General Life Update or Why I Stopped Writing this Blog and Wrote a Dissertation Instead!

So, we meet again.  Long time since I've written here...and I sort of left in the middle of things.  If I get some time I will finish the series on being an au-pair as it was a wonderful experience and I want to re-visit it and remember.

Day to day life plods on the same.  A lot of studying and essay writing was undertaken, and my dissertation was handed in in December after a lot of hard work!

Finally, it was done!  

However, time is most definitely of the essence.  I have just finished my last ever semester as an undergraduate at the University of Glasgow.  Five exams, starting at the end of April and lasting until the 17th May, a Grad Ball (which took up a bit of time as I was helping to organize it) on the 26th May and then *dun dun dun* Graduation on 26th June!
 

Then I say goodbye to it all...very strange feeling as I know I want to travel, I don't want to settle down and start a career without properly thinking about it and 'tengo muchas ganas' about seeing the world, but...and here's the rub...I don't want to disappear and lose my life again.        

Since returning home at the end of my year abroad, I have found new friends and rekindled old friendships which were affected by my previous journey.  I know how hard it is to keep in contact with people when you don't see them regularly due to being across the sea, and how easy it is to just move on.  The thing is I don't want to take the easy option.  I want and need these people in my life, not as part of the background but as friends whom I see and talk to regularly.

My last ever music club concert with the GUBB - I'm 2nd (or 4th) smallest

Hispanic Panic! with some of my best friends who all happen to be students of Spanish!

Selfie time!  

On the other hand, I know that my future, at least in the short-term cannot be here.  I have already applied to go back to Spain as a language assistant, hoping and wishing that I get placed in Barcelona in order to improve my catalan alongside my castilian.  I feel more at ease using Spanish as my everyday tongue and part of my resolutions for this year was that my 'Spanish persona' - a more confident, fiery and extroverted form of my personality - could translate over into my Scottish self.  I'm still very much an introvert (although technically I fall on the scale as an introverted ambivert) and find social situations daunting, the ball of anxiety knotting in my stomach, but I can see the difference, and others have commented on it, since coming home.

Another pic of the Big Band!  Look at Team Trumpet in the back!  

 

I think this has gotten a bit rambly...so perhaps it is time to wrap it up.  The future is a very big, scary, daunting place which I'm heading to on a daily basis.  Change is inevitable as I attempt to figure out the next step.  The next trip I take is actually going to be closer to home as I'm off to Leeds on Saturday to meet my imaginary friends for the first time and then I'm still trying to plan a jaunt to see my sister who is on ERASMUS in Maastricht, Netherlands.  Summer is rapidly approaching and my vague plans are to go to France for 6 weeks whilst studying a language course in order to have the requisite time to apply for teacher training.  And then, well, hopefully it'll be on yet another plane destined for my adopted homeland - *fingers crossed* for somewhere in Catalonia!  Preferably near a Ryanair airport so people can come visit!        


       

Year Abroad: Semana Santa Part 6 – The day I played in two processions

After the excitement of the bullfight, and it was exciting or at least it filled me with adrenaline and nervous energy, it was time to start gearing up for what would round off my Semana Santa experience – Easter Sunday marching with the band.

When I first found out that I was going to be able to play in a real life Semana Santa procession I was bouncing off of the walls.  To me these are one of the truly unique Spanish traditions – lo Español -, at least to the extent that they go to.  And to take part in one in my town which is relatively devoid of foreigners was just amazing. 

The night before we found the correct church…in fact it was third time lucky…just goes to show you how many churches there are in such a small area.  So we knew where we were going.  My mums job was to take my picture as I marched so that I had a keep-sake of my once in a lifetime experience.  I found the area where my band were getting ready and got my music folder.  They were all asking me about how I enjoyed the bullfight and what I thought of it and I was interested to hear their opinions as well since this is an accepted tradition in their culture.  My answer was in the middle, so that I didn’t come across as hating what seems to be an integral part of their culture but also that I didn’t come across as advocating it.   One of the girls who is about my age said that she hated bullfights and how could anyone enjoy a feria of death.  This was the strongest opinion I had heard from a Spaniard, although one of my friends Reyes also really does not like bullfighting, but we haven’t really spoken about it much.  Then one of the old guys (I’m friends with all the really old men in this band whose names I don’t remember since they are the ones who talk to me) started telling me and some of the kids that after the bull dies they butcher it and eat it.  I’m still sure that he was making fun of us.

