A Day in the Life

In case you haven't figured it out yet, or if you're just joining us, I've been spending the past month teaching at a summer camp in Catalunya. While I'm no big bad boss lady, I still manage to stay pretty busy just being a teacher. I'd like to outline a day in the life of a camp teacher in Bellver de Cerdanya.

7:30

Wake up. The teachers at this camp, unlike most of the others this company runs, stay in a hotel separate from all the kids. This means we get peaceful morning breakfasts and wine with lunch and dinner. Not a bad deal at all. Breakfast is usually toast, coffee, and fruit.

8:20

I walk to the school where classes are held. The classes take place in an elementary school in the village, which was just recently remodeled. The facilities are great, and I love having my own classroom. I use this time to get supplies, put in copy orders, and make sure everything is set for the day.

9:00

1st period starts. The kids are usually tired, since they do sports and activities all day, and then have parties at night. I try to do something fun to start the day, like a game to introduce the grammar and vocab. These classes are pretty serious. There is a curriculum, complete with grammar, vocabulary, and projects that should be covered.

10:30-10:45

First break. While the kids sip their juice boxes and eat their apples, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off making sure everything is organized. Since my classroom is on the opposite side of the school from the materials room, I'm moving pretty quickly.

10:45-11:15

2nd period. Sometimes we do research projects, write skits, or do debates. We also do things like this. Send your kids here. It's fun. And educational.

11:15-12:25

Game changer. This break is only ten minutes. More hurrying.

A group of pretty cool teachers.

12:25-1:30

3rd and final period. This is when we take the tests (yes, tests at camp), and have the kids write what they did in their journals. Don't worry, no homework allowed.

1:30

Teacher meeting with our Director of Studies. We talk about the day, upcoming events, and, most importantly, our lunch orders.

2:00

Lunch. Lunch is probably the most stressful part of everyone's day. There are 14 of us at lunch, and the restaurant at the hotel we're at has to make a first course, a second course, and a dessert for all of us, plus any other guests that happen to frequent the establishment. There are many mix-ups, forgotten orders, and once, boxers dropped in someone's spaghetti.

3:30

"Free" time. Technically we're done with teaching for the day, but a teacher's work is never done. On the busy days, I'm at school putting things on the walls, grading tests, or writing student reports. On the not so busy days, I'm at the pool, exploring Bellver, or reading.

9:00

Dinner. Same ordeal as lunch. Usually more wine.

10:30

At this time, one has many choices. Some nights, we have pub quiz. Other nights we go to the residence and help the monitors with the parties for the kids. There's also the option of going to the one bar in town that the young people go to. Sometimes the monitors (who are the Spanish people that watch the kids when they're not in class) will show up and we'll have a great bilingual time.

Fiesta.

2:00

Curfew. I'm usually in bed before this, but if I'm out and about, whether at the school or the G-bar, I better be back at the hotel before 2:00. And let me tell you, I sleep like a rock here.

So that's a day in the life of a teacher at Forenex Pireneos. It's crazy at times, and we don't get much sleep, but it's been a great month, and I hope I get to come back and do it all again next year.

Originally published 7.25.11