toogreytogrind

Whilst I spent my birthday moving into my new home on calle Atocha and my bithday night all Billy no mates, the MRC kindly send some of my friends from work over to Madrid to keep me company for the weekend (on the pretence of a conference on kidney cancer).
Why the title? Apparently, after they arrived Tim had some problems ordering the local brew, Mahou, (pronounced /mau:/).

After meeting with Columbian expat Diana we visited the area around Metro San Bernado, a nice area a bit away form the touristy centre. I've forgot the name of the bar, but there's a selection of board games to play, while you're having a drink. Tim by now was getting the hang of ordering beer over here, simply ask for una caña.



Leena was feeling shy and weak after not eating too well. But if you eat pork you'll have plenty of choice!

The day after (Sunday morning 10am start) at the world famous "el rastro" street market.






I'm off the wagon and back on the caffine.
One "perro" who doesn't believe that size is important and did it's best to keep the everybody entertained.

Linds, you´re right. I was walking back from Retiro and I was stopped by some Italian tourists. They were asking the way in Italian, I was speaking to them in Spanish and we understood each other. Cool! There goes my insentive to learn Italian.

I´ve not touched on the Spanish situation in my previous blogs, because I was just getting on with it. Some of it is getting quite natural, at other times it does fall over. Although I was doing a general Spanish course and not Holiday Spanish, we never touched on the subject of how to find a place to live. But I guess that is what I´m here for to learn everyday Spanish that you need to live and work.

I think I´m going to wait until I´ve settled into teaching before I start trying to improve my Spanish. Hopefully by then I´ll have a perminant address, rather than a tiny room in a pension. That´s another thing I´ve not been sleeping too well, it´s so much more noisier than 26 Shenley, and I´ve only got a single bed.

I´ve got my first viewing of a shared flat, well a house, tomorrow at 6:00. It´s a bit out of the centre but there´s good links. If it´s ok I may just go for it as it sounds really nice. Also I´m getting sick of living in a pension. If it doesn´t work out I´m going to go for the give an agency 85 euros and find me a flat. I could just do that anyway but I don´t think they will have the best properties. Pues, el tiempo lo dira.

I´m not sure if I have my priorities right! Instead of looking for a flat I went skating instead. Ok, I still need to find somewhere and I´m not helping matters by going skating, and taking Lisa´s advice a bit too far. But I do feel better having cleared my head and I´m thinking more positive thoughts now. I´ll start my flat searching tomorrow.

I like Retiro Park the surface is a bit rougher than Hyde Park, but it´s wider and a lot more room to skate. I´ve seen some skaters on the pavements as well, so a assume that it´s ok with the law and all that. Hopefully after lessons I can have a skate around the city and see the sites.

After down scaling all the things I´ve accumalated over the last few years, I managed to get all my essentials in to a wheely bag (23 Kilos and I got a way without paying excess) and a skate bag (probably weighed 20 kilos). I was thinking how minimalist all this was, then the cheapest pension I could find was on the 3rd floor. Ho joy.

I´ve arrived and I´ve had butterflies in my belly all day thinking about the prospect of this move. I was taking Lisa´s advice and I tried to think of it as a extended holiday and it has helped a bit. So I now have a mantra to say to myself everytime I´m getting a bit stressed.

It´s only a holiday. It´s only a holiday. It´s only a holiday. It´s only a holiday. etc

I´m going to start my search for a flat tomorrow, I´ve got a few leads, but a lot is looking expensive!!

The last day at work was all very surreal. I'm sure that this is not in a datamanager's job description, but could be a good transferable skill. The surreal feeling is still carrying on, I'm not in work so it feels like I'm on holiday!

I'm really missing the MRC this internet connection is very slow, so sorry I'll only be able to post a few pics from Friday night.

At the post escape party: