Today's topics of discussion: City-Wide Heat, Choirs, Pepe, Music.
1. City-wide Heat
You're probably wondering what the hell I mean by this, well let me just tell you. Currently in Madrid its still really warm and nice during the day, in the low to mid 70s. However at night, (like is normal for this time of year) it is absolutely freezing. So of course, when it gets to be about 12:30 am and after a long day of wiping snotty noses, yelling at children, and dodging the creepy people who use public transportation, I'm ready to curl up under my cover (that's right coveR no "s" meaning a thin fleece blanket) and snuggle and and sink into a nice sleep. Well that's impossible when you have no heat in your apartment and you can't turn it on either. I finally called my landlord about it yesterday to see if she could come show us how to turn it on but much to my surprise she simply replied with "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do". Oh reallllyyyyy?!?! I'm paying you $500 a month to freeze my ass off? As I came to find out, in the city of Madrid, the town hall controls the entire city's heat. They decide when it's cold enough to turn everyone's heat on and then we will be able to turn it on in our apartment. She said it should be any day now, but that's not really reassuring when you have to sleep in sweat pants, a sweatshirt, thick socks, and a scarf every night! lol
2. Choir
So as most of you know, I grew up singing, and I was a big chorus nerd. Well, since I've been in college I have had absolutely ZERO spare time between work and school and I put singing on the backburner. This sucks for a few reasons 1. My voice is nowhere near where it used to be. 2. I went from being a soprano to a tenor. (okay so i'm exaggerating, but hitting those high c's is nearly impossible these days) 3. I miss singing and being on stage so much. Sooo when my landlord (who by the way is about 60 years old) was over at our apt. fixing some things the other day and she mentioned she sang in a choir, I told her (this was all in Spanish-mind you) that I loved to sing and I showed her pictures and player her the recording of Pnut and I singing Pie Jesu. She wouldn't shut up about how beautiful it was and blah blah blah. I tried to explain to her I was about 16 or 17 when that was recorded and my voice wasn't the same now but between my broken Spanish and her Oooohhhsss and Ahhhhssss, I somehow agreed to coming to her next church choir practice with her.
Well I went and I'm definitely the only person below the age of 55, maybe 60 in the entire group. But once I got to practice and started singing, it was crazy how much I realized I've missed that. Everything... even the challenge of finding my part among 3 others and sight singing. Man what a rush! hahaha But what a freaking challenge it's been. Not only do I have to try my best to remember how to read music, BUT I also have to read the words in Spanish which I don't understand AND can't pronounce. I love a good challenge though, so it's okay.
Funny story having to do with chorus: Tonight I had my 2nd rehearsal and we were practicing all the English songs that the group is singing. Well of course, with every English song, the director asked me to read through all of the lyrics so everyone could hear it was REALLY supposed to sound (imagine a group of old Spanish people trying to pronounce Jesus and Jerusalem YYYEERRRRUSLEMMMMMM). Well the director didn't even pick easy English songs, she picked all Negro Spiritual hymns. Don't get me wrong, I like singing these songs as much as the next person, but please try to explain how to pronounce this to a bunch of people who can't speak English. Let me just give you an example of some of the lyrics (yes they were actually spelled like this on the sheet music too!). We are singing the song "Soon I will be Done" I don't know who's familiar with it, but it's a pretty famous song. Well anyways, when I was asked to read this outloud to everyone, I looked down to find this:
"Soon ah will be don' ah wid de troubles of de worl', troubles of de worl' , I wan' t' meet my maker, I wan' t' meet my maker, goin' home t' live wid God."
OK REALLYYYY?!?! I was trying to read it and even I kept stuttering and I tried to explain that it wasn't real English but no one could understand me so they were just nodding and saying (in Spanish) "No it's not British English, it's American English". hahahaha So freaking funny.
