Friday, 30 November 2007
im in love with salamanca/san dimas high school football rules
I Love Salamanca, I feel so lucky to be here, there is no place that I would rather be.
Thursday, 29 November 2007
cocinar cocinar
2 amazing meals I have to comment on!
Last night, Tom and I made a traditional roast, we went shopping during the day and even managed to find sprouts! It was amazing! Roast potatoes, chicken, cabbage, sprouts, carrots, onions and of course gravy gravy gravy, the onyly thing that was missing was yorkshire puddings but as I only have two shelves in the oven!
The French really liked it and admitted they were suprised we made veg as 'English people don't eat veg', but we showed them we can be healthy too......
Today for dinner I made something I seen on the F word this summer. Halibut with shallot onions, pancetta in a red wine sauce with lots of seasoning. You cook the pancetta first, add the onions, add the wine (must be a french recipe) and then let it simmer, adding sugar so it caramalises. It was truly lovely and one of the best meals I've ever had a hand in cooking.
fiesta de la facultad d farmacia??????????
Last night, Tom and I made a traditional roast, we went shopping during the day and even managed to find sprouts! It was amazing! Roast potatoes, chicken, cabbage, sprouts, carrots, onions and of course gravy gravy gravy, the onyly thing that was missing was yorkshire puddings but as I only have two shelves in the oven!
The French really liked it and admitted they were suprised we made veg as 'English people don't eat veg', but we showed them we can be healthy too......
Today for dinner I made something I seen on the F word this summer. Halibut with shallot onions, pancetta in a red wine sauce with lots of seasoning. You cook the pancetta first, add the onions, add the wine (must be a french recipe) and then let it simmer, adding sugar so it caramalises. It was truly lovely and one of the best meals I've ever had a hand in cooking.
fiesta de la facultad d farmacia??????????
Monday, 26 November 2007
excited excited excited
3 Weeks and one day until I come home!!
Some people will be suprised to see I know I am counting the days until I head home. It's not because I'm sad or anything as I'm having the time of my life, but now I know I'm going I just want to go. Christmas aswell makes it even more exciting and the fact this year we're spending it this year at my Gran's in Glasgow makes it even more exciting. Many other things make me excited too, seeing friends, going shopping, not always being surronded by smoke in bars, indian food, decent television and even such things as hearing English being spoken all around me.
However I have a feeling I may struggle to understand some things when I go up to Scotland...
I feel quite christmasy, maybe due to the fact I saw Love Actullay on la 1 here last night, which was so funny as it was all dubbed. I think the fact Christmas is nowhere near as commercialised here makes you miss it more, cheesy songs playing in stores, fake Santa's walking around, people eating mince pies... roll on christmas, I think it will be appreciated a lot more after being here in the run up to it.
I also spoke to a certain person this weekend after a terbulant time and we sorted a lot of things and I feel a lot better for that.
22 days!
Some people will be suprised to see I know I am counting the days until I head home. It's not because I'm sad or anything as I'm having the time of my life, but now I know I'm going I just want to go. Christmas aswell makes it even more exciting and the fact this year we're spending it this year at my Gran's in Glasgow makes it even more exciting. Many other things make me excited too, seeing friends, going shopping, not always being surronded by smoke in bars, indian food, decent television and even such things as hearing English being spoken all around me.
However I have a feeling I may struggle to understand some things when I go up to Scotland...
I feel quite christmasy, maybe due to the fact I saw Love Actullay on la 1 here last night, which was so funny as it was all dubbed. I think the fact Christmas is nowhere near as commercialised here makes you miss it more, cheesy songs playing in stores, fake Santa's walking around, people eating mince pies... roll on christmas, I think it will be appreciated a lot more after being here in the run up to it.
I also spoke to a certain person this weekend after a terbulant time and we sorted a lot of things and I feel a lot better for that.
22 days!
