My Mondays.

Monday is the busiest day for me. I get up at 6:30 AM, shower, get ready, eat breakfast, etc. At 7:25 I head outside my apartment and wait in the rotunda for my ride. The drive to work is about an hour long. On Mondays, so long as it's not cloudy, we get to see the full sunrise and it is honestly breathtaking.

Once at school I have a private class at 8:30 with José, a Spanish language teacher. After, I give an English class to a business in Motilla. There are three people in the office and we're currently learning business expressions, formal vs. informal business vocab, etc. After I have a class with 2nd ESO. Then there is the break. During the break I usually print papers for classes and take  a quick walk through the market in the streets right outside the school. The market is only once a week, on Mondays, and there is clothing, blankets, silverware, jewelry and of course, food. I have been going to the same vendor for the past couple months and they know me by now. Although, this isn't so hard to accomplish because I seriously stick out walking through the market as definitely not Spanish. But I go to their stand every Monday and get the staples: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, oranges, bananas and onions. Everything else I get just depends on how I'm feeling... like now strawberries are in season so I got a huge bag of strawberries and red peppers.

After the break, I have a meeting with José, the technology teacher I work with for the Bilingual Program. Today we made up a song about technological processes to the beat of "You are my Fire" by The Backstreet Boys. "I love techonology..."

After my meeting I have another private class with Eva, a French teacher. After the class with Eva, we head back to Motilla at 1:30 and get back to Cuenca around 2:30. I make lunch, plan my classes for the afternoon and usually catch up on laundry, especially today.

At 4:15 I begin my private classes. First, I have Carlos. He's the 4 year old I tutor Monday-Thursday for an hour a day. At first, it was impossible. He was jumping on the bed, running out of the room, going to the "bathroom" every 5 mins... But now, he's realized I won't let him jump around and cry if he doesn't get his way. He now knows numbers 1-11, can sing the entire alphabet, say his name, age, how he's feeling, the shapes and now we're working on fruit.

Carlos.

What a stinker.

After Carlos, Africa, the mom of my next two lessons picks me up. I have an hour class with Nacho, who is 15 years old and then an hour with Africa and Javier together. Africa is 8 and Javier is 6. They are adorable. When Javier walks in I ask him how he is and he always says "Happy." The first time I said "Why are you happy Javier?" He said, "Because I am in English."  

 

Africa, Nacho and Javier

Javier cheesin'

Namaste Yoga Studio

After classes with the kiddies, Africa (the mom), drops me off at yoga for class at 8:30. Helen and I have a lovely yoga session: Meditation, deep breathing, and relaxation. I really look forward to yoga for an hour for my self... for Relax as the teacher says. Then I take a nice long walk home, 40 mins, make dinner and head to bed. It is a busy but good way to start the week, especially with yoga it sets my week off on the right foot - focused.

Happy Monday!!
xx,
j