First day back stories

-Last night, I got into bed late after unpacking only the bare essentials. And a meager few hours later, I woke up to head to my first day of school for the semester. As I waited on Calle Esperanza (which means “Hope Street”), I realized I had forgotten to call or email Fina, with whom I normally ride on Tuesdays. 10 minutes passed, and I was still waiting in the cold. Then a car finally pulls up. “Whew!” I thought. “THAT was close! I was going to have to go catch a bus and be an hour late if 5 more minutes passed!” But it wasn’t Fina in the car. Shoot. Panic. But here’s the story-worthy part: it was another teacher that I work with! She moved at the end of December, and here she was, pulling out of the very same street where I normally meet Fina. With all of Sevilla to choose from. That’s amazing. She kindly let me in, and I was to class on time. Wow. God provides, doesn’t He?

-I spoke Spanish in the car ride there, successfully, after a two week break. When we arrived I realized she’s an English teacher. I could have spared the brainpower. ;) But I’m glad I didn’t!

-At school, everyone gives wonderfully warm greetings after breaks, apparently. Teachers that I had barely talked to before joyfully asked how my break was, told me “Feliz Año Nuevo,” and gave me the famed dos besos. What a wonderful way to start work again!

-I finally met my bilingual coordinator today (she missed last semester), and she was very nice. I was so glad to finally meet the person behind the emails!

-Ignacio, one of the teachers I worked with, tried to convince me to come back to the same school for another year…because I must like teaching…because “[I’m] always happy and excited about teaching!”

-Lastly, a teacher and I were catching the same bus home, and we spoke in Spanish the whole time. I understood most of it (though I honestly can’t say all…). The surprising thing was this: she insisted on buying my bus ticket for me! What an unexpected, kind gesture from a teacher I don’t even know very well!

In all, as you can see, it was a unique, wonderful day back. What a blessing!