Cath's attempt at a World Tour.

As it's Pascua (Easter) at the end of the week we are working Sunday to Wednesday. More kids coming tomorrow but don't know age, origin or numbers. Weather really nice today so read in the sun until I began to crisp, then under a tree in my free time. Kids this week seem nice but that's often what they want you to believe. Forgot to post this last week! Chilling Start the day with a sugar filled, hearty breakfast.  Even the kids agree that school on a Sunday in cruel.  Wish I was back here! 

Weather is finally nice again, about 25 degrees, so perfect day for an epic walk. Had breakfast and had to engage India mode and hand wash some clothes as the washing machine is still broken. Packed my Totoro bag (see Facebook albums) and headed down to Casas del Rio with Leo. Took my snood to cover my head which mum sent me via the post to stop me getting burnt again. Got to the bridge over the river and followed the main road, parallel to riverbank, as far as I could before I'd be walking back in the dark. Made it to the next village after a few hours. Found somewhere nice to sit and had lunch and dipped my feet in the river. Walk back was hard as more uphill and I was lagging a bit. Came back and made scrambled eggs and beans for dinner. Early night as kids coming tomorrow and I'm loosing an hour too! Pictures along the riverbank. Pictures along the riverbank. Pictures along the riverbank.

The week started with a group of 32 bigger and older kids so was a very relaxed start. However, on Wednesday some smaller children like creatures arrived and it got lots more hectic. Did some chemistry lessons english lessons that I had to plan as I was going along. The disorganisation here is very hard and the atmosphere is getting more negative. However, was an okay week and the weather got better and better as it went along. Planning to go out for a long walk tomorrow with my scarf Moomin sent me in a parcel. Had a siesta today, in the afternoon by the side of the pool. Have my dates for NCS (July) and as they are so late I have applied to do a CELTA in June. I am enjoying my time here but I have decided that it's better for both sides if I just do 2 months here instead of 3. It's not all about the money but along with the disorganised running I feel it is also unfair to swap me from science teacher to language exchange student and not have my wages reflect that, Anyway ...

Bit of a miserable start to the day but wasn't raining by mid afternoon so Leo and I elected to go for a walk up the main road leading out of the valley. I need to do the other way at some point but wasn't feeling in a downward mood today so followed the road up! Had to leave Vito and Cejitas (spelling of his name keeps changing I know) behind as they chase cars. We passed about 20 and Leo only chased one and to be fair to him it was red so it was asking for it. After a couple of times of calling him back every time a car came he started to come and stand by me when he heard one, he is such an awesome dog! Enjoyed all the vistas, as the road winded up and out of the valley. Kept on going until the road merged with another one and then turned back. Did about 4 hours in total, was so nice to get some personal space and freedom from camp. Started raining 5 minutes after I got back so good timing! Olive orchard Right side of the valley f

Rained on and off all day so just mooched around camp. Hoping tomorrow will be better or cabin fever will ensue. Hung up clothes to dry, made curry in evening and chatted to other people. A non eventful day I'm afraid.  Cloudy day. Walk!? Lunch! El beans on toasto.  Bed only recently vacated but already need to utilise rail for dying clothes! The bunk beds are also being used well. 

End of week 5, it seems my good humoured post about the rain in Spain has blown up in my face as it is falling continuously on my plain for the third day. It is very cold, wet and windy here at the moment. Think I am getting to the end of my cold but it also meant I didn't go to the Fallas burning last night as I couldn't cope with another week of working with it. This week was primary school kids from the same school as the week before last. They were a nice bunch, seemed to really enjoy my lessons now I'm getting the hang of structuring them with language barriers as more of a focus. The biggest highlights of the week are as follows. Girl hit just above eyebrow with golf-club during games resulting in her being covered in blood and her and approximately 15 children weeping in the dome (she is fine, eye swollen shut but should come down). The only other science teacher here is going home tomorrow which I think means no more science, only English and activities students.

Here is more pictures from Fallas. Bit of a rough day as have one hell of a cold, the water wasn't working so couldn't have a shower, my chemistry students turned up 45 minutes early before I was full prepared as they are ahead of schedule and my first lecture was about water which is made significantly more difficult when the water isn't working. Ahh well, bring on tomorrow! Huge crowds Wooden sculpture, all the sculptures are wooden and made by different districts within Valencia. Sculpture celebrating different music styles The people from each district tend to hang around their particular sculpture for the whole festival and get drunk on street booze, 1 euro for a can of Amstel. Sculpture about onomatopoeia, shame these all get burned. Pit-stop for Sangria and Patatas Bravas, fried potatoes with ketchup and garlic mayo. 

Today, some of the other staff and I went to Valencia for Fallas which " is a traditional celebration held in commemoration of  Saint Joseph   in the city of  Valencia . The term   Falles   refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during the celebration. A number of towns in the   Valencian Community   have similar celebrations inspired by the original Fallas de Valencia celebration.  Each neighbourhood of the city has an organized group of people, the   Casal faller , that works all year long holding fundraising parties and dinners, usually featuring the famous dish,   paella , a specialty of the region. Each   casal faller   produces a construction known as a   falla   which is eventually burnt on the last day of the festival which in this case is Thursday." We got the high speed train from outside Requena which takes 20 minutes compared to the 1.5 hours on the normal train. It travels at 300km/h which makes getting to Madrid for the weekend in the futur

Still full of cold today so as I am going to Valencia tomorrow for fias I decided to enforce maximum relaxation day which sadly means no interesting pictures. Had 4 lessons to prepare over the weekend, still not sure how that would have worked had I not chosen to do them in my free time but I am hoping this will become apparent in time as is the way here. Stayed in bed for the day and only ventured out for food and a shower so feeling better tonight. Completed all my powerpoints so less stress for Monday. Tiny gecko on bedroom floor, his name is Carlos. My view for most of the day Sunset!  Hmm, what to eat? 

This basically sums up my week. Some of my groups/lessons were good, others were bad and 2 were downright ugly. We had 170 kids staying this week for the English course. A primary school who stayed until Thursday and a secondary school who stayed until today. Primary school kids are hard work at the best of times with some having a 1 second attention span, but when they speak little to no English and some switch off when they hear it, considering I speak little or no Spanish, it was a tad difficult. The ugly classes came and went and I bathed in the positive vibes from the good classes with the secondary schools. Party night with the older group was awesome and the staff and I danced to Queen's 'Don't stop me now' while the kids waited politely for something they knew i.e. that bloody Shower song by Becky something. Had another lovely afternoon of nice goodbyes with some great kids. Had to blitz my washing as haven't been able to do it with 3 people staying a tiny

... falls mainly in England before it ever reaches Spain, sorry, heard you guys having a rainy day at home. Had a really relaxed morning, the showers are heated by solar panels and it was a cloudy night/day so the it was luke warm wash today. Experimented with food in the fridge and had an apple, cheese, croutons, pepper and Greek yoghurt salad which was lush. Went for a shortish walk late afternoon in a new direction. Dogs came as usual and then just sat about building energy reserves this evening. It gets so cold in the evening in Spain! 170 kids coming this week for an English themed camp (as opposed to science last week). Cultivated land and another road leading to Casas del Rio Blossom trees are starting to flower Panorama So many colours! Sunset on the eve of a relaxing weekend.