Cenicero, you have my heart!

My last two weeks of school; One week in Cenicero and one week in Navarrete. First, I had to say goodbye to all of those I love at the first school I arrived at.

As I walked up the front steps of the school on my last day, I remembered the first. I caught the M1 by Banco de España because it was the bus that passed by first. I marveled at the rolling hills of vineyards and wondered what awaited me in Cenicero. Someone on the bus was kind enough to tell me how to walk from the stop to the school. As I walked down the main street in town, a little old man asked where I was going. When I told him I was headed to the primary school, he decided to walk with me to make sure I made it there ok. I got to the front door of the school and rang the door bell. The door flew open and out popped this man...

Julio was substituting for the 3rd grade teacher who was out on maternity leave. He had just started the week prior to my arrival and he was the first person I met from work. The old man told him who I was and Julio pulled me into the school, pushed the old man out, and closed the door. Hahahaha! It was so random! He led me to the English room where Ana was standing in front of a class full of 5th graders. And that was my "first" day. 

My last day was quite different. After eight months of being there, I had gotten to know all of the teachers and students fairly well. My last week was no different from the rest. I had my usual routine planned out: presentation, demonstration, activity. The lesson went well. My students were brave enough to try some Mexican salsa that I had made for them and we danced a bit at the end of class. When I headed down for recess, I noticed none of the teachers were in their usual spot in the teachers lounge. Suddenly, there was a blindfold over my eyes and I was being led to the courtyard where the kids play. They took off the blindfold and this is what I saw...

It was

All my students grades 1st through 6th were waiting for me and a piñata had been strung over the courtyard. I'm a crier, and this definitely tickled my heart strings. They blindfolded me again and I found my way to the piñata. I pulled the strings, the candy fell out, and suddenly over a hundred children were diving onto me. But I found my way out of the pile!

The entire week had been building up to this. My first graders bombarded me with a group hug. My second graders begged me not to go or they would go on strike. My third graders ran out to the courtyard and drew me a chalk mural on the cement.

My fourth graders were indifferent. Ha! My fifth graders danced with me, took pictures with me, and chatted with me. After all, they were my very first class. They asked me for my email and facebook and I teared up at the end of class. My 6th graders were all smiles and laughs. And I have to say that they win the contest for best group hug, hands down!

I have loved my time there. From that first nerve racking day to that last tear jerking one, it's all been great. I have enjoyed watching the kids grow, answering their questions, watching them during their christmas performance, and helping them learn English. I have enjoyed working with some of the greatest teachers I've ever met and I appreciate all that they did for me. At the end of the day, they were all waiting in the teacher's lounge for me, where they presented me with a book they made. Inside were pictures of every class level, with messages from all. And on that last page was a picture of the faculty and in it, I sat there right along with them. 

While there are many incredible things about living in Spain, being surrounded by these awesome beings has been the best part of it all. I don't want to make this post extra long, but I will say that what they've done for me deserves more than just this one blog post. I hope I can repay them for what they've done for me. But most of all, I hope that this isn't goodbye, but hasta luego.