Madrid, Spain
March 25, 1997

....mi cago en la leche. Yo entiendo un poco espanol despues tres semanas. ?Que tal, mis amigos?

But that was very different on our third day in Salamanca. The doctor of the hospital in Salamanca was asking questions in Spanish, which Ana, a teacher from the Academia Mester translated into German, so I could translate it into English for Misha. Then the whole game started backwards, while the doctor waited, patiently smiling, for the answers. The atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly and it took less than half an hour until Misha got a description for some medicine. She had been suffering under strong head- and stomachaches with a great need for sleep for three days. With the help of the drugs - which were, like the treatment, covered by her health insurance - and more rest Misha recovered within a couple more days.

It was the last incident of a longer chain. Back in Canada Misha had had a strapped throat and taking antibiotics for 5 days, when she forgot taking them in the excitement of going to Europe. Arriving there the trouble would come up every third day or so and only disappear briefly after the consumption of a doses of antibiotics. It was clear that Misha needed to start a new, full treatment, because she wouldn't regain her strength, which caused difficulties for all of us.

So on our way to Taize we stopped at the hospital in Chaumont, France. A problem was that Misha's travel health insurance would only cover illnesses that were not acute when she left Canada. Anyway, opposite to what one usually experiences in American and to a lesser degree in Canadian hospitals, we didn't have to wait at all, but were treated very friendly without any questions asked about insurance. My capacities in French are limited, so it took a while to describe everything. But then the doctor "agreed" to our idea of putting Misha under a new treatment of antibiotics. She asked the two nurses to look around for leftovers of penicillin and we ended up getting treatment and drugs for free!

Besides having dear memories of French and Spanish hospitals, Misha has been fine since. And I am also happy to say the same about the "road runner", our car. It put honor to its name on the past 5,000 km and the only trouble we had happened at a traffic light on the way to Salamanca. When it turned green, the first car started moving. The second did not, neither did we as the third, but the fourth one did nevertheless with the outcome of a damaged bumper on the road runner! Fortunately, police arrived soon without being noticed. And the policeman spoke some English! But when he kept on asking us for all kinds of papers and did not do the same to the Spanish who had caused the accident, Keni got very upset and told him plainly the path of action.....finally everybody filled out the form for the insurance company, so we'll be reimbursed when we are in Germany.

So far, the damaged bumper remains damaged and gives the car with it's very dirty body a distinct look. I don't mind that at all, because there's always a good chance for thefting in Southern Europe and this way we certainly don't attract thieves. Moreover, we are doing fine keeping the interior in order.

Our arrival in Salamanca after a 10 hours drive wasn't all that happy, since the school didn't handle our special request, to stay in different apartments, because of language barriers. We had decided on giving each other space and ended up living in the same apartment. The director was so friendly to have us pay for beds in double rooms, though we all had singles. Our communication became increasingly worse in Salamanca. We didn't fight, but it got to the point that the girls left a conversation they had with somebody, if I began to participated as well. The whole situation literally ate on my stomach and I was very frustrated. My only hope was a good weekly meeting, which we didn't have for three weeks because of travelling on a weekend and Misha's sickness. The meeting turned out to be another four hour one - like in Groningen, but this time we didn't fight.

The girls had the impression that I was somewhat superior and they had to watch out for me, so we never spent time at ease. We talked at length about the meaning of me being the legal guardian and figured out that we had the same basic understanding: Neither of us wanted a lot or tight rules. In case of different opinions on an important issue, we would talk about it and I might set up a limitation. But it would be the girls individual decision whether they'd actually follow it; just as at home, where they may or may not go with what their parents want. Obviously, actions have consequences and it might happen that I set up a consequence according to an action.

We were all very happy with the meeting and had a good time together since. We also decided to extend our stay in Salamanca for a third week. Besides thoroughly enjoying our own rooms, we liked the Academia Mester and Salamanca very much. Misha was only able to attend the last two days of school during that first week, but she received a couple one on one classes for free and Keni studied a lot in class and at home to prepare for Spanish in her senior year.

To our surprise we'd all been put into the beginner's class, though Keni had studied Spanish in 9th grade. But with Misha being sick, there was only one out of six students in that class who didn't know any Spanish - me. But I had studied Latin more than a decade ago and attended classes and homework very concentrated, so that I was able to make up the difference.

Our schedule had four 55 minute classes per day. Starting at the welcomed hour of 10 in the morning, Carmen was very energetic to teach us grammar, before Maite taught conversation for the second half of the morning. Within three weeks we learned present tense, past tense, past perfect and simple future besides articles - two genders in Spanish, demonstrative and possessive pronouns and lots of vocabulary for our immediate environment and actions.

We were given homework every day, which usually consisted of grammar exercises - fill in words - and composition. Surprisingly, grammar turned out to be interesting every day, while we slowly started to dread conversation. But it became obvious that our teachers had something to do with that. Overall we learned a whole lot. Classes were taught in Spanish from the first day and the exercises were given in a matter that we practiced new grammar for a few days.

Being a foreign language teacher myself, I observed the teaching method closely, including the exam at the end of the month, which I had to do after three weeks, lacking the fourth, practice only week. The method used was followed through well with prepared material that would slowly extend our vocabulary. The teachers got never tired of explaining something and cared for every single student. The learning process was supported by lectures about Spanish geography, art, history and economics as well as sportive activities and introduction into life in Spain which included going to local bars, the movies and playing Spanish games. All of this was included in the costs for the course, except when the school had to pay others. In these cases the school didn't make any profit whatsoever.

