I think I'll be spending a lot of blog posts apologising over lack of blog posts!
Things have finally calmed down in terms of registering and having a timetable, although I almost wish they hadn't as now the real work begins! And boy do they know how to set work over here. In addition to the million and one hours you spend in class, try adding at least another 3 hours every night - and that's only if you're lucky. I bought a copy of El País almost a fortnight ago haven't got much past the first page. It sort of defeats the object of buying a newspaper if you're not going to get round to reading it until it's a collector's item!
Now, dear blogueros, you know me. I am certainly not afraid of hard work - if I was I wouldn't have gone to uni to read languages, or indeed any subject other than David Beckham Studies (yes it exists - http://www.toptenz.net/to-10-useless-college-classes-degrees.php ) But expecting us to read around 80 pages of philosophical Spanish arguments for the next day is a little extreme - especially as we're Erasmus students.
The only way to cope is with coffee and cola cao. Coffee here is amazing. It's not too weak, not too strong, and you drink it like you down a shot in a bar (or maybe that's just me to get me going on a morning...) Cola Cao is the Spanish version of Nesquick, but it's sooooooo good. My case will be full of the stuff when I come home because it's lush! However, boiling milk in a pan is a bit of a faff, and for this reason I would very much like a proper espresso machine for my final year at uni, as then steamed milk will be at my fingertips (as will coffee, which is probably more important. Darn this European lifestyle for getting me hooked on the stuff!).
The Year Abroad insanity is quite possibly taking hold, however. I purchased some cheddar cheese from Corte Ingles (like Debenhams but with a supermarket on the top floor) but at 3E for 200g I can't afford that habit! So my solution, to make my cheddar last, is not to chop it with a knife, but use my potato peeler to get extra-fine slices. Is this extreme? Not in the slightest. You get a perfect slice every time, and your cheese lasts forever. And I don't have a cheese grater.
Also, me and Suzy are craving gravy. I'm sure most of you know that gravy is essential to life for notherners, and you can't get it here. There's stock, but to be quite honest you may as well grind salt into your dinner - the stock here's terrible! But today, in the cafeteria, there was beef and chips and... GRAVYYYY!!! Well, some Spanish equivalent. The point is, it was wonderful. Me and Suzy demolished it, then went the whole hog and mopped up the gravy with bread. Then Suzy turns to me and says 'I never dip bread in gravy at home'. And I look at her and say 'no, neither do I.' So SOMEHOW, we've become more English. Impressive.
Anyway, back to it I think. I need to type up some notes before I forget what the heck it all means in my crazy Spanglish. A dictaphone is hopefully on the cards to make it all that bit easier. I could listen my lectures in my sleep then (see what I mean about insanity???) Much love to all xxx
It depends on how big your Corte Ingles is but there should be gravy there, they tend to do all the imports. If not there was a Carrefour in Valencia so I bet you have one somewhere too and they tend to have a section of just imported stuff, that's where I've got my gravy from here :)
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