Nothing says Spain....

...like 2 old farts, sitting in complete opposite ends of the bus, shouting to each other about the weather and how their family is doing. I don't want to hear about your sister's hemorrhoids.

...like 2 young men getting into a pimped up car and a mother shouting from her window, "You wear your seatbelt, damn you! I mean it!"

...like mullets. If you're a woman and you're sporting one, even better.

...like gel. Lots and lots and lots of hair gel.

...like interrupting each other. If you succeed at interrupting at every 2nd word, you have mastered the art of speaking castellano. Make sure to throw in a few "Joder!" and "Coño!"

...like talking with the cashier for 5 hours, holding up the line. And nobody seems to care.

Oh, I could go on. Anyway ;).

I shall now talk about an interesting topic. The aged in España.

Old spanish people are fascinating. Well, they are also a bit hard on the nose sometimes, but overall they are quite interesting. Golden aged canadians are no match to the wine guzzling, motor-mouth talking, social spaniards. I know that I will be shocked when I go back to Canada for xmas and see old canadians with their walkers and wheelchairs, sipping their Tim Hortons coffee and solitarily gazing outside the windows. I admire the spaniards for exercising so much, for getting their butt outside and meeting up with their friends and families. I think that this is the key to their health. The spanish culture focuses more on family than north america in general and this ultimately has positive benefits on the state of their mental and physical health.

I think that many old canadians are forced into old folks homes. I don't even see establishments like these here (I'm sure they exist...but the families seem to take their moms and dads in if the going gets tough).

I'm amazed at how REALLY frail spanish women still go grocery shopping, lug their groceries every day back and forth, and hold up their grand-children. Most elderly canadians either sit on benches all day long and read the newspaper.

Ok, ok, it's not like that for ALL elderly canadians...but I know that I am right for the most part. These people are looking great for their age, and I admire that. They seek the company of others and this makes their minds and bodies younger, I believe.

Well, that was my rant on that.

Had a good weekend celebrating the birthday of a good friend and coworker. I feel like I wrote about 10 emails already recapping what I did this past weekend, so I'll just make it brief; had some good italian pizza, went out for a beer, and then on Saturday went shopping with some friends at an enormous store that was so huge that the customer service helpers have to wear rollerskates to get around. It's even bigger than the largest Wal-Mart that I've ever seen...

In 2 weeks I'm going to Granada with my friends, should be fun! I'll make sure to take lots of pics so that you'll all be able to see them. The hostal is booked...now we just need to reserve tickets to go see the Alhambra, which is supposed to be a really cool Arabian monument. It's aparently enormous...can't wait.

I didn't go to the cinema this weekend...hopefully there will be something good in the movie theatres this upcoming Friday. I wonder when the new Harry Potter will come out? I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm also dying to see Borat...but will have to wait until I'm on canadian soil. Just can't imagine Borat speaking with a dubbed spanish voice. (Shudders).

xoxoxoxox H.

I remember, once...

I remember taking long walks with my parents as a child in Germany and never ever wanting to head back home..."Can't we go just a little further?"

I remember getting my first bicycle in Germany. I screamed with delight when I saw all the candy that my mother had wrapped all around it.

I remember going to the baker's every morning before kindergarten started and always asking for either a chocolate croissant or a salami one. The woman at the counter was really nice.

I remember my first flight to Canada. My ears popped really badly and I was crying with pain. I had a little suitcase that had an elephant on it and I vividly remember asking my mother if our plane would fly upside down at some point. I was very scared.

I remember the cold and the snow. I remember just how cold our country house was when we first arrived...there was no heating at first, so my mother gave me a gigantic blanket that felt very heavy on my little body.

I remember some bad fights that I had with my brother (one that involved me pushing him down the stairs). I also remember good moments, and the many laughs that we shared.

I remember all those times when I was too scared to be taught Math by my mother because she was very strict. I always ended up asking my bro for help.

I remember following footprints of mice in the snow with my brother, pretending we were detectives. This game also included footprints of other kinds of animals...and we even once thought we recognized deer feet, "Santa was TRULY here last night!"

I remember being excited for our weekly Friday family swim at the local sports center. I remember how soft my hair always felt after using the town's water and not the hard country water.

I remember how my dad always opened his arms very wide whenever I would run to him. Then, he'd pick me up and either put me on his shoulders or swing me around like an airplane.

I remember hating puberty. I hated grade 7 and 8. It was tough and people started acting differently and shunning former friends.

I remember being nervous for high school and starting my high school journal with the cheesy title "The Wonder Years".

I remember taking one specific long walk with my dogs in the country. I had gotten my hair dyed black that day, and marvelled at my hair's deep contrast to the shiny sun which was glowing hot and mighty that day. It was a beautiful day.

I remember when my dog Bingo got hit by a car. I was so upset and scared for his life that I actually wrote a message to God, asking him to save my Bingo. Bingo couldn't even sit down; he was sleeping while standing. When he peed blood, I thought it was over. After a few days, he was fine.

I remember graduating high school and seeing that hat fly up in the air. "So that's it?"

I remember the summer before university. I had the house to myself for 2 months. I did a lot of soul searching that summer and went on long, insane bike rides. "In Blue" will always be the soundtrack to my summer of '01.

I remember ice skating, hot chocolates and laughs with friends from Ottawa. I remember the dancing, the parties and the dramas. Why so many winter memories? Why are they more vivid to me than the summer ones spent in Ottawa?

I remember my trip to Germany in the summer of '04. I felt very independent and confident, planning my way and trekking with my cousin through 4 major german cities. I still love looking at those pictures.

I remember my late-night talks with my best friends over love, life and school. I remember looking forward to coming home to the sounds of my best friends cooking, watching tv..."Helloooooooo it's moi!", I would say.

