Home Time

So, I’m sitting in Barajas Airport finally flying home after 6 months in Madrid. At times it definitely dragged but the last few weeks have flown by, mainly due to the need to submit my year abroad essays before I start work in London on Monday. It has been a bit of a slog to say the least. 

My last night didn't end in the best way, although the company and copious amounts of pizza made up for it!

My time in Madrid has definitely had its ups and downs, but overall it's been a great experience; the total opposite of Brazil in so many ways but just as valuable, if maybe not as enjoyable. The first month was tough, I felt pretty miserable after having spent just a week at home and still missing my life in Brazil a lot. It didn't help not being able to find anywhere decent to live and then having 3 jobs fall through, but luckily things only got better thereafter. 

I was so lucky to have my best friends in Madrid with me too!!

The Spanish education system does not rank well and the schools at which I worked as a language assistant definitely reinforced this. One of them, in particular, did not have a good reputation; it was situated in one of the city's most deprived areas and had an exam pass rate of just 30% (almost 10% below the Madrid average). However it wasn't the children who ever caused me problems. Sure they were difficult sometimes, I had a few pens chucked at me (more to see how I would react than out of hatred I hope!) and a brawl did break out in one class a few weeks ago which was an interesting experience, but ultimately children are children, I loved being with them and found them extremely welcoming. I often found myself siding with them and not the teachers, probably because I was only 3 years older than the top year students.

I was so lucky to have the best housemates!

It was actually the teachers and the school itself that I found the hardest to deal with. The standard of teaching was worse than I could have possibly imagined and made me realise just how lucky I was with my education. The majority seemed to simply have given up and couldn’t care less about anything. The school itself was a dump, no money for anything, no electronic boards, internet that never worked, no decorations in the classrooms, rusty desks and graffiti everywhere. I could go on and on, it just annoyed me so much that the very children that need all the help they can get in life are being failed by the state.

Favourite brunch destination with Greta

Rozzy and Olivia 

Although I found the job tough, it did mean that I focused on finding things that I enjoyed doing in my spare time, especially as I didn't get to speak as much Spanish as I would have wanted to at work. I joined a running club, took Spanish classes three times a week, taught private english classes to little kids twice a week, joined a great gym and found a Brazilian exchange to keep up my Portuguese. Let's just say it took my mind of things and meant that I definitely never got bored! 

An early start for the Madrid 10K

It was so sad saying goodbye to my favourite private class

Anyway, after almost a year away I am definitely ready to come home, even if it's only for a day!

Settling in

So since I last blogged things have got a lot lot better and I am finally starting to warm to Madrid again. 

Very much appreciated English treats from Sarah!

I have now done two weeks working as a language assistant - I was super lucky to get on the programme half way through the year due to someone dropping out. After a few days on the job I was definitely craving my comparatively relaxing office job, but have now come round to the idea and I see it as an opportunity to gain a completely different skill set. I have been given two schools; one in the north west of the city and one in the south east! A slight logistical nightmare but it is doable and am looking at the commute as an opportunity to read lots of novels that I have been meaning to get round to for ages. 

The two schools couldn't really be more different. The first is in the north of the city, which on the whole tends to be better off than the south. It's very small, I am the only language assistant and although it's not by any means an academic hothouse, it seems a happy place and the children, in general, are well behaved!

The school in the south is a different story (maybe it is why the girl before me dropped out?!)... It is situated in an area called Vallecas, the neighbourhood with the lowest average income in Madrid and since the credit crunch unemployment has soared. Many of the kids come from broken homes and have all sorts of behavioural problems. There are also a large number of gypsy children, often who are practically illiterate and only attend school as it is the condition for their parents to receive benefits. There is an armed guard at the gate, the school is so covered with graffiti that you can't even see out of the windows and during my first class a boy lobbed a pencil at me!! The school is tough and, without wanting to sound dramatic, I find it quite emotionally draining. The teaching I have witnessed in the school is some of the worst I have ever seen, it seems like most of the teachers have completely given up which is so sad for the children that do want to learn. It's going to be a challenge but I am determined to show them that learning english can be fun if taught well! It's going to be a long 5 months I feel!

Apart from the job situation nothing has really changed here... I went to my best school friend, Rozzy's, 21st birthday last weekend which was so much fun. I have finally signed up to a gym which has definitely cheered me up, I'm looking forward to my first spin class in this amazing room with 300 bikes. Also still enjoying running club, last night we all went in carnival themed fancy dress which was fun, if not the most comfortable experience! Am also going to attempt a 10k this weekend in preparation for the race in April which I signed up for in a moment of craziness. 

The spin room at the gym

Apart from that not much else to report really, think I am going to start to do some blogs on specific topics as my life is pretty uninteresting here and I feel doesn't make great blogging material! 

Better head off to my Spanish class, have a great weekend, Helena x

The 21st birthday girl, Rozzy!!

Meticulous creation of the all important gin and tonics by DJ Jaime!