Barcelona

Camp Nou

Park Güel

Sagrada Familia

On Wednesday I visited the famous construction site of Barcelona called Sagrada Familia, Parc Güel and home stadium of FC Barcelona. All these sightseeing places were full of tourists. Entrances to Sagrada Familia were ten euros but we did not visit inside. Tour to Camp Nou included visit to museum and cost 17 euros. It was impressive to see the massive stadium and how dressing rooms and other areas look where you do not have access when you go see a match. Inside you could also pay and take photo with cardboad Messi. To Park Güel entrance was free and it was the most artistic park I have seen.

Tarragona

Tarragona

Rollercoaster in Port aventura

We spent whole Monday in amusement park Port Aventura. We could visit only seven different attractions because lines were long. There was capacity for a lot of longer lines so I guess we did not have to wait that long if you compare for the lines in the summer time. Waiting was too much for us so we did not go to the Port Aventura next day even we had free tickets.

Today we visited Tarragona where we saw old ruins and two royal houses. We went also to big shopping center but I did not find anything. All shops looked quite messy because there were a lot of customers who had thrown clothes everywhere.

Salou

In Salou

East coast

Saturday evening I arrived to Salou. I had difficulties to find the hotel but finally I found it. Hotel room was nice and there was something little to eat. My family arrived in the night and especially dad was really happily surprised that they were able to arrive Salou during the night. Mum have been impressed how well car drivers let us to cross the streets. Tomorrow I am going to Port Aventure with my sister and brother.

Spanish Christmas food

I have had two great Spanish Christmas meals. Chencho invited me yesterday for dinner and today for lunch with his family. I felt really welcome to be a guest in their house. I got a change to taste many new foods moreover everything was really good. I ate big shrimps, grabs, Iberian ham, clams, cheese, fish, pig and more. Only one food was prepared in the same way as in Finnish Christmas table and that was salmon. I brought Finnish mince pie for dessert and they liked it. Actually I enjoyed more Spanish Christmas food than Finnish. Unfortunately I do not have photos of the food.

Tomorrow I am taking bus to Salou which is in the east coast of Spain near Barcelona. Bus ride will take about seven hours and I will spend in Salou one week. Hopefully I will get access to the Internet there.

Christmas holiday

Today started the three week Christmas holiday. In Spain you can not call it really holiday because exams are right after holiday therefore everyone will be studying during the holiday. Most of the erasmus students have returned to their home countries. I am one of the few how is not going to the home country.

There is still one week lessons after the Christmas holiday. One professor was absent three times without announcing it in advance. All the other professors came always and also announced in advance if the lessons were cancelled. Once professor came to the lesson just to announce that it was cancelled. Here they say works and changes in plans at the lesson and this information is not sent to you by email or announced in the Internet therefore if you are absent you can not really know what is happening. Then you have to ask your friends who have attended the lesson.

New year party

Plaza del sol

On Friday we went to Madrid to celebrate new year. In Spain students tend to celebrate the new year also before the actual new year. Lot of people gathered to big square in Madrid where everyone could see the time and count seconds until the day changed and eat twelve peeled grapes. The reason why people celebrate new year too early is just an excuse to have a party.

On sunday we had floorball match in Fuengirola and we lost the match 5-3. Finally we played the match even our opponent wanted to change the match date.

Thoughts about my Spanish

Learning Spanish has been more slow than I thought. I was expecting some way that I would speak and be better in Spanish after spending here almost four months. I expected that I will learn the language by speaking and going to the classes therefore I have not been studying new words or grammar at home. Spanish classes showed me that I know almost all the grammar but of course I could handle the grammar better. I have no problem communicating with one person but listening and participating conversation in group is still difficult.

I use Spanish everyday so my language skills should be improving everyday but how could I improve it more. By reading everyday in Spanish and actually finding the meaning of new words and also writing could be helpful. Now I have not been reading Spanish everyday because I read the news in Finnish. It is definetely good to stay here whole year to learn the language better.

Presentations

Drawings in the class room

When the studies started all the desks were clean. Now before the Christmas break all the desks are full of drawings and look like above. Lets see if desks will be cleaned during the break. We are having now presentations in the subjects. Here is a custom to dress up well for presentations that means that men wear suits. That is a little problem for me because I do not have my suit in Spain. Tomorrow is my first presentation with my group about recruiting staff to company.

Snow

Evidence

When I took a look outside in the morning I was very surprised that I saw snow. There was not snow on the streets but cars and roofs were covered with a light layer of snow. Nice to see snow also in Spain. When I walked through the center I noticed that there was a lot of salt put on the streets. So little snow and they had already poured a lot of salt.

Keys

My keys

Here I need three keys and there is also one key to the letterbox which I share with my flatmates. First key is entering the building, second entering the flat and third one I need to enter my room. In Finland I would be able to do all four things with one key and I would also have access to some little storage with the same key. Locks work here differently and I have had problems opening the doors. Few times I have not been able to open the door of the flat but luckily my flatmates have been at home and helped me to get in. I have improved my lock opening technique but I am still having little problems. These experiences make the products of Finnish lock company Abloy look quality products.

Problems with the bank

My Spanish account is blocked which means that I can not put money to the account. I was able to get money from account but not put more money. Because my Spanish account is now empty now I have to get money with my Finnish Visa Electron and I have to pay provision 2e + 2,5% amount of the cash I get. My Spanish bank Santander do not have any idea why the account is blocked and they can not unblock it. They suggested my to delete current account and open new one. Officer also mentioned maybe opening account to another bank. I wonder do they want me to change the bank.

Portugal

The most western place of Europe

This is how walking streets look in Portugal

Central park Eduardo VII in Lisboa

Five day trip to Portugal with almost one hundred students cost 125 euros including bus, room in hostel and breakfasts. Bus ride from Alcalá to Lisboa took about 10 hours. In Portugal we saw many sightseeing, visited cities Lisboa, Coimbra and Sintra and on way back to Alcalá we took quick look on Cáceres.

Buildings in Portugal were in worse condition than in Spain but Metro in Lisboa looked Brand new. Walking streets were covered with rocks size of a fist and not with asphalt. One member of our travelling crew was thrown this rock to his head in the night and spent one day in hospital but anything serious damage was not done. He was standing next to me when some idiot threw the rock. Lucky me that it did not hit me. I heard that also one camera and one wallet was stolen.

It felt strange not to understand local language even Portuguese has some similarities with Spanish. I just tried to explain in Spanish when I needed to say something for local people. For me Portuguese sounds a bit like Russian.

Trip was great. Atmosphere were in one point so high that everyone were dancing in the corridor of the bus.

International fever

Before even starting my exchange year I already thought about going to exchange second time. Campus Europea exchange program makes it possible but I do not have any specific country in my Mind. If I could finish my bachelor degree next year in one semester I could even think about going to exchange to Sweden for second semester. Well that would be too much because I would like do also internship and why not in some foreign country. I really must have some kind of international fever.

Tonight I am going to trip to Portugal which is organized by ESN (Eramsus Student Network). Trip will take five days therefore there will be a little break in blog updates.

First book in Spanish

Tap

I have read my first book in Spanish. Original version of the book is written in English by Seth Godin and it is called Purple Cow. I read the whole book without using dictionary because I read it in the train when travelling to trainings. There was parts that I did not understand but mostly I understood. I have read also other books of the author and he have made me interested in marketing and even thinking about finding a own company.

I do not like the public taps in Spain because you can not adjust the temperature neither the pressure of the water. There is button which you have to press to get water. Tap gives water about one liter to wash your hands and I think it is too much. Automatic or adjustable tap would be better.