12th-28th July

Where I left off was on the happenings of Friday 12th July, so I shall continue with Saturday.

Saturday was pretty chill! Not much to report. I had just been telling Marta I’d pop out to the shops to buy a little food for lunch (as per usual I had basically nothing in my fridge) when she stopped me, proclaiming, no! Let’s go out for lunch! So, off we went 😊 I shall spare you the detailed description of what we had (I’ve been told my blog posts are all about food! 😂) but it was lovely and we had pudding too 😋 twas really nice to spend some time with Nolys grandmother out of the apartment and we had some nice chats 😊

After lunch Nolz came to pick me up and supposedly, I was meant to do some planning for my 1:1 on Monday but in reality I just felt shattered and so off I went to have a ciesta. I’m someone who ciesta-s now man! Never used to be able to actually sleep but my ability to have ciestas seems to be improving.. I don’t think Noly’s parents even realised I was in the house until Noly returned back from band practise to pick me up for youth haha.

Things of note from the youth group: – we set up a secret santa kinda thing as on Saturday it’s due to be the day of friendship here! Thankfully I knew who I had. The budget is $100 which is about £2. Owp!

-twas one of the girls’ birthdays so what did that mean? They’d done an asado for us. Hurrah! Plus I lucked in as the plate I managed to sit myself behind was a huuuge slab of meat 😋

Sunday we had church and then off we went to the golf club for lunch as Cristian was playing in a tournament there again. There was the normal suspects for the usual Sunday lunch plus the Echevarria family from church so we were a merry little party! When we got back to the house I finally found the strength to plan for my 1:1 the following day and then got to watch Stranger things afters with the Nolzster before he dropped me back to Marta’s.

Monday came around which meant it was time to get back to work! Although, first, just time to nip to Goly’s house (Marta’s sister) for her birthday bash. As an English gal who dislikes being late, this only gave me minor heart palpitations (an improvement) as we didn’t start eating till about 2.15 and I needed to be at work at 3! I needn’t have worried because it was fine and my student was late anyways.

On Tuesday Noly popped over and we worked together, had lunch in the apartment with Marta as well, watched an ep of stranger things and then went back to working together. Afters, Nolz dropped me off at Camelot institute and I sat in on the Tuesday class with Laura.

Wednesday was quite a slow day. Was just having lunch when one of my new 1:1s for later that day texted me to cancel as he was feeling unwell, massively freeing up most of my day, apart from the other 1:1 I had scheduled. After that I popped to the city centre to buy some bits. Sometimes Noly and I ask each other “what could I do to love you better?” And Noly, for once, had something for me when last I asked (usually it’s me who then gets out my long list of complaints hahaha) and said “well… I like surprises..”. Haha, I love this. Requesting a surprise somewhat takes away the surprise element I feel but heyho! So anyways, I was on the hunt to buy the ingredients for one of Nolys fave cakes which his mum taught me how to make last time I was here. It’s fab, it’s basically a biscuit cake with chocolate milk & dulce de leche 😋 so when I got back to the apartment I busied myself making said cake and dinner (such a domestic goddess I know) and round Noly came for dinner. Have to persuade him to see me somehow 😉😏 We then watched another ep of stranger things – it pleased me that I was wearing my stranger things pj top 😏

Thursday was a pretty chill day with nothing especially to report. Spent the day doing a bit of work, reading and then going to Camelot institute for the evening class. In this class the students were doing an exam. Partway thru their exam Laura summoned me and called me into one of the younger classes who were doing exams as they wanted to meet me. Oh my word! They were so sweet. Especially one of the girls who was just trying so hard to remember the words but really couldn’t remember bless her heart. Possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. And that includes all the puppy videos I’m constantly watching on Facebook..

Friday was a super busy day! In the morning I met with one of Moni’s friends to discuss her and some members of her family having some English lessons. After that I walked into town to meet some of the girls to go to a place called Casa Dir. It’s hard to explain what it was (and I myself am not entirely sure haha) but there were loads of rooms decorated differently and in different styles that you could wander around. Twas a bit like a museum but I actually enjoyed it because you could touch things and sit on the sofas that were dotted around etc haha. Plus it was nice to do something with the girls 😊 after that we walked to Luci’s and loaded in her car to drive to San Lorenzo for lunch where we were joined by some other pals and Nolz too. We had empanadas and it was super nice 😊 they all then went for a walk but sadly I had to go as I had work, so Martin who also had to go into the city centre dropped me into town. Friday’s I work from 4.30-8.40 and usually it’s four classes back to back but this week the students were doing exams, meaning four hours of doing nothing! Felt really tired! Watching other people working is just exhausting 😂😴 after I’d finished at Camelot I walked back to Marta’s and then Nolz came to pick me up as he had some meeting thing and then we went to watch the Lion king at the cinema.

