Trés Semanas en España - Three Weeks in Spain

Since my last posting I have been enjoying myself; exploring Nerja, meeting new people and learning espanol. Saturday night was the big Carnaval in town. It was a parade that seemed to go on forever (2 hours). I have never seen anything like it. The floats were really tacky but all the costumes were elaborate. They would our Halloween costumes to shame.

The next night was another parade and whoever wants to join in it was all right. The main feature of this parade was a huge paper mache fish and the people follow it through the streets of town where they end up at Calohonda Beach. At the beach they blow the darn thing up. Well, that was just about the craziest parade I ever saw. And it is an annual parade of all things. I didn´t go see the fish explode (ha ha) as I had my first day of school on Monday. I still don´t understand what the idea or big deal is about this fish. Only in Spain ..... I guess.

SUMO WRESTLERS

FANCY COSTUMES OR WHAT!

EVEN BABIES ARE INCLUDED
IN THE PARADES

Sunday I checked out of Hostal Miguel and said goodbye (just for now) to Ian, Jane and their daughter, Hannah and moved into my school apartmente on Calle Carretas. It is still in the centre of town, on a very narrow street (they´re all narrow) and it is very spanish looking from the outside. Each one has a window facing the street with a decorative wrought iron grate on it. Each apartamente has different coloured tiles to distinguish one from the next. Like back in Canada, we have different siding/paint on our homes, here they have decorative ceramic tiles. Kind of pretty. It feels freshly redecorated and comes furnished with everything I need. The kitchen has the cutest little front loading washing machine I ever saw. So I did my first load of laundry and ended up with totally wet clothes as I can´t read the direccions on the front. Needless to say I had to ring them out by hand and hock them down 3 blocks to a laundry service place, of course chuckling to myself the whole way.

My español classes started on Monday and it takes me all of 7 minutes to walk to Quorum School. I have Grammar 2 hours with Antonio, a 20 minute break, and then 2 hours of Conversation with Fransisco. The teachers are relaxed, patient, and very funny. I am in the Intense Beginner´s class so we are learning a lot in our 4 hours a day, but the time flies by. We have homework most nights which I go to the Balcon or a tapas bar or even an outdoor cafe to do each day.

There are only 2 other students in each of my classes, which is nice. I almost feel like it is a private class. Basel speaks 2 Iranian and German. He´s like me, moved to Nerja 2 weeks ago. Michael is a retired Englishman and has lived here for 7 years but has never had any español schooling. Juliet is also from Englad, moved here in November and she is in the process of opening an only women´s gym in Punta Lara which is about 10 minutes from Nerja. She and I hit it off right away. She is divorced has a son, 22 yrs. and a daughter Sarah´s age, 24 yrs. Basel and I went to her place this weekend and had a painting party. Her gym is beautiful and we had so much fun,,,, music blaring, mucho cervezas and a beautifully roasted chicken dinner. We were all pooped by the end of the evening, so we all vegged out in front of the tele (Juliet has the funniest English sayings) and watched a movie from India.

After classes Basel, Juliet and I often go to on tapas bar to practise our español with lots of laughs. Since we all have areas we struggle a bit with, we end up helping each other. So I mentioned to them, "we have to go out, look what we are all learning!" ahah Oh by the way, Juliet is a healing chick, which I think is rather cool.

The school has free Internet which I am very happy about since the 2nd week I was here, I dropped my laptop and buggared up the screen. Jason, my Nerja computer guysays he will have a look at it. But to meet up with him is hit and miss as he works out of the Blue Med pub at Burianna Beach. I will catch up with him one of these days.

Quorum has lots of activites we can sign up for to help us practise our español, but my brain feels overloaded right now with getting the practicallities of moving to a new country. I will join in soon though.

Today I put a deposit on an apartmente close to the town centre. I pretty excited about getting in to my new home, which will be March 1st. I looked at a few apartementes, but they were newer and sort of looked like ones back home. I really wanted something Spanish, which I found. It has the grated doors and window, tiles on the bottom half of the walls, whitewash above, rounded doorways, and tiled floor. It even has a few plants at the front entrance and I can add any plants I want to the back private patio. It is small but it is exactly what I was looking for. I feel so lucky because Lucy is allowed to come and live with her Momma again and I didn´t have to sign an 11 month lease which is how they usually do it in Spain.

