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How I prepared for my student teaching abroad in Barcelona, Spain:
Packing - Packing was a little difficult for me when preparing for my trip to Barcelona, Spain. I have never traveled somewhere for more than a couple of weeks. I had to plan this trip for almost a month. To make sure I had packed everything necessary for my stay, I made a checklist for everything that was to be packed in my suitcase and as well as in my backpack. I was unable to give myself an adequate amount of time to pack because my last day of student teaching wasn´t until Friday, November 15th, the day before my departure for Barcelona.
Packing - Packing was a little difficult for me when preparing for my trip to Barcelona, Spain. I have never traveled somewhere for more than a couple of weeks. I had to plan this trip for almost a month. To make sure I had packed everything necessary for my stay, I made a checklist for everything that was to be packed in my suitcase and as well as in my backpack. I was unable to give myself an adequate amount of time to pack because my last day of student teaching wasn´t until Friday, November 15th, the day before my departure for Barcelona.
The Plane Ride - I have never ridden in a plane before, so I was very nervous. I am fine with roller coasters, so I had assumed I would be fine for both flights needed to reach Barcelona. But I was so so wrong. The ascent of the airplane felt like it lasted a lifetime and did a number on my stomach. I was unable to relax until the plain level. It was more of the same for the descent with added turbulence. As soon as we reached the JFK airport I bought stomach relieving medicine immediately. Another thing I was ready for but dreaded was the lack of leg room for a person as tall as myself (6´4). On the shorter flight (3 hours) to JFK airport in New York (from Nashville International Airport) the leg room was bearable, but I was unable to sleep. On the longer flight (8 hours) from NY to Barcelona, the leg room was even worse, and again I was unable to sleep the entire flight, but I did purchase the 20 Dollar WIFI to endure my sleepless flight!
The Plane Ride - I have never ridden in a plane before, so I was very nervous. I am fine with roller coasters, so I had assumed I would be fine for both flights needed to reach Barcelona. But I was so so wrong. The ascent of the airplane felt like it lasted a lifetime and did a number on my stomach. I was unable to relax until the plain level. It was more of the same for the descent with added turbulence. As soon as we reached the JFK airport I bought stomach relieving medicine immediately. Another thing I was ready for but dreaded was the lack of leg room for a person as tall as myself (6´4). On the shorter flight (3 hours) to JFK airport in New York (from Nashville International Airport) the leg room was bearable, but I was unable to sleep. On the longer flight (8 hours) from NY to Barcelona, the leg room was even worse, and again I was unable to sleep the entire flight, but I did purchase the 20 Dollar WIFI to endure my sleepless flight!
Customs/Languages/Religion in Spain - One of the first things I had to research was how to greet someone in Spain because I knew I would be meeting a lot of new people. When greeting a woman, you give a kiss on each cheek from right to left. Since I am a man, I shake the other mans hand. If it is a professional place then it is always a handshake regardless of gender. Another thing I had to be aware of, and respect, is that most Spaniards are Catholics. Luckily, I already know quite a bit about Catholicism, so there were no problems there. Also the school we are placed at, Colegio Real Monasterio de Santa Isabel (RMSI), it is a Catholic school. Finally, the last thing I needed to know was the languages that are spoken in Barcelona, Spain. The 2 main languages are Spanish, and the Catalan language. At RMSI, students start learning English in the classroom from the very beginning of their education. As a result, the transition into the classrooms have been a very smooth.
Customs/Languages/Religion in Spain - One of the first things I had to research was how to greet someone in Spain because I knew I would be meeting a lot of new people. When greeting a woman, you give a kiss on each cheek from right to left. Since I am a man, I shake the other mans hand. If it is a professional place then it is always a handshake regardless of gender. Another thing I had to be aware of, and respect, is that most Spaniards are Catholics. Luckily, I already know quite a bit about Catholicism, so there were no problems there. Also the school we are placed at, Colegio Real Monasterio de Santa Isabel (RMSI), it is a Catholic school. Finally, the last thing I needed to know was the languages that are spoken in Barcelona, Spain. The 2 main languages are Spanish, and the Catalan language. At RMSI, students start learning English in the classroom from the very beginning of their education. As a result, the transition into the classrooms have been a very smooth.
CATALAN
CATALAN
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