Spain begins
Hi all!
Well, as promised, here is my first Spanish update.
I have now been here for just over a week. It actually feels more like 6 months to me. The whole culture shock syndrome has been hitting hard. I think fondly of Thailand with all its trials, pleasures and laid back living.
So, first impression...
Martos is a small town surrounded by mountains (some near, some far) and olive groves as far as the eye can see. It is very beautiful, white washed houses nestled at the base of a rather large mountain, with a most impressive church / cathedral type thingy perched a little way up (more on that when I have been up there). It is very Spanish and very rural. No one speaks a jot of English - in fact I wonder at times if they have even heard of England!
The Spanish (not only in Martos) are shunning the traditional country life and are instead moving to towns and cities. They are swapping (willingly), wide open spaces for life in an apartment block. This seems sad doesn´t it.
The nearest large town to me is Jaen (15 km). Jaen is the capital of the province (aptly named Jaen Province). It is a large, bustling university town. It has a quite amazing cathedral and castle. It is also at the bas of a mountain (a different one). I visited there yesterday but only lasted an hour or so. It was just too busy, commercialised and impersonal for me. At least I now know where to go shopping crazy should the need arise!
Before I arrived here I looked back on my initial periods living in Thailand and China through rose tinted glasses. Now I am doing it again all the anxieties and doubts have come flooding back. I know that I can do it and that as soon as I learn more of the language and settle in things will be good. I envy Penny that when she came to Thailand she knew me, so things were easier. I would kill right now to know someone here!
I am studying Spanish (by cd) every day and at the end of each ´class´ I feel really confident. Then I go out and people speak so fast I can´t understand a word. Spanish people need a built in pause button I reckon.
Well that is it for now guys. I will post some pictures here when I have batteries for my camera!
Take care
Love
Laus
xx
Well, as promised, here is my first Spanish update.
I have now been here for just over a week. It actually feels more like 6 months to me. The whole culture shock syndrome has been hitting hard. I think fondly of Thailand with all its trials, pleasures and laid back living.
So, first impression...
Martos is a small town surrounded by mountains (some near, some far) and olive groves as far as the eye can see. It is very beautiful, white washed houses nestled at the base of a rather large mountain, with a most impressive church / cathedral type thingy perched a little way up (more on that when I have been up there). It is very Spanish and very rural. No one speaks a jot of English - in fact I wonder at times if they have even heard of England!
The Spanish (not only in Martos) are shunning the traditional country life and are instead moving to towns and cities. They are swapping (willingly), wide open spaces for life in an apartment block. This seems sad doesn´t it.
The nearest large town to me is Jaen (15 km). Jaen is the capital of the province (aptly named Jaen Province). It is a large, bustling university town. It has a quite amazing cathedral and castle. It is also at the bas of a mountain (a different one). I visited there yesterday but only lasted an hour or so. It was just too busy, commercialised and impersonal for me. At least I now know where to go shopping crazy should the need arise!
Before I arrived here I looked back on my initial periods living in Thailand and China through rose tinted glasses. Now I am doing it again all the anxieties and doubts have come flooding back. I know that I can do it and that as soon as I learn more of the language and settle in things will be good. I envy Penny that when she came to Thailand she knew me, so things were easier. I would kill right now to know someone here!
I am studying Spanish (by cd) every day and at the end of each ´class´ I feel really confident. Then I go out and people speak so fast I can´t understand a word. Spanish people need a built in pause button I reckon.
Well that is it for now guys. I will post some pictures here when I have batteries for my camera!
Take care
Love
Laus
xx
posted by Laus at 11:03 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home