Devon Cooper

Okay, so it has been a scandalously long time since my last post. But seriously, the life of an English professor is not all glamour and lights! Alright, now I’m just sounding self-rightous. But I really have been extremely busy at work. The trimester ends this week and for each of my 9 classes I had to not only figure out how to finish all the material I had left (apparently my classes were moving a little slowly), but also create and give a final exam AND do all the end-of-the-trimester paperwork. It can be a little overwhelming. But it’s all under control. It’s really not that much work. It just feels like it sometimes. (Like every other job on the face of the earth…. teaching English is no different at all.)

Anyway, good news that the world has already heard (because I’m telling everyone)… Danny’s sister and her husband just had twin girls! So Danny is a first time uncle. And although he’s trying to play it cool, I know he’s just as excited about it as I am.

More good news. This week at Danny’s school, there is a film festival, so he has no classes (loser). But that’s beside the point. He has been chosen, along with others in his class, to help shoot the new commercial for his school. So it is his first work (in a long time at least- he did similar things in Cuba too) on a professional shoot. He started out on the direction of photography team, but decided to move to the sound team due to a slight overpopulation of students vying for the attention of the director of photography. He says he’s learning a lot. On Friday, hopefully, I will get to go and observe the shoot. Then there’s a big party to close the festival.

So, that has been the run-down on what’s going on over here. I am still looking for a job in Barcelona, and I have some good prospects. We’ll see how it all goes!

As I type, I am uploading photos of Danny’s and my recent trip to Toledo, an ancient city about 70 km outside of Madrid . Toledo is famous for its “casco historico” or old town. I did a little googling, and according to various websites (wikipedia, zocodover.com, Toledo-spain.info), Toledo was a functioning city long before the Romans showed up and took it over in the year 192 b.c. It was apparently founded sometime before 400 b.c. by the Iberians. I have to admit I did not realize just how old the city is… But the ruins are amazing. And there is still more for us to see in future visits. The “old” part of the city is on top of a very large hill and surrounded by an ancient wall. The city inside the wall is extremely hilly. The streets were obviously built long before cars (and even carriages) were buzzing around. They are so narrow, they look more like alleyways. Many of the cobblestone streets are interrupted by stairs, twisting and turning in crazy directions. The city is like a maze! There are an unbelievable amount of churches, synagogues, and mosques. The city has been ruled by Iberians, Romans, Moors, and then Christian Spaniards, and everyone has left their mark.

On a more personal note, I was amazed and fascinated by the city. But I have a complaint. We were not allowed to enter the Cathedral unless we paid 7 euros. I refused. I am a Catholic. Yet I can’t go in a catholic church? This church is not just a museum. It is a functioning church that holds mass every Sunday. What is happening to the world when people are forced to PAY to go inside a church?!?! I am disgusted by the fact that ROME feels the need to charge a fee for entrance to a church. (or, to be fair, maybe Rome doesn’t know it’s happening… though somehow I doubt that) Historical landmarks or not, churches are built for one purpose only- can you guess what that is? I know what I thought it was… But I’m not so sure anymore.

 

But I digress. I am supposed to be talking about how amazing Toledo is. Toledo is famous for its cultural and religious tolerance (at least before all that inquisition stuff started. But that’s another story) and that is why there are so many different religious buildings to see.

On a lighter note, Toledo also seems to be inhabited by a large colony of black cats. They roam around looking cute and roll around in sunbeams. They also get a lot of attention from the tourists.

Ah, speaking of tourists….. They (or I guess I should say WE) were everywhere! It is very clear that the economy of Toledo relies heavily on tourism. This is good, and bad. It’s good because that means it’s easy to find affordable hotels and transportation. It’s bad because everything else is super expensive!!

So to see the pictures of this AMAZING and very old city, check out my new Flickr account. My user name is devon.cooper

Don’t forget the dot. Devon (dot)cooper. You should be able to see what I’ve uploaded.

I find it interesting that here, when coming and going on an elevator, people always- without fail- say hello and goodbye to eachother. Yet, entering and exiting the metro, all manners go out the window. Hold the door for someone? Never! Let them off of the metro before they shove themselves on? No way…. It seems that underground atmosphere can alter the personality quite extremely.

Also, the calico cat that hangs out with the black cat in the neighborhood is pregnant. I guess theyre not so much like an old retired couple after all.

And finally…. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is vacation time for all here. Its a week-long government holiday. Lets call it church-sponsored spring break. Whatever…Im not complaining. Im heading to Toledo!

Step one: make a really simple shopping list (Lasagna noodles, ground beef, spaghetti sauce, cottage or ricotta cheese, mozzarella)

Step two: go to the skanky but fairly reliable Dia (the neighborhood budget grocery, similar to a save a lot)

Step three: get frustrated because they dont have lasagna noodles, spaghetti sauce, OR cottage cheese

Step four: go to the Corte Ingles (ridiclously overpriced but guaranteed to have what you need)

Step five: get frustrated because they only have ONE brand of cottage cheese and it’s overpriced. Then get frustrated again because they only have ONE brand of spaghette sauce and it’s overpriced. Then (can you guess what’s coming?) get frustrated again because they only have ONE brand of lasagna noodle and it’s overpriced.

