Merry Christmas!

From top: The three top pictures are of our local small mall, Plaza Eliptica, decorated for Christmas. The bottom is a self-picture taken while we were walking to the park earlier this week. Merry Christmas!

And We're Off!

We just finished our last week of classes at Vigo until classes resume in January. We feel good about the hard work we've done on adjusting to the new city and culture, learning the language, and making friends from all over Europe! Now we will begin our next adventure...on Monday afternoon we are leaving for Rome. We are not taking Matt's computer, so our next blog will be in January when we are back in Vigo. We hope you all enjoy a very happy Christmas and New Years. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all!

Congrats Jeremy & Jess!

My brother, Jeremy, just got engaged to his girlfriend of several years, Jessica! Congratulations you two! I can't wait to get back and give you both some advice. (just kidding) Hugs from afar!

Around Europe with Matt and Heather

We are really excited to begin our travels, though it’s a nervous excitement. On December 18th we leave for Rome where will we stay until the 22. At this time, we travel to Frankfurt Germany to visit our dear friends Samy and Fatima! We will stay with them and will celebrate Christmas before leaving on the 27. At this time, we are flying into a small airport that connects Milan and Venice Italy. We will travel about in this area until January 3rd when we fly to Barcelona, Spain! Finally, we will return to Vigo on January 7th. Whew! We are particularly looking forward to visiting the Colosseum and other Roman historical sites in Italy. Please keep us in your prayers – all of our flights are booked with Ryan Air, a cheap airline that flies into small cities outside of the larger ones. We will have to do a lot of travel on bus, train, and underground lines. Please pray for our safety!

Heather’s 22nd Birthday

I celebrated my birthday on Tuesday and had a real special day! The morning began delightfully with Matt making me a fresh fruit salad and allowing me to open my gifts as soon as we woke up. I was even more surprised when he showed me the chocolate pie he had made during the night when I was sleeping! The freezer already held ice cream, so I was going to have a real birthday celebration! We went to school as usual and I think the day didn’t recognize my birthday. It was pouring rain, that slanted rain which soaks you in only five minutes of walking. Plus, on the bus there were no seats when we got on so I had to stand squashed between people for the entire 30-minute bus ride. Other than wet socks and pants and irritability from being shaken back and forth with the road’s curves on the bus, everything was just perfect. My friends from our language for foreigners’ class wished me a happy birthday and in the evening, Nicky and two friends from Germany came over to our apartment for supper. Nicky and I made potato soup and we had freshly-baked French bread from the panaderia. Over supper, we all laughed and shared memories of Christmas traditions, beginning with Germany giving gifts to children on December 6. On that evening, Santa Clause places gifts in the children’s shoes! We ended with the chocolate pie and ice cream, a real treat in the world of Spain’s desserts. Finally, we all donned coats and hats and walked to Plaza E to catch the opening of Happy Feet, scheduled to begin at 10:50! This time we were all too full to purchase our popcorn and we walked right into the theater with a group of children from ages 5 to 11 or so. We all marveled at this; even Spanish moms don’t believe in bedtime! The movie was again all in Spanish, though the English songs were allowed to stay the same. The movie is so cute and fun! The singing and dancing penguins are delightful. When the movie ended at one in the morning, we weren’t the least concerned because the rest of this week is holidays. On the 6th, Spain celebrated its Constitution Day and on the 8th, Immaculate Conception. Today is Thursday, and our only class was cancelled. All this before our three week Christmas vacation beginning on the 15th! Viva Espana!

The Movie Go-ers

Last Sunday was a rainy, dreary day; instead of feeling ugly, however, it was nice because we were at home for the day, and church is at 7 pm. In the afternoon we called up Nicky and agreed for a date at Plaza E. We arrived just in time to purchase tickets to see James Bond – Casino Royale, Cokes at the nearby grocery store, and tubs of popcorn at the stand. The movie was a fun experience, definitely aided by the goodies, and we watched the entire thing in Spanish! There were times when the audience laughed and I was left wondering what was said to make the joke, but for the most part, we understood the storyline and we knew who the bad guys were at the end. Matt wasn’t convinced by James Craig’s performance, but I am waiting to hear his actual voice and not the Spanish dubbing before I make my judgment call.

Weekend Trip

Top to bottom: The view from the top of the fortress in Valenca, Portugal; Matt on a rock at the ocean; the fortress at Baiona; Matt in front of a monument at Baiona; the Baiona port (the wooden ship is a replica - actual size - of the Pinta, of Christopher Columbus)

Thanksgiving Pictures!

Top: Friends in our kitchen: (from left) Nicky from England, Matt, Jenny and Jonny from Tennessee
Bottom: And it was good. All week.

Pictures!