The hermanadad leaving the church

Martin, our conductor.  One of my favourite people in Baeza.

Marching

On Calle San Pablo in the centre of Baeza

Finding the next piece of music.

Me playing with the band

 

We were at the tail end of the procession as the drum and coronet band were at the front.  We waited until they had gotten far enough ahead of us and then we started.  This was the first time I’d ever had to march in time, play my trumpet and keep my eyes on the streets just in case there were holes (the only time I had walked and played had been the day before at the bullring).  It was hilarious trying to match my stride to the two guys next to me because there was a small 11 year old on one side and a giant 20 something on the other…our strides do not naturally match up.  The next challenge came whenever we had to change music because since we didn’t have a set list we had to try and hear Martin shouting the names.  I’m proud to say that there was only one piece that I couldn’t find in time to play it. 

We marched for a total of three hours with plenty of breaks in between, standing waiting on the streets as the people watched the slow procession.  By the time we got to the park we were all hot and a little bit fed up.  When one of the old men leaned over to get a drink out of the fountain, another turned it all the way up and soaked him.  Luckily he took it in good humour and we all had a good laugh as Antonio had to walk the rest of the way a bit damp. 

Being that Baeza is such a small community, it was no surprise that some of my kids would be in the crowd.  It was however a surprise for them to see me playing.  When I went into school on the Tuesday they were all really excited that they’d seen me and one little boy went into a huff because he’d missed it.  That was adorable. 

My uniform without the jacket.

After the march I went and sat in the centre of Baeza with my mammy.  I was exhausted but far too hyper to even consider sleeping.  And anyways I had to do the whole thing again in just a few hours. 

The second procession was El Nino.  It involved both a trono carried by adults but also a special one carried by really young children.  The music we played was much more upbeat and it had more of a party atmosphere to it.  This was shown when the trono carrying Mary began to dance…well sway from side to side and bob up and down.  People on the balconies threw rose petals and flowers onto it. 

And then it was all over.  I had taken part in, and completed, another once in a lifetime event.  That made two over the course of two days.  I loved being able to take part in such a Spanish tradition along with my band.  And I definitely enjoyed the marching much more than the bullfight.  This was definitely a highlight of my year.  Made so much more special by the fact that my mum was there to see it…it meant that it definitely wasn’t a dream.  

Year Abroad: Highlights of the week: 31st March to 6th April

       This week’s “highlights” is the short version of the following posts.  Just my favourite parts of each day.

Saturday 31^st – Off to Madrid.  Spent ages wandering around.  Went to the Botanic Gardens.  Visited the Reina Sofia to see Guernica. 

Sunday 1^st – Sat in La Puerta del Sol eating a pastry in the morning sun.  Visited an Ancient Egyptian Temple.  Sat outside the palace for a while people watching.  Saw a little lost boy get reunited with his daddy.  Visited the Naval Museum.  Chilled out with ice cream in the Retiro park.  Went to the airport to collect the mother (although technically that was Monday morning).

Monday 2^nd – Off to Toledo for the day.  Visited the Military museum in the Alcazar.  Took the tourist train which told lots of weird stories about Toledo.  My favourite was the vengeful father who after the King raped his daughter and refused to marry her, opened the gates and let in the marauding Moors…as you do.  Back to Madrid. 

Tuesday 3^rd – Got out of the disgusting hostal.  Headed to Salamanca.  The hostal there was lovely.  The owner spent ages telling us in detail how to find our way around the city, what each of the monuments were and where we should eat.  Walked around the city.  Took the tourist train to see everything.  Lovely menu del dia.  And we saw Andy Parsons from Mock the Week in the street.

Wednesday 4^th – Wandered some more around Salamanca.  Then we headed back to Madrid.  We had a good dinner and then were lucky enough to catch a procession in the Puerta del Sol before the rain came on again.  Headed to the hostal to sleep.

Thursday 5^th – Went to the NASA exhibition.  Spent like four hours there.  Then we went to the Palacio Real which was pretty impressive.  We used our new guidebook, which someone helpfully left on the tourist train in Toledo, to give us more info.  Nice dinner in a random bar somewhere off of the Puerta del Sol.

