Things that happened during my first week of work

• I have the same glasses as one of the 3rd graders.
• One of the 2nd grade students told me he was seventy years old.
• Another told me that the year was 2,000,013.
• One of the teachers told the class he likes to dance, but only after a couple of beers.
• Another teacher told me to fake a British accent so the kids would understand me better. I also got to (read: was forced to) brush up on American/British English differences, because here they learn British English.
• I bonded with approx. 10 million preteen Spanish girls over our shared love for One Direction.
• On the first day of my high school class, one of there kids in the back row threw up and the class freaked out.
• On the first day of another, they asked me to describe what a fraternity is and asked why college in the US is so expensive. I’m not sure which was harder to answer.
• One of my teachers insisted I come to class late so I would have time to take a coffee break.
• I learned how much more open Spaniards are — On the first day in the high school, I was asked if I liked Obama, who I voted for, if I had a boyfriend (or a girlfriend), if I liked to go out to bars, and what I thought of Spanish guys. And the teacher was 100% okay with the students asking these questions!

I’m still figuring things out, but I really like my school and think that I’m going to have a great experience working there! Some other BEDA-ers I’ve talked to have problems with their schools over- or under-working them, but so far my level of responsibility has felt just right (#goldilocks). I also really like my coordinator and the other teachers. Here’s hoping the rest of the year continues to go this well!