He Llegado a España
The first few days in a new country have been full of mystery and adventure.
After loads of planning work, months of waiting on bureaucratic processes, and a dash of dumb luck, I have finally made it to Spain. It is incredibly exciting to be on the ground here and understand that the idea I conceived nearly two years ago has come to fruition. For at least the next eight months, I will be living and working here in what I have started to call my "Euro arc."
During my first 100 hours in the country, I have spent lots of time confused, sad and alone. But that's not the full picture - there have been positive experiences as well. Strangers have gone out of their way to help me to find my way, buy train tickets, or open a bank account. Hours have already slipped away on the various patios around town, sipping on a cortado or a beer. I have enjoyed struggling to converse with the locals, and although each step is tedious and slow, I have started to check things off my to-do list since arriving (the search for housing is already hectic enough as is, but the added layers of unfamiliarity have made this one interesting).
Looking forward, I am feeling excited to settle into my routine here and start getting involved with work in the English classroom. I think the regular schedule will help me to feel less aimless; a regimented calendar is something I have always been a beneficiary of. Additionally, I think interacting with the local youth will provide me with lots of memories and opportunities to for connection and mutual learning. I am hoping that opportunities outside the classroom will also arise at school (my journey to becoming the next José Mourinho begins with the school fútbol team).
The future is, of course, unknowable and full of uncertainty as well. At this stage I can already sense a few things which will continue to challenge me while I am here, Firstly is making friends and building out a healthy social life; in the past social anxiety may have been a bigger hurdle, but now it is primarily the language and culture barriers. Furthermore, I am trying my hardest not to worry so much about money, because living in that framework of anxiety brings out some of my worst characteristics, and generally sucks! Fortunately I have lots of practice being broke (essentially my whole adult life). Either way, I am trying to ground myself in the present, and remember that patience is my guide.
Anyway that's it. I mostly want to just publish this thing to let everyone know that I am here and hopefully plan to document it with more detail and care in the coming months. Chau :^)
