Back to the Grind

Quique, Lilia, and I arrived back to Spain on September 26th and we haven´t stopped since!

I inaugurated my first week back to Madrid by becoming a working mom. Man this stuff is hard! I work in a Catholic school in the south of Madrid. I work almost full time and I teach students from 3 years old to high school. I really like this new school, but I feel stretched thin between all of my classes. I´m constantly changing hats from singing the "Hello Song" to my three year olds to teaching advanced grammar to my high school students. Of the three schools I have worked at this one is the one where I have to plan the most. In the other schools I would ¨help¨the teacher where as in this school I often teach just like the teacher or I will take half the class.

When I get home from school I pick up Lilia from daycare and start my second job as a mom. Quique works nights normally so we have alternating schedules. It gives Lilia more time with us than with daycare, but it´s tough when you come home and you´re the sole caretaker in the house. How do single moms do it?

Lilia LOVES daycare. Whenever I pick her up she gets so hyper and excited. I think she has a blast being able to crawl everywhere and play with toys and her friends. She is in a class with about 6 other children. They sing songs and do crafts in the mornings, but I have no idea what crafts she´s doing since 10 month olds aren´t too coordinated. We´re supposed to bring leaves in next week for them to do a craft. I´m just worried she´s going to try and eat them. Picking her up from daycare is my favorite part of the day.

On the side I´ve been practicing for a small Zumba job. So far I don´t have anything permanent, but I´ve got a little "gig" on Saturday. A Zumba instructor here in Madrid was asked to teach a Zumba class as a fun activity for British travel agents during a conference in Madrid. Since his English is not very good he asked me if I could do the songs with him and translate everything and do a welcome speech. The money is good and I get to do Zumba so I´m happy! Last night I went to his class and taught a song of my own. I was so proud! I never thought two years ago that I would be a certified Zumba instructor teaching in a gym to Spanish people in Spanish. At the end of the day I was exhausted though! I worked 9-5 then went home, to turn around 15 minutes later and head to the class. I didn´t get home until 8:30 that night where I immediately gave Lilia her bath...where she pooped. The day was exhausting but rewarding.

Well Lilia is waking up from her nap and I´ve got to walk back to the daycare place to pick up the diaper bag that I forgot! The work of a mom is never done!

More updates about Lilia soon!