TECS Redux

07.17.11 - El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain - Don't worry, your RSS feed isn't broken. I haven't been updating the blog recently because I started another summer working for TECS Summer Camps. This year, I'm producing a video project documenting their 6 summer camps. It keeps me busy enough (and far enough from wifi), that keeping this blog going is proving more difficult than merely overcoming my procrastination. Fear not dear readers! I will hopefully have some good updates in August on how the project is going. I know you're all waiting with baited breath.

Until then,

Will

Final Show

06.22.11 - Robledo de Chavela, Spain - We finished the school year at CEIP Nuestra Señora de la Navahonda with a morning of performances from each of the grade levels. The pre-schoolers of course stole the show with a version of Beauty and the Beast.

-Will

15-M in Madrid

06.19.11 - Madrid, Spain - On the way back from Toledo, we caught the end a big 15-M organized march on the city. People entered from four or five directions and converged on the Plaza Neptuno, right across from the Prado. People were strewn all over the Paseo del Prado and the area around the parliament building eating packed lunches and napping with their signs and dogs (there are always dogs) in the shade. Per usual everything seemed incredibly peaceful and well organized.

-Will

Indeed.

The scene in Puerta del Sol.

Lunch

06.17.11 - San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain - For the second year, Eunice and I's last two weeks of work were filled with great lunches to say goodbye. We passed countless hours at the table swapping stories, laughing and eating great food.

We're fortunate to have made great friends and even more so, fortunate to have friends who like to eat as much as we do. The highlight was Maribel's melon salmorejo.

-Will

Carmen and Ana.
Melon salmorejo.
Carlos and Maribel.

Carol, Paco and Marivi.

A concert in the park

06.07.11 - San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain - The music conservatory held its final concert in one of the small plazas in San Lorenzo. The finished with by playing the 1812 Overture which is a lot to bite off for 14-18 year olds. It wasn't like seeing the Pops, but still they did a great job and the conductor provided some great moments. Do you think he grew out his hair just for this moment?

-Will

Reflections 1.
Bum bum bum bummmm...

Keeping time.
Reflections 2.

Galicia Redux

06.05.11 - A Coruña, Spain - My parents came to visit and Eunice and went with them up to Galicia the first weekend. We saw A Coruña and toured Santiago de Compostela on Sunday morning. We nearly got blown off the Tower of Hercules, but besides that we at well and took in some rays along the boardwalk.

Adios,

Will

Paseo Maritimo, A Coruña
Tower of Hercules
Pilgrim's Mass
Tapas in Santiago
Eunice on the trolley in A Coruña
Mom eating percebes (goose barnacles)

Cultural Week

06.03.11 - Robledo de Chavela, Spain - We spent our Cultural Week at CEIP Nuestra Señora de la Navahonda studying film. It culminated in a version of "Bienvenidos, Mr. Marshall" or as they called it "Bienvenidos, Mr. Will." It is a famous Spanish film from the 50s about a small town in central Spain that converts itself to look like a whitewashed Andalucian town to impress the U.S. Government officials coming to give out money. At any rate, we converted our school in a similar fashion, all the girls wearing sevillanas dress and the boys in torero outfits waving American flags. I wore my best "American" tourist outfit -- a Hawaiian shirt, camera, baseball cap and cargo shorts.

Each class also performed a film (mine did Mary Poppins) and we recorded scenes to be shown on the last day of school. Below are some photos.

-Will