Friday 6^th – Not much to be done.  We checked out and lugged the suitcases down the four flights of stairs.  Then headed to the bus station and spent the time on the bus watching The Big Bang Theory and Britain’s Got Talent.  When we got back to Baeza we were in time to see one of the processions.  My band’s procession was cancelled due to the torrential rain…whoever said Spain was a warm, sunny country was sadly mistaken this past month.

Year Abroad: Semana Santa Trip Part 1 – Madrid and waiting for the mother to arrive

            A week off work for Easter holidays, and since my mum is a teacher in a country where they get two weeks off she decided that it was about time she got to go to Spain for Semana Santa (Holy Week).

            Semana Santa is a huge deal here in Spain.  As it is a Catholic country and Easter is the basis of the Catholic faith lots of traditions have been passed through the generations here but the most visible has to be the processions and the hooded people who march as penance, but more of that later on in the week.

           

            We had a rough plan of action for the week.  I would go up to Madrid on the Saturday, she would arrive late Sunday night, Toledo on the Monday, Salamanca on the Tuesday and Wednesday, back to Madrid Wednesday night and back to Baeza on the Friday afternoon. 

            So on the Saturday morning I set off for Madrid and a day and a half of sightseeing by myself.  I arrived into Madrid around half past one and went straight to my hostal, which was very conveniently located just off of Calle Atocha – right next to the Retiro park, the art museums and only a ten minute walk from the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol.  I set off for a walk in search of food.  After a long while of tramping around the city to no avail…I feel extremely awkward eating somewhere proper by myself…I had to give up and head to McDonalds. 

            During my walk I ended up at the palace.  It was lovely in the overcast light and there was a violinist playing.  It was so peaceful and perfect that I wanted to freeze that moment forever. 

Palacio Real in Madrid

            After my lunch I was still swithering about what I wanted to go see.  Being a student, with student ID, and armed with a Young Scot card – yes this thing actually counts for something here – means that a lot of things are either reduced or free and on weekends in Madrid there are free hours for most of the museums as well.  I walked up to the tourist info to grab a map and to see where I was going to go. 

As it was a lovely day I decided to go to the Botanic Gardens and not to waste the good weather.  The entry was reduced with my student card and I took some of my hayfever medicine and was good to go.  I spent a couple of hours wandering around the different plants and trees, recognising some, and all the time being thankful that they weren’t all olives.  I’m sick of the sight of olive groves now.  They are too similar to each other and the uniformed lines mean that whilst it is nature, it isn’t natural. 

Little ducks

Brocolli plant!!

One of my favourite "false friends"

Tree of Love proves that its on the inside that counts

Tulips

Me at the Botanic Gardens

After the Botanic Gardens I went to the Reina Sofia to see the one painting that I wanted to see in Madrid – Picasso’s Guernica.  Picasso painted this inspired by the aftermath of the bombing of Guernica, in the Basque country, in 1937.  Franco essentially gave the German and Italian forces the town to do some target practice because the Basques have always been outspoken and separatist from Spain.  The bombing happened on market day when the streets were lined with civilians and none of the areas bombed were of strategic importance.  They just wanted maximum casualties to crush their spirit.  The painting occupies its own room, with the rooms around it giving more insight into Picasso and the Civil War. 

I decided that since I was alone in Madrid that I wasn’t going to go to a bar etc. so I may as well find some food and then head for my hostal.  There was a random little bar on calle Atocha that had a 7 euro menu del dia, and it didn’t look terribly busy or creepy, so I went in (after walking past it several times).  The bartenders gave me strange looks but the food was good and cheap.  I headed back to the hostal, skyped home and called it a night.

The next morning I woke up pretty early, probably in anticipation and couldn’t really force myself to stay in bed.  So I got up and headed to La Mallorquina bakery just off La Puerta del Sol, bought a pastry and sat in the square in the beautiful morning sunshine.  

Pastries from La Mallorquina, best enjoyed in the Puerta del Sol

The bakery is very old but even for being in such a tourist area the prices aren’t dear at all.  I took advantage of the sun to go on a little walking adventure around Madrid, getting lost a few times, having to re-climb massive hills before deciding to head to the Egyptian temple that is in Madrid – Templo de Debod – in the Parque Oeste, up past the palace. 

