Valencia

So I spent a fun filled weekend in valencia this weekend. With the motto a paella a day well and truly realised. :) We visited the arts and sciences city, which was stunning and included a trip to the aquarium, the biggest in europe no less. It was scorching hot all weekend, 26 degrees, and the umbrella and jacket I had packed for use in the predicted thunderstorm were unnecessary, thank god. We also visited some botanical gardens, where I was followed by cats, I think it was the fact I was carrying a chicken and chorizo sandwich but none the less becoming the equivalent of the pied piper for a morning soon looses its hilarity.
We also bought paella dishes, I got a lovely new jacket and some shorts and we managed to find some Spanish cook books for only 4 euros! Valencia really was a city of bargain shopping. 
We tried fried pumpkin.. yuck and had Valencian oranges (yummy) as well as consuming copious amounts of free sangria. :)
We even sat on the beach, in late October, this is the difference between England and Spain.
So then today I was back in school, tired but it was definitely worth it; and on wednesday night I head to Madrid. Exciting times.
So now I am planning trips for Christmas, hoping to get to Germany for the christmas markets, maybe also to prague or somewhere, who knows. 

The day I descended into hell....

So today I finally plucked up the guts to ask more people if they will take part in my delc 310, the response was positive, so at least that is a load of my mind as I won't really be able to do any work on it until the start of next month as I go to Valencia tomorrow until practically Monday and then Wednesday I'm off to Madrid for a few days and will be doing interview prep the few days before. I'm so excited to travel out of Catalonia and experience even more parts of Spain, and now that I have got some concrete work done on delc work I feel I can really relax and enjoy it. 
Today I also went to the library which was fun, but the metro was unbelievable strange. I went on L9, which only has about 5 stops and is so deep underground I'm not sure if it's still part of the earth's crust. I went down escalator after escalator to the point where I was convinced I was going to be greeted by a man with horns and a pointy stick. But alas no, Bicheal Trickles* was not stood waiting for me at the bottom waiting to tell me about "avoidable errors" but a very swish metro train like none witnessed before.
So now I head to bed, to prepare for an adventure tomorrow.
*Name changed to protect identity (and trouble within delc)   

Who can be an elephant?

So today I woke up and after feeling homesick last night, I think for the first time in my life really, I felt much better. Getting ready and going to work to the old school music of Shania Twain and Pink's first album definitely helped me to remember that although I am missing out on a lot in England I'm not going to get this chance again, and in fact there are probably many people in England who would love to swap places.
Today I got to teach about mummy and baby animals to some 6 year olds. By animal I mean: elephant, kangaroo, monkey and penguin. Part of this lesson involved us all being each of the animals, much to the other teachers, who were working nearby, amusement. But I hasten to add that it is still lots of fun growing a trunk or waddling like a penguin regardless of age.
I also worked with some of the older ones, which went pretty smoothly, but was nowhere near as fun. :) 
I had a lovely lunch at the cafe near the school, and the portions were so big I don't think I will need to have an tea after my catalan class. 
I am also going to try and improve my languages by learning 3 new words a day in each, hopefully this will give me some sort of chance in final year.
A pretty normal day, but everyone needs one of those once in a while.

Naps are becoming too much of an addiction

Well school today was fun, I got the children to read some riddles about Halloween and everything went pretty smoothly. My only problem is I seem to have developed the need to nap. This is a viscous circle as it means I am tired in the early afternoon, so i nap, then can't get to sleep until late at night/the early hours of the morning and subsequently require another nap the next day, and so the problem continues...
After my nap today I had my private lesson with the English teacher's daughter, which was simply amazing, she is so eager to learn that I can't help but enjoy my lessons with her, and I met her grandmother today who is perhaps the sweetest old lady ever. She was surprised that I spoke Spanish so when I spoke in a bit of catalan the old dear almost had a heart attack!
I then went to a language exchange tonight - where I was mistake for French when speaking French at the French + Spanish table, Erin 1 - 0 Spanish/French). (yes this point system really is appearing on all of our blogs....)
Now after eating a copious amount of rice I am going to try and turn in for the night, hopefully then I won't require a nap tomorrow, which would be handy, seeing as I'm working until half four.
Sweet dreams all
xxx

