
They Call Me Mr. T
A Short Introduction
Where to begin...
Hello, my name is John Tearse. Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, currently, I live in Madrid, Spain, and have been living here since October 2011. My studies were in Spanish Language and Culture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (On Wisconsin!) are what initially brought me here with the goal of improving my language skills. I've stayed because I've really enjoyed the life that's found here in the Spain's capital city.
From an early age...
I've always loved the outdoors and exploring, which makes my living abroad more understandable. When I was a child I wanted to be a doctor and an adventurer. Although my ambition to be a doctor has since changed, you can find me helping people in a different way. My affinity for exploration still drives me today. I enjoy photography and as such, always set aside time to document the places I go, and the things I see.
Growing up...
I have learned many things in life so far, the most meaningful being the importance of family. I try to keep in touch with mine as often as possible and although I'm far away, I'm able to stay updated on their lives thanks to technologies like Skype, Whatsapp, social networks like Facebook, and email. I'm lucky to be able to have grown up in a day and age where talking "face to face" is only a video call away!
At present...
I'm enjoying life as best as I can. Finding a balance between working, studying and taking advantage of free time is what keeps me going. A good portion of each makes it all the more fun. Although life here in Spain is different than back in the US, I've found it fairly easy to adapt. You can usually find me trying to play in a pick-up football game, wandering around the city, or relaxing in one of the many parks that the city has to offer.
Most of my time this year is split between teaching English at Colegio San Javier and Bilingual Education classes at Rey Juan Carlos University in Vicalvaro. However, when I'm not in class, I enjoy spending time with friends, watching a good football match (Hala Madrid!), or traveling around Spain and Europe with whatever cash I can scrap together. If I could do anything for a living, I'd travel the world and learn as many languages as possible in the process. Communicating in a language other than your maternal tongue and the process in which it's done has always been fascinating to me. I think it's something that everyone should enjoy at least once in their lives, and is really the driving force behind my stay here in Spain. Where I'll go next is anyone's guess!
Follow my travels or contact me by:
Email: jdtearse@gmail.com
Website: http://bookme-library.blogspot.com.es/
Twitter: @jdtearse