This week (Jan 20-25) I am spending my time teaching Spaniards English in Salamanca Spain. Actually I am situated in a small village called la alberca. Population maybe 1000.
The concept is simple 15 anglos from all english speaking areas of the world and 15 spaniards from all over spain living life together for one week. The spaniards come from all walks of life. The majority work for a high profile company who pays for them to attend this immersion course. But also others who pay out of pocket to improve their english and their lives. Mostly are worried about the economic crises in europe and are trying to give themselves an advantage. The majority of my day is spent in 50 minute sessions one on one with a Spaniard talking about everything from politics the economy to their lives hardships triumphs and future goals.
The program provides our meals and accommodation for the weeks. In exchange we are their volunteer professors. Their utilise our English and our only ask is to speaks often for 10-12 hours a day.
But its not all talk. During the day activities are thoughtfully organized. We have a master of ceremonies who guides us through our days. We have theater performances in the evening with a mixture of English and Spanish performers who allow themselves to showcase their oftentimes hidden talents.
In the evenings and nights we get together to converse and learn Spanish customs and traditions dancing the sevillianas for example!
so for this week had called for snow and rain. Not the typical image of sunny Spain that we all expect. But cosy none the less.
My thoughts on Spanish hospitality and life are being shaped right now and I will give a though review at the end of the week.
What I do know is that by speaking with people and learning about their lives you will inevitably gain an appreciation and empathy for people that is typically lacking in major cities now a days.
Simply the knowledge and friendships you obtain are remarkably irreplaceable.
Next week (25 - 28 Jan) I'm going to meet Theresa in Madrid. She's teaching English there (I need some lesson, too). Waiting her to share her experience on #FBP blog!
So, why not eating some tapas & jamón in Madrid? And red wine, oh si, red wine.
Freebedproject is still in its preparation stages. But in spring of 2013 we take off.
So at the end of 2012 it is nice to look back and reflect on the year. Ciro and I accomplished some pretty incredible travels to Boston, New York, Toronto. What we learned is travelling take a bit of planning and a lot of improvising. There are ups and downs just like anything in life. But the risk is worth the reward.
Where do we see Freebedproject in 2013?. Well nothing like setting out a goal at the end of the year.
Here is a list of things we would like to accomplish in 2013 - Maybe with your help :)
Take some awesome pro photos and videos - We are hoping to take these with a professional camera from either JVC or Sony. We want to capture a side of Canadians no one has seen before. As they are! Really hospitable folk.
Stay connected to family and friends on the road - With the Internet and Skype this should be a breeze. But we must remember to set aside time at least once a week for this, if not more.
Eat well - Travelling and being on the road requires a new set of rules around food. Maybe you aren't getting that well balanced diet you're used to. I think its 6-7 fruits and Veggies a day?. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Ciro's a great cook too, so YOU will also eat well!!
Sleep well (Maybe at your place?) Do you have a bed to rest our heads?. On the road we will need to keep our stamina up. We would be very grateful.
Stay active and work out - Maybe the dog needs to be walked?, maybe you need a hand with the groceries? Hey, a little Jogging or swimming never hurt anyone!
Volunteer - Help whenever we can. We are here to give back!. Shopping, cooking, dog sitting? whatever you need.
Improve my french for my friends in Quebec! Bonjour mes ami :) - Here's a bonus! Ciro speaks french! So I should be fluent by May! - Lofty goal maybe?
Meet wonderful Canadians. - Check out our map (soon to be published) if we are coming to your town or city let us know. We would love to meet YOU!
See the beautiful landscapes of this wonderful country - Banff, Gros Morne National park, Whistler you are on our checklist!
Swim in the Pacific - Hey, never tried it!
See wildlife up close and personal - Not a grizzly bear mind you, a moose would be cool.
Stay Green while Traveling - I think we all could make a difference this year. Any little thing you can do to help the environment is a step in the right direction. Recycling, walking as much as possible. Taking public transportation. Consume less
Promote Electric Transportation - We are hoping to trek across Canada by electric car - Ford Tesla, Nissan, we are here to accomplish our goal
Last summer I met Theresa in New York. But just before that I spent some time in Montreal. After a few nights of partying with "Bizarre" (but very cool) French speakers, I jumped in the Greyhound bus, en route. My direction, New York city.