In order: Matt waiting in line at the police station; sunset over the ocean at the beach Samil in Vigo; the crowded bus at night (same as during the day, really)

A Happy Thanksgiving

Okay, this will be a long story because it begins a month ago. Matt and I were chatting of being away for the holidays and I was feeling a bit blue while reminiscing of my family’s traditions and events I would miss. Matt boldly suggested, “Why don’t we invite our friends over for a traditional Thanksgiving meal?” I immediately loved the idea but was overcome by fears of cooking using Celsius and metric measurements, the task of finding the right groceries, and anxiety our guests would not enjoy themselves. So I cautiously mentioned the idea to Johnny and Jenny who were wholly supportive; that set the plans in motion! Yet Matt and I did not do much for planning until last Monday when we began inviting our guests. Our apartment is small but cozy, so we decided to limit the number of people to 8 or 9, including Matt and me. Thursday morning dawned rainy and chilly and the city’s attitude was that of another workday, but we were bursting with the excitement of our holiday plans! Matt and I worked as a team. I went to our 9 am class and then completed my daily workout at the University while Matt went to the Corte Ingles with his detailed list in hand. When I arrived at home at 1:30 in the afternoon I was quite pleased with his success! He had found an actual turkey – the only turkey – plus all the other groceries I had requested. The rest of the afternoon we spent tidying up and arranging the apartment to make things look cozy and inviting. We made a fast trip to the Internet café to read how to bake a turkey; I’ve never even thought of making one before! Towards early evening, I chopped up all sorts of fresh vegetables, sliced fresh French bread, and cubed the cheese. Nicky arrived around seven and immediately set to work preparing mashed potatoes. Johnny and Jenny arrived around 8 with all sorts of groceries in tow. They don’t have an oven at home, so they brought all their stuff to prepare in mine! Their contribution included green beans, macaroni and cheese, and pie. Our Spanish friends Gabriel, Vera and Bruno arrived at 9 pm bearing traditional Spanish desserts and Nicky and me made up the gravy and finished the corn while Matt sliced the bird. Though we didn’t find cranberries or Stovetop, our meal was a feast! Matt prayed over our meal and then we thoroughly enjoyed explaining the foods to our Spanish guests. I was so anxious, however, that I could barely taste my food! I was terrified the turkey was overdone or underdone and that we’d all be sadly disappointed that our cooking is average compared to that of our mothers’ and grandmothers’ excellent fare. Thankfully, everything was tasty and we even got compliments on the turkey! Even more rewarding was the conversation and the laughter; I do think everyone had a good time and for that I was delighted. By the time everyone left at 12:30 am, however, I was exhausted! I was moving towards the kitchen when Matt wrapped me up in a big hug and we giggled together over the success of the evening. I am still so pleased to have this enjoyable memory, me and Matt’s first Thanksgiving as a married couple, and here in Spain, and such a nice evening! We hope you all enjoyed the time with family and friends, ate the pumpkin pie that we didn’t, and feel rested and rejuvenated for the week ahead. We wish you all a happy Christmas season!

Becoming Residents of Vigo

Last Monday Matt and I spent the day at the national police station. Well, not the entire day, but here is the story…We got up early on a cloudy Monday morning with the intentions of taking care of our trip to the police station. We were there a few weeks ago and were told to come back in ten days to confirm the acceptance of our paperwork for a residence card. We trekked down the hill to claim our spot in line but did not make it until 8:45 when the station opens at 9:00. We waited those few minutes and then found out that they had given out all the numbers for the morning by the time they reached us in line. So then, Matt and I really weren’t sure what to do because our next class at the university began at 1 and lasted until 3. However, we were advised to return to the station in the afternoon for the evening hours; numbers were to be handed out at 5:00. So we made up our mind and went to the university to work out and for the first hour of our class and then we got back on the bus back into the city. Guess what! This time we were in line at 3:30! I sat comfortably on the sidewalk and read a book and Matt did the same. Around 4:15 it started to drizzle and a light fog drifted through the city. Still we maintained our posts in line as more and more people joined us. By 5:00 I was miserably chilled and a bit frightened and even entertained by the people arguing around us about their proper place in line. In moments such as those, we don’t even try to speak Spanish! This time we thankfully got a number as the police officer walked around with his tickets and we then set about to wait until the station opened at 5:30. We were numbers 24 and 25 – not too bad! We were shown in at 6:30 and then we heard the happy news: Matt and I have been accepted as residents of Vigo! We are quite happy and pleased that our documents were correctly translated (Thanks Jorge!) and that the government is satisfied with our applications. Now we must wait only 45 more days until we go BACK to the police station to pick up the cards. Goodness gracious what a process this has proven to be!

Some More Pictures!

Hey everyone! This is our pool at school. Though we don't technically own it, it may as well belong to us. Right behind the person taking the first picture is a 6x6 (or so) jacuzzi. Aside from the pool, we also have a smaller weightroom area with some treadmills and 3 squash (raquetball) courts. Not that I've ever even seen it, but I think there's also an arobic area where Heather does some girly stuff. Enjoy the pictures! (And we love reading comments..so please don't be afraid to post away.)

