The End, Extended

I finished work this past Tuesday. It was an odd finish, as I had been sick all weekend with pneumonia and had to miss school on Monday to avoid a relapse. My last day at Albelda was much more low-key than at Alberite, as one of the teachers had just returned from a two-week honeymoon in China, which distracted from the fact that it was my last day. I didn't mind - having just begun to feel better, I wasn't sure I could have handled being the center of attention.

Wednesday saw my last tutoring class, and early Thursday morning, I took the bus to Madrid to meet the people with whom I will be living this week. To give a little background, I had signed up for a program called Pueblo Inglés (English village), which brings together native English speakers and Spanish students of English. For the English speakers, it's a volunteer position - for the Spanish people, it's a week of practicing English (often for professional reasons). After meeting in Madrid, we were carted off on a six-hour bus journey through Castilla La Mancha and Andalucía to a hotel in the mountains near Cazorla, in the province of Jaén. It's an absolutely beautiful location, but more importantly, it's isolated - which allows for the creation of an "English village." It's an interesting approach to education that I am keen to try after a year of educating in a more conventional manner.

On a side note, Pueblo Inglés is a great way to get a cheap holiday in Spain - your accommodation is paid for as well as your food and transportation from Madrid, and the location and accommodation are both fantastic. The people here are a unique mix - I believe I'm the youngest person, but the age range seems to cover everything from 23 to 80 (or thereabouts). I've already met a former Air Force fighter pilot, an academic journal salesperson (oh yes, they exist), and two people who operate businesses that they began themselves.

Oh, and this is the view from my bedroom window.