Estrella Explores

Photo Album: The Grand Palace

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Estrella

All photos taken in January 2011.

As we exited Suvarnabhumi airport, we happened upon a little kiosk selling tours of various parts of Bangkok. I don’t recall the exact price, but we found a good deal on a tour of the Grand Palace. The price included admission, return cab fare from our hostel to the tourist attraction, as well as a tour guide.

The next morning, we were picked up by a lovely lady who shared some of the history of Thailand. Did you know that Thailand is the only South East Asian country to escape colonization by Europe? Our tour guide also taught us the proper way to say ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in Thai which proved useful later on in the trip.

All the buildings within the palace were decorated with a healthy helping of gold and bright coloured glass. Buddha statues went on for rows and rows along the walls. I had never seen anything as ornate as these building before, nor have I since.

What’s the most beautiful palace you’ve been to during your travels?
Any recommendations for me?

Halfway to Half a Century: February Recap

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Estrella

On March 10th (or 10th of March as they say here in Europe) I marked my 6 months living in the beautiful city of Madrid. The first six months went by in a blink, much faster than the first six in Incheon. I know a part of it is due to the fact that I got to go home in December, assuaging my feelings of homesickness. Actually I don’t feel homesick at all. I miss my family dearly, but I do not miss living in Toronto (or Canada for that matter).

This photo was taken during my first week in Madrid. Behind me is city hall and the Cibeles fountain. I ended up renting an apartment about 5 minutes walking from this plaza.

March has been a pretty relaxed month, giving me some much needed R & R. February on the other hand was hectic and at times exhausting. My social calendar was filled with birthday dinners and random get togethers. I started giving two new private lessons, leaving me with much less downtown during the week than I was used to.

I also celebrated a big mile stone: I turned 25.

I didn’t have a birthday cake. Instead I had some delicious cookies (not pictured) and two little tarts.

I celebrated with the girls by having lunch at a Sushi bar/ Korean restaurant.

I had mixed feelings about it. I know it isn’t “old” but when I look around at some people my age (Rihanna is 2 days younger than me!) I can’t help but feel like I am slacking off in some way. I feel like my life should be a little more organized and more focused than it is at the moment. When I was a child I had an idea of what my life would look like at this age, and well, it’s certainly a very different picture.

I have a job, but not in the career field I want to be in. I currently do not have any concrete job offers for the summer. I don’t know how long I will call Spain home. In other words, I have no real plans.

However, I am happy.

My life in Madrid is not perfect. Some days can be emotionally, mentally and physically taxing. The language barrier is a big part of that, but moving to any country without knowing the national language will always be a challenge. There are also some cultural things that I’ve noticed but nothing too bizarre from what I’m used to. These difficulties are minor when compared to all the wonderful things I have going for me here.

One of the big ones is that I work at a really good school. The teachers and staff at my school have been kind and helpful. My students can be frustrating (very, very frustrating) at times, but they are generally good kids. They are also very warm and are usually very excited to see me (they are between 6-8 years old). The two main teachers I co-teach with are both professional and have never pushed their work on me. They ask for my input for lessons and include me in their classes. I am not just a tape recorder/parrot in class. I interact with my students, ask them questions, they ask me questions, etc.

The colourful mural painted on an exterior wall at my school.

Things with my school are going well enough that I decided to renew in February. Yes, I’m here for another year. When I came here in September, I was on the fence about staying. I knew I wasn’t interested in returning to Toronto, but in terms of finance, Spain isn’t the best place to teach English. I had pretty much decided I would go back to South Korea for the Fall 2013 intake but then another great thing happened.

I met Sergio, my boyfriend. We’ve been together for about 4.5 months and everything is going swimmingly. He is a major reason why I decided to rethink whether I wanted to leave Spain or not. The real reason I wanted to go back to South Korea was money. (Among other financial benefits, teachers in that program get paid more and they live in a studio rent free.) In the end my heart won, and now I’m here until at least July 2014.

With Sergio before heading out for my birthday dinner.

This month has been about finding work for the upcoming summer. I’ve been sending out resumes to different English camps and looking at au pairing for part of the summer break. I’ve had a couple interviews and I think I’ll have more in April, so I’ll keep you all posted on that.