Saturday was ‘la dia de amistad’ here, meaning friendship day, so the evening youth group was a little different than usual in that we played loads of games for a while first and then had a talky talky bit. Bizarrely, the point of the game was to bounce a ping-pong ball once onto two plates and then for the ball to land in a bucket. For some reason that I can’t fathom it was a very compelling game and I really wanted to win 😂 another game we played involved trying to throw a ball thru a hoola hoop as it’s rolling across the floor 😂 I found this one slightly less compelling but it was fun nonetheless! We then had a brief lil talky bit and then had food 😋 after food we got presented with our secret Santa presents which was fun! I got some nail varnish (which i promptly put on) and moisturiser 😊 had been feeling a bit down because of friends day and having felt a bit lonely here but it was nice – Nolz was tryina cheer me up saying, just think, someone (hopefully a girl) has had to think what to buy you this week and has gone out and bought you a present, which was a cheering thought 😊 I have my suspicions on who it was but not 100% sure!

On Sunday, Nolz was preaching. Bless him he was a bit nervous but he did so well. He talked about using what God has put in your hand, even if it seems really small, talking about Moses when God turned his staff into a snake and then with David and Goliath. After church we all bundled off to Vivi and Billy’s house for a spectacular lunch. There was so many of us! So nice to have such big gatherings on Sundays for luncheon 😊

After lunch us girls went off to the fair to do a spot of shopping. Was feeling rather tired and kind of just wanted to rest but decided to rouse myself and go, since I’d been feeling a bit upset about not having many close friendships here yet. It was fun! Although I only lasted an hour before I’d had my fill of hunting so I went and sat and wrote this blog post for a bit. I bought a jumper and a top ☺️

After shopping at the fair I went to Nolz’s and we hung for a bit before going to sleep.

I’m gonna write the next week in bullet points as this post is already super long.

-This whole week students at Camelot were doing speaking exams and I was one of the examiners leading part of the exam. This was good to help me start learning some more of the students’ names.

-Monday: I had a 1:1, followed by the speaking exam and then a new 1:1. This new 1:1 is really sweet! I asked him why he wanted to learn English and he didn’t really have a purpose for it, just likes learning. He said he sometimes wonders why he’s rushing around learning and doesn’t just rest but would prefer to learn so 🤷 kinda sweet! After this I went to Cris & Luci’s for an asado (BBQ) with some of the gang which was a really nice eve! Barely spoke because group conversation is still the hardest thing about Spanish for me but it was nice to be there 😊

-Tuesday: cheeky breakfast out with Noly and speaking exams

-Wednesday: speaking exam and grammar 1:1. Oosht! Grammar is very heavy but lesson went well I think 💪

-Thursday: went to the arty crafty class with Sofi again 😊 then speaking exam and impromptu dinner out with Nolz. We went for sandwiches. I can’t even explain why the sandwiches here are so good they just are! Maybe it’s the fried egg that does it for me 😋🍳

-Friday: the first time I taught four lessons back to back. Oosht! They went fairly well! I was happy with 3+1/2 / 4. Which I guess is pretty good for the first time but it did make me feel a bit wobbly. In three of the lessons I did the same thing and on the other one I experimented with an activity I saw online. The students really enjoyed it! So gonna keep that one in my belt. After the lessons I went off to band practice. I wasn’t really in the mood as I felt a bit down after the class buut it was good to go and helped me get out of the funk. I didn’t have any food in for afters so Nolz, like the total cutie that he is, brought me food 😋

-Saturday: was cooking with Marta to use up some chicken I had left. Nolz came round for lunch and we all ate together before cleaning up and then Nolz and I went to a park nearby, had a wander round and read part of a book together. We then went for ice cream before Nolz dropped me off for the other half of band practise. After band practise there was yoof and I spent a while talking to Cami & Luci en Espanol and then Vale and her friend (I think Valentina) all on my own! Go me. Felt very satisfied as I was more or less able to communicate what I wanted to and this was helpful for me to feel like I can have friends here etc. Then yoof actually started and we sang a song together, prayed and listened to a preach. Everyone was feeling pretty tired so I think most people left and didn’t stay for food. Nolz and I skidaddled as well, got food and then went back to his to get some much needed sleep.

-Sunday: sang in the band at church today! Very high harmonies haha. Sometimes I wonder if I sound a bit screechy but apparently not haha. After church we headed off to a place called ‘Libertad’. Libertad in Spanish means freedom. Which sounds like a wonderful place to be. In reality, this ‘libertad’ is a shopping centre! I think libertad is the name of the supermarket there but I’m not 100% sure. Well anyways, we had some yummy food and then wondered around the shops for a bit. There’s a clothes shop there I wanna go back to as it had nice things but I didn’t let myself look as I really shouldn’t spend any more money this month haha. Don’t think much will happen to report on for the rest of the day. The plan is that Nolz is gonna do some work for a bit then later we’ll watch a film. I’ve decided not to work at the weekends (generally, sometimes I might have to) because otherwise I just wear myself out. Have decided I will have to get up early in the mornings to do my planning for my 1:1s and any lessons I have at Camelot.

Anyways, this is all for now! I shall leave you with a picture of some lettering I did recently.