Our everyday "boring" lives

Matt and I do not have much news to share with you all this time, only random stories of our everyday life. For instance, last Friday there was a big party right on campus hosted by the university’s telecommunications faculty! Matt and I ate breakfast in Vigo and then waited patiently for a bus, not expecting anything to be out of the normal. Well, as the R University bus came, we were surprised at the number of young adults getting on, certainly more than normal for a Friday. Now on the bus, we just couldn’t believe our eyes as guys passed around jugs of beer and liquor and smoked cigarettes and more…at 10 am on the city’s public bus! Things on campus were even more rowdy. The university invited the city’s young people, and as Matt and I walked to the gym from our classroom for our daily workout, we passed the site of the party. There were at least a thousand people walking around, drinking, and jamming to the live bands. In fact, it seemed as if people (and mayhem) were everywhere! Now we only stayed on campus until 5 pm, but Nicky stayed later and unfortunately waited until one of the last few buses to get home. She described the scene to us: hundreds of college students, most of them drunk, fighting to get on the few buses in order to get back into the city. The last bus for Vigo leaves at 9 pm, and at 8, there were far too many people to manage to fit on the few buses that leave from the university and travel to the city. Thankfully, Nicky made it home with the help of her Spanish friend. And today on campus, the Monday after the party, there were quite a few cleanup crews working to clean up the aftermath! Such is life in Spain.

The best news of all: We found a nice Protestant church in Vigo! One afternoon I was walking around Corte Ingles and a woman handed me a tract explaining how to become a believer in Jesus Christ. I was so excited and pleased! There are local missionaries even in Vigo! Matt and I carefully read through the tract and found it to be biblically sound, and that same week Jenny and Johnny mentioned they were going to check out a church, and it just happened to be the same one. So we happily made our plans to meet and attend the main service which is held weekly at 7 pm. We found the church to be just wonderful! The people are unbelievably friendly and welcoming, the music is beautiful and upbeat and is accompanied by various instruments, and the message is challenging and even understandable. I can’t explain how good it feels to be in a church again, to see the warm smiles of fellow believers, and to know you are in a place of worship and fellowship.

Speaking of fellowship, the Spanish believers are bold greeters! It is normal in Spanish culture to greet friends and family or a new acquaintance with a kiss on each cheek, and even Matt and I are getting used to the kissing. Our kissing experience in the church, however, tops it all! Of course, being new and foreign drew a lot of attention our way, and the pastor paused in his welcome to ask us to introduce ourselves to the congregation. At the end of the service, we discovered they have a 5 to 10 minute period to say hello and to ask how one another is doing. Well, we were quite surprised by the hearty hugs and kisses members were giving one another…and then they came towards us! What followed was at least fifteen minutes of meeting the church family one by one; each new person greeted us with hugs and kisses. The welcome was warm and appreciated, though I admit I blushed the entire time under the attention of countless kisses!

What else? We discovered that the local grocery store Eroksi is cheaper than its rival Gadis and have accordingly chosen our favorite place to buy our groceries. I finally obtained my student bus card from the university; now it costs only 48 cents each ride. On Saturday evening, we went to an American friend’s birthday party at a restaurant in Vigo. There were friends from America, France, Italy, and England at the restaurant to help Christina celebrate her 21st. We followed Spanish custom and met at 10 pm and enjoyed tapas before eating the main course. Oftentimes, tapas include bread, fried mushrooms, spicy green peppers with sea salt, octopus, calamari, and more. Matt particularly likes the pulpo, or octopus. It is boiled and then served soaked in olive oil and paprika. The taste is interesting and I enjoy pulpo too, though the sight of the suckers turns my stomach. Anyways, the evening was enjoyable, though Matt and I were happy to escape home around 1 am. Yesterday, we went to the movie theater at Plaza E and watched an American animation movie, though I only know the Spanish title “Colegas en el Bosque.” The cartoon was funny and we weren’t afraid to laugh out loud!

So that’s it, really that is all there is to share. I hope you didn’t find our news to be too boring! Our daily life here is truly becoming more normal, and sometimes I have to remind myself what an adventure living in Vigo really is. Although the reminder never is too far away, what with campus parties and restaurants that serve octopus as an appetizer!

Matt in the Atlantico

Well, here it is...a surprise that is a surprise to us as well. It came out a couple of weeks ago, but this is the first chance I've had to upload the picture. The article is a split about my experiences and the experiences of a (honest truth) Italian Model/Actor. Though he's not famous, as far as we know, it just shows the odd difference in the interviews. Italian is very similar to Spanish, making the language almost second nature to them. The interviews were all in Spanish (quick Spanish speaking), and most of what I said has been 'improved' to read as it does. I'm half the centerfold page, the Italian model is the other half. Enjoy!

The Bones

Here are some of the delicious bones we ate for the dead saints day.

An uncanny Halloween

We celebrated Halloween at one of our favorite restaurants, Hollywood, so conveniently located in Plaza E. Earlier that afternoon we enjoyed a coffee at the University’s cafeteria with our American friends Johnny and Jenny. We were sharing funny stories of embarrassment and things we found out through accident and other important friendship building anecdotes among fellow foreigners. Well, Johnny casually asked if we had been to Hollywood, to which Matt and I shared our excitement of the restaurant mainly because of the free refills on sodas. This practice of free refills is particularly anti-Spanish, even in restaurants such as Burger King and McDonalds and Pizza Hut where one would expect refills. Hollywood, therefore, is the place to go when one wants to enjoy American food AND free refills, and both Johnny and Jenny readily agree!