I hope you’re all doing well. Hasta luego!

The Early Bird Gets Their First Pick (In Theory)

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Estrella

If you’re applying to this program, you might as well make this your home page.

So you’ve successfully navigated the super buggy PROFEX system and were finally able to submit your application. You have your very own, much revered, and very important inscrita number. You breathe a sigh of relief…but not for long. The question you’re probably asking yourself now is: “Is it low enough to get my first choice?”

The short answer: This is Spain there is no short answer (get used to it). Kidding aside, my personal opinion is that if the ministry takes in as many assistants as they took in last year, those with inscrita numbers as high as 2000 will receive placements. Whether you receive a placement in your region of first choice (or any of your choices) is pretty much all luck. (If Madrid is your first choice and your inscrita number is 300 or less, I’m 99% sure you’ll be place in Madrid.) For those wondering, I applied about 10 minutes after the application opened and my inscrita number was 51.

Long answer: there are a lot of variables affecting whether you will get your requested autonomous community. As you are probably well aware, Spain is going through some big economic issues. I’m not sure about this year, but for my cohort, this resulted in a few regions canceling their programs all together. As far as I know, they are not accepting any this year either. What this means is that there are less people in general being accepted into the program. On the bright side, applicants with numbers as high as 3000 were eventually offered a placement, although it didn’t happen until mid-autumn.

Take into account how many assistants your preferred region takes in. I don’t think it has been addressed officially, but some autonomous communities have also reduced the number of assistants it hired due to financial reasons. I know that a few provinces and cities had problems paying their assistants on time the past couple of years and I would hope that they learned their lesson to only hire the number of people they can pay. This is bad news for those with higher numbers, but it would be even worse to come to Spain and not be paid on time.

Madrid takes in the most number of assistants. Do keep in mind that you may not necessarily be placed in the city of Madrid. Placements are within the community of Madrid. I myself teach in the suburb of Móstoles, a forty minute commute from the centre.

Another major factor are the number of people renewing for a second year. Incoming second years get first priority for placements. It doesn’t matter if an incoming second year has a higher inscrita number than you, all second years get their placements before you do. More second year renewals means less spots for first years. Only second year renewals get priority, anyone who has already been in here for 2 years gets no priority and will be given placements based on their number (in theory).

Despite all this, don’t forget that people change their minds. People who accepted the position in June may decided they have better opportunities elsewhere and decide not to go through with the program. Plus, there are a small number of people who get placements but are denied visas for various reasons.

Now, I’ll talk about the “in theory” part of my post. For simplicity’s sake I’m going to use small round numbers, but of course in real life the numbers are much larger. In my imaginary world there are 25 placements available to new applicants: 10 in Madrid, 5 in Andalusia, 5 in Galicia and 5 in Extremadura.

There are 30 new applicants and their region of preferences are all the same:

#1: Madrid
#2: Andalusia
#3: Galicia
(No one wants Extremadura).

The first round of cartas de nombramiento are given out and the placements are given thusly:

Applicants #1-10: Madrid
Applicants #11-15: Andalusia
Applicants #16-20: Galicia
Applicants #21-25: Extremadura
Applicants #26-30: Receive nothing yet

Applicants have 5 days to accept or decline. If you fail to do either, you are automatically declined. In the imaginary world, one applicant from every region declines their position. (So now there is 1 position available in every region).

The PROFEX system does not go back to Applicant #11 and offer them the declined placement in Madrid. This works to some applicant’s favour.

The 4 newly available positions are given out like this:
Applicant #26: Madrid
Applicant #27: Andalusia
Applicant #28: Galicia
Applicant #29: Extremadura

By sheer luck they receive placement in their first choice region even if inscrita numbers lower than theirs had the same first choice and didn’t get it. This may seem a little frustrating and unfair, but the alternative would make the application process much, much longer and complicated.

My advice for those with higher inscrita numbers would be to make a few decisions. If you are offered a placement that is not in one of your preferred autonomous communities, would you still take the placement? What is your back up plan if you are not offered a placement?

