Magical Segovia

What other word could you use to describe the birthplace of Sleeping Beauty’s castle? Legend has it that the Alcazar in Segovia was the inspiration behind many of Walt Disney’s storybook castles. And it’s no wonder why. With Rapunzel towers, turrets with witches’ hats and a very deep moat, this fairy-tale castle leaves you feeling like you’re in a movie. The current structure is actually a reconstruction, though, because the original was burnt down in 1862.

Side View

Front Entrance

That little speck is me!

Guarding the castle!

Stained glass inside

Her knight in shining armor!

What's under there?!

The views from the Torre de Juan II are amazing and put the town’s hilltop location in perspective.

The cathedral in the distance

As if the Alcazar wasn’t enough, Segovia’s most recognizable symbol is an extraordinary feat of engineering, made even more remarkable by the fact that is was first raised here by the Romans in the 1st century AD. To top it off, not a speck of mortar was used to the hold the whole thing together.

View down the aqueduct with people below

Other side

Up close view

The 728m granite block aqueduct is made up of 163 arches and is part of a complex system of aqueducts and underground canals which once brought water from the mountains to the town. At its highest point it is 28m high!

As if this wasn’t enough, the cathedral in town is quite impressive as well. Started in 1525, this cathedral is the final expression of Gothic architecture in Spain that took almost 200 years to complete.

Cathedral

Plaza Mayor

From a distance...

Another view

I would highly recommend a day trip to this intriguing and fascinating city full of the sights and sounds that Spain is famous for.

Ciao!  ~Linds

Toledo

Toledo is known as "La Ciudad Imperial" or Imperial City for a reason; it has mosques, synagogues, churches and museums that could keep you occupied for days and narrow streets, plazas and inner patios that will keep you lost for weeks.  Toledo is perched on a rocky ridge above the Rio Tajo, about a half hour south of Madrid, giving you a view of nearby villages and the surrounding countryside.  The Gothic cathedral is the centerpiece of any trip to this town and the former inhabitants of Roman, Jewish and Muslim descent leave you intrigued by their architectural and cultural viewpoints.  The charm of this medieval town is that it seems to still be stuck back in time.

On the train, bright and early!

Representing!

Gorgeous alleys and buildings

Doorway to a hidden street

City walls

Facade of the cathedral

The details are amazing

The Alcazar

The translations always make me laugh!

One of the town's many statues

(making me feel right at home!)

Ciao for now, Linds

First visitor-- Mom!

Even before I had booked my ticket to Madrid, my Mom had found an amazing deal-- flight out of Phoenix for $200.  Many people asked her, "Are you sure it's roundtrip?" and in fact it was.  We had a wonderful time exploring Madrid and the surrounding areas, eating good food, drinking good wine and chatting up a storm -- like mother, like daughter...  She even came to school one day and met all my wonderful students  (makes you miss teaching, doesn't it Mom?)  It was a relief to see a familiar face and exciting to show someone around my new "home."  Being a tourist in your own city gives you the chance to do all the things you typically wouldn't do:  visit the museums and attractions, eat at the "tourist" restaurants, take the silly pictures, etc. 

Parque Retiro on a gorgeous day!

Statue in Parque Retiro

Cathedral

Palacial Fountain

Temple de Debod

Sol (my neighborhood)-- Km. 0:  The point at which all roads in Spain are measured from

No trip to Spain would be complete without churros and chocolate!

Although I was ecstatic to see my Mom, I was also excited to see all the rest of my things (i.e. my clothes and shoes!) that didn't make it in the initial move.  Even more so, seeing all my beloved American essentials that they don't have here made it feel like Christmas in October!  Doesn't the old saying go, "You don't realize what you have until it's taken away from you..."  I didn't realize how much I'd miss peanut butter, Orbit gum and the standard ice cube tray.  Yes, you read correctly.  Ice cube trays.  You have no idea...

The motherload... and to think there was twice that plus my clothes not in the picture!