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Gareth Southgate
Sure way to spoil your weekend, 0-3 defeat at home. Only blessing if Im not in Middlesbrough to watch that shower of shite.
He has to go or get someone in alongside him, Cooper might be a legend but hes as clueless as Southgate.
He has to go or get someone in alongside him, Cooper might be a legend but hes as clueless as Southgate.
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
my friends were like whatever, you'll find someone better...
What a lovely weekend, Kay’s visit, a meal out on Friday, a night out on Saturday and a lovely trip to the countryside on the Sunday.
Kay arrived here at about 8ish on the Friday night, and after checking into a hostel I went to meet her and her friends debajo del reloj (the meeting point in Salamanca – under the clock) and also we rounded up Ray and Tom and looked for somewhere to have something to eat. We walked around for what seemed like forever and most places were heaving so we settled on a quite Argentinean steak place that Rachel had been before, everyone was really hungry so it was a good success.
After the meal we went to a bar as Kay and I were going to meet Gemma (Kay’s old exchange partner from Ávila who is studying here in Salamanca. It was so nice and surreal seeing her, and discussing old times and things we did on the 2nd exchange I went on, which was one of the best trips of my life. We were all talking for a while before people started to feel tired (especially Kay and her gang after travelling nearly 6 hours from Bilbao to get to Salamanca) so we said our goodbyes and arranged to meet the following day.
So roll on to Saturday where we had a small botellón at mine before heading out to the bars. Had a few litros en el Pani before moving onto Harleys and meeting up with the usual gang before heading to the fake Paniagua before finally ending up in Potemkim. Kay and co called it a night at about 4 as they were up at 10 to get the train to Bilbao and saying bye was very sad indeed. However they are going to come back before Xmas so I am looking forward to that.
It was so nice having someone from ‘home home’ ie, the Boro to talk to! Talking about our friends, old memories and such, it really made me feel a lot happier and so happy Kay made the effort to come 6 hours on a shitty train!
Sunday looked like being a boring Sunday until Anna popped up on MSN and was like, do you wanna go for a trip out to the countryside? As I had nothing better to do, I foolishly said yes…… rounded up Léa, Martin and Tom and we headed up to Anna’s place and headed for the countryside.
Anna took us to some place in the middle of nowhere, which was looking realy nice until we all got out the car, looked round and saw a massive Spanish bull with massive horns staring back at us! Luckily it was about 30metres away but when we saw it we jumped…. We all quickly got Anna to zip her coat up and she had a bright red jersey on! We then decided to move on from that spot as we could not really walk around for the bulls!
We then found another one and went off for a wander, took a few photos etc etc and then when we were heading back to the car we saw in the distance about 10 bulls walking up towards the car.....MMMMIIIIIIIEEEEEEERRRRRRDDDDDAAAA!
We raced back to the car, got in, and started to drive out of the field…and as soon as Anna turned the lights on (it was getting dark by
now) we could see about 15 bulls walking towards the car! We didn’t know what to do! Do we drive and hope they move…. Anyway we crawled along so slowly and they were walking round the side of the car! Was so surreal seeing it and once in a lifetime experience, like being on a safari with massive Spanish bulls with massive horns! Anyway that sums up the weekend, and I best go as I am starving and need some food,
Kay arrived here at about 8ish on the Friday night, and after checking into a hostel I went to meet her and her friends debajo del reloj (the meeting point in Salamanca – under the clock) and also we rounded up Ray and Tom and looked for somewhere to have something to eat. We walked around for what seemed like forever and most places were heaving so we settled on a quite Argentinean steak place that Rachel had been before, everyone was really hungry so it was a good success.
After the meal we went to a bar as Kay and I were going to meet Gemma (Kay’s old exchange partner from Ávila who is studying here in Salamanca. It was so nice and surreal seeing her, and discussing old times and things we did on the 2nd exchange I went on, which was one of the best trips of my life. We were all talking for a while before people started to feel tired (especially Kay and her gang after travelling nearly 6 hours from Bilbao to get to Salamanca) so we said our goodbyes and arranged to meet the following day.
