedule for this camp is a lot less work than at the last camp I worked at because the children have an hour of pool time every day and a hour or two of sailing as well. This more time just monitoring them and less time instructing and leading activities. Plus, they spend half the day doing English classes, so all the Canadian and Spanish counsellors are responsible to lead is our workshops (described above) and the before-bed activity. We are having a bit of a fight right now because, there is a concept at the company that runs the camps that having the children run around and scream before bed is good, because it tires them out. Unfortunately, in myself and Ali´s camp experience, a more relaxed activity to calm them down and send them to bed usually works better, as night time sports just get them revved up.... So, we´ll see how it goes... we have agreed to try both and see which works best, a scientific approach which sits well with me.

After all the planning, Ali and I returned to 'Las Tablas' the flamenco club in Madrid which I went to with my parents two years ago. It was incredible, once again, both the dance and the sangria. No Mom, Nacho is not still there, but another excellent male dancer is. After the show, we walked Ali home, and Julian and I went for a couple copas de vino at some cafés near by. He walked me back to my hostel, where I managed to get to bed without bothering anyone too much.

This morning Saturday, June 28, 2008, Ali and I grabbed a quick breakfast before heading over for more planning sessions. We were there for about two and a half hours when we all went for a very fun, very typically Spanish lunch. Even just in the last 24 hours, the team has begun to come together very well. After that I passed out in my room for about 5 hours, then had a Shwarma and came here to write this. I had better jet now though, we have to leave the hostel at 6:30 to catch the 8am bus. We get the kids tomorrow night between 5-7 and are just going to eat dinner and watch the big football game, I am hoping Spain wins, because it would be fun... but I am not looking forward to crazy excited children who don´t want to sleep....

So I suppose I´ll be happy and sad either way,

K-camp-craft-girl

Back in Madrid

Hello hello!

I only have 11 minutes, because I spent my most of my internet time looking for the closest UPS location to mail my mother a rather cumersome gift I bought her and no longer want to lug around.

Day 7: Thursday, June 26, 2008 - afternoon.

Walked up to the Monastery, got there about 4:40, waited for twenty minutes until the guided tour started. My Spanish is really coming along, the entire tour was in Spanish and I understood most of it. Fascinating building, built on top of a small mountain, in some places inside, there are rocks jutting out of the walls where they were just built up around it. Apparently the building was used as a prison during the Spanish civil war, so there are places where the walls have been carved into or damaged.

After the monastery, I walked the 4km from the monastery, then through the town of el puig, through the industrial area and finally to the beach! My first time in the Meditteranean, it was warm like bath water. Unfortunately there was also a whole lot of seaweed floaties and a few plastic bags so I only went in up to my waist, then I just walked along the beach with my feet in the water. Lovely! I discovered the was a bus, so I took that back to my hotel, showered, and watch the football with very excited locals. Spain beat Russia and advanced to the final in the EuroCup against Germany. The match is this Sunday and if Spain wins people are gonna freak out.

I caught my train this morning in Valencia at 6:50 and made it for lunch with Julian. I also met up with Ali and tonight I start work.

I will write again soon,

K-you-think-up-something-clever

Voy a la Playa: El Puig

Day 7: Thursday, June 26, 2008.

It is beach day at last! I made the trek from downtown Valencia, up to El Puig, a small beach suburb, north of the city on the coast. Though I made it to the metro with no problems, my notion that there would be available taxis once I got here was ill-conceived. After waiting for about 20 minutes to see if one might come by, I called three taxi companies in Valencia that I knew the number of. Two said it was too far out of the city, and one said someone was coming in 15 minutes. 40 minutes later, I called my hotel to see if they could help me, and alas, they gave me the number for the in-town taxi service. 5 minutes later, someone in a sedan arrived at the subway station in an unmarked sedan and honked and pointed at me. Apparently this was the taxi. It seemed a little sketch, but it was about a million degrees and I had called a taxi... I got into this possibly unlicensed taxi and he gave me his card, apparently this is the sole taxi in this little town. He dropped me off at my hotel safely and was prompt, so all in all, excellent service, but maybe he could get a sign?

I have just had lunch and I am going to go see the monastery then go lie on the beach for several hours. I´ll let you know how that goes later, and post that photo of St.Vincent´s arm in its little glass box (that is actually the reliquary, the arm is the relic). Unfortunately I opted not to pack my giant beach hat, so I´ll have to figure out something else.

Chau
K-bonita (say it out loud, it sounds like "que bonita" translation = "how beautiful", nice)

Valencia to the Max

As the internet is free here, and I like to chill out at the end of the day before dinner, I am here to give you an update:

Day 6: Wednesday, June 25, 2008.