Step six: fix and enjoy your incredibly expensive americanized lasagna
 
Step seven: resign yourself to a future of eating the nasty Spanish version of lasanga which involves spice-less tomato sauce and a serious overload of bechamel. Yuck

This is a big city, but I am beginning to recognize those regulars that haunt my neighborhood. The only thing is, the regulars are not people… they are animals. Cats and dogs to be specific. I can recognize people much more easily by the animal acompanying them. For example, every morning on the way to work I pass by the lady with the stroller - always by her side is a beautiful golden retriever. This must be the most intelligent dog on the planet. He (or she) is never on a leash. He walks at her side, stops at crosswalks, begins walking when the light turns green. The dog even remembers their daily route, as I have seen it, a couple paces ahead of its owner, make the correct turn at an intersection. This has been by far the most impressive animal-citizen I have noticed. Of course, another that stands out is a particular big black Marmaduke dog… In a city of tiny terriers and Bichons, this dog is definitely noticeable!
But as much as I love dogs, I must say my favorite sight to wach for are all the different cats that live on my particular block. By far the coolest cats are the big black furry one and the smaller calico that are always sitting in a patch of sun together, like best friends or an old retired couple. They both have unruly, unbrushed fur and the most laid back personality ever. Aside from these two, there is a pair of black and white cats that I call the twins. They look exactly alike and like to hang out on the hoods of cars. Walking from my house to the gate of the complex, I always see at least four or five cats skitting around, minding their own business. And, no matter where the cats wonder, the little dogs on leashes keep an eye on them… but they never bark or chase them. In Spain, the dogs are so well behaved that most walk the streets by their owners side sans leash- even the big ones- and I never find myself nervous or afraid of them. They are definitely cool! 

In my beginners’ english classes, we are on the food unit. I hate the food unit because I am always hungry when I teach it and my stomach growls the whole time. 
For one of the “projects” I assign my students, they must create a menu for their own restaurant, complete with the name of the place, pictures, prices, etc. Well, at a beginners level of any language, we all have the desire to translate things quite literally. Because of this, I encountered some not-so-appetizing foods. Some were quite funny, actually.
Here are some of my favorites:
Fish with sauce of fungus (my guess is he was going for mushrooms)
Chicken with pea (just one?)
Soup of green (veggies, perhaps?)
and, the best of all….
courageous potatoes.
This was actually translated (somewhat) litereally from the dish “patatas bravas” which is basically french fries in a spicy ketchup. I LOVED this translation, and almost didn’t have the heart to correct the student.

Hear me roar.

Okay, so I am bragging a little. I am proud of myself today! Last night, after working approx. 13 hours, I came home and packed everything I own (literally) into three HUGE suitcases, another small one, and a backpack. I then spent the night on a bed with no sheets, using my coat for a pillow. First thing in the morning, I dragged each suitcase one at a time down two flights of stairs. Keep in mind, each one weighed well over 50 pounds.

Next the cab driver and I loaded them into the cab/minivan. We headed across town and he left me and my suitcases at the bottom of yet another flight of stairs at my new apartment building. I successfully wrangled each monstrous bag up to my place (luckily only one flight this time) and I am now oficially installed in my new place. I am probably the happiest (and most exhausted) person in Madrid right now!

Hooray!

I have very rarely gotten into a heated discussion, let alone an arguement, with someone who wasn’t my boyfriend (sorry sweetie!). It’s not my style. My style has generally been to absorb all the other person’s hostility, then go somewhere and cry. Not a great tactic, I admit. But then again neither is constantly getting into screaming matches.

But today was different. To an extent. It all started when I placed a friendly phone call to my landlord, reminding him that I would be moving out tomorrow. Thank God. Also, I wanted to tactfully remind him that he owed me 400 euros worth of deposit money.

I was surprised when his wife answered the phone. I don’t have any positive feelings toward my landlord, and because of past experience, I have nothing good to say about his wife either. Today was no exception. When I amicably told her of my moving tomorrow, she got very angry, yelling that tomorrow was the first of the month, and that I have to be out by today, because the room has already been rented. I then reminded her (not so pleasantly this time) that I told her husband 3 WEEKS ago that I would be moving out on the morning of February 1st. She denied this and continued to rant until she finally handed over the phone to her husband. He denied that I ever told him when I was moving (denial- a behavior I have seen before in him). But at least he wasn’t screaming and yelling like his wife. Eventually he said everything was fine, that I could stay until tomorrow morning. And of course, he then attempted to delay the handing-over of the money until monday. I was proud of myself. I stood my ground and said NO, I need that money to pay my new rent. So he promised to have it by saturday. If I don’t see exactly 400 euros in my hand on saturday, he’s not getting his keys.

So there.

It seems I have reached my limit of pictures I am allowed to post. So the posting of france pictures will have to wait until I can either go back and delete some of the older pictures, or until I put them all up on flicker (spelling?) or something. Sorry! Gosh, I wish I knew html or something so I could just have my very own little page. Oh well!

 

Is it Karma? If so, I must have been very, very good.

 

A friend from work asked me last week…”Have you found a place to live?” I responded with a resounding and frustrated “NO.” She then let me know of an acquaintance who would soon be renting out her apartment room by room.

 

Long story short. On Feb. 1st I will officially move in to a gigantic 4 bedroom, 2 bath, beautiful new apartment. To be shared with three others. Probably Americans. The most important part of all of this is the location: I am now a mere 15 minute walk from my academy. As some of you may know, this is a huge change from my current situation. Not only a change in distance, a change in atmosphere. The landlord is a friendly, down to earth lady whom I trust to treat her tenants respectfully. (Don’t follow? See my post about my current landlord.) The price is incredible, the neighbourhood friendly. What more can I ask for?

 

I am thankful. I don’t know if I have every been so thankful before.

 
Peace to all and I promise to post France pictures soon.

ps support Jackson’s new project bringonthefuture.com