I'm hiding under the bed, I'm not going back!!

I don't want to write a lot, too boring and I'm tired! But, there's so much to this project that I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! The Galician coast, wild Atlantic and beautiful beaches. The school, so much a throw-back in many ways, but so suited to my style (basically 'chalk n talk' with lots of fun activities), with beautiful open-hearted kids and staff. The friendly town, where I can try out my dodgy Spanish and know I will either be understood or tolerated with a smile as I desperately mime what I want!! Today I bought stamps, an envelope, soap and some instant photos from my phone. I'm very grateful to Google translate for the support, but I give most credit to me, for trying!! I actually feel, for the first time, that I could do this, I could move here and live and work. And be HAPPY!!!

Santiago was life-changing, more wonderful than I can express. But what was equally wonderful was how excited my new colleagues at school were, to hear that we had visited Santiago. People here love where they live, they are really proud of it and they enjoy it.

Why are the kids here so very much nicer than back in England? I can dance around like a lunatic, sing songs at them, get them to do ridiculous things (Year 9 teenagers singing Fur Elise in Music class? And NO heckling??!) and they still smile and wave in the corridor. They are just essentially nice young people. Not angels by any means! But basically good. I was asking Rabiya today, how can the students be so nice and yet so disrespectful at the same time? They talk and mess around, they're obsessed with the bell, mobile phones, get out of class. They write on the board, they pass notes. They are not angels!! But, somehow, they are still miles better than I'm used to from 14 year old school kids. Rabiya, for me, summed it up when she said they were 'grounded in a good place'. Yes, that's it. They are going through a phase all kids do at this age and they are driving their teachers mad. But, they are well raised, well loved and well socialised. They know who they are and they feel confident about their place in the world. They respect their parents, they see their teachers as human beings. This phase will pass and they will be lovely young adults. I just know it, I see it happening. 

This is a precious time that I don't want to end. I want to come back and next time I want to stay!!

Rabiya and Polpi and Me. Sitting by the Atlantic in our lunchbreak. What a very cool job!

My Senior 2 Music class playing a matching game, for the topic The Voice.

Lollipops for the winning team. They went on to help the losing team, so that they could finish. Nice kids.