Well, I didn´t exactly hit the morning with a bang like I was hoping, but it mattered not, as I managed to pack in one heck of a day! I woke up at 10:45, then scurried into the kitchen at the hostel to get the last of what was available for breakfast. After toast and cereal, I got dressed and headed out for my day.

First stop - the market. Apparently, the Valencia market has been the largest of its kind in Europe since the 30´s when it was built. I wandered around and had memories of the markets in Barcelona we visited two years ago. Every animal part imaginable on display, and sometimes, disturbingly posed. Though tempting, I passed up the oportunity to buy these facinating meat products and instead got a huge container of figs. (Which I plan to eat while watching a DVD later) Quick coffee and fresh orange juice (Valencia, remember?) and off I go again.

There used to be a river surrounding Valencia, but in 1957 it flooded and Valencia was trapped in 2m of water. There were many deaths, and it was considered a diaster, so, the city elected to divert the river, and dry the river bed. It has since been converted into a park with bicycle paths and gardens. Thinking about Chand´s words yesterday, I walked from the market through the park and to the art museum.

At the Museo De Bellas Artes, lots and lots and lots of religious paintings, I know it is Spain, but this museum was like 75% Christian paintings and 25% other stuff. Some very interesting pieces. Also, I got yelled at by a security guard, but I am not sure for what. I think because I was carrying an empty water bottle. I am not sure if she thought I was going to damage the paintings with my bottle of air, but I put it in my bag any how.

I took a stroll through the royal gardens and was almost approached by another weirdo, but I said "No hablo" and ran away. I am learning as I go, Spain (and apparently France too) is swarming with North African men between the ages of 18ish-40ish who are not really gainfully employed, and are interested in harassing tourists for money, or companisonship, etc. During the day they are in parks, and at night, many of them sell do-dads. I hate to say it, but I am coming to understand why European countries are having such immigration issues, as there isn´t exactly a smooth integration into society. I am not sure why. Thoughts?

After escaping the park, and learning to stay in areas where there are Spaniards and other tourists, I headed to El Ciudad Des Artes y Ciencoas, which is the Valencia Science Centre, Art Museum, Aquarium and archetectural marvel all in one. I only did the Science Centre part. I was incredibly impressed by the architecture and not much else. Not all of the exhibits were translated, and though I love science, the dumming down of science into little displays does not interest me. Wooo magnets! As well, stuff like that is generally more fun if you are with people. I did get to see a nobel prize for medicine, which was pretty cool.

I hopped in a cab, and got to the Santa Iglesia Catedral de Valencia, right at 6:30pm, when it has free entry. I actually saw my first reliquary in the flesh. lol. St. Vincent´s arm, pretty gross. Also I saw some bones, though I am not entirely sure to whom they belong. Next I walked up the 207 very steep stairs of El Miguelete (the bell tower of the cathedral) and almost had a small episode of angina pectoris at the top. The view was worth it, and the thought that now I could have a little more tapas once I came down. Side note, the khaki capris that didn´t fit when I left, fit once again - so I will continue to take the stairs.

When I descended from the tower, I purchased my fake wedding ring to wear while I am out and about, though I need to go to a dollar store to get the engagement ring to go with it. (What good is a farce if it isn´t convincing?) I will look for something pointy so that I can use it as Jay suggests, if need be. Why didn´t I bring my bear spray to Spain with me?

Then I came back, bathed, did some laundry (notably my horrenously stinky black capris - the designated travelling pants), and wrote this blog. Now to get a donair, pop in a DVD, and eat those figs!

Talk to you soon fralkers! and falkers! (family)

K-block-tica-toc

Photos

For those of you who don´t have facebook, or who simply aren´t blessed enough to be on my friends list, you can click on the links below to see the photos that go with my tall tales.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123547&l=5c871&id=827495345

Also, interestingly, I spoke with Jay this evening and he suggested that if the wedding ring didn´t work to ward off the men, if it is large, at least I could hit them with it. What a guy.

K-to-the-t-to-the-e

p.s. my ears are itchy, and I am making that annoying sound I make, just thought you should know

More Strange Men and Cuenca

Hello all with nothing better to do!

It is I, your fearless adventurer! Currently writing you from my lovely hostel in Valencia. Let us waste no time and begin where we left off.

Day 3: Ended with me returning to my hostel and sleeping maybe one hour the entire night. My anxiety has been a little piqued since I arrived, probably just from being here on my own, the strange man in the park incident didn´t do much to assist that either. After my lack of sleep I got up and began the very, very sweaty:

Day 4: Monday, June 23, 2008.

