Help!! Tutor required

Ever had the feeling of just hanging on by your fingertips? I guess it happens to all of us from time to time, for lots of different reasons and in different situations. For those of you who have been following my journey in learning Spanish, you will know that I've had a couple of moments where my brain appeared to have shut down and just refused to take in any more information.

As a consequence of my last episode of "brain freeze" (not to be confused with what happens when you drink a very cold drink too fast), I decided to change my course and take a couple of weeks of individual lessons to reinforce what I knew and give my brain time to relax. This appeared to be an excellent strategy as all seemed well enough that 2 weeks ago, I returned to group classes at the advanced level and while I'd had a couple of moments of being confused, generally I've managed by reviewing the day's lesson and doing some independent reading / research on the topic,. I've then been able to go to class the next day with some level of confidence. So this week, I was feeling fairly upbeat and ready for whatever the teachers might torture us with. This week also saw some new classmates, all of whom are very friendly and collectively, we were all progressing. Obviously, different people have different strengths but overall, we were keeping pace with each other.

However ........... I think I'm back to being the Tortoise!!

For me, once again, the wheels seem to have fallen off the wagon and I'm finding myself increasingly confused by the technical terminology, the apparent expectation that we will understand quickly and finding I don't recall information that was studied the day before or I can recall the day before, but not what we learnt last week. There is some pressure to remember all the "expressions" of the language to gain greater mastery and fluency as well and I find that increasingly difficult with a brain that appears to be full once again. There's just too much information going in, too quickly. It's very deflating to one's ego and confidence, I must say, as well as somewhat frustrating.

I think for me, the problem is that I've not been able to assimilate all the new grammar and usage quickly enough so that each new piece, just adds to the overall confusion. When I slow things down and go back over earlier work, I find I can get it right most of the time, but I take time to do this and the group classes cover 2 new units of grammar each week. I believe they are all supposed to build upon each other like leggo blocks, but I feel like I'm working with a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing. I'm truly beginning to believe I've reached saturation point  and my limit of what I can learn and understand at this point in time and, to learn more will just become more and more difficult until ...... (?)


So, not sure what is the best solution this time, but I'm becoming increasingly resistant to new grammar and more and more reluctant to engage in the class activities due to my level of confusion. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get time to speak to the teacher with my full class schedule (7 hours per day) and their need to get to other classes immediately after ours finishes. I still have 17 days of classes left and I really doubt I can manage to keep up the pace. Looks like another visit to the Head of Studies in on the cards.  L 


 

Another side to Granada

After 4 weeks exploring Granada, it would seem improbable that there are still yet more places to find. However, that happens to be the case. Today, I set off without my map and just wandered around, taking a chance on what I might find. I found some new plazas with cute little bars and restaurants, bookshops (don't worry, on Sunday they are closed), and after climbing another hill near the Alhambra, I found my way to the Carmen de Los Martires (Garden of the Martyrs). Not only is it a beautiful park, with lots of trees, walking paths and different water features, including a small aqueduct, it is high enough to have a wonderful view of the city and the surrounding mountains. You can also see the Alhambra from the top.

And, Granada is just as wonderful by night as well. See pictures below.

Granada by night

Granada by night

View of Granada from Carmen de los Martires

Grotto, Carmen de los Marties

View of Mountains near Granada from
Carmen de Los Martires

These guys had the right idea for a hot day - off for a swim!

Half way through and surviving!

Another week has gone by and I'm not sure whether to be relieved or sad that I'm half way through my time in Granada.I've managed to fit a lot into the past 4 weeks - 2 tapas tours, visits to the mountains, monuments, twice to the Alhambra etc. etc. I've enjoyed exploring Granada and having surprising conversations with random people.

This week also marks my first full week back in group classes at B2 level. I admit I wasn't sure I was going to make it and was seriously considering having a further chat to the Head of Studies about whether I should change the rest of my course. Wednesday was probably my worst day but today, was finally a day I could say I was happy with. I got most of my homework exercises correct (more good guesswork I suspect) but in class today, we covered the same material again and I was able to answer "off the cuff" as it were so maybe, finally, something is sinking in. I seemed to have less trouble today than the other students in my class who all vented their confusion and frustration in small ways. I think we all were happy to see the end of the week though.

