First off, happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all thankful for something this year.
Second, I have to share... many signs in Pamplona for various businesses are written in Spanish as well as Basque. The language is spoken frequently. In fact, the school I teach at is Basque. Anyhow, sometimes I get a kick out of reading both and realizing what certain words are in Basque because of the Spanish sign.
My favorite, by far, one that always makes me laugh is the word for dentist. There are lots of "Clinica Dental"s around in each pueblo. As you probably guessed, this means Dental Clinic. The word for clinic in Basque is simple enough, "Klinika." But the word for dental is a kick in the pants... "hortz." Hortz klinika. So, when basque people go to the dentist do they say, "I have an appointment with the hortz"? Isn't that hilarious? To me, it sounds like an old Jewish man. Isaiah Hortz. Anyhow, I just wanted to share.
In otehr news, I'll be having a proper thanks giving this year. Last year was fun, but no turkey. This year, I ordered a turkey from the butcher, which I'm rather proud of, and will be having around 10 people over to the apartment, a few Americans, Canadians and some English. It'll be great. Did you know they have thanksgiving in Canada? It's a different date that our though. I always thought it was a celebration of a day of peace between pilgrims and native americans. I don't think Canada has native americans... ha. Plus, we're having English people... shouldn't they be sort of mad about thanksgiving? I mean, we broke from them. But, technically, english people probably had the first thanksgiving on American soil, as they were the pilgrims. We will be quite historical. Not to mention, Iñaki, the only Spaniard coming. He will be representative of Columbus.
Anyhow, I have a class in one minute, so I better go. Happy thanksgiving and I'll see you all soon!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Halloween pics
Hi dudes!
Here are some shots of my lovely Halloween that caused me to lose my voice which has yet to return in full force...
I was Harry Potter.
Iñaki was a Pimp-pire. So, a cross between a pimp and a vampire. He has this obsession with pimps lately, maybe that should worry me... my head is so tiny in this picture.
This is my new friend Kait. She´s an art major and did her own zombie makeup, great huh?
This is one of the bars we were in. As you can see, most people do not wear costumes.
Irene and Iñaki dancing til they drop.
And that was about it, we went home shortly after this. But it was really fun. I got my hair cut the other day and here´s the picture... I think I´m really going to like it, but I have some more experimentting to do with it. 
I´m feeling a bit better about the whole basketball thing. I always do when we win, whcih we did last night. Send me positive thoughts for this week so I can stay positive!
Here are some shots of my lovely Halloween that caused me to lose my voice which has yet to return in full force...
I was Harry Potter.
Iñaki was a Pimp-pire. So, a cross between a pimp and a vampire. He has this obsession with pimps lately, maybe that should worry me... my head is so tiny in this picture.
This is my new friend Kait. She´s an art major and did her own zombie makeup, great huh?
This is one of the bars we were in. As you can see, most people do not wear costumes.
Irene and Iñaki dancing til they drop.
And that was about it, we went home shortly after this. But it was really fun. I got my hair cut the other day and here´s the picture... I think I´m really going to like it, but I have some more experimentting to do with it. 
I´m feeling a bit better about the whole basketball thing. I always do when we win, whcih we did last night. Send me positive thoughts for this week so I can stay positive!
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Like stretching a balloon over a cowboy hat
I know sometimes this blog is used for complaining... now again. Sometimes it's just nice to put my gripes in writing for everyone to see and possibly relate to.
It's Saturday afternoon around 1 o'clock here. We had Thursday and Friday mostly free for all saints day on Thursday. I had a kick ass Halloween and went out with a bunch of American students and Inaki and Irene plus the usuals. No one really dresses in costumes here, but I dressed as Harry Potter. It was a good one. I can't upload pics to my computer, but I'll post when Inaki gets home with his compy. Anyhow, a great time was had by all.
Thursday, I decided not to do anything. It was great, but at the same time, there were so many things looming in my future and things that needed to be done, that it was hard to enjoy. Friday, I got my hair cut, shorter than I've had for years. I love it by the way. It's basiclly the same I had during the summer but shorter.
Here's where the stretching too thin comes in... I had to coach a practice and then play in a practice last night. After, my team had a cena, so I went to that, which I didn't want to, but for some reason they all seem so offended if I'm not there to check in with every 20 minutes and yell short phrases to in English. I have to read a 23 page unit and try to get it done by tomorrow and clean the apartment still. I had to get up and be at a basketball game today to coach, but I didn't really want to. I took about an hour for me time after the game, but now I need to get all my stuff done before I play in my game tonight and am expected to go out with the team after and don't want to.
It's just so hard to say no to all these things and when I don't, I'm just angry to be where I am. I don't feel like playing hoops really anymore. I just feel angry during practice and no one works hard which makes me not work hard and then I suck, which makes me work even less hard. I know, I'm being a victim and should play hard all the time.
