capitulo 2

Such chalky chalky hands; sticky and sweaty and pale, tired from vertical scribbles and gestures, the touch of the keyboard is steely, unusual. Horizontal is foreign now: I always stand up, I lift my chin, I raise the corners of my mouth, I jump and exclaim, I roll  my eyes. No need for horizontal.
I like all the eyes on me. I understand the focus oscillates depending on interest or tiredness etcetera, but every now and again, I know something is going through. They remembered stripes, checks, polka dots, I know they did. We talked in tongue twisters and Spanish (not such different awkwardnesses for my mind) and Tiago, oh, Tiago, the brightest little star in the class: charming, clever, smiling Tiago. I hope he goes far.
I'm learning too. They are teaching me to be spontaneous, to learn from their imaginations and listen to what they can do, what they know already. I entered class today to find a Scottish flag drawn on the blackboard with a burning English one next to it. Slightly harsh, but amusing and clearly thoughtful..in a way... It is nice to know they know when I am arriving and they want to impress me. I'm not sure what reaction they thought would get, but I hope they liked it. We talk about other flags, they draw other ones for me and help each other. Interactive is best. Interactive is most definitely best. Everyone likes to be teacher for a while!
Anyway, I must go investigate some ridiculous German play or three.
More next month.
Hasta luego!

chapter 1

I made a few notes in a note pad on my journey to Orense (or Ourense, depending on your castellano/gallego preferences) and I am undecided as to what I ought to put in and what not to put in. Fuck it. None of it is going in. This is all new. Hello new blog! Hola blog(a) nuevo/a!

So..first impressions..there is a lovely river, several bridges of varying ages, shapes and sizes and extremely cheap food and drink. The school is delightful, if a bit serious (I shall be bringing a bit of silliness) and I have been lucky enough to know Julieanne Gershmann, who has been working at the school for several months and has basically been my guide/life saver these past few days. Currently I am staying in a hotel (adding to that awkward feeling of limbo) and looking for a flat. It is not ideal. I do not feel particularly comfortable. It's like, if you are a fish, a happy merry swimming sparkly fish, just doin' your thang in some great big lovely comfortable familiar ocean and WHAM! you are in a bowl. A bowl with little plastic castles and treasure chests which you do not understand. I am a fish. A gawping, confused fish getting lost in a bowl.

What a wonderful start to my February blog. Fish analogies.
I guess it's relevant to Galicia, which prides itself on its sea food.

I'm trying not to think about it too much. I think about the language too much too, and then everything fucks up because you become scared. Language is fluid, confident and manipulative and as soon as you take that fearlessness out, you fluster and things get worse. I mean, children don't think about it do they? "Oh no, I dropped my juice!. .. now... is that the correct use of that tense? Should I have used a different verb?" This is not normal 6 year old chatter. They're just pissed they dropped their Sunny Delight.

These blogs of mine do seem to be filled with odd analogies and linguistic difficulties. I guess that's how I'm gonna roll for now! Self obsessed splurgey blurgey blurghhhh.

Hasta irgendwann, chavales!