Subways, schools and Spanish spreads

After Catalan class #2 this morning, I am confident I could introduce myself and announce where I'm from. I am also very skilled at repeating what my teacher says, in unison, with my class (though after having my very strong coffee).

Class was held at UB — Universitat de Barcelona — which is the third Spanish school in the Consortium. Fall students don't take regular classes there because they have finals in January.

We had to head over to the CASB center after class, so Matt and I embarked on what seemed like a foolproof Metro journey. Locating the line we needed, we saw a train pulling onto the platform and hopped aboard. Only seconds after the door closed did we realize it was going the wrong direction. (In our defense, the signs are VERY unclear in certain spots.) So we disembarked at the next stop and started to cross over to the other platform, only to hear the train pulling in. We started running for it, but I was a little behind. (Yes Dad, I was wearing sandals) Needless to say, the door closed with Matt on the train and me on the platform. But the moral of the story: we were still early. So at least this time we got that part right.

At the center, we had our first training for prácticas educativas, an optional program that allows us to work in Spanish schools, particularly with kids learning English. We had a long first session all about schools in Barcelona, which teach primarily in Catalan, but are faced with large immigrant populations that don't speak the language (let alone Spanish or English). The program is organized directly by the Consorci d'Educació de Barcelona, and we will get to meet with the teachers and help plan curricula.

I'm really excited for this program because it will be an interesting contrast to my experience last semester in Providence. (Background: Because of my Spanish class, I got involved with a very cool organization called VIPS that places college students in classrooms. I spent Tuesday mornings in a bilingual first grade class at Laurel Hill Elementary School.)

We were given a lunch break in the midst of our informational session, so four of us headed to a cafe down the block for a menu del día. The paper menu said a drink was included, but much to our surprise, two bottles of wine were plunked down on the table. Hello, lunchtime. The assumption is that you'll eat enough to soak it all up, I think... (And the bonus: it's part of the 10 euro price tag that includes three generous courses.) Though the Spanish claim they don't drink wine to get drunk, they do take their consumption quite seriously.