So roll on to Saturday where we had a small botellón at mine before heading out to the bars. Had a few litros en el Pani before moving onto Harleys and meeting up with the usual gang before heading to the fake Paniagua before finally ending up in Potemkim. Kay and co called it a night at about 4 as they were up at 10 to get the train to Bilbao and saying bye was very sad indeed. However they are going to come back before Xmas so I am looking forward to that.
It was so nice having someone from ‘home home’ ie, the Boro to talk to! Talking about our friends, old memories and such, it really made me feel a lot happier and so happy Kay made the effort to come 6 hours on a shitty train!
Sunday looked like being a boring Sunday until Anna popped up on MSN and was like, do you wanna go for a trip out to the countryside? As I had nothing better to do, I foolishly said yes…… rounded up Léa, Martin and Tom and we headed up to Anna’s place and headed for the countryside.
Anna took us to some place in the middle of nowhere, which was looking realy nice until we all got out the car, looked round and saw a massive Spanish bull with massive horns staring back at us! Luckily it was about 30metres away but when we saw it we jumped…. We all quickly got Anna to zip her coat up and she had a bright red jersey on! We then decided to move on from that spot as we could not really walk around for the bulls!
We then found another one and went off for a wander, took a few photos etc etc and then when we were heading back to the car we saw in the distance about 10 bulls walking up towards the car.....MMMMIIIIIIIEEEEEEERRRRRRDDDDDAAAA!
We raced back to the car, got in, and started to drive out of the field…and as soon as Anna turned the lights on (it was getting dark by
now) we could see about 15 bulls walking towards the car! We didn’t know what to do! Do we drive and hope they move…. Anyway we crawled along so slowly and they were walking round the side of the car! Was so surreal seeing it and once in a lifetime experience, like being on a safari with massive Spanish bulls with massive horns! Anyway that sums up the weekend, and I best go as I am starving and need some food,
Sunday, 18 November 2007
" es un poco la mierda" - jajajaj
Lovely weekend, so nice to see Kay and her friends were all good crack, I will update later when I get the photos from our trip out to the countryside.
Ps the title of my entry is a phrase my flatmate says that has me in stitches everytime :)
Ps the title of my entry is a phrase my flatmate says that has me in stitches everytime :)
Friday, 16 November 2007
la fiesta de la facultad d ciencias/friday afternoon thoughts
The following is hard to believe would happen....unless of course, you find yourself in Spain.
Yesterday was the official party of the Science campus of the Uni, so basically all lessons for that day are cancelled in that campus and all the students spend all day drinking and having fun. It normally kicks off at 10AM, and come 11AM you can see literally hundreds of students drunk walking down the street, yes, your eyes are not decieving you, 10AM!
Anyway I had lessons til 5 so after that Tom phoned me as he had been there since dinner time with loads of random chicas salmantinas that he had somehow made friends with so he phoned me to get me to meet them and come on out....
So come 5pm, we go to this place and basically its packed! Everyone is dressed up in the big white science coats (well the people who do science based courses) and we started to drink at 5pm, with some cuba libre y coca cola and started talking to these girls we met, one of them had the best English accent I have ever heard for a Spaniard, infact I couldn't tell she was Spanish until she said, I was like, your parents must be English, but they weren't and I was mightly impressed, she even managed to identify I was Northern and when I said my Mum was Scottish she started telling me how much she loves Scotland also she was probably the only Spanish person I've ever met who had a genuine English accent and not an American one! We swapped details and we're going to meet up to practise languages (not that she really needs to... pero bueno....
Anyway we carried on to la imprensa as el pani was closed and got stuck into some kalimotxo. The night was not that spectacular, it was just wierd thinking that the Uni's actullay kind of support these binge drinking sessions by cancelling lessons advertising them through the Uni, deep down there is probably not a lot they can do, as if they didn't the students would probably just do it themselves. Called it a night at 11 as I was starvinggggggg and I didn't want to stay out too late as Kay is coming today and I imagine I will have to show her about town and stuff so yea.
