Teachers on Strike

So earlier this week, I {Kelly} received an e-mail from one of the schools I will be working in.  The language department has been in communication with me and informed me that even though I am supposed to start work on Tuesday, the teachers are striking and so I should not plan on coming into school until I hear back from them.  

We had heard bits and pieces through facebook and on the streets {lots of green t-shirts!} about the teachers striking but assumed it wasn’t a big deal.  Well we were very, very wrong.  Apparently the government enforced a rule just last month that states, instead of teachers teaching in Castilian (the Spanish we know) and Catalan (the island’s native language), evenly throughout the day, they are being forced to teach in Castilian, Catalan, AND English equally.  So 33% of the day they will have to teach in English- a language that many of them do not know or only know the basics of. 

Ummmm, what?  For me, I guess I'm wondering, how can we blame them for striking?  Do you know Castilian?  Do you know Catalan?  What if our government suddenly told you that you would have to spend 33% of the day teaching in Castilian?  Could you effectively teach math when you are only able to teach it in Catalan?  I know I would not, could not, be an effective math teacher like that.  The amazing thing is however, the teachers are totally fine with having to do this.  It’s just that it was enforced last month.  Where’s the training?  Where’s the support?  Apparently there is none.  Give them time and they can adapt.  However, time is not being provided and thus teachers are striking. 

The other side here is the students.  Not all students have been raised in homes that speak English.  So even if you were trained in Castilian and walked into your classroom and gave a rockin’ math lesson, in perfect Castilian, would all of your students understand the lesson?  In order to implement something like this, teachers and students need time.  They need to slowly be immersed into this.  They need to learn together, not separately or all in one month.  There needs to be proper implementation, which it seems there is not. 

As of now, not all the schools are on strike and Will is still good to go to his school- we believe!  It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds and plays out... What are your thoughts on this?  Anyone?

As of now, I'm not too upset about not having to go back to work quite yet :)

XO!  Kelly & Will

Enjoying some Spanish television

What better way to past the time but by enjoying some El Mentalist!! 

 

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! :)

Chillin' (in Mallorca)

Hangin out, having a few drinks, and watching soccer. It's 10 pm so we're just warming up...

One of my favorite parts of Spain

So. Much. Sangria!!

Castle!

Who doesn't love a 700 year old castle??  There's a beautiful castle not too far from where we're staying that we've been eyeing up for a while, so we finally made the choice to go check it out!  We got to the entrance and were greeted with these guys. 

So.Many.Stairs.
When we got to the top, we were confronted with THIS

 And at the top of that,

 And then once we got up there....

FINALLY we reached the top and were greeted by this castle.  It was built in 1311 by King James II of Mallorca.  It is unique because it is one of the only round castles in Spain. 

 

XO, Kelly & Will

Back to the beach!!

Yesterday we ventured back to the beach, but this time we found the bus and went a little further out!  It turns out that just 30 minutes on the bus is 30 minutes (and 3 Euros) well spent!!  We neared the end of the bus line, hopped off, and were immediately rewarded with this...

We plopped our towels down less than 6 feet from the water and hung out. 

 I can't believe how BLUE the water is here.  There were tons of little fish that were swimming around in the shallow water and would come up and nibble on your leg or bump into you.

In other news, we met up with other people in our program last night and got to know them!  They're all so nice and easy to talk to.  I'm pretty sure we're the only ones not fluent in Spanish, so we've signed up to start taking a class once or twice a week in order to learn a little faster!  Hopefully this helps!

XO, Kelly & Will

Agua Azul

This past weekend we wandered over to the sea to check out the local beach!! 

We tried so hard to take the bus but were unable to ever find the stop we wanted... We still aren't sure whether it exists or not.  We ended up walking the mile and a half there. 



Your quintessential tourist picture on our walk...
a cruise ship and a "hop on, hop off" bus!

But the beaches are absolutely beautiful with some of the clearest water I've ever seen.  We will definitely be back to enjoy it some more, and sometime soon!  We only stayed for an hour as we're still figuring it all out. 

Look at this guy's model walk

Lesson of the week/month/year:

Just try....

Travelling anywhere is scary.  Travelling to a new country- exciting.  Trying to figure out a new language- challenging.  But you have to try.  And laugh along the way.  Well Will and I are laughing.  A lot. 

It's so humiliating and embarrassing and ridiculous when we struggle to ask for drinks or food.  But each time we try, we get a little better.  And we have wifi so we can google words.  But no matter how hard you try or how much you "know" it's often frustrating and overwhelming nonetheless.  We just keep reminding each other to try.  And know it's okay to mess up because you can always point at a word or muddle through it and mutter "lo siento" {I'm sorry!}  That's a good one to know. 

Managed to get a café con leche y croissant!!

We just pray and hope that it comes easier and easier to us each day!  And lo and behold, today was a little bit of a victory for us!  {Mainly Will but I am now "with" him so I get to be included :)}

We decided to go to an RCD Mallorca Futbol game!  Buying tickets was going to be tricky.  We stood in line, Will rehearsing what he was going to say.  We got up there and he whipped out a beautifully rehearsed and spoken request for "2 tickets in the sun".  They asked him if we wanted to sit up top or down below, he said "down" {still in Spanish!} and they told him "20euros", he handed exact change over, and we had in our hands two beautiful tickets!

As we walked away, I asked "In the sun??"  He replied, "There were only two options for seats in the sun, but about a billion for sitting in the shade"  So sun it was!  Baby steps y'all. 

 RCD Mallorca Stadium

Once the sun went down, it was no big deal to be sitting in the "sunny" seats!

 

 



First big shopping trip! Cell phones and olives and body wash- oh my!

It's been a big morning!  First we never set an alarm- so we wound up getting out of bed around 10:00 am.  Unheard of for us Will!  We must have needed it.

After breakfast and some café con leche- it was time for our first big shopping trip!  We needed a few things... laundry detergent, body wash, sunscreen, toothpaste... a few essentials.  So off we went!

It was a successful trip with not much to report... but on the way back we saw a shop advertising "teléfono celular de prepago"  Prepaid cell phones!!  We need cell phones to talk to each other while we're at work so we went in.  Will did his thing and viola!  We now have cell phones.  The entire transaction was entirely in Spanish- so we may also have sold our lives away and much more... but for now all is good!  It's been a great start to the day :)  Now we're off to find a permanent home!!  Fingers crossed!!

Here's a few pictures from yesterday...

 

 And the products of our successful shopping trip...  What else could you need??

XO, Kelly & Will

Our apartment for the next week!

Here's where we'll be living for the next week, until we find a more permanent address!

We're in SPAIN!

We made it to Spain last night!!  Here's a video we made about the adventure!

Off to Spain!!

Off we go!! Hoping to reach Mallorca by Thursday morning :)

 

All we're taking with us on this move!!  1 suitcase and 1 carry on each!

Off we go!!

Labor Day in Cincy