Well, there's only 4 more weeks to go and I'm off to London for 4 days and then a few days to get ready for the biggest physical and mental challenge of my life - walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostella for 6-7 weeks from St Jean Pied-du-port in southern France to Santiago de Compostella in north west Spain. As the walk is approx. 800kms long, that means about 25 kms every day, over mountains, flat plains and the "bathtub" of Spain (Galicia) which is bit like Ireland I'm told, constant rain and storms, likely to be foggy and cold and very, very green. I'm looking forward to this part of my trip as a bit of a "sabbatical" from life. Time to slow down and just live in the moment. It will be an interesting part of the trip, I'm sure.

For anyone who has been watching the news this week, Spain had a terrible train accident just outside Santiago de Compostella where at least 78 people have died and 35 are still critical in hospital. It seems that the train was travelling too fast and didn't manage a curve in the tracks and derailed. It's the worst train accident in Spain for over 40 years according to the local press and had hit people very hard, especially in the current climate of high unemployment (officially 26.2% as of yesterday), government corruptions and royal scandals and uncertainty about the future. It's certainly been a week of grief for many people. This tragedy has had almost blanket coverage on the news for the past 2 days and a major topic of conversation at school as well.

Next week sees me increase my contact hours at school yet again (I really do like punishing myself) to include 2 hours per day of conversation classes. That means I'm back to 35 hours per week of lessons, usually 1 hour per day of homework and somewhere in there, I like to eat. I won't be having a lot of time to visit too much more of Granada and surrounds before I leave, except for weekends so I'm trying to make the most of each opportunity. I'm hoping to finalise a trip to Cordoba for next weekend and maybe I will fit in Seville as well.

Granada and her monuments

Granada is the in autonomous community (think province) of Andalucía. Andalucía is one of those places that conjures visions of those things that extranjeros (foreigners) often think of as quintessentially Spanish - dancing Arab horses, Flamenco, Gypsies, bull fighting, olive groves, dry deserts, and sun, lots of sun.  Let's not forget the Moorish architecture and influence as well For anybody with a passing knowledge of history, you probably also know Granada place in the "Reconquista" of Spain, when the Catholic Monarchs finally united the whole peninsula under one rule and expelled the Moors (Arabs) etc. Granada was the last Moorish kingdom to fall.

So, whilst most people probably think of Granada as having a strong Moorish flavour (and they wouldn't be wrong), there is a strong presence of medieval and renaissance architecture and monuments as well. Due to the Jewish population, there is some surviving elements of this culture as well. So, along with the wonders of the Alhamba, there are massive churches and monasteries, Arab baths and winding, narrow streets of the Albaicin and the secrets of Sacromonte with its lively Gypsy population and of course, Flamenco.
Getting lost in the streets of the different areas is the best way to find amazing sites and history, and as often as not, very interesting people.

Below are some of my favourite places.

Cloister of Abadia (Abbey) of Sacromone, Granada

Roadside Cross, Sacromonte, Granada

View of Granada & the Alhambra from Sacromonte

Laverado (place to wash clothes) in
Albaicin (Arab Quarter), Granada

Corral de Carbon, with Arab style entrance,
Granada

Fountain, Paseo de Los Tristes, Granada

Retable of Monasterio de San Jeronimo,
Granada

Typical street, Albaicin (Arab Quarter),
Granada

Arab decoration,
The Madraza, Granada

Inside the Madraza, Granada

Windows inside the Madraza, Granada

Alpujarra

In a previous blog, I mentioned I had taken a tour to the mountains close to Granada. Fabulous day. How to put into words such a wonderful experience? Picture if you will, a typical mountain road, full of twists and turns, steep sections, and range after range of new sights to see. Along the way, there was a lot of farmland and pretty little "pueblos blancos" (white villages). This area evokes a time long ago and maintains its character and charm in little ways. Each village has it's hidden secrets and with the spectacular mountains of the Sierra Nevada range as a backdrop, it is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

This particular area, known as Alpujarra, is quite special and apart from the lovely little villages to explore, it has walking trails for serious hiking, great food, crafts and very friendly people. In winter, it is a major ski area and very busy. It is also home to many Secaderos (place where whole legs or shoulders of ham are dried in the cold mountain air), using techniques that have been the same for hundreds of years. The ham here is extremely good. In this area there are also lots of citrus groves which is a little surprising as it is quite hot in the lower altitudes and apparently isn't a usual climate for growing citrus, principally lemons and oranges. Hence a somewhat different technique was required. In this part of Andalucía, they plant olive trees and citrus trees side by side. Olive trees are very durable and cope with the high sun rate and heat, at the same time, protect and shade the citrus trees. This technique is apparently very successful. Cherries are also grown in this area and I can vouch for the taste and quality of the local produce, having tried them all many times!