That evening at the University’s bus stop, Matt and I decided at the last moment to jump on the U2 bus, which goes to Plaza Espana (a short distance from Plaza E). After browsing in several shops to wait for the restaurant to open at 9 pm, we went in and were escorted to a booth in the back. What a big night for Hollywood! They had decorated for Halloween with spider webs and the like; additionally Seville’s soccer team was playing a rival English team and the game was broadcasted on several big screen televisions.

Matt and I patiently read the menu thoroughly to make sure we weren’t missing even one tempting entre before asking for a nacho appetizer. The waitress shook her head no and told us our choice wasn’t available. Matt and I weren’t terribly disappointed – instead, we ordered an appetizer with chips, salsa, and quesadillas. For our main dishes, I ordered a barbeque burger and Matt ordered a chicken wrap. We immediately set to work on draining our glasses of Pepsi in order to enjoy as many free refills as possible while we munched on our appetizer. When our food was brought out, I unfortunately found my hamburger was pink-ish red, and I just could not bear to eat it. Matt sacrificed his chicken wrap for a few moments to devour my hamburger, but in the meantime a waiter came by to ask if we wanted to order desserts. Matt answered yes, but then immediately asked for the bill. Confused, the waiter asked in Spanish, “But don’t you want a brownie or coffee?” to which Matt answered, no thanks. The man then swept away Matt’s plate with the half eaten wrap; Matt, however, thought the waiter had asked if he wanted the rest of the food in a box to take home. When the waiter came back with only the bill, poor Matt realized his sad mistake and said in a goofy voice, “Hasta la vista comida!” (See ya later food).

We began to laugh hysterically and were only interrupted by…Jenny and Johnny! They had decided to come to the restaurant at the last minute as well! We laughed and told of Matt’s disappearing meal; Johnny corresponded with his story. He said, “Yeah! Me and Jenny asked for a nacho appetizer, but they don’t have it tonight. What a bummer!” Matt and I laughed real hard and then shared that we had asked for the same thing. The four of us giggled for a few minutes before I asked, “So what did you order?” Jenny replied, “The one with chips, salsa, and quesadillas.” That just topped it all. Separately we had asked for the same thing and then ordered the same appetizer when finding out the first was not available! Matt and I laughed all the way home ☺ How fun it is to find friends who are similar to you when in a country where you feel so strange. We enjoyed the laughs and the fun with friends.

Santiago de Compostela

Hey guys! Just tryin to add some pictures...the internet at school is a little "off."

This was the trip we took with the extranjeros to Santiago de Compostela (Saint James of ...) The pictures are about as good as I could get them without spending too much time trying to fix them. It was raining. A lot. (Which seems to be the case, more often than not.)

We adventure on

Last Saturday, October 21, Matt and I journeyed with the international student group to a famous city in Galicia called Santiago de Compostela. We woke up early and somehow managed to leave our house late (somehow is a joke! We always are late!) but we still made time to stop at the nearby bread store to purchase breakfast sandwiches made with freshly-baked bread, ham, and cheese. The bread store always makes us more late than normal, but it’s a worthy stop!

The university arranged for us all to meet down by the port and there were four tourist buses waiting for us with their engines running. It would have been a perfect day for traveling if not for one important thing – the incessant raining; rain driven by the wind so that even umbrellas aren’t sufficient to protect oneself from becoming irritatingly wet. Nonetheless, a good amount of students showed up for the journey, including Matt, Nicky, and me.

Santiago is less than two hours away by bus. The city is rather famous for its cathedral, a beautiful, gloomy, old thing built in 1072. Furthermore, legend hints the body of the Apostle James is buried within the cathedral, and for this reason many “pilgrims” make their voyage to visit the place. (You should Google it to find our more information.) Our guide named Santiago a “city of religions,” and for good reason. Though the cathedral earns most of the attention, there are beautiful churches every block or so, and we heard stories of “brujas” or witches. In fact, most little tourist shops sell small witch figurines and other items; in one park a statue of two witches provides an opportunity to take a really odd photograph. What with the gloomy rain and old gothic buildings, Santiago felt like an eerie city!

We have many photographs of the cathedral. The outside is impressive for its design and age, but the inside makes one feel as if he or she is transported to another time and place. It is decorated with gold and bronze and incense smokes in almost every room. Everywhere you turn you can find a shrine to some saint or a statue of a suffering Jesus or a beautiful Mary. We happened to venture inside at the close of a mass and were amazed at the amount of people of every race and language, the strange melodious sounds of the choir singing Gregorian hymns, and the promenade of the religious leaders. Though we appreciated the odd beauty and the history, both Matt and I longed for the warmth and comfort of our churches at home.

