Friday, July 4, 2008

Sensory Overload




#2 Caves outside Leon-Creepy, huh?
#1 Gigantes(giants) at Leon's festival

More pictures to come when my connection's not running out.....

No! It isn't true! I didn't get hit buy any of the crazy drivers in Madrid, run off with gypsies, or drown in a plaza fountain during the mayhem following Spain's victorious claiming of the Eurocup. I was quite simply carried off on a proverbial wave of events, some business, some pleasure, some mundane.

Having finished the TEFL course last Friday, I got down to some serious celebrating, shopping, site seeing, and errand running. The fair friendships that blossomed have been mercilessly plucked as buses, trains, and planes take each of us now certified TEFL teachers to the four corners of Spain. It also makes for continuous reasons to stay out late seeing each one off along the merry way.

EUROCUP. That's all that needs to be said for anyone who knows anything about soccer, but since so many don't in the states(really, including me), I'll add a little more. To say Spain is obsessed with soccer is a serious understatement. With that in mind, imagine a whole nation, not to mention the rest of the world, poised in front of television sets in bars, apartments, and even big screens projected on the side of a building in Plaza Colon. The chanting, cheering, and general mayhem started with the game at 8:45pm, and continued well into the next morning because Spain WON. They haven't won since 1964, so people were a little excited. I watched in a small family bar and drank beer, smoked, and cheered, "A por ellos" or "ES-PA-NA" along with the best of them. Then I took a stroll with a couple of classmates and watched guys with huge Spanish flags stand in the streets making cars pass through like a bull and torero. Every fountain in every plaza was filled with people splashing about like escaped lunatics. An experience not to be soon forgotten.

I'm feeling melancholy as I'm about to leave this fair city Sunday morning to make my way to camp where I'll be teaching five hours a day as well as acting as assistant camp director, i.e. the person they get to do anything they don't feel like doing. As I've mentioned, it's in a small town called Ucles in Cuenca. More specifically, in a monastery on a hill that looks like the setting of Hogwort's in Harry Potter. True to my Jekell and Hyde self, I'm reluctant to leave my hostal where I can walk out the door and within five minutes eat incredible food, see magnificent architecture, and shop like I'm in New York City. However, I've also started to feel the jitters that hit me when I don't go running or hiking in lonely places, and where it is actually quiet enough to allow a person to think.

I'm also happy to report that my writers block as far as poetry and song goes has started to dissipate. I've written two complete poems the last two days, and if I don't loose my courage, and my classmates/volunteer managers, Jaime and Eric, don't back out, I'm planning on playing in the commercial area on the street to see if I can't make a few extra euros. I'll let you know how it goes, and hopefully, continue to update the blog if the internet connection proves better than the vicious rumors have stated about camp.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Glad to see back on line..wondered what was going on with you. Figured Spain would go CRAZY after winning the world cup. I remember how nuts there were even playing the year we were there (and they weren't even serious contenders. As you probably know Lisa & Matt in Thailand..check out their blog if you haven't already. Good to see yours up again. will keep checking back ~ Jean

Joanna said...

How great that you were there when Spain won. It sounds like so much fun! Can't wait to hear more about the street playing (I'm picturing "Once" . . .). I'm hoping the internet connection at Hogworts turns out OK--I'll email you :).

Unknown said...

she lives! here we sit in an open air internet cafe thinking of you. just tonight, matt and i were talking about you as we walked the beach after dinner - thinking "what is happening with that karen?!" :) we miss you, to say the least. your update was tasty to read, you write like a painter. :) i'm sending you an email RIGHT now.... :)

ddv said...

hey chicka!!! i just had a margarita of my own making and i was hit with an incredible urge to write you. to connect with you. i hope you are well. i was with you, you know, when spain WON!.. in my heart at least. what a great time to be there. i miss you and think of you often. i love reading updates about your adventure. i remember language camps in Poland. they were always good and tough and then sometimes just plain bad. i hope you are having a full expereience. i'm dying here. so hot and sweaty and it's smoky too. if you ever get really really homesick just think, "but if i WERE there, i wouldn't be able to breathe!" right now, a visit to your place sounds just right! i love you karen!!!

Stacy said...

so great to hear from you in this update! and yes, I OWE you an email! i've been meaning to write you for...forever. soo good to hear about being able to write again. i'm waiting for that to happen, post chemo :). though, i've been thinking a lot recently. really glad for your friendship. hope your job pans out better than you had hoped...with a great internet connection. :) miss you here.