The teaching method was very different from a Waldorf approach. New grammar would be explained by giving the rules and exceptions, exercises often didn't support active use of language and pronunciation difficulties were not met by speech exercises. But I didn't expect anything like that. It is also far more difficult for a school, because it leaves so much space for each teacher's capacity and creativity, that teachers needed much more training and quality would vary greatly nevertheless.

Keni benefited a lot from these three weeks. She was also impressed that the teachers cared for each student and were so willing to explain things again, since none of this exists at her school in Palo Alto.

Misha had a hard time with our high level beginner's class and her disadvantage of missing the first three days. She attended classes though and did her homework and got a couple grammatical rules that she is going to meet again when studying German in May. During the third week she started with her English requirements which include working on a novel - Paulo Coelo's "The Alchemist" - and preparatory writing exercises. She was able to set up her own schedule and received the beginning of speech exercises in German. It's going to be a challenge to do all the work required for her English, German and P. E. (sports) curriculum, because it is a lot of work and we are spending so much time travelling. My task will be staying one step ahead in preparing what I have to teach her next, since I couldn't prepare much of the actual teaching beforehand for several reasons.

Salamanca turned out to be an even nicer city than thought of. Its population varies between 170 and 200,000, depending on the amount of students. The city is quite defined with a wonderful old city center. The many old buildings are made out of yellow-golden stone, which sometimes gives a fairy-tale impression with the combination of the ever blue sky. The Plaza Mayor - Main Square - is situated in the pedestrian zone and is the meeting place of the city. That really means something, since life in Spain is lived in public for most part of the day.

Beginning with breakfast, usually a sweet piece with a coffee consumed in a bar, people leave their homes and return to bars often for tapas - snacks of all kinds of often fried food, coffee and a chat. One of the stranger customs is throwing everything on the floor in bars. I am still not used to it and also surprised about seeing dressed up people with a little mess to their feet.

Dressing up with the women emphasizing on the body is of great importance to the Spanish. I observed quite some differences to Holland, for example. (Following the special "request" of a friend of mine I keep on describing my observations about women in different countries.) There are a lot of beautiful women in Spain with well defined features and attractive figures. Being aware of that and with a different mentality, they carry themselves very upright and seem unapproachable; which isn't really the case. The outer appearance seems to be fare more important than in Holland and I also kept on looking for bicycles in vain.

This year is granting an unusual warm and dry spring with pretty much perfect temperatures for us. High's in the 70's (up to 25 C) made it a nice treat to be outside while it didn't prevent us from studying. Nights got chilly though. The Spanish really carry a night life. Bars get especially crowded from midnight on at weekends and there are tons of people outside still. The summer must be too hot for studying in Salamanca, but I can hardly imagine what's going on during the nights with low's in the 70's and 80's.

Out of 15 schools I asked for information, the Academia Mester was a good pick. A lot of schools are in the southern cities of Grenada and Malaga, where beach and nightlife activities make it hard to remain in a study mood. Prices are far more expensive there and no other school offers such a great range of cultural activities for free or so little money. Moreover, every singly teacher and office worker of the school was very friendly. I was allowed to set up my e-mail whenever I asked - up to four times a week, but I wasn't charged anything for it. Instead, Concha, the secretary, always knew a classroom where I could work or study.

Our rooms were simple in an apartment with all kitchen utensils needed available and a washing machine on top. With Germans, Americans and a Dutch living there we didn't talk any Spanish, but German and English are nice languages as well. We had special contacts with Stefan from Germany and Bass from Holland and shared many good hours with them.. Both have e-mail, so we'll remain in contact easily.

One of my dearest memories is talking Spanish with a French Swiss - depending on the area, either German, French or Italian is spoken in Switzerland - who's been studying there since January. We were able to extend our talks from an hour at the beginning to 2 1/2 at the last evening; the final hour I spoke German while she spoke Spanish, because I had used up all my active vocabulary.

The girls celebrated St. Patrick's Day by making a drawing for the apartment and listening to a life band at O'Neil's (Irish pub). O'Neil's became their favorite bar and I can see them loving Ireland very much. They also gained more independence and confidence again. Salamanca is so beautiful and also safe, that they went out on their own often and met many people from various countries. They should have a hard time returning to North America and not being able to enter bar until they are 21. None of us it hot on pasta for the moment, since we had it so often as a delicious and inexpensive meal. But they certainly still like chocolate, which is so much better in Europe than in the States.

Our communication has improved to a point, that we could have very different opinions on a strong issue without taking the matter into our regular exchange. We are a little over a quarter into the trip and keep moving forwards. The number of three isn't a very happy one and all the different aspects of our relations - legal guardian, teacher, friends, travel companions, "money" etc. - have a strong impact, but we are getting there. There are still times where I have doubts about myself or travel teaching in actuality. And there are times when I simply love it and see so much coming out of it. The girls are great and we do have the time to make this trip what we all want it to be and what it is already: An adventure, a life changing experience we'll keep returning to again and again.

So, today I certainly feel like sharing a smile,

Andreas