The other claim to fame here is the local mineral water that you can buy bottled all over Spain. There are several different mineral springs and a very large health spa type place where people come to "take the waters" for their health. Apparently it is a very popular holiday destination for "Los Mayores" (people over 50-60 years). The town of Lanjaron has many fountains, all with pure mineral water which is very cold, coming directly from the mountains nearby. Very refreshing on a warm day.

This area also has a wealth of artisans and crafts as well. It was very tempting to buy something, but my luggage just can't fit anymore in!



Mountain town on the way up the mountains.



Water fountain in Lanjaron, Alpujarra

Typical street with flowers in Lanjaron, Alpujarra

Religious picture on outside of house.
Most of these are from just after the Re-conquest
when the Arabs or others who converted to Christianity
so they could stay in Spain had to prove their devotion.

Secadoro, Trevelez, Alpujarra

Sampling the local produce, Trevelez, Alpujarra
(with wine, of course!)

Fuente Agria, Portugos, Alpujarra.
The rocks are stained red due to the high iron
content in the water.

View of Pampaneira and the surrounding mountains.
In the distance is the 2nd highest peak, The Velera.

Typical street in Pampaneira. No driving here!
The central channel is to control water from storms etc

Local crafts on display, Pampaneira

Weaving workshop, Pampaneira.

Typical white house, Pampaneira

The jigsaw puzzle keeps changing!

One of my favourite puzzles, after crosswords, is jigsaw puzzles. I remember very fondly most Christmases when I was growing up, that we had a large puzzle out and everybody would take turns trying to put a few new pieces in, (whenever they felt like it) until the picture was completed and we were very proud of ourselves. I think my Dad had the most patience and usually claimed the last piece as his.(I maintain he used to hide one piece so he was always the one to complete it). I still enjoy jigsaws immensely when I have the time and space to pull one out and leave it set up for a week or so, I do one with great glee. At least now that I live by myself, I can finish them on my own and have the satisfaction for placing the last piece. (Don't worry Dad, I still enjoying doing them with you as well!)

Often, in the completion of a puzzle, a section that we thought was completed would have a piece or several pieces placed incorrectly but you couldn't tell until more of the other pieces fitted together, or occasionally, a piece fell to the floor and was forgotten. Frequently, there would be one piece that would suddenly make the rest fit together.

 Well, I've discovered a new metaphor for learning a foreign language. Learning Spanish has become a bit like having a 3000+ piece jigsaw puzzle to complete. You start of sorting out the edges and general frame of the language (rules etc), then start to construct the picture (specific verb tenses, vocabulary etc). However, every time I feel I've finally put the pieces in place, I learn something new and the picture changes! I'm beginning to feel like there are imps at work in my brain trying to trick me or hiding pieces so I can't finish the section I'm working on. Some days, this is frustrating, others illuminating and very satisfying. Today, I feel like I have to pull a large section apart and reconstruct it. What a drag! However, just as in doing a jigsaw and having to deconstruct parts to finally finish the whole, it is worth the pain.

I keep telling myself, take a deep breath, one step at a time (oh and make sure you get enough sleep). Perhaps its the lack of Vegemite that is causing the problem!

Estoy enamorado

For those of you who don't understand Spanish, the title of today's blog in Spanish means - I am in love. Yes, the news many of you have predicted and teased me about  has finally occurred. However, a word of warning - it's probably not quite what you may be expecting. 

You see, I've fallen completely and helplessly in love with Granada, the city, the area, the people and the food. The lifestyle here (at least in summer), is one that I feel very at home in and as it is a relatively small city, most of it can be visited on foot, my favourite method of travel (after all, I have to live up to my last name, don't I?). I've obviously used  the Spanish phrase a bit tongue in cheek as in Spanish this only refers to falling in love with a person. I should have said "me encanta" to be correct in Spanish, but this just doesn't have the same force of feeling as "estoy enamorado" .

When I first decided to come to Spain, one of the "must see" places for me was Granada, mainly for it's history. Incidentally, Granada in Spanish means "pomegranate".  Pomegranates are a very well used symbol of the city and there are hundreds of trees planted all over the city in public places. They are fruiting at the moment so will be ready for eating in September I'm told. So far, Granada has lived up to all my expectations and I am loving it here.