This Egyptian temple was brought to Spain in 1968 because the site where it had stood through the ages was being turned into a dam and Egypt sold off or donated the temples that were going to be destroyed because of it.  The temple is pretty small but there is enough information available in various languages to make it worthwhile…also it is free.  One of the remarkable things is that when they dismantled the temple they didn’t number the stones so when they arrived in Madrid the re-construction was like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Hieroglyphics 

The Arches...or a time machine?

Me at the Temple

If this is a time machine..is the old lady really me?

Now it was just after 2pm and most of the museums were shutting.  I ate some lunch and then looked through my options.  I opted for the Naval museum because Spain, like the UK, was once a power in the waters.  Spanish Armada was something to be feared…

The museum would have been better if the information sheets were all in their correct boxes.  But the collection of model ships, treasures from the New World and from the Far East, the Muslim weapons and the modern technology were fascinating. 

Ceramics from the Far East

Moorish weaponry.  They do not like it up them sir

Gibraltar...

The Spanish Armada is alive and well

Another time machine?

Once I was done here I took full advantage of the sun, bought an ice cream and went and sat under a tree in the Retiro.  Very peaceful.  And there I waited until it was time to head back to the hostal, collect my stuff and head into the airport. 

I was of course early getting to the airport, even though I made myself wait, not hurry and make sure I had everything sorted for out train the next day.  And then of course my mum’s flight was delayed.  By an hour.  Bloody BA…but eventually, after hours of waiting she arrived.  We caught a taxi to the hotel and crashed. 

We got up early and then prepared ourselves to get back to the city centre, check into the new hostal and then head to Toledo.                

Year Abroad: Highlights of the week 24th - 30th March

Saturday 24^th – Didn’t do much during the daytime as I was still exhausted.  Was playing a short concert in the evening and had arranged to meet up with Jenna afterwards.

The concert went well.  It was another pre-Semana Santa concert but we were playing after a group of dignitaries had “opened” the event.  In true dignitary fashion they ran nearly an hour late so we all had to be prepared but we ended up with an hour and nothing to do.  Spoke to a few people but it is hard to break into these established groups unless they actually want to include you.  

Jenna and I decided to go bar-hopping.  I left my stuff in here flat and then we headed out.  First stop Da Vinci’s, tinto de verano and tuna tortilla, as well as some good chat.  Then Los Arcos.  Then we went to one up near my house, I don’t know the name of it but we have been intrigued by its “venta hielo” sign for a while. 

Then we decided to go to Charleston, because frankly time is running out and we hadn’t been there before.  We knew that we could run into our pupils there as the entrance ages in “over 16” but we had both been told that it was a good mix of our age and older as well.  Well we got there, and then Jenna spots some of her gym friends, who had all been at a wedding in the afternoon and the bride (still in her wedding dress) and groom had decided to go clubbing afterwards.  Then we bumped into one of the bar tenders from Budladero whom Jenna knows well and he gave us a sort-of backstage tour of Charleston and told us all about the business.  

The owner of Charleston has come up with a good idea as he allows “Bottellon” to happen in the upstairs part but he charges them more money.  Bottellon is essentially a “carry out”.  But it is slightly more socially acceptable.  They acknowledge that the under age kids will be drinking but they are safer than if they were just on the streets.  

All in all a good night, and if Jenna is around another Saturday night then we are planning on going back.

Sunday 25^th – With the hour change I didn’t get home until just after 4.30 and Jenna hadn’t left until after half 5.  I had left my stuff at her house so in the afternoon she brought my stuff up and we decided to go for a walk around the mirador, grab a roll and sit in the sunshine for a while.  Then we went and got coffee and afterwards I went back to sit in the sunshine.  I have a slight tan line where my fringe was and where my sunglasses were. 

Monday 26^th – I started to feel unwell so I spent most of the day in bed hoping that I’d get over it quickly…

Tuesday 27^th – Lost my voice.  Partly.  Went to school and was all croaky and crackly.  Then my kindle screen broke…wasn’t a great day.

Wednesday 28^th – Had to take the day off of work because a) I had no voice at all and all my classes involved me reading aloud as well as a dictation exercise and b) I had no energy and just felt faint.   

Had to phone Kindle customer services, even though I had no voice, barely a whisper, who are sending a new, free Kindle direct to my house as its still under warranty.  And unless it turns out that it was human damage then I don’t have to pay.

I was this penguin all week.

