I leave tomorrow! ... or not. :-)

For those of you who don't know, Spain is in the midst of a general strike. This is due to pay cuts, economic problems, etc. and affects public transportation and airline flights. Legally, they have to allow a certain percentage of transportation to function, but THE day--September 29th--will be a chaotic day for those trying to get in and around Spain. Barcelona is one of the many cities affected by the strikes. I was headed to Barcelona on the 29th. Was. :-)

I checked my flight status this morning, and the Tuesday flight from Cincinnati to Philadelphia was fine. But the overnight flight from Philadelphia to Barcelona? Canceled. I had to call a number for US Airways and talk to a representative (who was very helpful and polite, especially considering how stressful her job must be right now!), and the flight was canceled due to the Barcelona strike. Most flights to Spain were canceled, and I guess those that were still scheduled were completely booked. The earliest possible date I could get in was October 2nd, arriving in Barcelona on Sunday morning, Oct. 3rd. 

On the downside, I'll be missing the required orientation session on Oct. 1st. I was going to meet my "tutora" (the English teacher with whom I'll be working the most) and the school headmaster, along with the program director of Catalunya and the other participants of my region. 

The good news is that I really don't need to be in Barcelona. I can pretty much go straight to my city and meet those in my school. Not that there's anything especially wrong with Barcelona, mind you, but it IS the second largest city in Spain!  I also have a few more days to prepare for the trip, and I shouldn't have to worry about how to get out of the airport because there isn't any available public transportation due to the strikes. I can spend a few more days with my family and pets. And the best part? I know for sure I'm getting window seats on both flights! When I purchased my original ticket, the seats weren't specified. However, the woman on the phone gave me the option. Windows! Yay! :-)

I also know that God's timing is perfect. He has a reason for this change, and I'm trusting Him with the details.  

And speaking of details, the ones I was planning on sharing are quite different now, so let me just give the basics of where I'll be and what I'll be doing.

• I'll be a teacher's assistant in the ZER (Zona Escolar Rural, or Rural Scholastic Zone) Conca. The Zer Conca is a group of four schools in four different villages within the comarca Conca de Barbera. The schools are located in Rocafort de Queralt, Barberà de la Conca, Solivella, and Pira.
• I should be living in a flat in Montblanc, the capital of Conca de Barbera. The teachers are looking into a roommate for me (one was suggested--another teacher in the school--but...well...he's a guy. NOT happening! :-)).
• If a flat isn't picked out by the time I get to Montblanc, I'll be staying with one of the other teachers and her husband. 
• I'll be working the most with Laura, my official "tutora". I've been in contact with her the most, and she's just wonderful. 
• Olga, another English teacher at the school, will be in England for the next few months but will be back in December. She seems really nice as well. Olga even invited me to spend Christmas with her and her family!
• Both Laura and Olga are mothers in the thirties. 
• I'm the first language assistant at the school!
• The children range in age from 4-12. Out of diapers and not in high school. Perfect! 
• My teaching load is light (12-16 hours a week!), leaving plenty of time for travel, tutoring on the side, taking some classes, and becoming immersed in the culture.
• The average temperature for my region is in the 60s and 70s. It's very mild and Mediterranean. How I'll be suffering. Hee hee!

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Oh no! I'm one of THOSE people now!

A blog. I have a blog. I'm a blogger. First off, I really don't like the words "blog" and "blogger". They sound gross and boring--like a combination of the words "blah" and...well, something you might find in your nose. It's really just a shortened word for Web Log, but I can't help but wish they invented a more interesting name. But I digress, and I haven't even really started blogging yet. Hee!

Aside from the random introduction, I do think starting a blog for this trip is a good idea. One, several people have asked me to start one. Two, I like to write. Three, I can tell everyone what I've been doing at the same time. Four, I fail miserably at traditional diary-keeping, and if I don't write it down, sooner or later I'll forget what I've been doing. And I certainly want a record of my thoughts, actions, and experiences in Spain!

Since I'm not exactly sure who all will be reading this, let me start with an introduction. I'm 23 and have an older sister (she's been a big help in starting this blog, so let's all give her a round of applause. Yay Amanda! :-)) and two younger brothers, both in or almost in college. I was homeschooled (along with my siblings) and officially started learning Spanish through a video series by A Becka Academy--learning through a recorded classroom. I loved it. After high school, I went to UC: Raymond Walters College, studying Liberal Arts (I loved it) with the purpose of transferring to NKU to major in Spanish. I graduated from NKU in 2009 with a degree in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies (I loved it). I also studied abroad in Mexico for a month in 2008 (I loved it). Post-graduation, I went on a church missions trip to Texas, ministering to the Hispanic/Latino families and children through VBS as well as helping one of our missionary couples (I loved it). I've volunteered for various Spanish-related projects in 2009 and 2010 (translating, etc.), but no official career has surfaced. I worked at Target for almost a year, which I enjoyed (okay, I like the work but love the co-workers), but I still had a passion to 1) use Spanish, 2) work with children, 3) help people beyond showing them where to find mattress covers and light bulbs, 4) travel, and 5) remain somewhat connected to the academic world. 

I found out about this opportunity through an e-mail from NKU. The Spanish Ministry of Education sends out a bunch of grants to native English speakers to live in Spain and assist teaching English for basically a school year. I applied what now seems like forever ago and really wasn't even sure I wanted to do it. But when the official e-mail came that I received a placement and had five days to decide, I just knew it was what God wanted me to do. With approval from my family and getting advice from others, I accepted! 

That was just the first step. Little did I truly know how extensive and time-consuming the process was! I had to gather medical certificates, police clearance reports, and all sorts of documents to apply for a visa. Annoying but doable, right? Well, I had to apply for the visa in person at the Spanish Consulate in...Chicago! This led to TWO Chicago trips (dropping off the application and then picking up the visa), which was rather inconvenient at first but ended up being two fantastic trips to a really neat city! Dad and I went the first time, and Mom joined us on round 2. Both trips were great!

Hmm...this is a long introduction! I'll stop here and give more specifics about my placement later. Thanks for reading!