Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the second Thanksgiving (thankfully not in a row) where I´ve been off galavanting in another country when the holiday comes around.  As an American holiday goes, it`s not much, but the family time is always nice.  I`m thinking of them today, and will at dinner tonight as I eat my chicken and puree rather than the more traditional turkey and mashed potatoes.

I was thinking about trying to make a pumpkin pie for the family, but I`ve actually gotten a temporary position for the next two weeks working in a school as an English language assistant, which means no time during the day and not much at night either with the family`s lessons.  I`m going to attempt a cookie pie instead, which should be easier, and maybe a bit more tasty too.  Pumpkin pie is definitely more traditional, but I like the homemade pies from (you know) home.  Making one here just doesn`t seem the same.

More about the school!  I`m working in a bunch of different classes with very young students, ages three to seven at the oldest.  My job is to only speak English with them, but it`s difficult because most, especially the preschoolers, don`t speak any English at all.  I`m just kind of getting them used to hearing it, hoping they`ll pick up some things over time.  With the older kids, we actually talk a little about colors and in other classrooms, I`ve been reading books or singing songs in English with the class, which is really fun.  The kids are super affectionate too, so that makes things easy.

I`ve had a hard time with some of the teachers just because I don´t always understand the Spanish of what they want me to do.  A few of them do speak some English, so we can communicate, but otherwise I`m on my own trying to understand as they quickly give me some instructions as kids are yelling and chairs are scraping.  I get a lot of it, but there are definitely times I`m getting it wrong, too.  But I`m learning!

I`m grateful to be here, learning in Spain, and I`m grateful to have such a wonderfully supportive family back home.  I feel pretty lucky for all the things I have to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!