I also have to go to the estacion de trenes to get my ticket to go to Madrid on the 18th of December in order to go home to the land of; Chris Moyles, gravy, David Beckhams right foot....
Yesterday was the official party of the Science campus of the Uni, so basically all lessons for that day are cancelled in that campus and all the students spend all day drinking and having fun. It normally kicks off at 10AM, and come 11AM you can see literally hundreds of students drunk walking down the street, yes, your eyes are not decieving you, 10AM!
Anyway I had lessons til 5 so after that Tom phoned me as he had been there since dinner time with loads of random chicas salmantinas that he had somehow made friends with so he phoned me to get me to meet them and come on out....
So come 5pm, we go to this place and basically its packed! Everyone is dressed up in the big white science coats (well the people who do science based courses) and we started to drink at 5pm, with some cuba libre y coca cola and started talking to these girls we met, one of them had the best English accent I have ever heard for a Spaniard, infact I couldn't tell she was Spanish until she said, I was like, your parents must be English, but they weren't and I was mightly impressed, she even managed to identify I was Northern and when I said my Mum was Scottish she started telling me how much she loves Scotland also she was probably the only Spanish person I've ever met who had a genuine English accent and not an American one! We swapped details and we're going to meet up to practise languages (not that she really needs to... pero bueno....
Anyway we carried on to la imprensa as el pani was closed and got stuck into some kalimotxo. The night was not that spectacular, it was just wierd thinking that the Uni's actullay kind of support these binge drinking sessions by cancelling lessons advertising them through the Uni, deep down there is probably not a lot they can do, as if they didn't the students would probably just do it themselves. Called it a night at 11 as I was starvinggggggg and I didn't want to stay out too late as Kay is coming today and I imagine I will have to show her about town and stuff so yea.
I also have to go to the estacion de trenes to get my ticket to go to Madrid on the 18th of December in order to go home to the land of; Chris Moyles, gravy, David Beckhams right foot....
Monday, 12 November 2007
Es que no sé..pero quédate...no te vayas...
Finally I am recovered and feeling better after the horrible evil illness of last week. I started to get over it on Thursday after lots of drugs, sleep, episodes of home and away on youtube and cups of char's.
On Friday to celebrate my good health, we went to Rachel's/Benni's and Juanjo's party which was the best house party ever. Earlier in the day we headed to Carrefour to get some J n B and some beers and took them to Rays, headed out for some patatas bravas y unos vinos before heading back to mine for pizza and a few beers before heading to Ray's at about 12. Plenty of people, plenty of nibbles, plenty of alcohol, was really good to meet Spaniards as they outnumbered us English people by about 6/1 which meant we had to mix. Jojo also made some vodka flavoured jellys which I personally thought were horrible but they certainly seemed to go down well with everyone else. We left Rachels at about 4 and headed for Harleys where about 20 of us seemed to take over one corner of the room, I was mainly dancing with a girl called Emelie who is French, and after a while we decided to go somewhere else but in the end noone could be bothered, so wel all headed back to ours were the drinking continued until certain people (Tom ) could not keep up and fell asleep on our Seetee and we covered him up with a blanket and shot the others out got to bed at 7am, incredible.
Saturday was spent sleeping and cleaning my room, washing, ironing y tal...
Met up with Tom at night for unos pinchos and went back to his and had pizza with him and his Colombian flatmate, Diana.
Sunday, cleaning the kitchen, I swear it was the dirtiest it has ever been, just my luck....
Anyway I got that done and done some studying for a lesson I had this morning, which took me until night time cuando salí a dar una vuelta (went for a wander) before having dinner which was Ratatouilee which was sooo nice!