Me duelen las muelas…

So today was fun, despite the fact I think my wisdom teeth are coming through (hence the title for today) School was more difficult as I was working with 6 year olds, so their level of comprehension is pretty low and I am constantly trying to stop myself from speaking in Spanish in order to help them. So instead I have to repeat myself a lot and use actions, but it is very tiring, I don’t know how full time teachers manage it. Teachers of the world, I salute you! This afternoon I did some lesson planning for my private lesson tomorrow, I should really think about doing a couple more, but I’m not too sure how to go about it; then I had my Catalan class. This was really interesting as I had to give a presentation about England, informing everyone that yes we like fish and chips and prefer tea to coffee, and even managed to explain scones in Catalan. I also got to learn about so many places, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Japan and the Dominican Republic to name but a few. I also have some more people lined up for questionnaires; and Olga seems to have ok-ed my ideas for DELC 310 so hopefully I can get it finished by Christmas.

Finally the highlight of my day way when I discovered that I have a 6 day weekend next week! Yes the puentes for public holidays here are simply marvellous.

On that note I leave you guys to your evening while I relax with a yummy hot chocolate.

Bona nit. 

Sunday is a day of rest.

So last night I had a really good night out in Barcelona; free entry, and many free shots for girls (I’m growing to quite like this sexism thing and being objectified). I danced until the early hours of the morning only  until about 5 this time before heading home on the all night metro, which is very hand, although it usually starts at 5 so I am yet to benefit from the fact it remains open all night on a Saturday, rather than closing between 12 and 5. So far I’ve not needed it at this time, I don’t know what that says about me.....

Also someone has graffiti-ed the bank near I live with words such as "culpables" (guilty) and that capitalism is to blame for the current economic climate, interesting, if a little shocking to find in my lovely neighbourhood.  

Then today I chilled, got my first DELC 310 interview out of the way; 1 down, 9 to go. I watched the best part of a film with Katie and then generally attempted to do reading but fate intervened and OneSearch refused to work all day, meaning I could spend a little more time relaxing and a little less researching.

Back to school tomorrow, and I need to write a presentation for Catalan class in the afternoon.

Hasta Mañana readers.

Because I forgot to blog....

So I have completed neglected my blogging responsibilities, oopsie. It’s been two weeks more or less, woops.  But I have been working at my school for two weeks now and all the children are lovely and really enthusiastic about learning English, which is good for me – even one of the “naughty” children finished all his work and homework so he could come out for half an hour in my group. I’m also teaching one of the children’s children for an hour and a half every week – she is adorable! And Catalan is perhaps the cutest language ever when spoken by children.

I have made a start on the dreaded DELC310 and yet feel less than relieved, I feel if I read and read and read then at least I should have a comprehensive bibliography and get some points for content, if not language ....

On Wednesday I went to Besalu, which is an absolutely stunning medieval town about an hour and a half away from Barcelona, I got to see the only Jewish baths in the Iberian peninsular, which was pretty cool too. Also there was a crazy modern art thing going on with chairs on the walls upside down and all sorts, only in Spain.

Today I went to Monserrat, I touched the Virgen, (my second in one month) hee hee and I got to take communion at the mass which was really moving and packed with people. Afterward Katie, Rosa and I rambled through the mountains and climbed almost 1km above sea level.  And tonight BAILAMOS! I’m hoping the clubs will be free for girls, like they were last week, it’s sexist but in my favour so my feminist side doesn’t mind so much. :)

Well I promise now to blog cada dia, I’ll let you know tomorrow how it goes with the 2euro bottle of rose that I have.....