16/365

Tutoring with a view. Misty mountains and rain on the way.

15/365

Even after specifically wandering a bit to find something photoworthy, here’s my hair instead.

I want to cut my hair – some major hacking-off – but I still have a little bit of PTSD from my last Spanish haircut, almost five years ago.

14/365

(This is the TRAM – Alicante’s light rail. Very clean and convenient, and a way to take an absolutely gorgeous trip along the coast for only a few euros.)

We took the tram to the mall today to hit up some of the rebajas - dramatic sales all across Spain during January (and again during the summer.) Didn’t find much worth buying. Shopping in general is exhausting.

13/365

Open balcony doors. January sunshine. Struggling basil plant. Cheap sandals that crossed an ocean.

12/365

Finally got my Spanish library card.

12 days into this 365 project, and I’m already struggling to find inspiration or time, especially since I don’t lug around my big camera during the school week. Depending on the day, it’s difficult to either 1) take one decent picture, or 2) choose just one decent picture.

That’s okay. A challenge should be challenging.

I also realized that 2012 has 366 days. You rascal, you.

11/365

Today I received this gift and a long letter from a dear amiga. It made my week.

10/365

Pen pal letters. Children’s excitement barreling through the language barrier… almost.

9/365

Back to school today.

Here in Alicante you can’t drink the tap water, and even in places where you can it’s rare to find drinking fountains in Spain – at least in my (thirsty) experience. At school, classrooms have little plastic mugs for each kid, that hang on pegs by the classroom door for when someone needs to get a drink. The teachers have the same downstairs in the teachers’ lounge. My first day at the school – in the trilingual blur of greetings, instructions, schedules, and an endless stream of dos besos – I got to write my name on my own mug. It was a small piece of the overall warmth I have encountered at the school – a willingness to include and involve me (despite pedagogy clases and my occasional restlessness) into the community.

Today, coming back to school, I was caught in another avalanche of face-kisses and felíz año smiles. Being back at school with the kiddos reminds me why I’m here.

8/365

Tea with an American friend and two of her Greek friends at the Tetería Wasala - a tea shop in el barrio (the old neighborhood) of Alicante. One of the many awesome little places I’ve come across here.

The last hours of break are ticking away. While I am looking forward to getting back into a routine and out of my headspace, I am dreading my alarm tomorrow.

7/365

La Limpieza: A very necessary cleaning of my piso, after weeks of chaos. I have had a fairly home-bound weekend, which has been good for cleaning and organization (both physical and mental.)