As is becoming the norm nowadays, there is so much to say that I don't know where to begin. Summer has been a whirl. Rather than my usual 20-hour work weeks, I was putting in an extra day all through the summer in an attempt to do my part to help make up for losses from the fair fiasco. This past week has been my only "vacation". But this year's vacation just means that I haven't been working at the academy... Tuesday and the better part of Wednesday morning we were in Granada scouring the piso in the un-airconditioned heat. It has been nice, however, to just be at home; and of course it felt good to get some headway made on making our place in Granada a little more home-like.
The really wonderful thing about this summer has been that although I've been working more hours per week, it was only in the mornings nine to two. My schedule has been getting up around 6:30 to walk the dog and eat and shower in a leisurely manner before heading to work, get home for lunch at 2:30, have quiet time with Emily from about 3:15-4:00, and then spend three hours at the city pool until closing time at 7pm. Then it's home to walk Norte, bathe Emily, have dinner and put her down to be around 10. Usually have and hour or so to myself before I must hit the hay myself. Not a bad schedule, right?
I know that I am going to miss my five-hour days at this new job. Working from 8:30-4:30 will be a big transition for all of us, so I have been savouring these lazy days by the pool. I've got four books in this summer! That's a record! It has been over a year that I haven't read something that was directly related to my studies or childrearing. (kind of the same thing, really) In just two months of shady afternoons between splashing in the pool, however, I've managed to fit in three novels and a book on psychology. Not too shabby. ;)
The pool has also been really great for Emily. For some reason she often says she doesn't want to go when I suggest going after it becomes clear during quiet time that she isn't actually going to take a nap; but once we get there she always has a blast.
As you can imagine in a place like Southern Spain, the pool is THE social hub in summer. The whole town is there. Everyone brings their iceboxes and chairs and sits around socializing in the shade of the big, leafy trees that dot the lawn around the pool. It's such a big area that even with lots of people it never feels very crowded.
We bought month passes and so have gone nearly every day. With such frequent visits, we've made friends with different groups of people we don't often coincide with. Emily, being the social butterfly that she is, loves flitting from group to group chattering away about this or that, dancing for them, or mooching candy and other junk food I refuse to buy her. The attention from other adults and the interaction with children of all ages has been great for her.
As you know Emily's never even been to pre-school and so has very limited experience relating with her peers. She always tends to get along better with (or at least to charm) adults, but these two months at the pool have helped her Spanish improve, which I think was a main impediment to relating with children her age. Today she was happily sharing a squirty water toy with another little boy and they were both industriously watering (drowning) a little plant growing in the cracks of the pavement near the pool. It warms my heart to see her enjoying these rewarding social interactions. And I hope that these experiences have paved the way for her to be a little more open about going to school.
School begins for me on Monday (!). I am not actually overly nervous...at least not at this moment. Perhaps on my early morning drive into Granada I'll have a nervous break-down. ;) This week, since Emily won't be going to school until the 11th, I am commuting. The elementary students begin on the 6th and so Thursday I'll have real, live students in my classroom--how exciting!
This past Tuesday when we were in Granada cleaning, I met with some more of the staff at the school to discuss the school year. It is all very exciting. I am unsure how or when I'll have time to study for my final exams, which are in October. But I do suppose that having some access to REAL materials will be helpful.
Things will definitly be accelerating for us in these coming weeks, but I do hope I can squeeze in some blog updates.
Until next time!
