Granada Espana, 01 October, 2010

I'm here in Granada!
I luckily already found an apartment to live in but I still don't have internet yet. Here I am in a cafe in Plaza Nueva (stealing someone elses internet). I had my first day of teaching English today. I met all the clases I'll be teaching. I'm teaching elementary school and the children are very cute! Today I met a four-year-old named Shakira! I only work Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 to 1:30. Hopefully I'll be filling in my extra time with tutoring to make some extra money. Now that I've started working I feel calmer. This week has been a whirlwind of Spanish, trying not to get taken advantage of, travel, discomfort and worry. Finding an apartment here was porbably the hardest thing I have ever done-- naturally I made some mistakes but I have come to terms with the fact that this trip may just be about that. I have to make mistakes to learn and here its just so easy. One deosn't know general information that is so important-- such as how renting an apartment should work. But I think I have made it through without losing too much money to silly things I didn't know or understand. My apartment is beautiful and clean with a view of the Alhambra. There are kitties in the back yard, but I have resisted adopting any.

This month will be the hardest as I won't be paid until the end of October and I still have to get internet, a bank account, and my identification card. I am incredibly happy that I'm living in Granada instead of in the pueblo I'm teaching at (Santa Fe). There is essentially nothing to do there-- it's a quaint, quiet town that would surely turn out to be a bit too quiet for an entire year.

On the other hand Granada is an interesting city. It's very "hippy." The people love walking here and at any time or day the streets are filled. I have already become used to going for a walk after lunch and dinner and even as entertainment.

I don't have much time right now so this little glimpse of the past week will have to suffice. Hopefully I will have internet soon and can explain the details of life here!