The other day, one of my private lesson students, Gema, exclaimed to me, "Dahlia, you know everybody in Linares!" Apparently she had spoken to four or five people that week who knew me. I laughed it off. That same night, I was walking to the gym in an outfit that basically said I really hope I don't see anyone I know (gym clothes, neon running shoes, trench boat buttoned all the way up, scarf wrapped tightly around my face) when two of my kindergarten students called out Teacher Dahliaaa and introduced me to their parents. Then, while doing my weight class, I looked behind me and saw one of my high school students waving to me from a treadmill. At the end of the class, I was talking to an acquaintance (incidentally, he had approached me several weeks earlier and asked what my name was because he'd heard that Andrés's friend Dahlia often went to classes at the gym) when Gema herself walked in. At that moment, I started to believe her.
If there's one thing I've learned about living in a small town, it's that everybody you meet somehow knows somebody you know. And you know what? I love it! While Madrid remains one of my favourite cities, I couldn't help but feel some nostalgia for slower-paced, friendly Linares as madrileños piled into the subway and moved at a decidedly quicker pace in the streets. Probably the aspect of this year in Spain that I will miss the most is the people I've been fortunate enough to meet. Linarenses are incredibly warm people. When I first arrived, I was overwhelmed by how welcoming everybody was, offering to help me with anything I need and inviting me to come for a meal and meet their families. It's amazing how many people here are determined to learn and master English. It's been very rewarding to help in my small way through conversation classes—not to mention I've learned a great deal about Spain, its culture and its language as a result! My schedule has become so packed with private lessons that I've actually had to start turning people away or else squeeze them in in my few huecos (little spaces/time slots). And to think that before coming to Spain I was worried about having too much time on my hands! (My real job here is only 12 hours a week.)
So, awkward though it may be to be doing weights alongside my students, I feel quite content with my situation here and am trying my best not to let time pass me by too quickly. It looks like I'll be back to school next year, so I am especially determined to make the most of this less stressful lifestyle!
Well, that's all for now. 'Ta luego!
If there's one thing I've learned about living in a small town, it's that everybody you meet somehow knows somebody you know. And you know what? I love it! While Madrid remains one of my favourite cities, I couldn't help but feel some nostalgia for slower-paced, friendly Linares as madrileños piled into the subway and moved at a decidedly quicker pace in the streets. Probably the aspect of this year in Spain that I will miss the most is the people I've been fortunate enough to meet. Linarenses are incredibly warm people. When I first arrived, I was overwhelmed by how welcoming everybody was, offering to help me with anything I need and inviting me to come for a meal and meet their families. It's amazing how many people here are determined to learn and master English. It's been very rewarding to help in my small way through conversation classes—not to mention I've learned a great deal about Spain, its culture and its language as a result! My schedule has become so packed with private lessons that I've actually had to start turning people away or else squeeze them in in my few huecos (little spaces/time slots). And to think that before coming to Spain I was worried about having too much time on my hands! (My real job here is only 12 hours a week.)
So, awkward though it may be to be doing weights alongside my students, I feel quite content with my situation here and am trying my best not to let time pass me by too quickly. It looks like I'll be back to school next year, so I am especially determined to make the most of this less stressful lifestyle!
Well, that's all for now. 'Ta luego!
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