I finally got the whole telefono scoop and so I bought a mobile (cell) and will do pay as I go. For me to call to Canada, I will use Telefonica stores. I called Sarah, we talked for 45 minutes and it only cost me 5 Euros. So I will pick away at my list and call some of you when I have time. Emailing only is good for so long and then I need to hear my family and friend´s voices. I will email you my mobile phone number, don´t want to post it on this blog. Just a reminder, I am 9 hours different to you all in BC and 7 hours different from SK, so my telephone "window" to call you is short as I can´t stay up half the night to have a chit chat, but if I do end up staying out late I will try to remember to ring some of you okie dokie.

I have met quite a few people in such a short time and feel so lucky: Kristy, Joe, Jason, Alex, Dave, John, two Andreas, Maggie, Sarah, Larry, Sean, Katy, Rick, Julian, Darryl and of course everyone at my school. One of the Andreas is getting married to Sarah´s Dad and I have been invited to her stagette, but here they say Hen Party. I am also invited to their wedding reception at DB´s pub. Jane and Hannah are going and would like me to go along. Might be fun hanging out with a bunch of gaggling women and listening to all sorts of accents. Making new friends is fun, but I really miss all you girlfriends back home. I am down to a "homesick cry only about once a week now." Reading your emails still get me chocked up though.

Things for me to figure out yet:
-ind the Donkey Sanctuary
-find a place tha serves good paella & sangria
-find the Tuesday market
-learn how to take the bus to the Caves
-learn how to use my mobile phone, as my girlfriends know, I was the only person in Chilliwack that did not have a cell phone ahah. But now that I do, geesh just one more thing to learn ahah. I even caught myself texting some of my new friends just for something to do, ugh ahah.

I found the International Club (a bunch of retired folks), but I have decided to join as it is only 15 Euros and that gives me access to their awesome library. I have spent a wee fortune on books in 2 two weeks already ahah. Nerja does not have a library Earla!!!

Funny thing . . . Whenever I am introduced to anyone, they say "This is Leigh-Ann from Canada." Makes me laugh inside everytime as it seems "From Canada" part is my last name. It´s never L-A, always L-A from Canada. Everyone I have met so far can tell I am from Canada right away with my soft accent (their words). Oh, by the way, the Spanish and UK folks love Canadians. They all ask me a lot of questions and have heard that Canada is suppose to be so beautiful. So I´m doing my Canadian part, and of course boasting about our great country. We all swap geography info which really interests me. Plus I write down all the places they suggest I visit if I ever go to their countries or town or even around Spain. Juliet has tiny rag-top sports car and she wants to take me a few places. And then there is Basal with his caravan and wants to take us to Seville, Granada and other places I can´t remember. We all agree as long as our homework is done, then laugh.

The tempertature has been hovering aroun 16 to 18 celcius during the day but gets rather chilly at night when the winds come up. But in 2 weeks I can already feel the days getting a tad longer.

The things I have noticed, learned, or enjoyed in Nerja so far:
-the streets are cleaned every single night, with a huge sweeping thingy
-there are a lot of cats roaming about and every 3rd person is walking a dog (not as cute as Lucy ahah). Kids and dogs are also allowed in most pubs. Odd for me, but will enjoy that when Lucy arrives.
-Everyone owns "an old lady" cart to pack their groceries home. I have always wanted one of those and now is my chance. I´ll fit right in.
-ATMs are exactly like home. Most places only take euros.
-there are loads of shoe and purse stores and I have had to hold myself back until I get moved into my place (less stuff to move then).
-the clothes shops have weird clothes, so it´ll be to Torrex (15 mins out of town) or to Malaga for anything I really need.
-folks here eat very late (9 or 10 pm). I have eaten out a couple of times, being the only person in the restaurante and think of Michel and chuckle.

I am starting to (almost) feel like one of the locals. When I go out I often come across people that I have previously met. And everyone stops for a chat and always asks how I am getting along (since I am all the way from Canada ahah). So people, I am feeling quite comfortable in my new town, but have a lot to learn, see, eat, and people to meet yet.

Well folks I better get going, off to finish my homework and then meet a few people for dinner to practice our español (again).
Adios for now,
Leigh-Ann