I Saw the Sign

Let's talk a little bit about one of my favorite classes at school. 

It's my 2nd ESO, which is the 2nd year of obligatory schooling, so the kids are about 13-14 years old. Let me just say, I love kids this age. They don't care about messing up, they want to be involved, and they're so dang funny.

However, what makes this class different than all my other ones is that there are 3 deaf kids in it. One has a hearing aid, so he can hear, but the other 2 are completely deaf. They have a special teacher, Eki, that comes in and translates for the teacher so that they can follow along.

But what really blows my mind is that these two kids are in no way ostracized or left out of class. In fact, most of the other kids have actually learned sign language in order to communicate with their classmates (fun fact: did you know that Spanish sign language is totally different than American sign language?). The regular teacher also knows a fair amount of sign language, which is impressive, because she only has that class 3 times a week.

It makes sense. At most secondary schools in Spain, it's the kids that stay in one classroom while the teachers move from class to class throughout the day. If these kids want to communicate with their deaf classmates, they have to learn sign language. And it's funny, because when they talk to me, they're almost always doing the signs, out of habit. 

I've always had a little fascination with the deaf culture (my mother will remember my obsession with Heather Whitestone, the first deaf Miss America), so to be in this class is a really cool experience for me. Every time I see this class, I learn a new sign, and they get such a kick out of watching me try to sign. I want to be able to talk to the deaf kids as well, so I need to learn a little bit just to make sure they know I care about them too.

My mom always said she thought I should be a teacher for deaf kids. 

Well, I guess now I kind of am.

So now I'm improving my Spanish, picking up some useful Basque phrases, and trying to learn Spanish sign language.

And here I thought I would only be speaking in Spanish.

Originally published 1.26.11

Modern Family

I love Modern Family. I recently finished watching every episode to date.

 The writing is ingenious, the casting flawless, and I don't think there has been an episode that I haven't laughed out loud at.

But these are not the main reasons that I will now religiously devote 21 minutes of my life every week to it.

The reason is this: it reminds me of my family, but not in the way you might think. I obviously don't have 2 dads, nor is my mother a Colombian bombshell. I don't live in Southern California, and I can only wish that my wit was as sharp as the characters on the show.

But, the first couple times I saw the show was with my parents. And now, when I watch it here in Spain, I remember, from the episodes I did see, what parts they laughed at. And in watching the episodes I haven't seen, I just know what parts they did laugh at.

So not only do I find the show hilarious (an excellent reason in and of itself to watch it), but it helps me feel a little closer to my family. And when you're 4,153 miles from that family, that can make all the difference.

Originally posted 1.16.11

My Christmas Trip by the Photos

Brugge

Beach in Malta on Christmas Day

Valletta, the capital city of Malta

Arc d'Triomph

Chocolate shop in Brussels

Brewery tour in Brugge...delicious!

Originally posted 1.15.11

Change of Heart

I must admit, the idea behind this post was not totally original. I was inspired by Cat´s last post on nostalgia over at her blog, Olivares Bound. So Cat, I am expounding on your thoughts, hope that´s ok.

I have never thought myself one to get overly excited about Christmas festivities. Sure, I enjoy being with my family and food and all good stuff, but I was never that person who blasts carols 24/7 and decorates their house to nines, wrapping their kitchen cupboards in festive wrapping paper (I´m talking about you, Kristi).

Maybe it was because I´ve worked in retail for the past million Christmases. For me, the days leading up to and after Christmas were always filled with stress and good old fashioned American consumerism. It´s hard to be merry when someone is screaming in your face about not having the right size in the 10th pair of jeans they want for their 13 year old daughter.

It may be because I´m out of the retail world now, it may be because I´m in Spain, or it may be just because I´m getting older, but this year, Christmas fever hit me hard.

I´ve been scouring the Chino stores (stores in Spain that have everything for super cheap, and are run by Chinese famililes) for Christmas decorations. I´ve been snatching up random presents to put in Matt´s stocking. I´ve even been known to crank Mariah Carey´s "All I Want for Christmas is You" on repeat for hours at a time.