I feel resentful that I have to coach as well. I'm pissed that there are a million things that I'm not doing for me and just continue to be places for other people. I dunno.
I'm no saint, these things that I'm doing should be fun and I should enjoy them. I'm just not. I'm not sure how to get it back. I am pretty happy teaching and am enjoying getting to know all the little kids and going to my spanish classes. But the bball is on my nerves. I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the year, but I have to. I can't just quit. What do you guys at home think? Gimme some advice if you have a momento.
Other than these little annoyances, I am well. I need to do more creative posting for sure. Entries wander through my mind all the time and I forget to put them in. Like cute little moments from my classes. A positive: the kids I'm teaching are sometimes fabulous. There's one group of 7 year olds that really likes me and the last time I went into their classroom, they bowed at my feet and chanted "Darby". As I've said to a few people, everyone should be greeted like that once a week. A little girl from one of my 9 year old groups made me a gimp key chain that is actually really cool. Another little boy from that group freaks out every time he sees me and runs up and hugs me and yells "Darby!" like he can't believe that I really exist. Once he ran up and hugged me and a huge group of kids followed him and we had a big group hug before I left for the day. And as I walk down the halls in school all the kids say, "Hello, Darby, hello Darby, hello..." These are the little perks that make my job great. I think it's amazing how little the language you speak has to do with a positive teaching experience. Silliness, smiles and high fives are universal.
Okay, enough saying how great I am. I hope all is well at home and the fall is treating you to calm cozy evenings. One of my favorite quotes about the fall, possibly the only one I know, is when Tom Hanks says he'd like to send Meg Ryan a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils as the first orange leaves start appearing in "You've Got Mail." Well have a great day and go sharpen some pencils.
It's Saturday afternoon around 1 o'clock here. We had Thursday and Friday mostly free for all saints day on Thursday. I had a kick ass Halloween and went out with a bunch of American students and Inaki and Irene plus the usuals. No one really dresses in costumes here, but I dressed as Harry Potter. It was a good one. I can't upload pics to my computer, but I'll post when Inaki gets home with his compy. Anyhow, a great time was had by all.
Thursday, I decided not to do anything. It was great, but at the same time, there were so many things looming in my future and things that needed to be done, that it was hard to enjoy. Friday, I got my hair cut, shorter than I've had for years. I love it by the way. It's basiclly the same I had during the summer but shorter.
Here's where the stretching too thin comes in... I had to coach a practice and then play in a practice last night. After, my team had a cena, so I went to that, which I didn't want to, but for some reason they all seem so offended if I'm not there to check in with every 20 minutes and yell short phrases to in English. I have to read a 23 page unit and try to get it done by tomorrow and clean the apartment still. I had to get up and be at a basketball game today to coach, but I didn't really want to. I took about an hour for me time after the game, but now I need to get all my stuff done before I play in my game tonight and am expected to go out with the team after and don't want to.
It's just so hard to say no to all these things and when I don't, I'm just angry to be where I am. I don't feel like playing hoops really anymore. I just feel angry during practice and no one works hard which makes me not work hard and then I suck, which makes me work even less hard. I know, I'm being a victim and should play hard all the time.
I feel resentful that I have to coach as well. I'm pissed that there are a million things that I'm not doing for me and just continue to be places for other people. I dunno.
I'm no saint, these things that I'm doing should be fun and I should enjoy them. I'm just not. I'm not sure how to get it back. I am pretty happy teaching and am enjoying getting to know all the little kids and going to my spanish classes. But the bball is on my nerves. I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the year, but I have to. I can't just quit. What do you guys at home think? Gimme some advice if you have a momento.
Other than these little annoyances, I am well. I need to do more creative posting for sure. Entries wander through my mind all the time and I forget to put them in. Like cute little moments from my classes. A positive: the kids I'm teaching are sometimes fabulous. There's one group of 7 year olds that really likes me and the last time I went into their classroom, they bowed at my feet and chanted "Darby". As I've said to a few people, everyone should be greeted like that once a week. A little girl from one of my 9 year old groups made me a gimp key chain that is actually really cool. Another little boy from that group freaks out every time he sees me and runs up and hugs me and yells "Darby!" like he can't believe that I really exist. Once he ran up and hugged me and a huge group of kids followed him and we had a big group hug before I left for the day. And as I walk down the halls in school all the kids say, "Hello, Darby, hello Darby, hello..." These are the little perks that make my job great. I think it's amazing how little the language you speak has to do with a positive teaching experience. Silliness, smiles and high fives are universal.
Okay, enough saying how great I am. I hope all is well at home and the fall is treating you to calm cozy evenings. One of my favorite quotes about the fall, possibly the only one I know, is when Tom Hanks says he'd like to send Meg Ryan a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils as the first orange leaves start appearing in "You've Got Mail." Well have a great day and go sharpen some pencils.
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