Yes, just 9 hours of exciting travel time with me, my light backpack and my eyes "wide-open" But don't worry, I've already done a 26 hour detour of Naples-Paris by bus, so this? no problem.
Before leaving I watched some "intimidating" video about entering US borders from Canada and honestly, I was a little scared. You know, an Italian guy from Naples (ah) entering the US through Canada on a Greyhound bus, is not that kind of "classic tourist" scenario (someone had told me this, but we were just laughing).
On the other hand, I was happy. For me it was really like it was supposed to be: "A traveler not a tourist". Just me, "somewhere" off to meet my friend Theresa in New York. Sounds cool!
An hour and a half later, here we are at the US border. We stayed here 2 hours longer than we had planned. The bus stopped at the line, and suddenly an officer came on the bus and started yelling something just to "warn" us, and it was like, "Hey, you are in the US, now. OK folks, leave your stuff on the bus, no backpack, no camera, only passports and wallets".
So I think "Let's roll". Finally my turn came. Hey, "Lucky me!", the officer is a woman! and kind of charming. You know, Leslie Easterbrook from the movie, "Police Academy, 1984?". Inflexible, professional, but kind.
Maybe you are asking, "So what about the smiles I'm reading in the post title?". Well it takes a bit more than that. I remembered that somewhere I read about "The importance of the electric bill". Yes, The electric bill. I had taken my French electric bill with me. This small sheet of paper spoke for me. I live in France, and I don't have any intention on moving here (maybe Canada, but not the US). So I just saved the officer a bit of time (and mine too) from psychoanalyzing me and asking me tonnes of weird questions. Before leaving, she also told me to "Not steal her favorite pen"... huh? She took the time to joke!?
WOW.
So I payed the 8 USD and "voilà!" I'm in the USA."Not that bad", I thought.
M60 bus heading to La Guardia Airport
On my way to New York I was thinking how I could finally reach the hostel, then take the M60 bus to La Guardia airport, and finally find Theresa? "Piece of cake!" Well, turns out, I found my way like a New Yorker, or kind of. In the end I jumped on the bus and headed to the airport. "The secret is in the walking. The quicker you walk, the more you belong to the place". Hey, this is my rule and I use it often!
Our tour will take us not only to your home but also to Canada's natural homes - The beautiful National Treasures
Here are some must see National Parks on our list for our Cross Canada Voyage. These were taken courtesy of :
The Globe and Mail
Published
Gulf Islands, B.C.:"I love seeing the amazement on visitors' faces when seals, sea lions, porpoises and even orcas surface during my programs at East Point, Saturna Island."- Athena George, park interpreter
Vuntut, Yukon: "Sitting quietly on a ridge with thousands of caribou streaming by, close enough to hear the clicking of their hooves and the grunts of mothers calling to their young - surreal." - Rhonda Markel, partnering and engagement office
Nahanni, NWT: "Favourite spot in the park: The Cirque of the Unclimbables. Surrounded by pure granite walls you feel like an ant in a castle." - Jarret Hardisty, patrol person
Mount Revelstoke, B.C.: "Winter in Mount Revelstoke National Park is magical. Heavy snow coats the trees, bending branches low. There's no sound except for the quiet of snowflakes falling." - Tina Whitman, executive assistant
Glacier, B.C.: "Every time I stand on Abbot Ridge and look out on Mount Sir Donald and the Illecillewaet Glacier, I am overwhelmed with a sense of timelessness and beauty knowing that for 125 years others have hiked the same trail to the same spot and felt as small as I." - Jacolyn Daniluck, public relations and communications officer
Yoho, B.C.: "Emerald Lake is orchids, loons, owls, merganser chicks, brilliant turquoise-green water, stillness in winter, full-moon skis, family picnics and canoe songs." - Kathryn Cameron, acting team leader
Kootenay, B.C.: "My favourite hiking destination is Numa Pass on the Rockwall. It is quite possibly the most beautiful and inspiring place in the Rockies." - Kathy Borsato, manager, finance and administration
Banff, Alta.: "Bike ride from Banff to Lake Louise on the Bow Valley Parkway, roll by roadside wildflowers, look up at snow-capped mountains, and see wildlife." - Sarah Fabbri, partnering and engagement office
Waterton Lakes, Alta.: "I love to visit the Bosporus in Waterton - I can see the mountains, lakes and prairie sky. It really is an inspiring and captivating place." - Catherine Reynold, interpreter
Tuktut Nogait, NWT: "Midnight sun reflecting on mountain ridges, caribou browsing peacefully, the sound of candle ice floating down the Hornaday river canyon." - Pierre Marchand, ecosystem scientist
Grasslands, Sask.: "There is no more magical experience than lying on a wind-blown butte watching a herd of bison graze peacefully below." - Wes Olson, resource management and public safety specialist
Riding Mountain, Man.: "I am awed to see our bison on the mixed-fescue prairie; imagining the past, inspiring us as a living piece of natural history as we move forward." - Angela Spooner, resource conservation officer, Lake Audy District, bison manager
Quttinirpaaq, Nunavut: "Climbing Barbeau Peak in Quttinirpaaq National Park … feels like you're at the top and edge of the world."