My advice to everyone applying to the program:

Save as much as you can. Most assistants arrive in Spain sometime in September to find an apartment. You receive your first paycheque at the end of October. Living expenses plus your rent money and your initial deposit make your first month and a half very pricy.

Brush up on your Spanish. (I think this is pretty self explanatory.)

Be realistic about moving abroad. Yes it’s fun and exciting to move abroad (I love my life in Spain right now) but culture shock, in varying degrees, hits everyone. At one point or another, home sickness will kick in eventually as well. If you haven’t lived abroad before or on your own, it might be a challenging adjustment.

For me the biggest adjustment has been living with a roommate. Prior to coming to Madrid, I had only lived with my family and on my own in South Korea.

Be patient. If the timeline for this year is the same as last year’s, first year placements won’t be given out until June. Even after you receive you placement you will have to wait a few weeks to for your visa application to be approved. Make the most of this time and hang out with your friends and family. Even though the waiting around is annoying, eventually when you are in Spain you will miss being able to grab a coffee or dinner with your nearest and dearest any time you want.

“Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy”: Adjusting to Colegio Culture

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Estrella

At the beginning of the term the English assistants at my school were divided amongst the Spanish English teachers. One works with fifth and sixth grade, another with third and fourth and I was placed with the first and second graders. In South Korea, I taught grades 3 – 6, so I had no experience with such young students. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of my second graders had a good enough grasp on English that I could talk to them and they could communicate simple sentences with me. (First grade however is another story.)

What’s great about working with six and seven year students is that they are filled with zeal to learn English. They love to participate during classes, they sing the songs and they try very hard to communicate in English (they aren’t allowed to speak any Spanish in the classroom).

On the other hand, working with children this age requires a lot of energy. I can’t give them instructions and then leave them to it. I have to repeat myself 3-4 times and walk around the room to make sure they are doing the activity correctly. And while it’s great they all love to participate, they will throw a little tantrum if I don’t choose them to answer a question or be the day’s class helper.

Despite some of the negative aspects of the job, I have for the most part quite enjoyed working in my school. In the past few months I have noticed a few cultural differences the Spanish students don’t share with their Canadian or South Korean counterparts that stood out to me.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

My students like to say this every time I ask a question that they think is easy. I’ve heard of the phrase ‘easy peasy’ before, but I had no idea where the ‘lemon squeezy’ part comes from. Thanks to Google, I now know that it was the catchphrase of a popular British detergent brand and I guess the catchphrase stuck. I asked my friend who teaches at another elementary school in Madrid but apparently she doesn’t hear this phrase at all. Maybe it’s just my school?

The Lack of Honorifics When Addressing Elders

My students call all their teachers by their first names. In Canada, like in America, they refer to teachers by Mr./Mrs./Ms. + their last names. In South Korea, they refer to the teachers by their first name + Songsaengnim (the Korean word for teacher).

Here, even the principal is referred to by just his first name. I feel a bit uncomfortable referring to the Director with only his first name, but I guess in Spain it just isn’t a big deal.

Calling on a student named Jesus

I have a student named Jesus in one of my second grade classes. I’ve come across the name before, but usually it is pronounced with the H sound, not the hard J sound. Having been raised a Catholic, the name Jesus is not just another name. Calling on a student named Jesus is a little strange for me.

Rubber = Eraser

Most of the English speaking Spaniards I work and come into contact with learned British English. It’s no surprise that British English is much more prevalent in Spain than American English. The students use books published in the UK and learn British words and terms that I’m not familiar with. They use terms like rubbish (garbage) and flat (apartment).

By far the weirdest one for me to get used to is the term rubber. It’s the British term for an eraser, but of course to North Americans it’s slang for a condom. I was aware that rubber meant eraser prior to being in Spain, but having a child ask you to borrow a rubber feels awkward to me.

Do you teach abroad? What little cultural quirks have you noticed in your school life?

Our Piso Hunt: Mad Relocation to the Rescue

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Estrella

One of the first things I had to do when I arrived in Madrid was find a place to call home. I already had a roommate (Cindy, a good friend from South Korea) and we had already decided we would live in the city centre. However, neither of us have a very high level of Spanish skills, so we worried about how much our lack of language skills would hinder us.