Early rise this morning as I had class and I am now at home before going back at 6, what a strange life....Smile! Youre in Spain.......
On Friday to celebrate my good health, we went to Rachel's/Benni's and Juanjo's party which was the best house party ever. Earlier in the day we headed to Carrefour to get some J n B and some beers and took them to Rays, headed out for some patatas bravas y unos vinos before heading back to mine for pizza and a few beers before heading to Ray's at about 12. Plenty of people, plenty of nibbles, plenty of alcohol, was really good to meet Spaniards as they outnumbered us English people by about 6/1 which meant we had to mix. Jojo also made some vodka flavoured jellys which I personally thought were horrible but they certainly seemed to go down well with everyone else. We left Rachels at about 4 and headed for Harleys where about 20 of us seemed to take over one corner of the room, I was mainly dancing with a girl called Emelie who is French, and after a while we decided to go somewhere else but in the end noone could be bothered, so wel all headed back to ours were the drinking continued until certain people (Tom ) could not keep up and fell asleep on our Seetee and we covered him up with a blanket and shot the others out got to bed at 7am, incredible.
Saturday was spent sleeping and cleaning my room, washing, ironing y tal...
Met up with Tom at night for unos pinchos and went back to his and had pizza with him and his Colombian flatmate, Diana.
Sunday, cleaning the kitchen, I swear it was the dirtiest it has ever been, just my luck....
Anyway I got that done and done some studying for a lesson I had this morning, which took me until night time cuando salí a dar una vuelta (went for a wander) before having dinner which was Ratatouilee which was sooo nice!
Early rise this morning as I had class and I am now at home before going back at 6, what a strange life....Smile! Youre in Spain.......
these things take forever and...
Ages since I updated this but tonight I can not be bothered, so I will do it tomorrow with a long post.
un té y unas galletas?
un té y unas galletas?
Monday, 5 November 2007
seriously ill/homesick
Oh god, I don't think I've had a worst day than today. To begin with I must have only slept for an hour at most last night as I am ill ill. What is wrong? What is not wrong?
Headache? Check
Sore throat? Check
Glands swollen? Check
Pain all down both sides of my neck? Check
Sickness and diarroeah? Check
Vomiting? Check blaa blaa blaa
After waking up at 5 this morning in agony as my pain killers had worn off (french painkillers are the best) but I decided to stomach it as I didnt want to use all of Lea's up until the chemist would open.
So cue 9am, I'm banging on the door of the chemist, and i explain to him I need the strongest painkillers you can get without prescription and the fucking dickhead turns his back whilst I am explaining what is wrong, and comes back with the spanish equivilant for halls soothers, I said these are no good you grade A twat, I NEED SOMETHING STRONGER, but he was adamant that these would work. So i go home and start guzzling them and no effect, I say to myself, maybe its cause im taking them on an empty stomach so I eat rice and chicken and within 2 mins of eating about 3 pieces of chicken and a few forkfulls of rice I am in the aseo throwing it up. And they have not worked and thet cost me €10, disgrace.
I am also feeling terribly homesick, nhs might get stick but I know where I would rather be, back at home with some proper medicine inside me and someone to make me cups of tea as i someone did that for me right now I think I would honestly burst into tears, I just need people here for me, I hardly ever get ill so when I do I always seem to feel even more down.
Uni is a no go for a few days, I hardly had the energy to get to the pharmacy and had to stop and catch my breath
What I'd do for a hug from my Mum, Charley or Sarah right now.
Ps - sorry for the cussing
Headache? Check
Sore throat? Check
Glands swollen? Check
Pain all down both sides of my neck? Check
Sickness and diarroeah? Check
Vomiting? Check blaa blaa blaa
After waking up at 5 this morning in agony as my pain killers had worn off (french painkillers are the best) but I decided to stomach it as I didnt want to use all of Lea's up until the chemist would open.
