Twelve Euros Away (A week in review)

While completing a grammar exercise

British girl: "We spell this word differently. Is it okay if I spell it the way I normally do?"

Me: "Sure."

(A few minutes later)

Girl: "I spell colour with a u. Is it okay if I keep the u in?"

Me: "Sure."

(A few minutes later)

Girl: (with a bit of a grin) "This sentence says 'my backyard,' but we wouldn't call it a backyard; it's a 'back garden.' Can I write that?"

Me: "You know what's it talking about, so just copy it the way it is."

(And another few minutes later)

Girl: "This says 'we're going on vacation'; can I change it to 'holidays'?"

Me: "Well, it is an American textbook. I know you'd say it differently at home, but just so we're all writing the same thing, please keep it the same."

Boy: "Why do you need to write it differently, anyway?"

Girl: "I just hate American English!"

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There is a small shelf of books in my classroom. While the school library is pretty great, I'm always recommending books to the kids, then finding out that our library doesn't have them. If I keep books in my room and introduce the titles during class, they're more apt to check them out and read them. All of that led to all of this:

Boy: "Ms. C, can we donate books to your library?"

Me: "Yes! That'd be awesome!"

The next day, the boy brings his copy of The Last Hero and proudly finds it a place on the shelf.

Boy: "Ms. C? The next book just came out. My mom was looking online, and at bookdepository.com, you can get it for only 12 euros!"

Me: "Okay, thanks. I'll check it out after class."

(Several minutes later, in the middle of a class activity)

Boy: (raises hand)

Me: "Do you have a question?"

Boy: "No, um, I just wanted to make sure that you knew that if you order that book soon, it's only 12 euros at bookdepository.com."

Me: "Right. I will check that out."


(As he walks out the door after class)

Boy: "Ms. C! That book--don't forget--12 euros at bookdepository.com."


BAHAHAHA! He has no idea that while he was doing his homework, I ordered the book from amazon.es (for only 11,32).

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My yearbook graphics man (the one who believes in Russian Santa) almost didn't sign up for yearbook this year; he was talked into it because he needed extra credits. However, he now takes his role very seriously. When I divided our massive yearbook club into two groups and said they could alternate weeks, he told me, quite resolutely, "I am the designer. I need to be here." Who can argue with that?!

So here was the conversation at the beginning of this week's club:

Boy: "Who are the other designers?"

Me: "Anna and Luisa.*"

Boy: "Okay. Today I am going to teach them what to do!"

(Ten seconds later, one of the girls enters the room)

Boy: "Luisa, sit down! Today I am going to teach you how to do everything!"

*Names have been substituted to ensure student privacy. All rights reserved.

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Finally, remember when our water went crazy and leaked under the house and the water company sent us a 438,00€ bill? And remember when I said I'd be interested in seeing how people fix water leaks underneath cement houses?

My curiosity was satisfied that day. Here's how they fix it.

The outside wall in the front, beneath my bedroom window:

Bathroom: 

Back hallway:

Kitchen:

Back patio:

There's no tile missing here, but I thought you'd like to see the column that came with the house.

Either Spaniards really like to smash things apart (see also: The Great Toilet Smashing of Summer 2011), or I haven't been hanging around with enough construction workers.

Anyway, the water is fixed, and I must be going. I'm off to a delightful rotic date with Sarah (yes, rotic; that's "romantic" without the "man"), followed by picking up my packages of 12-euro books and lesson planning for more of that dreadful American English.