October in Puerto de Sagunto
The beginning of october means the beginning of most of the activities in Casal Jove. Compared to the previous month I felt a big shift in the rhythm and the intensity of the tasks.
The first assignment I was asked to look over was the Tardeo Jove, which is a space for kids aged 12 to 16 full of leisure activities, such as board games or video games, open to everyone in that age range. I’d lie if I said it was easy, the language barrier was obvious and at times it made me feel not in control of the situation, but it also gave me the opportunity to ask for help, both to my colleagues and to the teenagers who were there, and I was always met with kindness and understanding, which is something I don’t take for granted and that gave me the confidence to ask for assistance whenever I need it.
Another project that began in October was the Esplai Menut, aimed at kids as young as three years old up until eight. The first time that I got to do it it was in the Sagunto center (most of the times I am stationed in Puerto) and while the building is smaller than the one I work at usually, the amount of kids that came was impressive. Once the explanation finished and the parents left, we started with a game to learn each other’s names, then moved onto the creative activities that were prepared beforehand, specifically, we made bracelets, and later did a little treasure hunt. At the end, we left the kids free to play with each other and put on loud music. Communicating with younger children is expectedly harder than talking with teenagers, but somehow we managed and by the end of the day we had connected on a different level.
I think it’s pretty evident by now that not speaking Spanish is a concern of mine, but this month I started attending Spanish classes at the adult school here in Puerto. So far it’s pretty helpful, but it’s not enough, practice is key and I’m less and less embarrassed to try to speak, even though I make lots of mistakes, because I know that’s the only way I’ll be able to learn.
October in Casal Jove means also Halloween. I was told, shortly after my arrival, that Halloween was going to be a big event, but I didn’t think that it was going to be that big! We started decorating the casal in the first half of the month, some of the decorations, made both by children and us, were interesting and fun, others were a little too gruesome for my taste. The main attraction is the “Passeig del terror”, the tunnel of terror, set up in the hallways of the building and I have to admit that, even though scary things are not my cup of tea, it was done very well, the attention to detail was terrific! As for me, during the party, I was appointed to the “pinta caras” workshop, where I had to paint children’s faces as they pleased. Overall it was a success, over 700 people came and everyone had a great time.
In the Valencian Community the 9th of October is one of the most important events, it commemorates the entry of Rey Jaime I in the city in 1238. Juliane, my roommate, and I went to Valencia expecting huge crowds and celebrations, but, unfortunately, due to a weather alert we didn’t know about until we arrived, almost everything was annulled. The weather turned out fine so we took the opportunity to walk around the city and visit the medieval market, where I got the best Turkish delicacies I’ve ever had. The day after we went to another medieval market, this time in Sagunto. The layout of the city fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the event, I only wish I had more time for it.
As if this month wasn’t full enough of novelties, I also had my mandatory on arrival training, I was sent to Santander, Cantabria, a beautiful city on the northern coast of Spain, 800km away from here. I genuinely had the best time, the training sessions were intense, but the mentors made it light and enjoyable. I also had the opportunity to meet a lot of people who are close to me in age and I honestly feel like I made friends that I’ll keep for a long time, the only problem is that most of them are stationed in the opposite side of the country.
Overall it’s been as challenging as it’s been fun, can’t wait to see what November brings!