So cue 9am, I'm banging on the door of the chemist, and i explain to him I need the strongest painkillers you can get without prescription and the fucking dickhead turns his back whilst I am explaining what is wrong, and comes back with the spanish equivilant for halls soothers, I said these are no good you grade A twat, I NEED SOMETHING STRONGER, but he was adamant that these would work. So i go home and start guzzling them and no effect, I say to myself, maybe its cause im taking them on an empty stomach so I eat rice and chicken and within 2 mins of eating about 3 pieces of chicken and a few forkfulls of rice I am in the aseo throwing it up. And they have not worked and thet cost me €10, disgrace.
I am also feeling terribly homesick, nhs might get stick but I know where I would rather be, back at home with some proper medicine inside me and someone to make me cups of tea as i someone did that for me right now I think I would honestly burst into tears, I just need people here for me, I hardly ever get ill so when I do I always seem to feel even more down.
Uni is a no go for a few days, I hardly had the energy to get to the pharmacy and had to stop and catch my breath
What I'd do for a hug from my Mum, Charley or Sarah right now.
Ps - sorry for the cussing
Friday, 2 November 2007
el aprendizaje y el puente
As November is now here, leaves are falling, scalves, gloves and hats are out in abundance, people are trick and treating, friendships are building more and more and finally I feel like I'm a real 'salmantino' (someone from Salamanca)
I have mentioned this before, but peer pressure is immense here. On Tuesday night we went out for a meal for Ester's birthday,a lovely girl from Avila (oh how the Avila connections live on) and afterwards everyone was going out, and you feel like you have to, even though I was up so early the next day....
Today I have to go and pay the rent for this month, our landlords are really friendly but going to their house is such a wierd feeling. He brings you through to his office (which is huge) and you feel like you're having a meeting with the most imporant lawyer in town.
Another wierd thing happened to me the other day. I was walking down the Rua Mayor when I made eye contact with this guy I was sure I knew, we walked past each other and looked back when we both realised we knew one another, it was Aaron from La Adrada (the little brother of a lad from the exchange and the waiter from el Korrigan) Small world.
Also feeling quite nostalgic, since I've come to Salamanca I have learnt, how to cook veal. More french swearwords than spanish ones. How to phone the gas company and order gas. How to tolerate. How to not go back to Pounds and work in Euros. How to have stupid conversations over and over and over again with people and not get bored. How to get frustrated. How to miss people. How to drink coffee. How to stomach a prawn. How to tolerate people I would never have before. How to miss my family.
Buenas noches, amigo
No te olvides ahora que te vas
Que tienes un amigo,
Difícil de llevar
Siempre de mal humor
Pero al fin y al cabo
Amigo....
I have mentioned this before, but peer pressure is immense here. On Tuesday night we went out for a meal for Ester's birthday,a lovely girl from Avila (oh how the Avila connections live on) and afterwards everyone was going out, and you feel like you have to, even though I was up so early the next day....
Today I have to go and pay the rent for this month, our landlords are really friendly but going to their house is such a wierd feeling. He brings you through to his office (which is huge) and you feel like you're having a meeting with the most imporant lawyer in town.
Another wierd thing happened to me the other day. I was walking down the Rua Mayor when I made eye contact with this guy I was sure I knew, we walked past each other and looked back when we both realised we knew one another, it was Aaron from La Adrada (the little brother of a lad from the exchange and the waiter from el Korrigan) Small world.
Also feeling quite nostalgic, since I've come to Salamanca I have learnt, how to cook veal. More french swearwords than spanish ones. How to phone the gas company and order gas. How to tolerate. How to not go back to Pounds and work in Euros. How to have stupid conversations over and over and over again with people and not get bored. How to get frustrated. How to miss people. How to drink coffee. How to stomach a prawn. How to tolerate people I would never have before. How to miss my family.
Buenas noches, amigo
No te olvides ahora que te vas
Que tienes un amigo,
Difícil de llevar
Siempre de mal humor
Pero al fin y al cabo
Amigo....
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