Thursday 29^th – Went back into school because a Thursday means two meetings and then my 5^th year class, a lot less speaking on my part.  Meeting in the morning was cancelled so I went in at break, ate my media con tomate (seriously best elevenses ever) and then my afternoon was also cancelled.   

Because the holidays are coming up the kids are disappearing and not turning up, which was welcome today because I would have been useless.

Tapas was good.  Left early-ish because I still felt pretty sick.  My chest feels tight, my throat definitely has an inflammation or a lump in it and I’m a bit wheezy.  My voice also just doesn’t exist right now.  Very odd.

Friday 30^th – Had to go into school even though we all knew there were going to be no children.  The atmosphere was good though as all the teachers were looking forward to their week off.  The guy with the amazing laugh nearly deafened me laughing at joke I didn’t understand.  His laugh is infectious though.  

Spent the afternoon cleaning and organising my stuff for the adventures.  Off to Madrid early in the morning and then when my mum comes we will be travelling to Toledo, Salamanca and maybe either Segovia or Avila.  

Well that’s all folks…stay tuned

Days until I finish at Santisima - 63

Year abroad: Highlights of the week 10th - 16th March

Saturday 10^th – Went to La Puerta de Segura for Matt’s birthday.  Presented him with a can of Irn-Bru, and explained what was meant by a fizzy drink/ginger.  Later on we went to a nearby town where there was supposed to be a good discoteca, epic fail.  We ended up paying for a taxi back and then sitting in a pub watching basketball and eating pipas.

La Puerta de Segura

The boys decided to go exploring...

We were so glad to be going down this hill instead of up

The police station.  

Sunday 11^th – Still in La Puerta.  La Puerta is a tiny wee town with around 2500 people living there.  It is literally one street.  We went to a café near Matt’s school for breakfast, then for a walk above the town.  The town is really pretty. 

Monday 12^th – Had a long lie.  Sunbathed a little.  Weather is now really lovely and warm (for me…).  Made fajitas.

Tuesday 13^th – School was good.  Classes seemed to enjoy the activities – crosswords, fill in the blanks etc. that I’d made.   

Got positive feedback from one of the teachers whom I work with saying how the kids all really liked me and that I was doing a good job.

Band like usual.  Found out that we had a concert on the Saturday to warm up for Semana Santa.  I’d only seen two or three of the pieces ONE time before.  Got Martin to photocopy them for me so that I could practice before the concert.  They were all processional marches.

Wednesday 14^th – Got some positive feedback about how I was doing in the art classes.    

Thursday  15^th – We did a class about homosexuality and famous lgb people in general.  Had to resist the urge to sing and dance along to the Beatles (Across the Universe uses I Wanna Hold Your Hand to show a lesbian teenager) and Queen (FREDDIE).  One of the more conservative boys was very shocked when he realised that the girl was singing to another girl and not to the quarterbacks. 

Got a text around 5 from Leah saying that she was out tapasing with some tecahers and people from Ubeda and would I like to join her since there was a man who had lived in Scotland for over thirty years.  Off I went and spent a few hours talking with a Spanish man who has a broader accent than me.  We talked about everything from The Big Yin to how he has met Sean Connery three times.  He works as a tour guide based in Edinburgh during the summer and works in Ubeda the rest of the year .

Tapas as always in Pedritos. 

Friday  16^th – Emotional times in the staff room.  More positive feedback.  I still don’t want to leave!  Just make the next few months a bit longer please, although I know they will fly in…L

Me and Geni...

 

Tapas with some of the teachers/my friends…Reyes, Geni, Paco, Gonzalo, Mercedes and Jenna.  We tried the tapas especial of El Trillo.  It was foie gras, some weird apple, potato and meat thing and coleslaw…a bit weird.  After this we went to a coffee shop and they drank coffee and we all ate some cake. 

Rehearsal in the teatro.  Nearly two hours without a break.  These pieces are big blowers and I was already so exhausted.  Was sort-of fun in a masochistic way, especially when Martin lost his temper at the trombones and we had to keep playing the same passage over and over.  

Then I met up with some friends in Torreon.  Had a drink there and then went to La Pena.  Poor Gonzalo got stuck with some guy who wouldn’t stop talking – habló por los codos.

So all in all another good week.  Roll on many more.

Days until I finish at Santisima - 76