Matt, Nicky, and I went to the theater last week! I was so excited! The theater, appropriately named “The Caixanova Theater” after the city’s bank that enjoys a firm monopoly, is located a few blocks from the port. We had the opportunity to see the Spanish version of the musical Joan of Arc, the story of the brave young woman who fought against the English for control of her native France. We thoroughly enjoyed the musical; even though we couldn’t understand the lyrics of the songs, the actions of the actors and the rise and fall of the music was enough to comprehend the story. Indeed, the live orchestra was just wonderful, and some music was so deep and powerful that it gave me chills! It was a perfect cultural experience, and I hope Matt and I will have the opportunity to go again.

Just last night we traveled with Jose and Patricia to La Guardia, a small town bordering Spain and Portugal (the two countries are separated by an inlet of the Atlantic. Spain is on one side of the water, Portugal on the other). We first went to the top of a mountainous hill and enjoyed the view of the rolling ocean and small sea cities on its bays. Then we drove down to the water itself and walked on the beach to the west in order to catch the sunset at an optimal place. Our friends brought their little dog, Pipo, who seems to be blessed with an understanding of both English and Spanish commands ☺ Pipo and Matt were immediate friends and the two enjoyed an enthusiastic jog along the beach while Matt showered Pipo with attention and petting. At one point, Jose teased the little puppy by saying, “Adios Pipo! I guess you are not my dog anymore!” To say the least, Matt has a firm love for dogs and it seems he has a skill to make friends with them. As for me, I maintained my distance and gave only the necessary admiration. Matt says dogs know they can bother me, which may explain why his grandparent’s dog always lies on my feet or why Pipo jumped up my legs with his muddy paws when I was wearing khakis. Although I must admit – Pipo is a cute puppy!

The night ended just wonderfully. We turned the corner to the west within minutes to see the sun sink behind the ocean as the sky turned pink and red under the influence of the orangey sun. The view was postcard worthy, and we could only sit in silence as the beauty of the scene faded around us. Hopefully Matt will download a photo so you can share the beauty with us!

We are indeed grateful for the fun and for the adventure; for the few days of sun that somehow make the insult of days and days of rain less irritating; and for the way traveling makes one feel grateful to return home, even if home is in the middle of a foreign city.

We still miss everyone and think of you often! Please do keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially regarding my and Matt’s relationship. Though we are enjoying an extended European honeymoon, life is stressful and we are often anxious and angry, as is normal I suppose when learning a language and adapting to a new way of life among these energetic Spaniards! We are grateful for your friendship and for your kind words of encouragement.

Coffee with Friends

Our prayers have been answered! Matt and I prayed diligently and we thank you for joining with us in our prayers regarding my work teaching English at the language academy. To our surprise, it turned out to be a terrific experience.
On Tuesdays, I worked from 4:30 until 7:30. The last group of students was a group of adults; I enjoyed that hour of class the most. It felt so fun and so comfortable that I could easily imagine myself sitting in the Writing Center at USD instead of in a small classroom in the northwest corner of Spain!

I also worked with a kind man in private conversation lessons. Jose has a competent command of English and he was brushing up on his skills before going to Germany for a work conference where lectures and information were to be given in English. We chatted for an hour one night and happily agreed to bring our spouses the next evening.

What fun that night was! Matt and Jose held a long conversation about technology and the details of Jose’s job as an engineer while me and Patricia, Jose’s wife, listened with respect, realizing our own incompetence in the subject. By the end of the night, however, our friendship was sealed; Matt and I were absolutely delighted to make friends with a young couple like us.
After conversation lessons on Friday, Jose and Patricia invited Matt and I out for coffee. We were happy to accept the invitation even though the time they preferred was quite curious – 11 pm! According to Spanish custom, Matt and I ate dinner at 10 pm and prepared to go out with our new friends.

They picked us up in Jose’s car! This is quite a novel for Matt and I as we have become used to riding the bus and doing a lot of walking to go places. But a car! What an exciting, glorious feeling to buckle up and sit back while traveling directly to the place you want to go! First Jose and Patricia took us to an overlook on the top of the city. It was so neat to see the sparkling lights of the city from above; both Matt and I gained a better understanding of our new home city by seeing the layout from above. Then our friends drove us back into the heart of the city and we continued on to a park called “Parque Castro” which is near Plaza Espana. By the time we set out to drink our coffee, it was near 1 am! The coffee was excellent, as Spanish coffee really is quite preferable to our own; it did feel, however, extremely contrary to our beliefs of good health and a good night’s rest to be drinking strong coffee after midnight! At two in the morning, Matt and I begged to be taken home. How in the world do the Spanish people maintain their energy all day AND all night?!! We still don’t know.

Anyways, I am done working now. I am happy for the experience as I did truly enjoy teaching and getting to know the kids and adults through conversation and classroom behaviors. It has turned out to be a confirmation for my hope of teaching English as a second language one day and I can now see the benefit of being a bilingual ESL teacher. Best yet, Matt and I made new friends, and as we gain more friendships, our contentment about living in Vigo increases. One last thing! I feel as if my faith and courage grew in bounds the last few weeks! I was scared, honestly scared, to get on a bus by myself at 9:30 in the evening without fully knowing its route. It’s a scary feeling to not know where you are at and where you will end up at the end. It worked out though! I even feel as if I may just jump on a bus one afternoon to see a new sight and then to enjoy the challenge of finding the way back home….all this with Matt of course!