Then in early summer an auxiliar offered her services to help us find our piso (apartment). She was living in Madrid and had experience in dealing with Spanish landlords and rental contracts. We messaged back and forth through the summer about what we were looking for and the areas in the centre that would suit our needs and tastes. Unfortunately, a few weeks before we were due to arrive she sent us a message saying she would no longer be able to help us because of her busy schedule.

We decided we would try it on our own and see how it went. Countless other auxiliares and expats arrive in Madrid each autumn looking for a place, how hard could it be?

Well it turns out it isn’t that easy, at least for us.

After searching on all the popular rental websites in Madrid (easypiso, photocasa and idealista), we weren’t happy with what we were finding. Many of the places we saw online didn’t look that great and/or were not in an area we wanted to live in. A couple of friends had found their apartment through a realtor, so we decided to go that route as well.

I emailed Alexandra at Mad Relocation asking her if she was available to help us out. I received a prompt response asking for a meeting the next morning to talk about how the process works, what we were looking for and the fee for their services.

This is how it works:

You fill out a survey to tell the company what you are looking for. This includes the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square metre-age, location, and your price limit. At this point you will usually pay a deposit.
They will then begin their search to find places that fit your criteria.
They bring you around to all the different apartments and you decide which one you want.
The company works with the landlord to create a contract between the landlord and you, the tenant.
They will go with you on the day you sign the contract and explain what it all means. At this point you pay the rest of your fee.
If they are a good company, they will tell you to call/message them if you have any problems.

This is how it went with Mad Relocation:

We did the survey and paid the deposit (in our case €150). The next morning MadRelocation had found 7 apartments that fit our criteria. Alexandra later told us that they had spent 6 hours looking to find them. She set up appointments with all the landlords so that we could look at them that evening.

After seeing 4 places, Cindy and I were pretty bummed. None of the places we looked at were anything like we imagined our apartment to be. And it wasn’t Mad Relocation’s fault. A lot of the buildings in the centre of Madrid are old. That means old plumbing, small sized rooms and dated décor. If we had a larger budget, I’m sure we would have found something we loved right away but we could only afford €800/month (€400 each).

The next apartment on the list was a “bajo” piso, which means that it is on the main floor. We wanted a balcony and a bajo wouldn’t have one. We checked it out anyway and were pleasantly surprised. It was the biggest one we had seen that day, it was clean and in a great area (Banco de España). During our appointment that day, at least 2 other people tried to have a look at the place. Alexandra, being the awesome realtor that she is, asked that they not be let in during our appointment. (In other words, the had to wait until we were finished.) Once we were satisfied with our review of the apartment.

Only to return 5 minutes later.

Apartments in Madrid go fast; an apartment that was available in the morning could be gone by mid-afternoon. Cindy and I discussed it for a few minutes and then made a decision, we wanted the bajo apartment and told Alexandra right away. She then told the man in charge of the apartment that we would take it. She got the number of the landlord and told us she would speak with him and get an agreement by the next day.

After that it was pretty much out of our hands. Mad Relocation took care of all the legal details, making sure we were getting a good deal. A few days later the contract was signed, the keys handed over, and we moved in.

It’s been a little more than 3 months and we are still fairly happy with our place. The location is great; walking distance from the Prado, Sol, Gran Via, Retiro Park and Plaza de Cibeles. The only complaint I have at the moment is that there isn’t enough sunlight. Our apartment is an interior so when we open our windows, we see walls.

We have had a few issues with the appliances in our apartment (the stove and the washing machine both stopped working at one point). A quick email to Alexandra and the issues were sorted out (the stove was fixed and we got a new washing machine). True, using a realtor can cost a pretty penny, but I think in the long run it was worth it. We have peace of mind that our contract is legit and I know if we ever had any other problems with the apartment in the future, Mad Relocation would do their best to help us.

If you’re looking for a place in Madrid, consider using Mad Relocation (non-sponsor link).

