Summer Summer Summer Time

Hey Hey All!

Sorry for the blogging hiatus, as promised (many times) before I do plan on getting back into posting a little more regularly. I'm returned from adventures in summer camp, and now am almost finished with my au pair experience.

Summer definitely didn't kick off the way I expected. It all began the day I was supposed to go to camp... I didn't even end up in Albacete!! We all know I am not a stranger to OMG IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?! situations, well here is another one for the list. I was all packed and ready to head off for a month of summer camp activities, mingling with students and other native speakers of English, and all that jazz. Somehow a midst a pile of emails with different dates and times we had to be at places, I ended up getting a little mixed up, and thought we were set for take off at 4pm, when it was really 2pm (!!).

Last Resort jajaj

Much to my surprise, I arrived at the meeting point only to find hotel staff who had no idea about the group I was talking about. Total freak out moment, since this job was going to be my main source of income to keep me on my feet while still here during the summer, and I threw it all away because I was too cool to write down the time I was supposed to leave. With thoughts of ruin and despair in my head I frantically called the contact number I had for the summer camp. I honestly expected a "sucks for you, apply again next summer," but instead after a "Really, you missed the bus...lecture" the coordinator told me that they would send me to  the Tarragona campus instead, and gave me instructions to go by a train ticket. All was right in the world, I wasn't going to be forced to sing in the metro with a can in order to afford toast. 

I arrived at camp with the students, was mistaken for a student a few times (woo I can pass for 17!) and the fun began. 4 weeks of bonding with students, making raps, dances, shadow theater, playing capture the flag, swimming, making presentations, cross-dressing, talking about child labor, and mock interviews. All while trying to not get bitten by mosquitoes or spiders (fail) and going back to elementary school days with traditional games and cafeteria food. 

Week 1 Manic Monkeys!!

Week 3 Roomies!

Real Life Clue! The maid knows who done it! Even if she's had a few rum and cokes! ;)

As great as it was to have some structure to my days again, I learned a lot in Amposta, and had a select group of fantastic new buddies. Manic Monkeys, Wolf Pack, Amposta Shore, and Shakalaka were tight. I'm really glad to be back in Madrid, with potentially more scars on my legs that I had in Puerto Rico. Now I'm occupying my time with a 11 and 7 year old brother and sister pair, and rehearsing for my next performance "September Serenade" with Madrid Players. 

Thanks for reading! Until Next time loves!!

~@CathyArely

Stuff

Hey All!

This post was inspired by George Carlin's stand-up routine regarding "Stuff" (I'll give you a few to click the link and watch the video before I go on...lol)

Okay now that we're all on the same page. I'd like to say that Mr. Carlin is right on target, especially with me...I have way too much stuff. These last few days that I've been at home trying to relax and enjoy the moments of not having any pressing responsibility on my shoulders, no meetings to attend, nothing to prepare, no emails to send, nada. All that awaits me is trying to figure out what I am going to do with my STUFF.

Part of the problem (not including my lack of inspiration to make it happen) is that I am working with a smaller space. My parents moved to a different house last year and therefore I have a different room, a smaller room than before. Strike two has to do with no more closet space in the hallways to be able to stow away some STUFF. Lastly, I have to figure out a good way to keep all of this stuff out of everyone's way and get only the necessary STUFF to take with me for 1-3 years to MADRID! (Where I will acquire more STUFF and have to give away/throw out/ sell upon my return)

You ask yourself.. "Well Cathy, if you're going to give away/throw out/ sell while you're in Spain, why don't you just do that with the STUFF that you have now?..." I wish I had a better answer for this other than, I have an extreme sentimental tie to every piece of STUFF that I own, making it very hard for me to do away with my STUFF. Unless its an absolute necessity-such has I'm leaving the country and have no way of taking it with me- the pangs of separation overtake my better sense of space . (I blame this on my genes because I have a mother and two grandmother's who hold the same sentiment about their STUFF)

You might say..."Well Cathy maybe there is an absolute necessity for you to get rid of your STUFF?" And I'd reply I'd love to think that but my brain is too smart to be fooled into thinking that there is not a little nook or cranny in my bedroom to avoid having to part with my STUFF. To my defense, I did manage to fill a large black trash bag with clothes (that are still good and nonetheless still hard to give away) to donate, and still in progress.

My battle with STUFF will be ongoing til I am able to get my own house to hold my STUFF (or cover for my stuff as Mr. Carlin likes to say). For now I shall just keep working toward preparing my little room to hold my stuff as I venture to Europe.

Thanks for reading. Comments are always appreciated.

Much Love,

Cathy <3