check me oooout

Here is my profile on BTTA's page in Facebook!!
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=40315297022&h=wHM4O&u=uqsxJ

So, I’m from small town U.S.A. in a little city called Lawrenceburg, Indiana. I grew up always wanting to be somewhere else and here I am definitely somewhere else! Okay, so my story is I graduated from the University of Cincinnati after 5 wonderful years, got a “big girl 8-6” job and decided life was too short to stay in the Midwest. I packed my bags and moved to Barcelona where I started the TEFL course with EuroTEFL. I am very glad that I came to BCN when I did (August) and took the course here and not online. The first time I had to get up and teach a class I almost fainted! How do you teach something you’ve taken for granted your entire life, English? The course taught us how to be a teacher, practice certain skills needed in a classroom, and prepare for a life as a teacher in a foreign land. Our class was great also because it was summer which means vino, sangria, cervesas, y muchas fiestas!!

The day I graduated TEFL an alumni came bursting through the doors of the school proclaiming that she had all these private classes and needed a teacher. That new teacher was of course me. I started out teaching only private classes in people’s homes. This is a great way to make money in BCN because you work for yourself, make your own hours, and charge whatever you choose. The downside of private classes was I did a lot of traveling and running around between classes and I didn’t have much material to work with. I did this until Christmas and then started working for a small language school, Alsace in Sarria. I also worked for a company that sent me to teach business English during the afternoons. By the end of the school year I was making enough money to get by and even go to La Roca and spend some hard earned cash on designer duds (at discount price, claro)! After the school year ended Kate Hopkins and I embarked on a new adventure and moved to Valencia, Spain to teach a summer camp.

After teaching a classroom full of sweaty 6-8 year olds I was itching to get back to the city, the people I loved here in BCN, and some older students. This year I have continued with my private classes that I kept from the beginning and continued working at Alsace. Oh a side bar about private classes: do them! My family has pretty much adopted me and has taken me to their other houses they own in Spain, have taken me skiing, and are also offering me to live with them free of charge (no nanny duties) if I promise to speak English (oh I promise)!

Living in Barcelona has definitely changed me and I learn about 100 new things a day. It is exciting, rewarding, challenging, difficult, but most of all it’s worth it. There are times when I want to jump on a plane and not miss my friend’s wedding, but then I remember I’m living in Spain! After you live here awhile you find the stores that sell peanut butter and Dr. Pepper that you thought you couldn’t live without. Now as I’m returning home for the holidays I’m researching places to buy chorizo and fresh bread! I will agree with Traci when I say that the only thing I wish was different was the price of hopping home. If I was from Germany it’d be about 20 euro, but my flight cost a lil bit more than that!! Best thing about teaching is hearing Kate in the other classroom singing and making animal noises (a goat goes baaaa), listening to Danny’s crazy grammar questions (Have you ever hear of a gerund?), and teaching CEO’s (along with perks such as concert tickets)!! I will always have a place in my heart for Barcelona and all the great people I met here during this crazy trip that is my life!!

Purple Trout

So, I have been interning at this SEO Internet Company called Purple Trout. Before I started I had not one clue what SEO was and for those out there who aren't in the know SEO means Search Engine Optimization. In non computer terms it means to get more traffic or people to view a certain webpage. The company is really cool and I have learned soooo much since I started! I never knew about black hat tricks to get Google to give a better rating (which they dont do, of course)! Who would have thunk you can HIDE things that the human eye can't see but a computer can read?? It's crazy. Everyone at PT have been really nice and seem eager to help the interns out which is really nice. I know most of you are thinking umm Erin haven't you been an intern like 10000 times...well yes I have but I decided it's better for me to be doing something and learning than looking endlessly for a job that's not out there!! What can I tell you about PT?? The president is really into fishing (the name purple trout)so if you see any cool fish decor let a sister know! The building is super nice. It's located in Newport by the Levee which is good and bad for me. Good - near Starbucks, Brio, Dewey's Bad - near Starbucks, Brio, Dewey's!!! Kate you feel me?? Hopefully I'll learn a bunch and expand my BRAIN and move on to the next chapter in my life!!

I'm Back

Ok, so it's been a long time since I've written, but I'm back. Someday I will go and fill in the missing time but not right now...I'm just getting back in the swing! Last weekend was the 4th of July, my favorite holiday, and this year was no exception. I love the 4th because I love fireworks, family get togethers, new red, white and blue outfits, and the food! Whew what didn't I eat? The list could go on and on or you can reference back to all the foods I was bitching about missing in Europe and that's what I shoved in my mouth! I'll just say that America makes it easy to be fat. Everyone asks "Whats the biggest difference between here and Europe?" I have 3 answers. Number 1. Time. Europeans do everything slower, take their sweet time, and enjoy life. We Americans are FAST at everything. Number 2. Convenience. It is so convenient for me to hop in the car, go to Mcd's grab a latte, run my check to the bank, stop at Sara's and drop off a shirt, and be home in an hour. In BCN I left my house an hour before I had to be somewhere ten minutes away because I knew I'd run into a haggle of tourists, the Metro would stall, the taxi would take me for a ride, or it would take that long to walk. Number 3. Weight/Body types/Habits. I put all three in the same category because to me they are the same. Here people have bad habits like eating late and eating bad so they are overweight and have a different body type than Europeans. Most people I knew in Europe were slimmer, ate a better diet, and exercised more. I said MOST people. The myth that fat people don't live across the pond is false! I have gained a bit o weight (not telling how much) just because I can get Starbucks and not have to walk 3miles to get there and 3 miles to get home!