La Ciudad

This big fountain is where we usually end up meeting because it's right in the center of the city-near the cathedral, all the shops and cafes etc. The weather's been great and I can walk the whole city which is so nice. I went to shadow some classes today at the highschool and they were a lot of fun. The students are so much crazier than the ones I've had in the states. They have zero discipline and they are kind of rude. But they are Spanish so I automatically love them. I was in a couple of English classes today where they did translations and had to think of multiple ways to say the same thing both in English and in Spanish. I learned a lot! And was suprised that I thought of Spanish phrases that they didn't. :)

I went out to coffee today with a few of the teachers which was really loving. They have a 30 minute break and we went to the cafe across the street where there were literally 15 teachers from the school getting little cups of coffee, ha! One woman asked the person next to me what my name was and where I was from. Excuse me: me llamo Leigh, y no soy sorda, soy americana y hablo español. Ah, oh well. Some days I feel like I could say anything and do anything in Spanish and other days I think I'm a total failure and feel like I can't string a single sentence together correctly.

The picture of the mountain is from a little farther north in Spain, heading into the Picos de Europa. Sam, Julie, Alberto and I went for a drive up into the little towns and mountains. We wandered around the valleys etc and had a picnic. It was gorgeous, what a view. Though the mountains were impossible to climb due to a)barbed wire b)creeks at the base c)super steep d)no paths. SO we didn't get too far.

Next week we are going to Madrid for our orientation for all of the Americans/Canadians teaching here in Spain. All 500 or so of us in one hotel should definitely be interesting. The week after that we have a long weekend and we are already planning what cities to go to. Going to head north while the weather is still nice there, because it will start to get cold way too soon!

Off to find veggies-because they definitely only had like 2 kinds at the grocery store. I'm in need of a veggie stand!

El piso!

So...I'm finally in Leon. It's been a crazy few days, I feel like I've been here months already. I was super thrown into Spanish again, having to go to the bank, police station, town hall, foreigneres office, cell phone store, grocery store, meet a landlord, etc. Let's just say I've learned some new vocab this week. Gas tank for a stove...botella de butano. Didn't know I'd need that one. Empadronarse...register to be a resident...yes. It's going great.

I have an apartment, which makes me feel a lot more settled. The best part is it is superrr Spanish looking-pretty old style, which I adore. I can't wait to hang my laundry on the line.

These are the gaudy bathroom, my bedroom (which is pretty big!) and the kitchen.

I already got asked to babysit for a friend of one of the teachers I met. He wants someone to "play with his 5 and 9 year old and talk to them and teach them". Sign me up! Also, I am already pretty well-known around the city as "la americana" because I've been to all of the above-listed places like every single day all week.

So I am living with a girl who is teaching with me, Samantha, and two Spanish girls. The one spaniard is already moved in but I've been there two days and have yet to see her! She is MIA. The other moves in on the 20th so that should be interesting for sure. We are already all set up so it will be weird to feel like other strangers are joining. But I'm addicted to Spanish so I can't help but be thrilled. We also have a concierge at our apartment who has proven to be super helpful when we are clueless. I think I need a permanent concierge.

That's all for now! Hasta pronto.