Us in the Vigo paper!

I don't know what it is about us, but it seems we can't escape the paper no matter where we venture. Here's the most recent public stunt we've been involved in, and another is soon to come! (It's a surprise!)

Share in Heather's Anguish

I received an email about a job teaching English and I thought it sounded like a great opportunity. Last Wednesday I called the number given in the email and found myself chatting with the principal. To be honest, it wasn’t much of a chat. It’s a real challenge to understand a person over the phone, and I was nervous trying to understand important details. The woman gave me directions to the school and then asked, “Can you come this afternoon?” I almost panicked as I looked at my watch: It was 2:30 pm, and I was taking a break from my class and was expecting to eat lunch at 3:00. She and I managed to agree upon 5:00 and as we hung open I found my head aching with numerous worries and fears. What bus will take me to Beade (the area of Vigo the school is located in)? What time does the bus come? How often does the bus come? How long will it take to get to Beade and how long will it take to walk to the school? Thanks to the kind cafeteria ladies, Matt and I found the answers and got on the right bus and got off at the right spot. Beade is quite different from our area of the city. It’s quieter and is surrounded by fields and the dominant landmark is a picturesque old chapel. It is also, however, in the opposite direction of our home and due to it’s small population, only has one bus route out of the area.
Anyways, my “interview” wasn’t much to speak of. In fact, it lasted 15 minutes as she spoke in shaky English and I spoke in shaky Spanish. Basically, she gained the understanding I was interested in working at the school and have previously worked with international students and teaching ESL. The conversation ended with, “There is a class today at 5:30. Can you teach it?” Matt and I had a private conversation to debate whether or not I should take the job, but overall my decision was too hasty. I said yes and went to teach the class.
Frankly, I enjoy teaching very much. I am more comfortable speaking and making mistakes in Spanish with kids. The kids, ages 5-20, have a very basic understanding of English, so in my first few classes I found myself speaking in more Spanish than English and enforcing vocabulary and grammar ideas by writing a word and it’s translation on the board (ie: abuelo - grandpa; abuela - grandma, and so forth). I also enjoy the challenge, the classroom environment, and the reward of seeing that Aha I got it look! look in the kids’ eyes. Overall, I was to work eight hours a week and earn 7 euros an hour.
After the first few days, however, Matt and I began to really take notice of the negative aspects of the job. One afternoon of my teaching conflicts with a history class at the University that I am taking (They both start at 4 pm). I finish teaching at 8:30 pm, get on the only bus at 9:25 after waiting by myself in the dark, and ride until 10:00 before I jump off and walk the last 15 minutes to our apartment since that only bus route does not go on our road. Though I am not overly concerned for my safety, it is rather uncomfortable to get on a strange bus and ride for a long while before getting off and having to walk home - all in the dark. And finally, the job does not allow for days off to travel, and Matt and I are planning to do a lot of travel over Christmas break.
So despite the happy feelings of my job, Matt and I decided it would be best to quit now before much more time goes by. After asking our Spanish advisor in the States his opinion, we felt certain that we were making the right decision. Still, I didn’t feel very good; to be honest I was ashamed of myself. I hate quitting anything and I felt as if I was losing good things at the same time. Though I hadn’t signed a contract, I had given the school my word. Besides that, I was terribly nervous to speak to the woman. To prepare, I drafted an email and had Jorge correct it; I sent the email on Monday. On Tuesday, I went to working feeling scared to death. The principal had not read my email yet, so I sat down and talked with her.
Thankfully, she wasn’t angry and only mildly surprised. I felt a great deal better about having made a decision and went through the scariness of telling the principal. But I don’t think I particularly “won” - she answered by saying, “Well then we will have to find a teacher by the end of this week.” Only the we is not the school we; we meant her and me. Ay carumba!
So I tell this story to share my embarrassment and how dumb I feel; also to let you all know how easy it is to make mistakes, of course anywhere, but especially in a foreign country!

In Praise of Plaza E

On most weekends Matt and I travel to a nearby shopping center known in Spanish as “Plaza E.” The plaza is shaped like a turtle shell, and you can enter it from the top street or bottom street level. The bottom floor of the plaza has little shops with speciality clothing, technology stuff, candy stores, and home furnishings. The top floor has restaurants and coffee shops and...free wireless internet! We often go and drink a soda while reading emails and the news on the internet. It’s so comfortable, and we enjoy being around other people and rating the various European clothing styles displayed on bold Spanish teenagers and adults alike. The other night was just perfectly lovely. We ended our internet session with supper at Subway! Now granted, Subway isn’t that terrific in the United States, and I think most of us prefer Mr.Smith’s over Subway. But when you eat bocadillos and other Spanish sandwiches, something as regular as a Subway sub is just downright comforting. I had a chicken teriyaki and Matt had a BMT. Just as delightful was the large fountain pop with ice and a bag of Doritos. Mmmm, that meal hit the spot!

