So, it seems we've arrived at what I'll call the interlude- defined as 'something that happens during an interval'. In the world of theatre, actors and actresses use this time to assess their performance thus far, and look for areas of strength and others in which they can do better. Likewise, as my classmates and I arrive at this, the halfway point of our placements in Spain, France, Germany and even China and South America, this time serves as a natural period of reflection. Moreover, many of us will at this very moment will be writing the latest instalment of our Year Abroad Dossiers outlining exactly how we feel we have progressed since jetting off mid-September and, crucially, the areas where we feel we still need to improve. We then have another 4 months to put those into practice and squeeze everything we can out of the time we have left. Easy.
Whilst I won't bore you all to death with my own goals, it suffices to say I'm making progress on various fronts where I felt I was lagging pre-Christmas. Though not so much as Gary Neville, who in the space of two months as head coach of Valencia C.F appears to be getting to grips with the lingo quicker than I've been able to- a direct quote being 'Pasa la puta pelota!'. No prizes for guessing what he's on about there. Cutting edge football management, Nev.
If you were to ask me the key concepts required to make a decent fist of a year as an Auxiliar then I'd fire back with two mindsets that, in my experience are inextricably linked. These are 'Confidence' and 'Consistency'. By these I mean being willing to get out there, step into the breach and making mistakes, but also being prepared to bounce back and learn from them. I believe that the beauty of both of these is that they feed off each other- confidence leads to consistency, consistency breeds confidence. I'll be the first to admit that I thought communicating would be a doddle. Needless to say when I got my first blast of the Andaluz accent, I was somewhat taken aback- believe me, it's tricky at the best of times, and nigh-on unintelligible at its worst.
I still haven't quite negotiated this obstacle, but I've also realised recently that it shouldn't be a barrier to making the best of this year. I've stopped seeing this problem as a negative reflection on my linguistic competence and more as part of being placed where I am. Now whenever I hit a stumbling block, I remember to look back on all the times already that other teachers, my flatmates and even complete strangers have complemented my level of Spanish, rather than shrinking back into a corner. Now I remember that I can speak the language just fine, rather it's grasping the nuances of that pesky accent, even if it means just getting the gist of what people are saying, and there are so many ways of interpreting this, like body language, facial expression and tone of voice. And I just said I wouldn't bore you....
So what exactly has caused this confidence-related shift? It's difficult to put my finger on it- maybe it's the fact that January is almost out of the way, although we still get sunny, 18 degree afternoons. That's right- I'm still hitting the track in my shorts and vest in the thick of winter. Perhaps the looming prospect of a trip to my favourite city (more on that next week) has given me a brighter outlook. Or even that I'm now fully settled, feet under the table and really feel like I can get going. I'm not sure, but I'm happy regardless.
More likely though, is the eureka moment that landed me the title of this latest post. I remember reading somewhere that 'a smile is the bridge between two strangers' and it gave me the idea that, in much the same way, we too can build bridges and forge friendships we never thought we could have by just being brave and willing to make an effort. In order to do this, outlets such as hobbies and other interests are the best thing. For example, I've already been part of fascinating discussions about things like Spain's history and religious climate. I've found Spain's past particularly endearing being a student of history, so naturally I wanted to contribute a few ideas myself. Out here people are much more open and willing to talk about issues that in England are a BIG no-no. My landlord even thinks that Franco was great for Spain. I'm not entirely sure I, along with many others, would agree on that but it further illustrates the point. People here aren't afraid, so neither should you be.
Moreover, pursuing your other interests means that you open yourself to interactions with others. For example there are usually the same people using the track at the same time I do on a Thursday. Now that we're accustomed to seeing each other I'm often asked what I'm doing: 'Oh just some 800 metre reps.' When I reflect and realise that they knew what I was on about, it inevitably gives me a real boost. In much the same way people at the gym now know me as 'the Erasmus kid from England.' Fame is reaching me.
Likewise at school, though not for the reasons you'd think. Obviously, my football allegiance has made me popular with half the kids and infamous among others. This has really helped me in that it made me seem relatable. I was already sharing their world. More so now, as the traditional football-card-swapping mania has swept through Motril. The kids generosity has meant that I'm now the proud owner of half the Barcelona squad, though I'm still waiting for someone to part with their Suarez, Neymar and Messi. Let's see if I can scrounge them by the end of May.
However, without doubt the best thing I've ever done at school yet happened just this week gone, and I tell you all this entirely at the risk of losing all of my credibility. Prepare yourselves.
Friday the 29th January marked El Dia de La Paz, where the life and work of the almost mythical Mahatma Ghandi are celebrated. To mark the occassion, the music department had to lead the whole school in a dance to an Indian-related tune. The song in question? Jai-Ho, a real blast from the past I'm sure you'll agree. At the end of the first rendition, the kids naturally cheered for an encore. Me being me, I secretly got on stage behind the two teachers in question, chanelling my inner Jared Leto to whip the adoring audience into a frenzy. Needless to say the teachers obliged, on the condition that I, having instigated said encore, join them. And so it was that Ben Seymour, to celebrate the life of one of the greatest humanitarians to ever live, danced (perfectly choreographed) to Jai-Ho, in front of 200 wowed Spanish 5-to-7 year olds. Needless to say, I stole the show. And I have no regrets, unless during this age of Social Media, a video finds its way onto Facebook. Then I may think differently. Still proud though.
So how does that have anything to do with this post? Well, like I said, you've got to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and go the extra mile (double-cliché alert) in order to build those bridges with people. If you do so, then you're experience as an Auxiliar will be so enriched, despite whatever bureaucratic issues the ministry of education, or your bosses can throw at you. It's the people you meet, the friendships you forge and the things you accomplish which you previously thought impossible that make it such a worthwhile experience. And I think realizing that has been the keystone upon which I've built my bridge.
Until next time.
'Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.'
Mahatma Ghandi
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