The journey continues with a new year in Spain. What a privileged position to have, to be able to choose where you live. And being an expat is a nice place to be because you get to be a visitor when you want and a resident when you want. I wonder how the Spanish students feel about us, their teachers, that moved from their respective countries to come teach them English. They probably think about us much less than we think about them, that's for sure! Do they know how much they interest us and how often they're the topic of our conversation? Do our classes affect their lives in more ways than how to use prepositions? That is my mission this year - to impact my students in a deeper way than just practicing language. Is that a selfish pursuit? Yes, it is. It makes you feel important, doesn't it? Like you have more of a purpose. And it's practice for the future, when your job description actually is more than just teaching prepositions.
Life is actually an art, and each person has their own style. Some use pointillism, seeming random to an outside observer, but driven by their own vision and values. Some use broad strokes, focusing on several things at once for a while, then moving on to a different color and direction. Some have firm boundaries, like cubes, around parts of their lives, separating work from play from family. And so on, resulting in a life that is beautiful to some, weird to others, but special to the artist, and always unique. Sometimes styles are copied, and often museums are visited - by traveling, and seeing the style of a completely different place. Like Spain. And that's why all of us expats are here. To try on a different style of living, and then go back or not. But having been changed nonetheless. And how beautiful if in the meantime we can share a bit of our own style and snapshots of paintings from our place with the people here.
This year I'm developing my own style, always integrating what I see and experience. It's been nice to be freed up of anxiety by not having to teach kids. I'll come back to kids someday, but for now I'm loving just having the adults. It gives my mind freedom to create what I want my schedule to be like, how I want to spend my free time, how much time to spend in nature, on exercise. Where to travel to, where to focus my creative energy. And to go beyond classroom management in my work here to deepening into the content of the classes. It's a constant effort to push myself to go beyond my boundaries, to seek out new experiences, and not get caught up in following someone else's lead. That's the job of the artist. Not to just follow what the other pointillists or impressionists are doing these days, but to seek out his/her own way.
When inspired to lead life this way, it's so exciting that I want to share it with others. But is it fair to the students, who only signed up for an English class? It's too easy when you have 6 pairs of ears waiting to hear you speak. This may be how dictators are made...
Here are some pictures of things that have inspired me recently.
Life is actually an art, and each person has their own style. Some use pointillism, seeming random to an outside observer, but driven by their own vision and values. Some use broad strokes, focusing on several things at once for a while, then moving on to a different color and direction. Some have firm boundaries, like cubes, around parts of their lives, separating work from play from family. And so on, resulting in a life that is beautiful to some, weird to others, but special to the artist, and always unique. Sometimes styles are copied, and often museums are visited - by traveling, and seeing the style of a completely different place. Like Spain. And that's why all of us expats are here. To try on a different style of living, and then go back or not. But having been changed nonetheless. And how beautiful if in the meantime we can share a bit of our own style and snapshots of paintings from our place with the people here.
This year I'm developing my own style, always integrating what I see and experience. It's been nice to be freed up of anxiety by not having to teach kids. I'll come back to kids someday, but for now I'm loving just having the adults. It gives my mind freedom to create what I want my schedule to be like, how I want to spend my free time, how much time to spend in nature, on exercise. Where to travel to, where to focus my creative energy. And to go beyond classroom management in my work here to deepening into the content of the classes. It's a constant effort to push myself to go beyond my boundaries, to seek out new experiences, and not get caught up in following someone else's lead. That's the job of the artist. Not to just follow what the other pointillists or impressionists are doing these days, but to seek out his/her own way.
When inspired to lead life this way, it's so exciting that I want to share it with others. But is it fair to the students, who only signed up for an English class? It's too easy when you have 6 pairs of ears waiting to hear you speak. This may be how dictators are made...
Here are some pictures of things that have inspired me recently.
Volunteer weekend at an eco-village called Valdepielagos.
Sunset in the countryside.
Fall in Retiro park. I just recently found out "retiro" means "retreat".
Burning man! That deserves it's own blog post someday.
May all beings be released from suffering, may all beings live in beauty, truth, love, peace, trust and harmony. So be it.
Inside the temple at Burning Man
Yes, those are nude people climbing a howling wolf structure.
The Dr., Bjort, and I made that flower art piece. It made people happy :)
