Amazing how many posts I've wanted to title 'Life, or something like it.."

I've been thrown head first in to the wonderful world of Teaching English for exactly a week now. Believe me, they were not kidding when they said the course was intense. Cambridge has high expectations. In exactly 4 weeks we are to be well prepared and fully certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language with the highest qualifications in the field short of a Masters in the subject. Every day starts at 9am with 3 hours of "input" sessions on everything from methodology, to phonology, to classroom management. This is followed by 1 hour of Lesson Planning. Pause for an hour lunch break on their little balcony on the 3rd floor. Then 2 to 4:30 is Teaching Practice in a classroom, with students. Here we are teaching, preparing to teach, observing, evaluating, learning, monitoring, and in general applying everything we've learned. Then 4:30 to 5 is TP Feedback. THEN, you go home and have a good 2 hours of lesson planning and assignments to do for the next day. Then repeat, for 4 more days. This was week 1. But the strange thing? I love it.

I love the linguistic and grammatical analysis. I like the foreign learner and teaching methodologies. I enjoy planning and carrying out a lesson for my current pre-intermediate students. I love being able to speak French, Spanish, and International English on a daily basis. I love waking up to beautiful sunshine and gorgeous weather absolutely every day. I love learning about my students and thoroughly enjoyed carrying out the Learner Assessment assignment which had me interview them to discover their backgrounds and motivations for learning English and how this transferred to their individual learning styles and strategies. Having people from backgrounds as varied as Professors, Architects, Actresses, Business Men, Receptionists, Computer Science Engineers, Language Enthousiasts, and people taking the class for the hell of it, all together in one room discussing and learning from each other is absolutely wonderful.

My fellow classmates are just as diverse. Ages ranging from 21 to 60. Engineers, Investigators, Dancers, Theatre Directors, Music Teachers, Bikers, Nomad Travellers, Language Students, etc. All taking the course for a variety of reasons and motivations.

So as much work as it is, I will miss this time of my life when it's over. Running late, rushing out of the house to get to IH on time with Sheri. Cracking ourselves up and laughing at ridiculous things all throughout the input sessions with Kara. Going through the intensive learning experience of teaching practice with James, Peter, Wendy, Hayley and Brigitte.

Even though its only been a week, a few of these people have already made an impact on my life.

But to avoid getting too deep here.. I think it's time to close this train of thought and get on with my day. It is  a gorgeous and sunny Sunday in Barcelona with many parks to be found, streets to be explored, lesson plans to be completed, and learning assessments to be finalised.