A Little Bit of Life

There is a misconception about what the best part about living abroad is. Sure, traveling is cheaper and easier since everything is so close here. We are stimulated by all of the new experiences we have and the new people we meet. While these things are incredible and really make the ride so exceptional, it's the things in between that make it all worth while. Here's a glimpse of the little things that have made me fall in love with this vibrant city and everyone in it:

1. Staying up until 5am to watch the Superbowl with a large group of your close friends and American football fans in a pub right smack in the center of Madrid. 

                   

2. Having to get up at 8am to go to work after staying up to watch the Superbowl and your kids loving Superbowl lesson you prepared with the "research" you did just hours before. 

3. Having the incredible honor of presenting on my teaching philosophy and experience at the Fulbright mid-year seminar. Getting emotional right at the end only to be stopped right as I was sharing something really personal. 3/4 of the Fulbrighters yelled out in protest, so I got to finish :)

4. "All the crazy **** I did tonight, those will be the best memories..." perfectly sums up mid-year. Rachel named me MVP of our seminar in Cáceres. I'll take it!

5. Being super Spanish by going out for marathon coffee dates with my girls. 

6. Ringing in the Lunar year with amazing people and incredible food. 

7. Walking around Madrid and marveling at its beautiful balconies, bouncing babies, and delectable desserts. 

                                     

8. Seeing my student walk into the class he clearly doesn't need to come to because he's caught up on his work, but he comes anyway because he wants me to be his mentor. 

9. Waking up early on a Sunday just to say bye to two lucky students of mine heading to Florida for two weeks on an exchange trip with our DUAL diploma program. 

10. Assigning a "pay-it-forward" assignment in my 3rd of ESO classes (freshman). Several of the first presentations are not what I expect. I accept the epic fail and the fact that I suck as a teacher. The third group goes up and talks about giving up their seats to a pregnant lady and training a dog to help people who are blind. I start crying tears of joy and inside I'm shouting "YAAAASSSSSS!"

11. Spending the month of March as a teacher, cultural ambassador to exchange students, mentor, representative of Fulbright España at the Berlin conference, and channeling my Liz Gilbert for a two week road trip through Italy.

12. Marathon FaceTime calls with my family and friends from back home. 

13. Feeling like a parent to my junior high school kids. One minute they're throwing a fit, the next they're telling you how much they love you, but your love for them remains consistent.

14. Seeing the complete 180 some of my harder classes have made. They are now curious and actively participating. It's incredibly rewarding.

15. Today, my coworker Noelle and I gave a presentation about getting a degree at a U.S. university. After class, one of my girls came up to me and asked, "But Miriam, how can I go to the U.S. to go to college, when it's already hard enough for me to study in Spanish. It would be impossible in English." And I told her, "Look. I know it's intimidating thinking about doing something like this, but you never know unless you try. A friend told me recently that if a guy feels that he meets one qualification for something, he goes after it. Where as girls decided they can't do something, and never give themselves a chance. You CAN do it. You just have to have the courage to try. Don't be a woman who gives up before she even starts. You have nothing to lose."

It's moments like the last one when I feel like the universe conspired to send me here. It's been a long time since I've felt inspired, challenged, and blissful all at one time. My Fulbright grant has been the most incredible blessing. Sure, it's been great to live abroad, travel, and experience all sorts of new and exciting things, but what's really made my experience are the moments when I can provide support to my students. The stability at work makes everything else overwhelmingly better. All of the other moments would not be possible without it. 

I wake up eager to start my day EVERY SINGLE DAY because I know I'm headed to work to see those kids. On the weekends, I spend it with an incredible group of people that from day one became the inspiration and support I've needed to rebuild myself, after spending so long neglecting who I wanted to become. 

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey. We're not done yet!