Time Doesn't Stand Still...

December 1st. I really can't believe it. Maybe its because up until a week or two ago I still didn't need a winter jacket... or because I never saw the Fall foliage, celebrated my sister's birthday, or started to complain constantly about the cold. Well, now its officially December here and also definitely winter. I've been freezing, although the official high and low are around 62 and 40 each day, which anyone from Massachusetts would scoff at. Yet the houses here are not very prepared for winter, and thus my house is freezing! Although I have a heater in my room, it makes a lot of noise and is supposedly very expensive to use. So I'll probably end up buying some sort of small electric heater...

My life here so far has felt a bit like a tornado... moving so quickly I can barely keep up with it. Although I finally feel like I'm finding a bit of balance, I know that in two weeks my life will be even crazier travelling to and from the US and then possibly to the North of Spain (Oviedo) for New Year's. My goals for this month and the new year are to relax a bit, be more organized, and get into more of a routine. I also need to be more aggressive with certain people here that have been adding stress to my life!

So, what have I been doing? Well, first of all, work has been exhausting. 12 hours a week sounds like nothing... and it wouldn't be so bad without a commute, but in reality I spend a lot longer here than 12 hours and its 1 hour and 15 minutes door to door for my commute. So, thats 9 hours a week of commuting time, plus 12 hours of work, and 2 hours of breaks (approximately). Basically, my job is around 23 hours plus planning time. And I'm constantly stressed about planning. I have so many different levels and groups and its difficult to plan activities that I can use for multiple classes. Yet I also don't want to plan 9 different classes a week because that would be impossible! And, in addition to planning the High School classes, I always have to plan for my private students as well. So, I need to work on a system because right now I'm constantly stressed!

I also do a lot more work in my High School than any of my friends. I wouldn't trade my job for a better one in the US, but I still wish I was getting a little more help from my school. I need to confront my boss about this eventually, but I hate to ever sound like I'm complaining...everyone who knows me knows that that is my personality...

Other than work, my friend Lee visited me at the beginning of November and I did my best to show him the "authentic" Seville. We went out together at night, went sightseeing a bit, and went to my friend Claudia's birthday party. He tried the best Tapas, saw Flamenco, and one of the most beautiful Cathedrals!

Last week I spent in grocery stores and in my kitchen preparing for our Expatriate Thanksgiving feast/party. My friend Briana hosted it because she has a big apartment and us American girls cooked. It was supposed to be a potluck, but I of course had to make like 50 things...I couldn't help myself. I ended up spending a lot of $$ but I think it was worth it to get everyone together and introduce Spaniards and other foreigners to my FAVORITE holiday!

I made mashed pumpkin, mashed sweet potato, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, gravy and 2 pumpkin pies (thanks Mom!) a chocolate cream pie and two apple crisps. I started cooking/preparing on Wednesday (the feast was Saturday) with the pie crusts and apple sauce. On Friday, Briana and Caitlyn came over and helped me with the 5 pies (Thank God). I had already made the mashed squash and sweet potato during the day. On Saturday morning I woke up exhausted because I stupidly was talked into going out for "a little while" which turned into 6am. I headed over to Briana's because I had promised to be there to help get the Turkey in the oven.

A small group of us googled and youtubed how to make a turkey, where to stick in the meat thermometer, how to tie it together...etc. What would we do in today's world without google and youtube?

Once it was in the oven, we got coffee together and then I stole one of the girls back to my house so that she could help me carry everything over. We got back there, and I soon started on the mashed potatoes. Around 4:00 people began to arrive and we planned to eat around 6:00. Unfortunately, I began drinking wine around 4:00 and after that things get a bit blurry. My biggest regret is not eating much of all the amazing food I (and others) worked so hard to make! My problem with alcohol is that on an empty stomach it affects me a lot (of course) but when I drink after eating I have an EXTREMELY high tolerance. So I sometimes forget that I can't drink if I haven't eaten much!

Well, needless to say I learned an important lesson and will consciously abstain from alcohol next Thanksgiving! But still the party was fun and I supposedly wasn't the only one who had a bit too much. (Though I was the only one who accidently poured Turkey fat on one of the apple crisps... thinking it was sugar???) The girls informed the vegetarians at the party that they shouldn't eat that one...

So now, Thanksgiving is over and I somewhat have my life back. Unfortunately, I have a lot of work and planning to do this week, have to figure out my New Year's plans, buy a winter coat and Christmas presents, and start preparing to get home for Xmas! I'll be on a bus to Madrid in 20 days! I'm really just hoping to make it homw with no major problems...

This weekend I have a 5 day holiday! I really need it. I am definitely planning to get out of Seville (for the 1st time in 2 months!!!) but I'm not sure where I'll go yet. After Xmas I also have some travel plans:

New Year's: Oviedo
January: Morocco
End of January: Maybe Italy (but I doubt it as I can't miss work...)
February: Brussels and Amsterdam
March: Berlin (hopefully to visit Vanessa)
May: Not sure yet but I have vacation time
June: Will be here working by giving private classes but no more day job...! So possibly will travel...

So, that's a quick summary of where I've been the past month. Tomorrow I'll post some photos. I'm going to try to update much more often! Besos para todos!!!