- Andrew Maher, resource conservation manager
Sirmilik, Nunavut: "In a boat circumnavigating Bylot Island, at every vista there were glaciers spilling into the navy blue seas, glinting laser white in the high arctic light, and then a pod of narwhal, too." - Pauline Scott, visitor experience manager and prevention co-ordinator
Pukaskwa, Ont.: "The Southern Headland Trail allows you to take in all that Lake Superior has to offer … calm, roaring, peaceful and fierce all wrapped in one." - Joni Michano, visitor services attendant
Auyuittuq, Nunavut: "The noises of nature are amazing … rocks falling, rivers running, wind blowing and sand swirling." - Kristy Frampton, promotions and non-personal media officer
Bruce Peninsula, Ont.: "Backcountry camping in The Bruce ... : You are truly alone with nature. The cliffs, water and flora and fauna that surround you are inspiring." - Carolyn Doidge, senior visitor services attendant
Georgian Bay Islands, Ont.: "On an autumn day around Fairy Lake on Beausoleil Island, you can hear a pin drop - it's stunning, and the perfect place to reflect." - Victoria Evans, interpretation co-ordinator
St. Lawrence Islands, Ont.: "I love hiking the Jones Creek Trails and marvelling at the cliffs and towering pines that line Mud Creek as it meanders through the wetland." - Mary Beth Lynch, resource conservation technician
Torngat Mountains, Nfld.: "I enjoy showing visitors the land where my mother and my father were born." - Jacko Merkuratsuk, resource conservation
La Mauricie, Que.: "[Paddle]on Wapizagonke Lake while admiring the beauty of the water lilies and the magnificent landscape. Very inspiring."- Kathleen Barrett, interpretation co-ordinator
Mingan Archipelago, Que.: "Somewhere in the tight maze of Mingan Archipelago's granitic islets, I find that most exquisite of feelings: Being, for a time, lost." - Yann Troutet, ecosystems scientist
Forillon, Que.: "My favourite place? The Cap-Bon-Ami [observation] belvedere during an autumn storm to watch the Gulf rollers come barrelling into the cliffs below. Perfect. Every time." - Bruce O'Connor, Parks Canada
Fundy, N.B.: "Hiking Dickson Falls, stargazing into a dark sky, walking on the ocean floor discovering what the giant tide has left behind - simply awesome." - Norma-Jean Murphy, Parks Canada
Kejimkujik, N.S.: "I love paddling and portaging the same ancient waterways and canoe routes that first nations people have travelled upon for thousands of years." - Ashley Moffat, visitor experience product development officer
Gros Morne, Nfld.: "Plate tectonics has hauled hard on the land and made a real mess of this place; that's what makes it so awesome and beautiful!" - Fred Sheppard, public outreach education
Terra Nova, Nfld.: "On a starry summer's night, it's magical to canoe the still water of a fjord, where the sparkling sky and water appear as one."- David Saunders, new product development officer
And at National Marine parks and conservation areas:
Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, Ont.: "From the Kama lookout, it's amazing watching the sun setting over Nipigon Bay. There is no other place like it." - Sylvio Pelletier, product development officer
Fathom Five National Marine Park, Ont.: "There's nothing like diving and peering over the edge of the submerged Niagara Escarpment. … Suspended there, I wonder what is looking back up at me." - Scott Parker, park ecologist
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Free Bed Project largely was created to discover Canada through a unique lens...
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