3. Pepe
Okay so at my school there is a guy named PePe. And do you wanna know why his name is PePe? Because his name is really José, and José is also the name of the Virgin Mary's husband, and Spanish people call Mary's husband Joseph "Padre Paternico" therefore the 2 P's come from that nickname which somehow becomes the name PePe. So Anyways José- I mean PePe is this 50-something year old man that just lurks everywhere and is super annoying. He doesn't do shit and gets paid to walk around pretty much. My first week at work, the other teachers warned me about him, saying he was really weird and had been through psychological examinations etc. yet the school is not able to get rid of him for some reason.
Today, when I arrived at work, I found out that the teacher in my 1st period class was out sick so they asked me to teach the class. Well I'm NOT a teacher first off and 2nd, I had no plan what so ever... awesome! lol Then I find out PePe is going to sit in my class with me because I'm required to have a teacher with me at all times. He was told before class that he was to sit quietly and listen, which he must've forgotten about 10 min into class b/c before I knew it, he's up out of his seat teaching my English class, the guy doesn't speak English and he always asks me to teach him. I was so annoyed. At our breaktime, I was talking to the other teachers about how annoyed I had been and they told the head of studies (who's basically everyone's boss). Well she talked to PePe so when I had to teach with him again the last period of the day it was super awkward and tons of fun when he asked me why I told on him. Ughhh freaking weird old man. haha
4. Last but definitely NOT least: MUSICCCCCC
While I'm in Spain I'm also doing some work with Universal Republic (the record label that I had my internship with last semester) as an artist scout. So basically I'm just doing some snooping, investigating, going to concerts to check out bands, etc. to see if I can find any artists that I think have the potential to be broken in the US market. Since I've been in Spain I haven't been able to do much with it because everything's been so crazy. So today on my way home from work on the bus, I began brainstorming and I went on a crazy 5 hour research rampage and found some really cool stuff. I've found some really good stuff and it made me so excited. I freaking loveeeeeee music so much. It's like a dream to continue working with Universal even if it's just on the side and not technically a paying job. It would be really rewarding to find a successful artist while I'm here. I have almost a year, so I'm determined! :)
On that note, I think I'm gonna try to start a music blog to discuss artists and music from this side of the pond and hopefully bridge the European market with the US market a little bit better. It'll just be a little fun thing on the side but who knows? Maybe I'll get really into it and it'll turn into something. I love being random and having a ton of side projects.
Okay, for real, this is wayyyyyyy too long. I HATE when I get behind in writing in here b/c then I have to write 5 pages worth of shit. Time for bed. Peace.Music.Love <3 :)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Starting the new job....
So I've been procrastinating writing in my blog again because things keep happening and all the things I need to write about in here just keep adding up! lol
But anyways... let's see here. I went to my first day of work (last Thursday) and they took one look at my disgusting eye and sent me home to rest and get better. Thennnn I went back on Monday, for my first day at work, only to find when I got there (after waking up at 6:45 am and commuting 1 hour) that my school was closed for a holiday that everyone had forgotten to tell me about. So my first day of work was this past Tuesday. I absolutely loveeeeee my job, it's so awesome! The kids are awesome little sponges and they are so smart! Sometimes they look at me like I'm an alien when I speak to them in English, but I think they understand a lot too! Yesterday morning, one class of 3rd year kids (like 7 and 8 year olds) were asking me all about myself, where I come from, what my family is like, etc. etc. And one little boy asked "Tienes novio?" which means "Do you have a boyfriend?" haha It was so cute! I had to break his little heart and tell him yes, sorry!