What's so wonderful you might ask? Well, as a person who can take or leave the beach, but feels very energised and happy when near mountains, rivers and nature, I get all in one package here. The beach is 20 kms south, the mountains of the Sierra Nevada are very close as well. These mountains include Spain's highest mainland peak and the region has lots of lovely little "white" towns to explore. There are two rivers running through Granada, both have parks and walks along them that I find delightful to visit on a regular, almost daily, basis. Combine this with the history of the place which combines 3 different cultures at one time as well as major historical events, lots and lots of monuments and museums etc, what's not to like?

The people have a reputation of being a bit sour, but I haven't found that at all. The food here is fantastic. Add in my other obsession and life is almost ideal. In Granada, apparently due to the Arab influence, there are many tea shops!!! I have been enjoying really good quality tea on a daily basis. Pity I probably can't bring any home with me due to customs restrictions. The only thing missing is a dog (oh, and vegemite).


 .

Meet the locals

Whilst exploring Granada's many interesting corners, one can discover all manner of unusual places and sights. I thought I'd introduce you to some of the "locals" I encountered during my forays of cultural tourism. You just never know when somebody interesting will pop up.

I've called this fellow "Moustache 1".
Very serious looking don't you think? 

Moustache 2 - looks like he could be a bit grumpy?

This chap looks very regal, but seems to me to be from out of town.
South America perhaps?

This chap was hanging around a monastery.
Seems he might have gotten a fright?

Then there's these two jovial looking chaps.
They are having fun, I think.

There were several more of these fellows,
so perhaps they were having a fiesta?

The people you meet

Well, another week has come and gone, with today being the start of my 3rd week in Granada. I'm still enjoying Granada, despite 40+ heat. At least it's not too humid so it is manageable. During the past week, I've been keeping active with "cultural tourism" which I'm deeming to be homework for my Spanish classes and speaking practice. With a change to individual classes, my brain has finally relaxed and I'm taking every opportunity possible to speak Spanish as my teachers have advised this is the best way to improve and consolidate what I know. Despite mistakes, the people I have spoken too seem to understand what I'm trying to communicate and we've had lengthy (for me) conversations lasting up to 30-40 minutes in Spanish. Tiring but fun.

So, what have I been doing? There are so many choices here that it can be a difficult decision every day as to where to go and what to explore. However, allow me to mention a few activities.

• Visit the Alhambra, Cathedral and other fascinating monuments
• Explore Granada's parks and gardens
• Climb as many steps as possible (Granada is full of steps and steep slopes)
• Have random conversations with as many Spanish speakers as possible
• Spend a day in the villages and peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
• Go on a tapas tour
• Meet interesting people

Yep, that about covers it. You can see I'm taking the responsibility of cultural tourism very seriously.

So, let me tell you about some of the interesting people I have met (sorry, no photos).

• Christina, an American lady who has lived in Granada for 20+ years and is married to a Spaniard. She speaks fluent Spanish.  
• Kevin and Liz, an English couple who live in Ireland. Kevin is a journalist and Liz a teacher at an integration school in Ireland. The school's goal is to try to break down the barriers between Catholics and Protestants and people of other nationalities and faiths through integrated education. I met them on the tapas tour. Together we turned philosophers for the night (not at all aided by the number of drinks we had). If you buy a drink in Granada, you get tapas for free.
• Serena, a lovely young woman from Singapore who is in Spain to learn Flamenco dance.
• Juan Carlos and Loli, a couple from Valencia, on holidays in Granada. Both are nurses. However, Juan Carlos is also a writer, publishing his first fiction book this year. After enjoying his knowledge and company during our day in the mountains, and hearing about his book, I've purchased it for extra practice at reading and understanding Spanish. It's a book of historical fiction, based on a monastery of Carmelites. Sounds quite fascinating. Our topics of conversation was generally about our professions, government in general and the different practices of finding work in our respective countries, among a host of other topics throughout the day.
• Two French ladies who are Spanish teachers in France and speak Spanish fluently.
• A shop assistant who was more than happy to spend time chatting in Spanish. We discussed the difficulties of learning Spanish for about 15 - 20 minutes as he was originally from Iraq. I have a standing offer to come back anytime to practice my Spanish (I wonder if that means I have to buy something each time?)
• My host family, Trini and Pepe. We've discussed everything from the price of basic food and cost of living, to a high profile murder case here in Spain, the nature and difficulties of grief and other assorted topics.

