The Bee Fountain

At Gredos we are knee deep in nature. Beautiful lake, stars out at night, bugs and sticks and mud. They also keep bees out back of the property. The bee boxes are farther out, so there isn't any risk of the kids tripping over them. However, they do send some emissaries out in the noon heat for a cool drink of water. The kids, also, go out for cool drinks of water. Which is a problem:

Drink at your own risk. Photo courtesy of Sarah!

These water fountains from hell the monastery also are triggers sensitive. Open 0.05 centimeters and you get a nice cool spout of water. Open 0.06 and get geysers shooting into the air soaking all around.

So when I am assigned on patio duty, where we have to watch the kids so they don't explode or something, I get nervous. There are also certain days where I'm in no mood for kids horsing around. That day is any day that ends in Y. In English.

Please observe before my arrival:

 And after:

This is how I spent my month at camp.

Signs of Life

Loyal yet dwindling readership: I'm still alive. I will still be blogging. Let me explain myself.

I've been working at an English camp in rural Madrid province. As an English teacher, I've been braving the dangers of hundreds of children chanting in unison, edible-like substances that they continue to refer to as "food" in the cafeteria, and 5 hours of English class a day with a bunch of kids who were mistakenly led to believe that July means summer vacation. José, beer, the beach, and quiet time have been out the window since we got here.

On the positive side: the hours are long but I'm learning lots on how to be a good teacher. I'm living rent-free and my only expenditure is at a fine establishment called Antonio's Bar. The air is cool and refreshing. The countryside is beautiful, bucolic, and I´ve been taking nice runs around the nearby lake.

Photo courtesy of Sarah, of Love and Paella fame.

Plus the flesh-eating animals have shaved about 8 minutes off my running time.


Thinking positive.