Off to Cuenca! Holy crap and a half. I packed up my things and headed off to the bus station. I elected to walk about a kilometer to the metro station "Principio Pio" because it was on the line that the bus station was on (supposedly) and walking seemed easier than changing lines half-way along. So, off I go, and I find the station okay, get on the correct subway, and after about 13 stops arrive at the metro station, up the stairs and into the BLAZING heat of the street. I see a map and a sign that indicate that the bus station is just on the other side of the round-about. I walk over, but alas, I do not see an entrace, so I walk around the side, then keep walking, then some more, then.... well it had been 15 minutes and I had now made it entirely around this HUGE building. (Think about it, it took me 15 minutes to walk around it) I am now sweaty and smelly and pissed off, I see some girls also carrying luggage and I elect to ask them if they know where the station is. They tell me they have just been informed that the station has closed.

AWESOME.

We exchange names (I don´t remember them) and they tell me that they are Turkish girls travelling to Salamanca for a Spanish course. We find out where the next closest station is and get back into the Metro. (travelling in subways with luggage is officially my least favourite part of the trip). Luckily, it is only two stops away on the same line we are on. We get off, find the station and all is well. I reassure the girls, who speak better Spanish than me, that I will be just fine on my own and that we can now part ways. I buy my ticket and get to sit for a blissful two hours out of the heat, in the station. I proceed to drink 2L of water, which turns out not to be such a hot idea for the bus trip.

On the bus, I meet another Kate, this one is from Indiana and has been living in Chuenca for 6.5 years with her husband, who she met in Spain while hiking. How Macedonian am I? The first thing I thought when she told me this was "Your family must have been crushed", I did not say this, however, and within the conversation she informed me that she travels back there every few months.

Successful arrival in Cuenca, and because of my harrowing journey in the morning, I elected to take a taxi from the bus station to my hostel. A whopping €8, but it is well worth it. I arrive at El Posado De San José, and can´t believe how beautiful it is. Seriously, just wonderful. There will be photos on facebook soon, so you can see for yourself. I drop my stuff and almost run to the Cathedral with is closing in less than one hour and wont be open in time tomorrow. Again, stunning, and my first Spanish encounter with reliquaries (sp?): for those of you who don´t know, because I didn´t, these are the body parts of Saints. Maybe some blood, or a finger, or a whole hand or leg. Apparently they are good luck (Catholics are not supposed to be superstitious...) though Michael informs me that when they were popular they were just a cash grab (I think that is as true today - to bring tourists). Mercifully, you cannot actually see the items, unless it is just a vial of fluid.

After seeing the Cathedral and the massive gorges of Cuenca, which I think are GORGEOUS (get it? lol) I went and took a much needed shower and had dinner. After a lot of fried food and ham, I went to bed to sleep for a blissful 12 hours.

Day 5: (Today) Tuesday June, 24, 2008.

I decided to sleep in a little, then go down for my buffet breakfast. Mmmmm, and I encounter even more stunning views of the gorges from the restaurant and go to pack up my stuff.

I did not leave ample time though and get to the train station to watch my train pulling away. Poop!

I go to a café for a couple hours and board the next train, which of course, is late by 15 minutes. (Because my original train was right on-time). I get on board and am enjoying myself and the view, when about an hour into the trip an Indian boy approaches me and asks me if I would like some water, apparently this is how you break the ice in Spain. He informs me that his name is Chand (which means "moon") and that he lives in Barcelona, where he is travelling to with his cousins, after a visit to his uncle´s house in Cuenca. After this, Chand is by my side until the metro stop in Valencia.

Chand is very nice, and very eager to learn English. Our conversation is a little awkward as there is a language barrier and he is a strange boy on a train. (I say boy, but he is 21, he is a boy to me.) Possibly because he is younger, or because he is with his counsins, I am no where near creeped out like I was with random park man. We talk about Valencia and travelling and language, and within the conversation there are some odd moments:
1. A point where he tells me that I am beautiful, friendly and very intelligent, but that I am kinda fat and maybe I should go for walks or to the gym. I am not entirely sure if that is what he meant to say, so I don´t take offence, or really pay it any mind. I felt like saying, "yeah I know, but what business is it of yours?"
2. Another point where I mention to him about Spanish children wearing too much Axe, where he branishes his Axe from his bag and proceeds to spray his armits, and then mine. Then taking out his cologne and spraying the both of us, yet again. Again, I could be offended, but truth be told, I probably did stink.

At the end of our train ride he insists on buying me a lemon fanta at a café and his cousins tell me about their love for Cricket. I show them pictures from home and they are impressed that I have an indian friend, and Chand tells me that he thinks Jason is very beautiful.

We get on the subway, then part ways and I arrive here at my hostel in Valencia. It is wonderful, has this computer I can use for free, a kitchen, a tv with DVDs and huge rooms.

Photos later, now I am off to eat dinner.

K-Tackla

Real Friends!

Day 3: Sunday June 22, 2008.