Baby Steps

You know how things seem almost unbearable for awhile, and then unexpectedly things have become much better? That is how the last two weeks were for Matt and me. Last week, we didn’t have school on Friday or on Monday, so Matt and I laughed to ourselves about our “fall break” and enjoyed the time wandering around the city. On Monday, we trekked to a new part of Vigo to find the city hall so that we could register our living in an apartment as part of the process of obtaining a resident permit. On our way back, it began to rain, so we ducked into a small restaurant to enjoy lunch and shelter from the rain. Inside the restaurant, however, the air was uncomfortably hot and smoky, so we decided to sit outdoors at the picnic area. Our lunch was so cozy! We devoured hot sandwiches and sipped coffee while sitting under a picnic umbrella during the rain shower. The locals probably thought we were crazy as they rushed past us to get indoors, but Matt and I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic “picnic.”

We have adopted a bit of a schedule which adds some order to our perfectly chaotic days. Our class schedule now reflects our choices of 19 and 20th century Spanish poetry, Spanish history, and Spanish grammar. Last Wednesday we took a Spanish proficiency test which placed both Matt and I in the same “Spanish for Foreigners” class. So now we are happily placed in four classes - and remember, each class lasts two hours long each time it meets. First, though, you must understand the university is not in the city of Vigo; rather, it is 30 minutes away by bus. Our day officially begins with the bus ride, and quite honestly, it is an uncomfortable ride. By the time the bus arrives at our spot, it is full, so full in fact, you wouldn’t think it possible to fit one more person in it. Yet we do climb in and find a place to hang on while the bus lurches up the hill and around the corner. But we are not the last stop. There are stops every two or three blocks and the bus irritatingly gains speed before coming to a quick halt; then another group of people come in and Matt and I are pushed further to the sides and are quite pressed up against the window and the people next to us. Worse yet, it is hot and the air is stuffy; because of the cool humid air outdoors and the hot humid air in the bus, the windows are completely fogged over. Matt says here I am complaining, and I apologize, but oh I wish you could experience the bus ride!

I mentioned Matt and I took an exam for class placement. That same day, the University officially welcomed its international students with a small assembly and gifting of local maps and the like. Matt and I sat by our good friend Nicky, a kind girl from London, and enjoyed the powerpoint presentation of “Welcome to Our Campus” (most international students arrived in Vigo by Sept. 16 and the ceremony was on Oct. 4). There were many photographers flashing pictures and Matt and I hammed it up and smiled quite nicely at one photographer in particular. We didn’t think much of it though, as the room was packed with 372 international students from all over the world.

The next afternoon, Matt and I stopped to get a coffee and Matt picked up a local newspaper to try his luck at the Sudoku game on the back page. I idly opened the front pages and got to the third page and then nearly choked on my coffee as I saw Matt and I grinning away in a photo with the headline, The Erasmus Students Arrive. Matt and I both laughed until we had tears! We were featured in the local newspaper’s covering of the University’s international program! Even worse, Erasmus in a program for European students, and it definitely does not include American students. Oh dearie! We have our photo featured on several USD promotionals and we left the country trying to escape our “fame” (Just kidding!). And now this! It’s too funny!

Matt and I really enjoy our Spanish for foreigners class. We are making a lot of new friends, and that adds to our happiness and benefits the entire experience. One evening we went bowling and then tonight we invited Nicky over for her first taste of tacos. We are now more busy with our classes and are hoping and praying for jobs teaching English or aiding in English conversation courses. We bought a nice plant and some candles for our apartment, and the mailman delivers our mail to K. The fridge, though sporadic, has kept things (decently) cool. Things are really looking up!

We are still missing you all, and would love to get an email to hear how things are doing. Do you have our address? Here it is just in case:

Matt and Heather Siebert
Gonzalo Torrente Ballester n6 3K
Vigo, Pontevedra
36204 Spain

We are praying for your health and happiness.
Love,
Matt and Heather

More Pictures

These are some pictures from earlier this summer, when we were in London. We'll add more soon! Hope you enjoy!

A stressful, humorous week

September 22, 2006


Dear family and friends,

Did you hear about the tropical storm that hit Vigo yesterday (Thursday the 21)? Matt and I went on a walk to a park which overlooks the port late Wednesday evening. We enjoyed the colors of the sunset sparkling on the waters of the Ria and barely noticed the menacing clouds on the horizon. A man sat next to us smoking, but he gave no sign of acknowledgment to the two students speaking English and filming the sunset, which always surprises us how most everyone seems to be unaware of our presence. In a moment of braveness and with the desire to speak a little Spanish, I asked the man where the Cielos Islas are, and he pointed them out to me. But that started a conversation, and he certainly wasn’t reluctant to chat about politics, immigrants, and the unstable Basque region between France and Spain. As we left for the night, the man cautioned us about a hurricane which was swirling in the Atlantic near the coast. He told us to stay in our home, because the hurricane was about to turn into an inland tropical storm in Vigo.