As you can see, my vocabulary is now beyond the usual travel Spanish topics. Whilst I sometimes struggle to find the correct words, expressions or tenses in Spanish, all the people I've spoken to have been very patient and willing to teach me new words or Spanish language nuances. We've laughed, joked and enjoyed each other's company and whilst I'm not likely to meet any of them again, it was been a fantastic experience as none of them are in any way connected to my language school, except Trini and Pepe. The majority were random, chance meetings and conversations whilst out and about exploring Granada and surrounds. I can't wait to see who I get to talk to next!



 

Summer in Granada

Granada: known for it sun, sand and sangre (blood). Granada was the last part of the old Al-Andalus kingdom to fall during the reconquest of Spain by those very Catholic monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand in the 15th century. It has a very Moorish soul and is extremely fascinating. The sad part of the reconquest for the south of Spain at least, is that previously, Islamic, Christian and Jews had lived very happily side by side for quite a long time in this part of Spain. Art and Culture flourished due to the sharing of different ideas and life seems to have been fairly good for all people here and harmony seems to have been the way of life, despite their differences of culture and religion. Enter fervid religious people, a King and Queen intent on making their mark and the inquisition and reconquest were born. Whilst all information indicates Queen Isabella was devout in her religious beliefs, I can't help but think that politics and possibly pride, played a part in convincing her to give edicts that started this whole chapter of history. 

The reconquest was a bloody series of battles over many years, and Andalucía would have suffered during this time. After the reconquest, it didn't end either. The Jews and Islamic people were expelled and those who remained were forced to convert to Christianity on pain of death. However, they were treated very suspiciously and I think used as scapegoats for any difficulties that occurred. Yet, today, they are generally a happy and welcoming people, with mixed and proud heritage but without any noticeable arrogance.

The sun here is very strong and as it is now summer, the temperatures are generally in the high 30s or low to middle 40 degrees. Humidity is noticeable but not overly high. Further inland around Cordoba and Seville, it is often 45 degrees during the day but a very dry heat, with the air said to have no oxygen. I can confirm that Granada is very hot. Today, for example, it got to 39.4 degrees. However, the Arab influence here is quite strong so water and shade are highly valued. There are lots of green spaces, shady trees and water features. They also have shade covers in some of the main shopping areas so you can walk in the shade whilst checking out the stores. If you are very clever, you can generally walk around most of the town in the shade. It's still hot, but you won't get sunburnt.

Despite the heat, it is possible to have a wonderful time here and today, I went horse riding as an excursion organised by my school.  I used to ride quite a lot when I was younger and was eager to get back on a horse and see if I remembered everything. Luckily for me, old skills were not forgotten and I felt very comfortable on horseback and I'm even more pleased to say I have no sore parts to show for the day. I had forgotten how pleasurable it was to be on horseback though so I may just have to find time to go again.

After our ride, we returned to the equestrian centre for lunch. They have a bar in a converted tobacco shed (they used to grow tobacco here) which was very rustic and nice. It seems all the neighbours come for lunch on the weekends as there were a lot of people. We got to watch our lunch of paella (a famous Spanish rice dish) be prepared whilst we sat around chatting and having a few cold drinks with the locals (and all the farm cats and dogs as well).

We had a wonderful time talking to two local people (bit of an intercambio occurred over lunch). Ana and her partner Diego were really friendly and gave us lots of information about places to see and things we could do. They put up with our limited Spanish and were amazing to talk to. Diego is a teacher, mainly to do with the environment and national park management type things and Ana is a Psychologist. We had a great time chatting about our respective jobs. Hope the others didn't get too bored with the conversation. One of our group, a young chap from China, was befriended by the owner's young son (I guess around 3 or 4 years old) and was happily showing the little boy how to make paper airplanes out of the napkins.

One of the students (on horseback) & Gloria from
the equestrian centre

 

Another student (on horseback) & Pepe, our guide,
riding instructor, chef and waiter

 

My faithful steed, after our very hot but wonderful ride    

 

Bar where we had lunch. They used to hang
the tobacco from the rafters to dry

 

Our gang (minus one) with Diego (hat) & Ana (red shirt)

The Hare and the Tortoise

Anyone remember the story of the Hare and the Tortoise?  For those who don't' know it, it is one of Aesop's fables and contains a moral lesson. Basically, the Hare is a very fast fellow and a bit sure of himself. After a brief meeting, he challenges the Tortoise to a race. The Hare speeds off, but realising that the Tortoise is very slow, keeps stopping to rest and enjoy himself. In the end he is so sure he is so far ahead he can't lose. Then he gets the surprise of his life to find the Tortoise has beaten him. You see, the Tortoise just kept plodding on and little by little caught up and eventually won the race. The moral, as I understand it, is that slow and steady wins the race.

