The camp that I'm teaching at this July is nestled in the Pyrenees mountains. It might be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and I have been thoroughly enjoying my month here so far.
This is why:
-The people are SO friendly!
The cleaning ladies at our school, the people at the community pool, the guy that walks his dog by our hotel every night...everyone at least says hi to you on the streets, which, in some Spanish cities, is definitely an anomaly. Most people want to know what we're doing here, if we like it, and how our day is going. Also, when we go out to the tiny bars in the town, people often initiate conversation, which isn't always the norm in Bilbao. It's refreshing, and also helping me improve my Spanish.
-The facilities
The elementary school in town has bequeathed their entire building to us. We get to use their computers, printers, classrooms, and copy machines as much as we want, which has made my first "real" teaching experience a lot easier. I really appreciate their generosity.
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| My classroom. Getting the walls talking! |
-The landscape
Beautiful. Everywhere you look there's mountains. I love the country feel of the buildings, the smell of the fresh hay, and the sound of the sheep baa-ing every night when I go to bed. Feels a little more like home than Bilbao.
-The cost
Compared to the Basque Country, everything is dirt cheap. I got a can of Coke for under 50 cents. Mixed drinks are 4.50, unheard of in bigger cities in Spain. A menu del día, a 3 course meal that includes wine, bread, and dessert, is usually around 10.50.
-The food
Speaking of a menu del día, let me tell you about the sweet hookup we have. Since the residence that the kids stay in is too small to house all the teachers, we get put up in a small, locally owned hotel in the center of the village. We also get 3 free meals a day, 2 of which are the menu del día I spoke of. I don't think I've been more full in my life! We've been feasting on fresh fish, snails, creamy vegetable soups, and more wine than we could drink (though everyone tries heartily). We aren't going hungry, by any stretch of the imagination.
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| We have a contest to see who can keep the fish the most in tact during the course of the meal. Sole won! |
Stay tuned for more adventures, as we venture to Andorra for some shopping, sushi, and much-needed spa-ing!
Originally posted 7.12.11
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