Matt and I were appropriately impressed. Wow! A tropical storm! I had weathered a two day typhoon in Taiwan and found the winds and rain to be pretty cool. We hurried home and shut the windows before going to bed for good measure. In the middle of the night, the windows began to shake with the wind, but it didn’t appear to be raining. So Matt and I slept the whole night through, hoping to wake up in the morning to a terrific sight; honestly, who doesn’t enjoy a good storm?! Morning came, and perhaps we were a bit disappointed, but this is what it looked like. The wind was blowing fiercely, at least enough to turn up Matt’s umbrella. The rain was not coming down in torrents; rather, it blew in long horizontal sheets of thick, cold fog. It was dark and chilly most all day long, but for a tropical storm, nothing to be concerned about. At the very least, we enjoyed our coffee more than usual at the Italian Cafe.

Matt and I are happy to tell you we began class this week - kind of. We had a meeting on Tuesday to learn about which classes we may want to go to this semester. The University’s system is quite a bit different from our own. Vigo students may go to any classes they wish, and registration for the first semester is in December. It is not necessary to buy books or really even to go to class every time it meets. The students who register take an exam which determines the class grade. Matt and I chuckled about this system and then wondered what in the world we are going to do. We determined which classes we will attend, classes such as modern literature, history, and grammar. We will register at our leisure, I suppose, since the hurry is not until December. Our learning will be based off of class lecture and our corresponding class notes.

Our first class was the history of Spain’s joining the European Union. All four of us USD students went and sat in a row together. The professor walked into class about 4 minutes after it was scheduled to begin and looked at us all sitting there and said, “Where are you from?” When we all answered, “The United States” at the same time, he responded, “I supposed so.” Ironically, the class is not even taught in Spanish, but instead in the region’s Gallego. Gallego is quite similar to Spanish, though the language uses different words and sometimes different pronunciations. Thankfully, the professor talked quite slow in a manner similar to dictation as we joined the others in dutifully taking notes. Our “notes” however, are scratches of sentences and words we recognized patched together to make a bit of sense; I admit my notes do not make any!

On October 4th, however, we begin class titled “Spanish for Foreigners” and the class will be geared at our level of understanding. It should be fun and extremely valuable in our learning the language. Next week, we will attempt a few more classes with the hope that every day we will improve our understanding just a bit more!

We spent a few days without electricity this week. At first, we were concerned it was our fault, because our bedroom is full of converters, adaptors, and outlets for the computer and other things. Perhaps we had blown a fuse? But no, after making a painful trip to our landlord’s office to explain “The electricity doesn’t work and we don’t know why” we discovered the mistake was with the landlord and the utility company. Even more difficult was the discussion about our residence. Matt and I were shown apartment K and we moved into that apartment that evening. However, on all of the subsequent paperwork on our lease agreement and with the utility company, it is noted we live in apartment E. Our mailbox says K with E below it, but our mail key doesn’t open any mailbox. This situation is rather complicated, but matters are so much more so when attempting to communicate in a second language!

After a few more unsettling experiences, Matt and I feel like we could write a book titled, What to Expect When Moving to a Foreign Country (When Not Proficient in the Language) or Crazy Spanish Living for Americans (How to Adapt to Crazy Spanish People). We are indeed learning though, and we try to not take these stressful days to seriously. We think of you all often and wish we could share these experiences with you. We love hearing from you, and hope to talk to you soon!

Love,

Matt and Heather

Some Pictures!

First Blog

Hey Everyone!
This is our first posting, and since it's just Matt writing, it's not gonna be too long - just testing this out.

We've just completed our first day of classes at the Universidade de Vigo in Vigo, Spain and we're pretty surprised/confused/happy/irritated! The system here is so different from anything we've seen previously and we're not exactly sure what to think or do.. The requirements for us, as told to us by those who matter to our grades, is that we learn the Spanish language and way of life. Classes are required and a serious attempt must be made, but most students here fail class, let alone students who barely can speak the language! Something like 60% of the students fail or at least get a D; usually only 1 student from every class earns an A! Heather is not happy, to say the least!

Aside from that confusion, we've landed ourselves in a nice apartment with a beautiful view of the Ria de Vigo and the cityscape. Our "flat" is higher than the rest until the river, so we always have a very beautiful view throughout the day. We are told that most days will be cloudy even though it has been beautiful to this point. We have been walking around the city daily - great exercise going up and down the hilly city streets, and have found the bus the most convenient way to get to campus, even though it's "schedule" is not something we are used to!

The way of life is very different, from the meal schedule being much more spread out to the late nights and constantly noisy streets (with no air conditioning our windows stay open), we're still adjusting. All in all though, things are great! We're learning the language, poco a poco (little by little I think), and loving the delicious fresh fruit and seafood surrounding us. We have decided on what classes to attempt first and will start attending them tomorrow. And we have met some other international students who speak English (nice to speak our native language at times) - hopefully we'll find some Spanish speakers to learn the language with while enjoying a nice cafe solo at the closest cafe. Life is fun, strange, and noisy, and we love it! Will write more when my wife can join me... Love you all and thank you for reading! -Matt