Hello, 2013!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Estrella

Apologies once again, my dear readers for the 3 month long hiatus. A lot has happened in the last few months and I’ve finally found the time (and the inclination) to write a new post. I actually have a small number of posts written, but remain in their “draft” state because I haven’t finished editing/writing them.

However, I figured I should start posting again because I know looking back a few months/years from now I’ll be glad I kept some kind of record of what’s happening in my life right now. (That and well, I finally moved this blog onto my own domain and the lovely KitKat Pecson created such a beautiful header I didn’t want it to go to waste!)

This update will be short. I returned from a 2 week trip to Toronto last Saturday. The main reason I had to go home this year was because one of my younger sisters turned 18 (a big birthday for women in my culture). Since I was already home, I decided to remain in Toronto for Christmas.

For now, photos from my trip:

My sisters know me well. They had Japanese takeout waiting for me when I got back from the airport.

The latest photo of me and my sisters. Taken during my younger sister’s 18th birthday party.

At the Blue Mountain Ski Resort for our annual Christmas party.

My super-loved nephew showing off his new PJs.

The kids are all grown up: Christmas After Party with all my “cousins”. I grew up with these kids, funny how time flies.

I still have a full week before I have to return to work, so I will be posting again later this week.

Here’s to a prosperous and joy filled 2013!

- Estrella

Galavanting Through Granada

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Estrella

If I’m being completely honest, Madrid-although beautiful-was a bit of a let down. I know I’m probably being a bit unfair; there is still so much of the city I haven’t seen. And there is a language barrier that certainly doesn’t help. I’m still glad I took a chance and moved to Madrid, but a weekend away was just what I needed.

October 12th is a national holiday known as National Day and/or Hispanic Day so everyone had Friday off. I hadn’t originally planned to go anywhere, but the opportunity arose and I didn’t want to turn it down. My friends and I took a bus down south, passing what appeared to be endless fields of olive trees. I wish I had taken a photo, but it slipped my mind at the time.

When we arrived at the bus station, we took a taxi to our hostel. We stayed at a new hostel (it had opened up a week prior) called the Polaroid Siesta. If you’r ever in Granada I would highly recommend it. The facilities are clean, located a few minutes walk from the centre and the manager (owner?) made sure we were comfortable during our stay.

Granada is magical. The city has a quaint, bohemian quality about it that made me fall in love with it. Along the river various vendors sell their handmade wares and artists display their works for sale.

The streets of the city centre hum with activity: a ragtag group of musicians play a mesmerizing melody, enticing passerby to take a few moments to stop and listen.

There is a noticeable Moroccan influence on the city. A narrow street of shops sells lamps, tea, and other various objects from south of the Alboran Sea.

Of course a stop in Granada would not be complete without a visit to La Alhmabra. The Alhambra is a fortress and palace built during the 10th century. It still blows my mind that more than a thousand years ago, the workers had the skill to create such exquisite works of art.

We almost didn’t get to see the Alhambra because we were told tickets were sold out. My tip is to make sure you get them ahead of time or you will have to line up at 7AM.It all worked out in the end, and I’m more excited than ever to see what else España has to offer.

I never thought I’d say it, but I can’t wait to start working again!

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Estrella

My last day at the bank was on September 6^th and after 2 weeks I find myself craving a bit of routine. During the first week I spent most of my time getting adjusted to the time difference and exploring the city centre. I was also able to make friends with some really awesome people. It was exciting and I felt like I was on vacation.

Since moving into our new place on Monday, it’s been errand after errand. My ‘to do’ list grows by the day. The search for the apartment was easier than I hoped it would be (I’ll write a post on that later) but now we keep finding things that need to be fixed. First there was a problem with the window, than the washing machine, now the buzzer and the stove are being looked at. Pretty much every day this week a repairman has had to come in to deal with whatever is broken. Luckily we live in an apartment with a concierge who works for our landlord, so he deals with the repair people.

On Wednesday I attended an orientation for some of the auxiliares in Madrid. I met some fellow Canadians and the Canadian Embassy gave us an info packet about Canada to use in our classes. Other than the Canadians, I didn’t get a chance to get to know the other auxiliares. I’m hoping there’s some kind of get together happening before school starts.

