FIGJAM
Well that acronym feels appropriate right now, since I just lined up my job for September/October (they aren't quite sure when they want me from yet, but the important part is they want me). It's a good firm, bigger than the last one, about 40 people as opposed to 6, but still not crazy huge. It didn't feel quite as friendly as the first place did yesterday, but the location is better and near an area I've heard I should be able to afford. Salary is about the same...and most importantly they offer teacher training sessions and opportunities to keep improving, which I feel is really important this year now that I've mastered just staying alive in the classroom..now I want to get GOOD. Reckon they'd be happier if I stuck around long term but there's no min contract so If I hate it I can leave. Bad news if they hate me they can get rid of me, but hopefuly that won't happen and if it does I'll be set up in MAdrid which is chock full of freeland opportunities...that pay better than the contract stuff (Imma start with contract though because I prefer the security, and because you can often mix and match)
only downsie is they want to start me on 20 hours for the first two momths, which might not pay quite enough, but once I'm on the full time I should have plenty. The other school would have been me and my boss at the new branch so not much chance to make friends...plus they hadn't yet OFFERED me the position.
So anyway, important thing is I have a job, I can spend the whole summer chillin and not worrying, and my boss (one of them) sounds kinda like whoever played Truman Capote in "Capote".
MADRID NEXT YEAR HERE I COME
As to what else I've been up to.
Day 3: I headed down to Atocha Metro, and walked through Retiro park again, past the statue of the fallen angel, which is one of the few public statues of the devil in Europe...bank smack in the capital of one of Europe's most catholic countries...pretty interesting.
Having seen that I found the Thyssen foundation, and bought a ticket to their Hopper exhibition. There were several paintings I really liked so it was worth the money. However I had 15 minutes to kill before I was allowed in (so popular there were timeslots!) and the muffin and coke I had at their cafeteria was definitely NOT worth 8 euros. Not EVEN with the bloody view.
Took the metro to Goya, walked from Goya to Anton Martin via Lush and buying products I probably didn't need...but I really like their stuff.
CHilled at the hotel, then went out and found my first interview (The job I didn't accept) Had the interview with a very nice woman, and then went down to sol and foundsomewhere nice to eat before returning to the hotel. Also finally picked up a hat today, this was definitely a good move.
Day 4:
Went to interview early, spent the WHOLE morning in the interview, it was gruelling they really made me work for it, but this is one reason I'm taking them seriously. I was then told I had the job if I wanted it and to come back at 17.30 if I was still interested to sign some documents... So whilst waiting for this I had a cheapo lunch, wandered off to find the temple of Debod...an egyptian temple they just imported wholesale here (read: stole? probably.) It was...a lot smaller than I expected and I didn't see anyway inside. Boo. Then I went on a nice long walk through pretty parts of town, stopped for a drink and ambushed another solitary tourist because I wanted someone to talk to-.. and headed back to sign said papers.
I'm now off to the Jazz café I loved so much the first time round, to eat dinner there and listen to live music. Expecting it to be a lot quieter ona week night.
Tomorrow on to Grenada and the hostel there! Sharing with 5 other girls I don't know doesn't seem quite so bad after a whole week by myself and that's sort of what I was counting on at this point. Gonna have to be more careful with stuff obviously.
Hotel here was pretty nice, but I won't miss the lift up to the 8th floor, it's very old and very clunky...eek.
only downsie is they want to start me on 20 hours for the first two momths, which might not pay quite enough, but once I'm on the full time I should have plenty. The other school would have been me and my boss at the new branch so not much chance to make friends...plus they hadn't yet OFFERED me the position.
So anyway, important thing is I have a job, I can spend the whole summer chillin and not worrying, and my boss (one of them) sounds kinda like whoever played Truman Capote in "Capote".
MADRID NEXT YEAR HERE I COME
As to what else I've been up to.
Day 3: I headed down to Atocha Metro, and walked through Retiro park again, past the statue of the fallen angel, which is one of the few public statues of the devil in Europe...bank smack in the capital of one of Europe's most catholic countries...pretty interesting.
Having seen that I found the Thyssen foundation, and bought a ticket to their Hopper exhibition. There were several paintings I really liked so it was worth the money. However I had 15 minutes to kill before I was allowed in (so popular there were timeslots!) and the muffin and coke I had at their cafeteria was definitely NOT worth 8 euros. Not EVEN with the bloody view.
Took the metro to Goya, walked from Goya to Anton Martin via Lush and buying products I probably didn't need...but I really like their stuff.
CHilled at the hotel, then went out and found my first interview (The job I didn't accept) Had the interview with a very nice woman, and then went down to sol and foundsomewhere nice to eat before returning to the hotel. Also finally picked up a hat today, this was definitely a good move.
Day 4:
Went to interview early, spent the WHOLE morning in the interview, it was gruelling they really made me work for it, but this is one reason I'm taking them seriously. I was then told I had the job if I wanted it and to come back at 17.30 if I was still interested to sign some documents... So whilst waiting for this I had a cheapo lunch, wandered off to find the temple of Debod...an egyptian temple they just imported wholesale here (read: stole? probably.) It was...a lot smaller than I expected and I didn't see anyway inside. Boo. Then I went on a nice long walk through pretty parts of town, stopped for a drink and ambushed another solitary tourist because I wanted someone to talk to-.. and headed back to sign said papers.
I'm now off to the Jazz café I loved so much the first time round, to eat dinner there and listen to live music. Expecting it to be a lot quieter ona week night.
Tomorrow on to Grenada and the hostel there! Sharing with 5 other girls I don't know doesn't seem quite so bad after a whole week by myself and that's sort of what I was counting on at this point. Gonna have to be more careful with stuff obviously.
Hotel here was pretty nice, but I won't miss the lift up to the 8th floor, it's very old and very clunky...eek.