Just an Update

Just an Update

Firstly, I've been manically homesick. I could come home at any moment. I miss everyone and everything, not just Marquette and it's beauty and it's liberal island-ocity of the UP. I also just miss the United States in general. Some of this is just culture shock, but some of it is just me growing. I used to love a theoretical USA in my head, then it didn't live up to my expectations, but now is synthesis and acceptance; I just wish it hadn't happened right before I decided to move away. And I keep having dreams where I come home.

Today was okay though, I guess. Despite my potential to leave at any moment, I've been continuing with my paperwork and junk here as if I were staying. And yesterday, as many of you have heard, was a DISASTER. I went to submit my paperwork for my foreigner social security type number. I had even more forms with me than Xunta (regional government) had told us to bring. But they'd given us the wrong application and some shitty paperwork. The woman yelled at me and RIPPED UP my application. Aside from the fact that I was applying for the wrong thing, our “repatración” insurance did not have our names on it. This says that someone will send our bodies back if we die here. My principal called Xunta for me after the morning of fail. I received an e-mail saying that today, today things would be different. I was promised that the paperwork would be accepted without my name on it and that someone would be there who spoke English. Just to help us in the program. WHAT LIES!

There was no English this morning. After waiting for like 2.5 hours, it was my turn to go into the office. I hadn't had time to make all the copies, because I didn't think I was going back today. Xunta had called, but our paperwork still wasn't good. I explained that they'd bought a group policy and that I was told all of these lies. It was a different woman today and a man. He spent like 30 minutes on the phone with the Sending My Corpse Back company....I'm pretty sure they still shouldn't have accepted my paperwork. It was sketch, but I won't give my number back. So now I have a number. On the Thursday coming, I go to a bank, I give them 26 euro. The bank will pay the police for me and my paperwork. Then I e-mail all of this shit to Xunta and hopefully they pay me.

Despite all of this..and partially because a teacher picked me up off the street in Vigo...I got back in time to teach my last hour of class. It was...I believe, 5^th graders. I did a small group. We described ourselves and each other. Tall, short, old, young, long straight hair, etc. It was fun. Hopefully the little bastards learned something. Well something in addition to the fact that we lied to them about my Spanish. I don't think they buy the fact that I learned Spanish since Monday.

Also, the principle has started looking for apartments for me in Chapela. Staying or going, it would be cheaper to get an apartment. Then I can afford to fly home someday.