I´ve had a hankering to make Christmas cookies, and am popping my head into every church to see their belen (Nativity scene). I´m watching Elf  and craving candy canes. I even thought about sending a Christmas card.

It´s interesting how the traditions that you´re involved in every year become more meaningful when you aren´t able to participate in them. I suppose that will make them even more meaningful when I return to the States. I guess now is the time for me to start to make my own Christmas traditions and memories.

If I don´t blog before I leave for Malta, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Zorionak to all!

Originally posted 12.16.10

I Won't Be Home for Christmas

So while I sit and suffer from writer's block, I will, in the meantime, inform you of my Christmas travel plans.

Since this is the first Christmas I've been away from family, we made sure to pack it full of wonderful adventures so as to not get too homesick (who am I kidding, I know we'll still be homesick).

December 21st-28th: Malta

Apparently, the off-season is the perfect time to book a 4-star spa resort on an island in the Mediterranean for dirt cheap. So that's just what Matt, our friend Tony(a friend from home who is assisting in Murcia), and (hopefully) Lyndsay (a friend from Bilbao) will be doing. A good chance of it being warmer, delicious food, and as many massages as I can fit in.

December 28th-29th: Barcelona

A short stay in Barcelona before we jet off to...

December 29th-2nd January: Paris

Ringing in the New Year in the classiest of fashions, it will be Matt and my 2nd trip to the city of looooooove, and Tony's first time there. And maybe we'll finally see some snow.

January 2nd-5th: Brussels, Belgium

chocolatewafflesbeer

January 5th-9th: Amsterdam, Netherlands

I've only heard good things about Amsterdam, and it's been on my list for years. Let's hope it meets expectations!

January 9th: Back to El Botxo, to begin another term of school. I think I'm going to need a vacation after my vacation.

Originally posted 12.12.10

An Open Letter to Every Teacher I've Ever Had

Dear teachers of my past,

I get it now.

I know, I'm not technically a teacher, but I am getting a real taste of how education works. And I would like to share with you a few things that I have learned thus far.

• I realize now that whenever I was writing notes or doing other homework, I wasn't fooling anyone.
• I know now that teachers look forward to the weekends just as much or more than the students.
• Teachers also DO more work than the students. 
• I'm sorry for ever whispering in class. That is SO annoying. 
• This is directed at my elementary teachers: I get the whole winking thing. I used to be super weirded out when a teacher would wink at me, but I find myself fighting the urge to do it myself.
• The kid that is trying to be funny in class may be amusing to the students, but it drives me crazy
• Spanish teachers: I'm sorry for every "Cómo se dice..." just because I was too lazy to look it up myself
• I've realized that teachers sometimes hate working out of the textbook just as much as the students. But sometimes you just gotta do it. 
• Doing the same lesson class after class is bo-ring. Props to Mrs. Behrend for reading The Grapes of Wrath multiple times a day.
• Thinking of creative, interesting ways to engage the students is hard. 
• Teachers are real people. With real lives. 

So I apologize for every time I complained, talked too much during class, or just didn't care enough. I gotta hand it to you, for the most part, you knew what you were doing.

Elizabeth

Originally published 12.3.10

I'll Be There for Youuuuuuu...

When I was younger, I used to think about when I would get to have my "Friends" Thanksgiving. As in the tv show, "Friends". The year where I would not be with my family and have to cook the Thanksgiving meal on my own, with a group of good friends, and have countless shenanigans along the way.

Well, yesterday I had my first "Friends" Thanksgiving. While no one got a turkey stuck on their head or made a trifle out of beef, it was still one to remember.


I was impressed how "American" our meal was, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy, and salad. And for our first time cooking many of these dishes, they were delicious.

And the shenanigans, while maybe not sitcom worthy, were hilarious in their own right. Such as, packing a backpacking backpack full of food to take to Graham's apartment in Etxeberri (the last stop on the metro), and Andrew bringing a pineapple in lieu of apple pie. It was good to have a little bit of home in Spain, and even better to have great friends to share it with.

The fam :)

Striking similarities, aren't they?


Originally published 11.28.10