marksabout

Time flies when you’re having fun… I’ve settled back into Barcelona, and have completed 3 weeks of Spanish school and am making irregular progress. It seems the more grammar I learn, the harder I find it to actually speak cos I don’t like to get it wrong. In the long run, such reluctance may prove fatal to my ambitions of bilingual bliss.

I have classes from 14:30 – 18:30 Monday to Friday. At first I had such lofty goals as going to the gym of a morning, a quick lay in the sun at the beach, a bit of study, etc… before heading off to school do some serious learning. Unfortunately, Spanish time doesn’t function this way, and when you’re having dinner at 10:00pm, bedtime is pushed back, and so is everything else. It’s not uncommon to be asked “what are you doing this afternoon?” at 9pm. What? It’s well and truly night! So I’m often waking up between 10am and midday. I’ve asked to change my classes to the morning to better use my day. The response was negative, but came with a smile: “sorry there’s no room in the morning class, it’s very difficult this week.” “Ok, how about next week?” smile and nod “no.” I got the impression that my teacher thought the matter finalised. Wrong. I’ll be asking daily until I can change… Squeaky wheel.

Semi related photo of me in class... Looking somewhat cheesy.

I’ve been augmenting my Spanish classes by meeting friends via the Conversation Exchange website. I’ve met some amazing people through this site, and also had some interesting experience. On one meeting, a fairly legitimate student of English/teacher of Spanish met me in the centre of town “do you want me to show you the beach?” “Sure, why not!?” We get there and he says to me “clothing is optional here.” I look at him. “You can get naked if you want.” I thought we were here to share our respective languages, not to risk uncomfortably located cancer… (I didn’t have sunscreen). “Everyone is the same down under.” Not the point! He didn’t understand the Australian reference, either. Others, have been equally as uncomfortable, but in a more usual way. Tip to anyone reading this who might soon find themselves sitting face to face with a fellow conversation exchanger: have some chewing gum with you, or avoid garlic the night before… Or get your halitosis treated.

It’s 6:00pm and I think it’s beach time… Ahhh Spain! More to come, more frequently.
Adios!