Coincidentally, at the same time my Mom was here, my college roommate was also passing through.  It had been a few years since we had seen each other so we had lots to catch up on... the gossip continues even 5 years after we've graduated!  Although we didn't find a crescent moon to take a picture with (Go, Go Gamma Phi) we did take the classic Arches photo... be on the lookout, Loggers!

I can't wait to welcome even more visitors into my home and my new city.  Please, come and stay a day or two or even a week (as long as you bring some candy along...), I'd love to see you all.

Plaza Mayor

Living the good life...

Abrazos de Madrid,  Linds

My Favorite YouTube Video

If I could have one job for the rest of my life--- this would be it.  The places this man gets to travel to are amazing.  I can only dream about going from Antarctica to Iceland, Africa to New Zealand.  The reason I think I enjoy this video so much (if not just for the scenery...) is because of the children who are filmed.  It's an inspiration to me, and maybe this is why I am a teacher, that no matter how rich or how poor, children never cease to loose their incredible giggles and ability to let loose and have fun.  I think I become a better person everyday because of the students I have in my classroom and I'm thankful I'm able to be surrounded by such energetic and playful minds on a daily basis.

Also, both videos end in one of the greatest cities on earth, Seattle, so here's my plug for the city! 

Take a look, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Dancing Around the World

Here is also a link to Matt's original "Dancing Around the World" video.

Dancing Around the World 2

Life is Good!

I've been receiving so many emails recently with questions such as, "Are you glad you moved?" "How do you like it?" "Was it the right decision?" "When will you be coming back?"... that I felt I should update everyone on "life in Spain."

In all honesty, and I feel quite guilty saying this, I am the happiest I've been in years. Every day I say to myself, "I cannot believe I am living this life." It seems almost surreal that I could be living in a foreign country with a new language and new friends and new collegues and new students and new surroundings... and yet feel so content and so well adjusted. I had so many worries and fears going into this life-changing move, yet they have all vanished, surprisingly, in very little time.

I wouldn't say I'm religious or even spiritual for that matter. But I would say I'm a big believer in fate and destiny. I was at a bit of a crossroads in Puerto Rico. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back to the States and have a "normal" life like all of my friends or if I wanted to set out on another adventure across the world. For those that know me well I'm sure they knew when it really came down to it, I was never going back to the States. But many long talks with my parents well into the summer and just weeks before I was to take off for Madrid left me doubting if I would be happy living so far away from all that was familiar. But, I think this opportunity to move to Spain came at the perfect time in my life and I'm so glad I decided to take the leap of faith. Will I live here forever? Probably not. Will I move back to the States? Probably much sooner than anyone would like me to. Where will I move back to? Who knows! San Francisco, San Diego and Portland are the frontrunners but that is two years away and what seems like many moons from now. For now, I'm loving all that living in Europe has to offer and can't imagine being anywhere else.

Now, I'm making it seem like it's been all roses and kitty cats. There have been times that I've desperately wanted to be with my family and friends. There have been other times that I've dreamt of suntanning and frolicking on the beach, reading trashy magazines in English, eating sour skittles and real Mexican food, and buying shoes that actually come in a size big enough to fit my 10-narrow feet (you can tell the things that I don't have here!) But those days are becoming fewer and far between. And while those close to me are never far from my mind, I'm relieved to know that once again, life does go on. New friends come into your life, new memories are made, and there are still many more adventures ahead.

So to answer all of your questions: Yes, I love it here. My job is challenging yet rewarding. My students are diverse and curious. My coworkers are dedicated and passionate. My friends are adventurous and like-minded. My apartment is freshly painted and close to everything. Madrid is bustling and beautiful (and about the only time it's quiet is when I'm on a run with my iPod on... perhaps my favorite time of the day!) The fall weather is incredible and relieving. And my wallet keeps shrinking, and shrinking, and shrinking.... :) Life is good.

