As the walk got longer and longer, I was starting to get worried that I wouldn't be able to find the place. I asked Dani if he would be able to meet me at the post office and show me how to walk there again ( being sarcastic) but I could tell he didn't understand me, because his english is pretty rough and I didn't know how to say it in Spanish. We then went down stairs (I don't really know how we did from being on the street) and walked into a shady looking room.
I was relieved to be interviewed by a nice woman who I was able to understand very well. She was considerate and talked slowly to me. I could tell she was a social worker because she was a little eccentric, kind, and very appreciative of volunteers. I couldn't wait to start volunteering for people with bipolar disorder. She told me of the activities I would be helping the people with and said I would be working with younger people. Then she said I could start today but I would go to another building.
Dani and I proceeded to walk to the other building. As we were walking he told me that the best person to ask directions from is a taxi driver. Then he stopped right in front of me as I slammed into him while he was asking a driver for directions to the other place. We finally found it but he just pointed and then we turned around to leave. I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to find the place again. There was only 15 minutes left until my next class and since we were out in boofoo spain he said we would take a taxi so I took a taxi to class.
When I finally got home from class I ate a quick lunch then got directions from my host sister Cristina on how to take the bus to my volunteering. I was too afraid to take the bus because I didn't want it to take me somewhere random so I decided to get some exercise and do the hour walk. I actually made it there with few mistakes which was very surprising for me. Once I got there and walked inside I said I was a volunteer and handed the person a business card from the woman Maria that I had met. He took me to a room where I met two women I had not known before. We talked for a little bit and they told me how excited they were for me to teach a class in English.
I got really nervous then, because I had been told nothing about teaching a class in english. I imagined myself in front of 20 people having no idea what to say. I told them I was a little nervous because I had never taught a class in English before. They said oh all you have to do today is start with the numbers and colors, and then they asked me if I needed paper.
I was relieved because then I found out I would just have to teach the numbers and colors to a couple people sitting at the table. A man next to me who of course only new some dirty things in english, asked me if I had a boyfriend, if I wanted one, and other random things. I just tried to laugh it off. Then some other people came in and everyone shared the numbers and colors they had learned.
Later on Maria gave a speech to everyone and recognized me, that I would be teaching english and helping out. But she also said that I was an english teacher, social worker and new about psychology. I definitely didn't tell her I was all that so I feel a little under qualified but at the same time I am good at winging things and feel experienced enough to take on the challenge.
After her speech a man came up to me who had his wife and daughter there and asked if I would be interested in doing a conversation exchange with them sometime. Their English was very good and they seem very interested so I will get together with them sometime next week. I think their daughter was about my age. After everything was done I was given a DVD to watch about bipolar disorder and left for the long walk home.
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