Alcohol Air?!

(View of the city from Guadi Park, details to follow)

So today marks my week anniversary of living in Barcelona. It is quite incredible how I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of this city. Mostly because I have been learning the infinite details of the English language. An experience and opportunity that first grade Natalie would have turned her nose to in a hurry. Class is great. It can be challenging in regards to rigor but it excites me for grad school! We begin class at 9:30 am so… 2:30 am your time. During class we get a couple 5-15 minute breaks for coffee, soda, cigarette; choose your vice. Oh and of course that is restroom time. Vice and a piss, it’s truly a grand 5 minutes. Sincerely. So aside from our V/P breaks we also get a hour for lunch, well depending on our teachers punctuality. This is great because it provides a lengthier period to converse with our classmates. It rarely comes with out a breath of sincerity, a little bitching and the idea of expanding character. I really look forward to lunch, its time compliments my last blog post.

Aside from our breaks in class we do work. Every morning we have three lessons. This past week we had at least one lesson on teaching English, we had a crash course in the Czech language and of course grammar (that or some other tedious form of the English language). After lunch, disregarding the first day of class, we observe and/or teach beginner or intermediate students of all nationalities. This has proven to be quite exciting in a one on one situation. As far as teaching a whole group of students it has proven to be more of a challenge. I don’t find myself nervous or without confidence only there are so many rules in teaching to follow. Maybe I’ll make my own rules when I’m done with training, maybe not but why not push the envelope. Many people before me ripped that envelope wide open! Oh yes and Fridays are crash course Spanish Fridays. Our teacher speaks about as much English as I do Spanish sooooo… muy muy poco (very very little). I hope to learn lots!

So next week will occur as normal, three lessons in the morning, V/P breaks, lunch, teaching/observing in the afternoons and of course Spanish Friday. I will teach my first hour-long course Wednesday at 2:00 pm so 7:00 am your time. I got pretty lucky that I only teach one class next week. Some of my peers have two lessons to teach but I'll get my turn the following week. Also, this week we will all have an additional lesson to teach. Our teacher signed us up for an extra curricular teaching assignment Thursday night, happy Thanksgiving right?. It should be good though, one more thing to put on my CV (European Resume). Yes and our CV is also due next week… Friday. Good thing I already have mine done!! Refine refine oh I have time.

There is just so much to tell I could just write and write! I will close with a couple snips from my day today. Today was an adventurous day so I will expand later. I was not able to make it to the art supply store but the gift shop at the Gaudi Park had a graphite stick (a stick of H2 “lead”)!!! Wahoo!! I think shading will be much easier to come by than with my mechanical pencil.

Last story. Stacey and I went to this bar called Airbar. It was a pretty chill place. Good music, art on the walls and their liquor/beer bottle arrangement behind the bar was quite aesthetically pleasing. Anyway, so Airbar is not just some hip name or some fancy pansy way to sway people in. No, the reason being… they serve alcohol air! Sounds odd huh? Looks odd too! First they take an ash trey looking dish and place a shot glass in the middle. Then they fill a separate shot glass with several types of liquor, one that is green in color. After this is complete they fill a spray bottle with some flammable liquor and set the torch near by. The bartender proceeds by taking the freshly poured mixed liquor shot into the bottom of the ash trey dish. With a tall glass in his right hand and spray in the left the bartender spritzes the liquor in the bottom of the ash trey dish, into the shot glass centered in the ash trey dish and finally into the glass in his right hand. Once this is complete the bartender grabbed the torch and let it rip. Shortly after everything was on fire the bartender placed the tall glass upside down over the shot glass snuffing the flame. The chemical reaction from this snuff causes the alcohol in the dish to rise filling the empty shot glass in the dish. Once this has occurred the buyer grabs a straw and sucks down the liquor. While the buyer is taking his or her shot via straw the bartender grabs the tall glass and covers it with his hand so as to not let the “alcohol air” out. The buyer, once the shot is completed, takes the straw and sucks the "alcohol air" out of the glass!! Random huh?! I’ll let you know how that goes if I end up trying it.

Wow that was more of a description than I was anticipating. Thanks for reading! Night and love you all! :)