Fringe benefits

As an auxiliar, I am burdened with a 12-hour workweek. While this does not include commute or much of the preparation time, it does leave an auxiliar with a large chunk of free time. When I have too much free time, I have found, I tend to watch a lot of reruns of The Office, and as the fine line between hunger and boredom blurs, I dedicate myself to eating ever more ridiculous foods, like oreos with whipped cream or something. (I really am a fat kid.)

Most auxiliars balance the free time to money ratio with clases particulares, or private English classes. With the Spanish economy in shambles, these classes are easy to find, as workers want to remain competitive and parents want their children to be well-educated. This year I have classes with both adults (hi Fernando!) and children. Classes are a great way to get teaching practice, and over the past year I've actually come to like them. One of the best benefits, however, are the moms.

Mom Benefit 1: Beverages and snacks
As it is unspeakable to have a guest in the house without offering them some sort of hot beverage or juice and a candy or cookie, they prepare elaborate coffee setups; trays with sugar, saccharine, water, juice, coffee, espresso, milk, etc. The mother of a little boy I have for class learned how to approximate American coffee using her espresso machine. After the requisite drink and chocolates (so much for cutting back on junk after New Years...), they continue making dinner, and my stomach starts grumbling when the smell of home cooked meals wafts into the room at 8:00 p.m.

Mom Benefit 2: Someone works in the campo
With many people in Spain still working on farms or living in the country, the families of my students almost always have a relative nearby who is harvesting some sort of produce. When they have produce to spare, which is a lot of the time, they will bring some to their city-dwelling relatives or will send them home from a weekend visit with 90 pounds of kiwi or something. This, obviously, is way to much for a normal-sized family to eat before it goes bad. Solution? Send the teacher home with a bag. Over the past year I've received huge bags of avocado, lemons, chirimoyo, and enough oranges to fill my kitchen ten times over. We had guacamole at least 3 times this past week.This is an awesome benefit, as fresh-squeezed orange juice from recently-picked Andalucían oranges is sooooooo good, and prevents scurvy!

Mom Benefit 3: Gifting and regifting
The holiday season just passed, and it is common to buy a small gift for people, as it is in the States. Of course the mothers never forget the americanas. This year a mother got me a set of body washes, lotions, and purfumes, which were even organic! That same mother in January then regifted to me a set of red and pink and orange striped mugs and spoons the family has received because they didn't "go" with her new kitchen decor and plates. As our kitchen decor is in the "this was free or was formerly part of a set but 3 of the cups broke so now it's just these ones" style, I gladly took them. Also, they for some reason match my comforter cover exactly. They must be from Carrefour...

Mom Benefit 4: A comerrrr
I have most of my classes in the evenings, which means that the moms are getting dinner ready for the family. Perhaps the best thing about mothers everywhere is their delicious, delicious food. I hope one day when I am a grandma the grandkids will be pumped to come over to my house because I'll stuff them with good food and then get tipsy at 7 p.m. on whiskey mixed with water and start telling funny stories about the stupid stuff their parents did. The mothers, knowing you are far from home, assume that you are subsisting on kebab and frozen pizza, and will occasionally express concern, exclaming "Mira qué seca está! La pobre... tan lejos..."

They will then set out on making another portion of whatever slice of heaven they are making. Today, for example, I got this wrapped up in tin foil and placed in a bag to take home.

Croquetas de pollo caseras, jamón serrano, limonada recién exprimida, y migas.

She also sent a hunk of vanilla cake. All but the migas, which I made, and the lemonade, which is from lemons sent by another mom, were from her. So good. Spanish people are very generous, a great quality, and something I hope to learn from.

A big cheers to moms everywhere!