My school and the teachers there are so great! There's one other auxilliare de conversacion there with me, his name is Jeremy and he's from Edison, NJ.. and he actually knows where Rahway is! lol He's really nice and we get along well, which helps a lot. Everyday we have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd period, then the teachers go to have a breakfast from 11:45-12:15 while the kids have outside playing time. They put out bread, fruits, little snacks, and coffee for all of us, it's really cool b/c it gives me a chance to sit down and talk to some of the other teachers and practice my Spanish if I want! :) After breakfast, we have 2 more periods then school is over at 2:00 and the kids either go home or stay and have lunch. After the kids lunch period from 2-3, all the teachers get to have lunch too. This is my favorite part of the whole day b/c Jeremy and I get to eat for free, so of course free food.. I stay and wait for my free lunch everyday! lol And the food is NOT like American cafeteria food.. it's SOOOO good! There aren't many teachers in the school (maybe like 20 or 25 total) so it's really nice, kinda like a family, which I really like. We all get to sit and have lunch together and talk at the end of the day.
Hmm let's see what else?? Not much has gone on this week. Apartment is still great, although there are a ton of broken things in it, like the lightbulb in my room, the microwave shoots flames, and the washer machine takes approx. 4 hours to do one load of laundry. But hey, whatever! Anddd I think I get to come home for Christmas! I got the dates from my school of our winter break and as long as I can find a flight that's not ridiculously expensive, I'll be home from about dec. 18- jan. 9 or so!! :) I can't wait to see everyone and to be with my boyfriend!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) Don't know yet if I'll make it up to NJ or not, I really hope to, but it depends on my money situation.
Okay this was a really boring post, sorry! Until next time... Besitos! MWAH! :)
But anyways... let's see here. I went to my first day of work (last Thursday) and they took one look at my disgusting eye and sent me home to rest and get better. Thennnn I went back on Monday, for my first day at work, only to find when I got there (after waking up at 6:45 am and commuting 1 hour) that my school was closed for a holiday that everyone had forgotten to tell me about. So my first day of work was this past Tuesday. I absolutely loveeeeee my job, it's so awesome! The kids are awesome little sponges and they are so smart! Sometimes they look at me like I'm an alien when I speak to them in English, but I think they understand a lot too! Yesterday morning, one class of 3rd year kids (like 7 and 8 year olds) were asking me all about myself, where I come from, what my family is like, etc. etc. And one little boy asked "Tienes novio?" which means "Do you have a boyfriend?" haha It was so cute! I had to break his little heart and tell him yes, sorry!
My school and the teachers there are so great! There's one other auxilliare de conversacion there with me, his name is Jeremy and he's from Edison, NJ.. and he actually knows where Rahway is! lol He's really nice and we get along well, which helps a lot. Everyday we have 1st, 2nd, and 3rd period, then the teachers go to have a breakfast from 11:45-12:15 while the kids have outside playing time. They put out bread, fruits, little snacks, and coffee for all of us, it's really cool b/c it gives me a chance to sit down and talk to some of the other teachers and practice my Spanish if I want! :) After breakfast, we have 2 more periods then school is over at 2:00 and the kids either go home or stay and have lunch. After the kids lunch period from 2-3, all the teachers get to have lunch too. This is my favorite part of the whole day b/c Jeremy and I get to eat for free, so of course free food.. I stay and wait for my free lunch everyday! lol And the food is NOT like American cafeteria food.. it's SOOOO good! There aren't many teachers in the school (maybe like 20 or 25 total) so it's really nice, kinda like a family, which I really like. We all get to sit and have lunch together and talk at the end of the day.
Hmm let's see what else?? Not much has gone on this week. Apartment is still great, although there are a ton of broken things in it, like the lightbulb in my room, the microwave shoots flames, and the washer machine takes approx. 4 hours to do one load of laundry. But hey, whatever! Anddd I think I get to come home for Christmas! I got the dates from my school of our winter break and as long as I can find a flight that's not ridiculously expensive, I'll be home from about dec. 18- jan. 9 or so!! :) I can't wait to see everyone and to be with my boyfriend!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) Don't know yet if I'll make it up to NJ or not, I really hope to, but it depends on my money situation.
Okay this was a really boring post, sorry! Until next time... Besitos! MWAH! :)
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