My Visit to Pilas

Last Friday, after a solid two and a half months back in Seville (I cannot believe it’s been that long), I finally made my first visit to Pilas. For my new readers, if there are any, Pilas is the town that I taught in last year. I worked at a primary school there that I would do anything to be able to teach at again but the Spanish government had other plans for me, so lo and behold here I am, as you know, in Utrera.

Anyway, I woke up Friday morning and caught the bus to Pilas from Sevilla, something I rarely did last year because I got a ride to school everyday from teacher Ismael. There is only one bus that goes to Pilas, and leaves about every 2-3 hours. Since Friday is normally my day of rest after my exhausting four-day week (give me some credit, they are 14 hour days), I didn’t want to wake up for the 9 o’clock bus. Also, if I was going to go that early I might as well have gone with Ismael, he leaves only half an hour earlier. Boring details aside, I rode the 45-minute bus from Sevilla to Pilas and as soon as I stepped off, I felt like I had stepped into a time warp.

Although it had only been four months since the last time I was there, it felt like forever. And walking down the street towards the school, I had butterflies in my stomach that I remember having the first day I went to work there. I’m assuming this time it was excitement more than nerves; nonetheless it was the same exact feeling. As I approached the building, I turned off my iPod and I could hear the sound of the children in physical education class playing on the patio. It was a beautiful sunny day; in fact I think I was in just a t-shirt most of the day. The birds were chirping, and I could smell the factories crushing recently grown olives into fresh olive oil (that last part I made up, but I wanted to give the whole sensual experience, and it probably was happening nearby, although I actually couldn’t smell it!).

I (actually the bus schedule) timed my visit so that I would arrive just as recreo (recess) was starting. I figured that would be the best way to see all the teachers and children I wanted to see all at the same time. I walked to the front of the school and there was some construction happening in the entranceway. Initially, I was a little confused, even concerned, that I wouldn’t be able to enter the building. In retrospect that doesn’t make any sense, of course even with construction happening, people can enter and exit the building!

So, I waited for a little while in the front of the school, and after about 5 minutes another man came to the gate, opened it, and walked right through the construction into the school, so I followed his lead. The first person I came across was the secretary, who had no idea I was coming to school, not even sure she knew I was back in Spain. She gave me a big hug and kiss and we talked, and she offered me an orange, which is so typical…my memories of her all involve her eating some sort of fruit. But once the recess bell rang, all the children came running into the halls, bocadillos and batidos in hand.

From the moment the first kid saw me, the hugs and kisses didn’t end. It was a great feeling; honestly I was a little worried some of the kids weren’t going to remember me. Boy was I wrong. They were so excited to see me, as I was to see them. It kind of reminded me of when I come home at the end of a long day and my dogs are wagging their tails and chasing each other in circles because they are so excited to see me (or any human).

The half an hour recreo seemed like it finished in 5 minutes, as did the rest of the afternoon. My favorite class from last year begged me to come back with them after recreo, so I said I would. I wanted to keep my promise, but I also wanted to spend some time with my other students and co-workers from last year. I went with teacher Fran who is now teaching first grade (taught second last year), and he introduced me to his new babies…then I was going to visit his class from last year (my favorite) and I ran into teacher Elena in the teachers' lounge. She was having her speaking hour with the new auxiliar, the new me. The girl Chelsea is very nice, and I am extremely jealous of her. They invited me to sit down and chat with them for a while, so I stayed there not realizing how quickly the time was passing. I wanted to visit my class from last year while they were in English class, but before I knew it that 30 minute class was over, and they were now in art class. The art teacher is new, and not part of the bilingual team, but she was nice and let me stay with the class anyway.

After 30 minutes there, I said I had to leave so I could go visit other classes. Upon hearing “me voy”, the kids sprang up from their chairs and ran to the door to form a blockade. Now they may only be 8 years old, but a blockade of 15 eight-year-olds is not an easy one to get through. They were tugging at my clothes and telling me that I was not allowed to leave, ever, that I had to stay in Pilas, forever. They were so confused why I wasn’t back with them this year, obviously eight year olds don’t understand the concept of the government telling you where you have to work, I hardly understand it. They said it’s okay that I’m not with them this year as long as I come back next year…gonna be a hard task to accomplish.

Going back to the school made me realize/remember why I loved it so much. I was super attached to the kids I worked with, and my coworkers weren’t so bad…This year, I see each of my students for two hours a week and that’s eat. It’s hard to form a relationship with kids when you only see them twice a week. I mean last year I was only at the school three days a week, and even though I was probably with each classe only an hour and a half a week, I saw them in the hallways, I saw them at recreo, when they arrived in the morning and when they left in the afternoon. There was much more time to connect with them and grow attached. This year, I am struggling to form that same relationship with my students. But I think it’s just the nature of the job.

Although I am sad that I’m not at the school in Pilas again this year, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to work there in the first place.