I have been sleeping a whole heck of a lot. Way too much actually. Today instead of going to El Rastro (the huge Sunday market) I slept until 2pm. I elected to then go to El Parque Del Buen Retiro to check it out. This is where the "wedding band" post occured. I am actually kind of pissed now that the relief has worn off, because I didn´t get to see anywhere near as much of the park as I had wanted because I was too busy trying to ditch that guy. And once I did ditch him I didn´t want to re-enter the park, lest I should run into him again.

So I went back to my hostel and bathed and translated my cell phone instruction manual before heading out for tapas. At El Tigre, the tapas bar I tried to go to yesterday but was too full I met some American and Australian friends and proceeded to drink way too much sangria. We went to another bar to watch the soccer, where Spain won and entered the semi-finals. When we seperated and I walked home, (well, here) Gran Via was like Yonge Street when the leafs get into, or win anything in the playoffs, pretty exciting.

Tomorrow, Cuenca! Adios Madrid - at least for a few days.

K-Rock

Time to Buy a Wedding Band

Don´t Freak Out - this has nothing to do with Jay, this afternoon I encountered one of my ´special friends´. I have a habit of encouraging strangers to talk to me when I am alone, I don´t know why or how, I just know that it happens and especially when I am far from home, it is not a good thing. I went to Parque Del Buen Retiro (the central park in Madrid) and after only being in the park maybe ten minutes a man asked me to take his photo, I took it and then couldn´t convince the man to leave me alone for the rest of my walk. I am back now and he did not rob me, molest me or drug me. He did try repeatedly to get me to go to a bar with him and to tell him where I was staying, I obviously did neither. I am thinking maybe a big gaudi wedding band would help stave off these advances, thoughts??? On the plus side, the hour he spent with me allowed me to practice my Spanish, though I never figured out how to say "My jealous boyfriend is waiting for me at the gates" "Mi novio...." When I told him I was leaving to go take a nap he shook my hand and did not follow me. Crisis averted!

Okay back on track:

Day 1: June 20, 2008 finished with my sleeping from 4:30-10:50pm then going to have some pasta for dinner and taking a stroll along Gran Via, nothing exciting or crisis like occurred.

Day 2: Off to the Royal Palace! First, breakfast bacon and eggs and a roll, sounds good, dirt cheap, but - covered in olive oil, just the eggs, not tasty, but edible, mostly just odd however. Now to the palace, ohh my do spanish monarchs love
1. clocks, huge golden ones
2. Jesus
3. Anything over the top, gold thread, gold ceilings, more, more, more!

It took about 3 hours to see it all and then I went in search of lunch in Chueca, the first tapas bar that my book reccomended was standing room only, so I tried the next one. It took me two hours of wandering to find it (with a map in hand) and when I got their, th tapas selection blew. I had some because I was starving, but I don´t understand why it made the guidebook.

I then returned to my hostel, for a brief nap. Those of you who have experienced my ´brief naps´will not be surprised that I slept for 5 hours and missed the flamenco show I was planning on going to. So I had dinner and then went to an internet cafe, then to bed.

That was day 2 - day 3 : the park and much sleeping is ahead - keep on reading!

K-town

Emergencia Social

Hello Friends! Or stalkers! or both "fralkers"!

To be super lame - or super cool? I have elected to start a blog of my spanish adventures, partially to keep those of you who need me to survive (sumantra) updated and to keep some kind of log of what I have done day to day for future reference.

I will try to be interesting and funny, but I have no guarantees of anything, especially not spelling or gramatical correctness. So let´s begin!

Day 1: June 20, 2008.
I arrived at Barajas Airport only to wait an hour for my luggage, the 3rd last off the plane. I then made the unbelievable trek across the airport to the airport subway station, not exaggerating at all, at least a mile. My parents can attest to this fact. I then made my way to Gran Via, the stop I thought was closest to my hostel, not really, another kilometer of walking, but I am thinking gleefully of the calories that I am burning.

I get to Hostal Buenos Aires on Gran Via, and try to understand the sign on the elevator, which I have now come to understand means "It is strictly forbidden to put heavy luggage in here, use the back elevator" thinking that the sign means "It is strictly forbidden for you AND your luggage to ride in here... *something I don´t understand*" I toss in my bags into the elevator and run up the two flights of stairs to meet them, unfortunately, I miss it and the elevator continues up with my baggage (that has my wallet and passport in it) to the 5th floor where other people get in and ride down to the ground floor with my luggage. Petrified that someone is making off with my very heavy things, I start pressing all the buttons I can and eventually the elevator arrives at my floor, with my things unharmed. I checked in a proceed to shower and bathe. What an ordeal! Day 1 evening and day 2 and 3 to come....

K-tizzle