The first week is down at last. The induction session was useful, informative and set everyone´s minds at ease. My boss, Borja, is a patient guy with an open-minded attitude. He seemed to like my running dictation exercise using "Mysterious Girl" by Peter Andre. Last night, we had dinner up near school. I had a good chat with James, the financial director of the school and Borja´s partner over carbonera pizza. He actually taught a lot of Koreans when he was living in New York, so we had a good discussion about hagwan teaching methods, Korean peripheral selling techniques ("Hey we´ll spend 30 million won on the fountain at the front of the school but f**k those new board markers" etc etc) and galbi eating. This was followed by a few cocktails at Fiona´s at the Plaza de Victoria before I finally wandered home to my apartment in Triana for some well deserved sleep.
Overall, things are going well in Seville. We finally got an apartment last week: a beautiful 3 bedroom modern place in Triana which Jose (landlord) toatally ikea´d out today. Brand new tables, chairs, kitchen stuff etc etc. I like Jose. My Spanish is crap, his English is the same. Phrasebooks are continually exchanged and there´s a lot of laughter and celebration when communication reaches it´s goal. Tom and Sam are delighted with things also. Certainly being two single guys they might have preferred to be closer to the action in Amareda but they saw the sense of getting a cheaper place south of the river. Taxis work out at 6 euros to get home so its not such a hassle.
Monday sees my first proper day at school. I´ve got 4 classes including two Kids (8-10) and 2 Juniors (12-14), the adult classes commence in October. I´m fully prepared, and so I should be considering we had 12 hours of planning time last week. I´ve probably taught 70 or so introductory lessons since 2004, it should go fine. I´m more curious about the manerisms of the students. Korean kiddies tended to be hyperactive and aggressive due to the high carbohydrate content of their diets but I suspect the Spanish will be a little more relaxed..what am I saying. We´ll know more by 1700 on Monday.
Anyway I´m sitting next to some NewYorker in this internet cafe who is using one of those MSN phone things. She´s talking a load of shite and distracting me so I´ll end there. Telfonica start our account next week so at last I will have the peace of online utopia at home.