Yesterday I dropped in on my school in Mostolés. The commute isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I have to transfer once on the Metro and then hop onto a bus that takes me right to school. Mostolés seems very residential and I’m glad I decided to live in the city centre. Of course, I only saw a bit of it so hopefully there is more to Mostolés to explore.

First impressions of my school:

The school is much smaller than I thought it would be. I was expecting classes like in my school in Incheon (nine per grade) but there are only 2 per grade here.
My main co-teacher (here they are known as ‘coordinators’) is from the UK. I was expecting a native Spanish teacher.
The staff and students apparently have a relatively high level of English.
The teachers and the rest of the staff all seem genuinely kind and were very welcoming.

I’m very excited to be at this school and I can’t wait to get started being an auxiliar already.

I haven’t been very good with taking photos, but here are two collages I made from photos I took last week.

Getting Acquainted with Madrid

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Estrella

I arrived in Madrid on Monday after a uncomfortable flight with US Airways. The flight wasn’t horrible, but I barely ate anything on the 12 hour journey. Lack of proper food and the lack of sleep resulted in a very dizzy day on Monday. After a good night’s rest though, I’m back to my normal self and my friend and I have been exploring the city pretty much everyday.

Sorry the post is so short, but my mind is scattered with all the things I need to get done that any post I write right now will probably not make any sense. Until then, check out my Instagram page for some updates in pictures!

Hasta luego,

Estrella

What to Pack (Other Than Clothes)

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Estrella

Uh packing my least favourite part of travel.

Actually waiting around (in airports, in lines, for buses) is probably my least favourite, but packing is a close second. You don’t need a post to tell you what clothes to bring. I’m sure you can figure out how many pants/shirts/shoes is necessary for your trip abroad.* Instead I want to share a list of non-attire related items I think warrant space in our ever decreasing luggage allowance.

A few of your favourite foods. Everyone deals with homesickness while they are abroad to varying degrees. Some won’t miss the people, but they will most certainly miss the food. After all, even the best food in the world will eventually leave you craving something that tastes more familiar. Pack some of your favourites to help lift your spirits when the homesickness kicks in or the local food just doesn’t sit well with your stomach. Make sure the food is nonperishable and won’t eat too much of the weight allowance of your luggage. My list includes oatmeal, granola bars and a jar of Nutella.

A basic first aid kit. I think it’s always a good idea to travel with a first aid kit and it doesn’t have to be extensive to be helpful. Band aids, cloth bandages, alcohol swabs/wipes, etc can come in handy after a nasty fall or cut. Walmart sells some basic ones or you can make your own.

Over the counter medicine. As you settle into your new city, it might take some time to find out where the closest doctor and pharmacy are. Even if you can get to a doctor soon enough and are able to articulate what is wrong, the medicine they prescribe might not work well for you. You’ll be glad you brought a bottle (or two) of over the counter medicine when you’re hit with a common cold, cough or stomach bug.

Your must have toiletry item. If you have a favourite toiletry that is not sold in your new country, pack some with you. I don’t care what shampoo, body wash or makeup I use, but my teeth don’t feel clean enough unless I use Colgate toothpaste. I’m sure it has something to do with the fact that I’ve been using the same brand since I was a kid. When I went to South Korea (where Colgate was not readily available) I brought some with me. Even if it took some of my luggage space, using it gave me a little sense of ‘home’ while I was abroad.

A copy of important documents. Make two copies of all your important documents. These include but are not limited to your: passport, travel insurance certificate, visa and any work contracts you have signed. Take one with you, and leave the other set of copies at home with someone you trust. That way if you lose any of the originals you have a set of back ups.

Books you can read over and over again. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer reading off of a real page and not a backlit screen. I do see the advantage to an electronic reader, especially if you’re traveling. You literally have access to thousands of books at your fingertips at any time. You can read more than one book on the same device and ebooks are generally cheaper than a real copy. But still, I’m not convinced. If you are like me and will be bringing books, I suggest books you like re-reading and that are in paperback.

* If you do need some help, check out an online packing list generator.

So that’s what I’m bringing with me. Did I forget anything? Let me know in the comments.