My fall is shaping up to be quite busy. My Mom will be here October 8-14 on her $200 plane ticket. Then, I'm off to travel with friends. My booked trips include Porto, Portugal October 16-18, Florence, Italy November 5-9 and the Canary Islands November 26-29. Many more trips are in the works before my 3-week Christmas vacation (London, Dublin, Oslo and Brussels). I'll keep you all posted!

If you are ever in the area, or on the continent, let me know! I have loved hearing from you all and appreciate all your kind words and emails. Keep the updates coming.

Abrazos and Besos, Linds

Avila

A few weekends ago we spent the day in the beautiful Spanish town of Avila. It was like stepping back in time (and very similar to Old San Juan, PR for those who have been). Avila is home to one of the largest defensive walls in the world. The walls were built in the eleventh century but seem like they could have been built yesterday; they are in pristine condition. There are over 80 towers and nine gates that let you enter and exit the town. And the views of the surrounding countryside from the top of the walls are gorgeous. We happened to be in town, coincidentally, at the same time that a medieval festival that was taking place. After being in the city for the past month it was nice to get out and explore a more serene place.

Local spices

Wishing I had my own set of armor!

Group picture with the locals

From the town square

The gorgeous wall and its surroundings

Anna, Jamie and I on the wall

Resting!

View of the town from one of the guard posts

Delicious Bread!

First Day of School!

I had started to believe that I was just here on vacation... things didn't seem permanent until we started school. Now, our favorite saying at ASM is that "work is getting in the way of all our fun!" Somehow (as I'm sure you can believe...) we still manage to have a lot of fun even if we are working long days (leave the house at 7am, get home at 6pm). I've never been a big fan of spending lots of time in transit, whether that be in a car, bus or train. So... the one hour commute to work has been tiring to get used to but as time goes on, I'm sure it will become easier. I have the metro and bus system down to a science but only the lines that get me to and from school. Ask me to get anywhere else in the city and it's like looking at a map from another planet; it's a very intricate subway system. (Fun Fact: Madrid built the entire subway system to bolster their chances of winning the 2012 Olympic bid. They did not win but are trying for 2016, as is evident by all of the signs scattered about the city. Boston could learn a lesson or two from Spain's engineers.)

Annual First Day of School Pic!

And so begins another school year. I am teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade at ASM this year and looking forward to all of the classes for various reasons. I am piloting a new book for my 6th grade class which has been controversial in the States so we will see how well it is received in Spain. My 7th grade class is Pre-Algebra and since I don't have a book I will be able to use many of the same lessons and activities that I used with my students in Puerto Rico (less lesson planning, yay!). Finally, my 3 students in my 8th grade class will be piloting a new online program where they do a majority of their lessons and assignments on the computer. Luckily our school has an extraordinary number of computers so it shouldn't be too tricky to accomplish this. Although my students don't know it yet, I'll be learning the program right along with them!

In the short amount of time I have spent with my students I have found them to be polite and well mannered, from age 4 up to 18. We have a 33/33/33 mixture of kids at ASM; 33% from Spain, 33% from the US, and 33% from other countries. This makes for an extremely diverse setting. In one class alone I have 6 students from Spain, 5 from the US, 2 from France, 1 from England, 1 from Japan, 2 from Korea, 1 from Sweden and 1 from Egypt. Imagine the language abilities of these students! What I've found is that the foreign students are either American military or Embassy children. The Spanish children come from extremely elite families not only in Madrid but all over Spain (I spoke with one nanny today, saw a butler of another student, and had a professional soccer player and basketball player drop their kids off... what?!?!) As time goes by, who knows what will be in store but for now, I am overly impressed with the students' enthusiasm for school, their speaking abilities, and their overall awareness of the world around them. Never have I seen such an accepting group of young minds-- if only schools everywhere could be like this.

I look forward, as always, to another exciting year. But as with most teachers, I also look forward to all our wonderful breaks that allow us to stay sane and employed! Here are a few pics of my classroom, enjoy! Besos, Linds

Front of the Classroom

Back of the Classroom

Side wall