Shaking the Dust

One year of teaching in Spain completed.

At last.

Sometimes I wonder if the best part about getting a job is the prospect of quitting it. While my time here has given me that "broadened experience" often tagged on past unpleasantries, I can't say that teaching English has added to my career path beyond the scope of elimination. One year of bipolar paychecks, inundation of the subterranean, and stupe-faced communication has left me ready to shake the dust off my feet and walk to the next town. And I'm 23 days off from doing just that.

The good news is that the hard part is over. Last week I sprinted from my last class to the airport to tour Holland with Sarah. We were in Amsterdam for the big Dutch disappointment, biked across dikes in Middelberg, rode to a cheese farm, and took a spin through the forest. I ate some variation of Apple Pie at least 5 times, and often just sat and stared at the green. Compared to the desert country of Spain(people say there is a river here, but few have actually seen it), the Netherlands is...well...opposite. Natural space, living space, English speakers, good desserts, good cheese, good beer, waterways, bicycles, good weather...etcetera. Needless to say, I had a great time.

I attended my last service at Iglesia Presbyteriana on Sunday, and now I've nothing left but to wait for my traveling buddies to arrive on Wednesday. Until then, I'm sweating myself to sleep and drinking in all the final neighborly squabbles that invariably invade my room day after day. All by myself.

With all of my friends gone to various places, I find myself all alone these last days in Madrid. If it weren't for the inefficiency of everything Spanish, I might be getting bored. Fortunately, due to everything taking double the allotted time proportions, I'm finding even the simplest tasks will completely exhaust my hourly resources.

That being said, I'd better go and begin one of my menial tasks before the detergent companies go on strike, the oven explodes, or the impending dilapidation of my building and/or present seat finally reaches its culmination.