Wondering why I told that story? Well, this week has been a mixed bag for me and I can identify very much with the Tortoise. I can only hope that by applying the Tortoise's game plan, that I will achieve my goal as well.  Slow and steady, step by step, that's all it takes to achieve one's goals.

I would prefer to write and say how brilliantly I am doing and how much I am enjoying learning Spanish. The truth is, I seem to have hit a wall and my brain just won't take in any more information. Hence I am feeling a bit disappointed and somewhat frustrated at the moment. Leaving aside that I've just arrived in a new town, with a new school, new students and upgraded level (B2) and new host family to get used to (and that it usually takes at least a week to adjust), I just can't seem to take in any of the new information. B2 is not just another level, it feels like a totally different world. I'm in the deep end of the pool and I can't swim. I find I can speak quite well outside of school and be understood, but in class it all goes out the window, no matter how hard I try. To say I'm having a bad week with learning would be an understatement, but you know, there are always solutions.

After having a chat (in Spanish) to the Head of Studies, I trialled a different group, but at the same level. However the same situation occurred and I felt like a deer in the headlights and couldn't recall even simple stuff I know well. After having another chat with my teacher today, I've decided to skip classes tomorrow and change to individual classes next week so I can review and consolidate what I know. Hopefully, this will unfreeze my brain enough so I can return to the group lessons after that. It will cost some more dollars, but I'm happy to give it a go as I don't want to give up on the dream unnecessarily. Besides, I have another 7 weeks in this wonderful town and I want to enjoy it all, including my studies.

However, I am struggling a bit with my inner demons today and it's hard not to compare myself with others and feel somewhat stupid and unintelligent. All that reframing I do for clients I now have to use on myself! Lucky I have some skills in that department but it remains to be seen if I will be a good "self-client". Since the excursion this weekend is to Morocco and I don't want to go, I can spend some time doing some revision and settling myself for a different learning experience next week. If anyone has any tips on how to "unfreeze" one's brain, I'd love to hear them! I hope to give a very different report next week.

Till then, take care and enjoy life. I know I will! 

Climbing the ladder (of learning)

First day of classes at my new level - B2. This is the final intermediate level before the mastery level of Spanish. This means, I know most of the verb tenses, can express feelings, thoughts, desires for myself and others, can form and defend an opinion or argument, talk about the past, future and present etc, etc, etc. Well, that's the theory of it anyway. One other thing I have noticed since arriving in Granada is that I've been able to initiate conversation much better in Spanish and it feels more comfortable and automatic. This morning when I met some other new students, I was able to converse with them all in Spanish rather than resorting to English, which is often the case when people are nervous. I find I am not stretching for vocabulary so much in general day to day contexts and I have increased my confidence accordingly.

Now, if I can just keep all those uses of the subjunctive and all the past tenses in order, I'll be doing really well!

My introduction to the school here was the best so far. As there is another new student staying in the same host family as me, and he didn't know where to go, I walked with him to school this morning as he needed to take the entrance exam to sort his level. Having just finished in Valencia, I didn't need to take the test for this school. This meant I had approximately 1 hour free before starting classes. During this time, I also met and spoke to several other new students which was really lovely. They all seem a very nice bunch.

At 9.00 am, all the new students were taken on a brief walk (approx. 1 1/2 hrs) around the city, to get our bearing and to be shown some of the wonderful places to visit. Some of the history of the city was also explained. For me, it was a fantastic introduction to Granada.

At 11.00 am, we were given our class schedules and sent off to join our new class. My class is basically full. I believe a couple of them were missing today due to sickness. So, there were 5 others - Switzerland, Holland, United States, Korea, and England. We all introduced ourselves and had general chitchat before the teacher arrived so I think this group is very friendly and willing to talk in Spanish. Perhaps is it just that I have been in Spain for 3 months already, but I feel really comfortable here. So, I expect it will all go very well for the next 8 weeks. I have a feeling Granada is going to become my favourite place in Spain!