I remember hearing those three little words for the first time...very vividly.

I remember leaving Canada in June of '05 and thinking, "Hasta Luego, Canada". Happiness and Sadness were intertwined. What was to be expected?

I remember telling a woman sitting next to me about my plans for Spain. I can still hear her saying, "Good luck with that, I'm sure you'll do well. You seem to know what you want."

I remember thinking, after a few months in Spain, "I AM doing well here. Thank you lady, whatever your name was, for your good wishes."

I remember going back to Canada for xmas '06 and...

Sick, sicker, sickest

Well, it's 4.30pm and I just got up. Oh man, am I ever feeling like crap today. I don't even know how many headache and cold meds I've taken...
It's only November, right? Geeez...
The shittiest part about this is that I was supposed to go to La Sierra today. Yup, AGAIN, something got in the way and we had to push it back to another day. Maybe I'll feel well enough to go tomorrow, who knows?
It's such a gorgeous day, too :(
It doesn't matter that I take my vitamins every day, that I eat well and take care of myself...the cold bug gets me every damn winter. I'm sure, of course, that the little kids and their germs are the culprits. This week was the first week where some had coughs and sniffles.
I'm off to a great start! Looking forward to getting 15 colds!
Last night was fun, even though I felt like my head was going to explode at the end of the night...we went to Hurricane again and had some delicious pizza and salad. Went to see "Los Fantasmas de Goya" and it wasn't too too bad. Not one of my faves, but I liked Natalie Portman's acting...that girl really knows how to cry well. I seriously don't think that there's one movie in which she doesn't cry.
Oh, it's so frustrating staring out at the beautiful weather...argh. I have a nasty kind of cold, a head cold. You know, the one where you feel like there is a hammer consistently pounding away at your skull? That one. Before I take yet another pill, I'll wait a bit, since I also don't want to kill myself with med overdose. What's up, Tylenol Cold Med.? You usually work(no, it's not expired).
This week seemed to just fly by. That's ok with me...I'm just over the moon knowing that I'll be celebrating xmas in canada this year with all of my friends and loved ones.
Ugh. I think that today will not really exist for me...I'll just sleep it away. It sucks being sick over the weekend, yet it's perhaps best to get the crap out of my system now and feel slightly better on Monday, than being really god-awful sick on a Wednesday and not being able to function in my classes.
until soon,
Heidi xoxoxoxo

...and now it's time for some sun, and sunflowers

Yes, that's right. It's a nice 22 degrees outside, and will remain so for the next few days. I checked Cairo's weather website, and the south of Spain will have the same temperatures as the desert :P Nice...
Last night after work I got some great news from Shane via a text message: He's going to be coming home for Xmas!!! That is some sweet news indeed...man, this xmas will just be unbelievable :) There are just so many things to look forward to. I hope to party with everyone in a big, messy style.
This Friday I am going to La Sierra, which is a big national park in the north of Huelva. Angel and Carmen are taking me, so I am looking forward to that. Tomorrow's planned movie will likely be the Scorsese one...but we'll see what my friends opt for. Is it normal to get so excited over tapas and a movie? :P Oh wait, I forget who reads this...nevermind.
Besides this, not too much has been going on. Work, work, work. I got to speak with my brother last night, which was nice. He seems to be loving his new job at a computer store, where he works as a technician. I'm glad that he's finally found a job that he likes. He's always been a whiz when it comes to computers and all that jazz, so I'm happy for him.
I got home early today for lunch, which was nice. Man, I remember how crazy it was at Inlingua...I barely had time to come home and eat a decent lunch. At Covent Garden, it can still get hectic but I don't feel as exhausted as I did about a year ago. I can now come home during the middle of the day and sleep, watch TV, write in my blog as I'm doing now, and cook myself some great meals. I think that's one of the main reasons why I eat ten times better now...I feel a whole lot better about myself and my energy level than last year.
Don't get me wrong. These kids sure tire me out, but my little naps during the day are very helpful in getting me through my days.
I don't know yet what I'm going to do this weekend...we'll see. More shopping might be involved...perhaps I'll ask the girls if they feel like going to Sevilla with me.
H oxoxooxoxxo

"Geez Sir, you sure know how to function a s-y-n-t-h-e-s-i-z-e-r!"

I'm a bit peeved at myself right now. During the past weeks, I've grown to love more and more and more Depeche Mode. Yes, just a FEW months AFTER their last world tour. Grrr...they were in Spain at around this time last year :(
How long will I have to wait now to get a chance to pay an exhorbitant amount of money just so that I can see them in microscopic form? Mierda!
That's my next dream concert: seeing them live. That plus Scissor Sisters and The Cure. Hmmmm now that would be something...going to a Depeche Mode concert and having as opening acts Mr. Red Lipstick Himself and Gaylicious Dude.
Now let's not get too crazy.
So this weekend was great: went shopping and bought myself some cute new earrings, shoes, and a flowery red blouse. I still need to get a new watch and a new pair of pants, but that will have to be dealt with again next weekend.
I also went to see Scoop with Belen and Donna. It was pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised. Again, I understand Spanish dubbed movies a lot now, and have no real problems with them, since the dubbing is pretty good and the voice-overs are high quality...yet, of course, if I HAD the chance I'd watch everything in its original English production. BUT, since I can't permit myself that, I'll have to go with the next best thing.
I watched Mr. Bean Goes To Town today...THAT'S how bad Spanish television is here (ok, ok...I'll admit it...I did laugh when he did a dance that looked like a boomshaka move). Then, I was weirdly amused by a Domino competition. It just keeps on getting worse from here on, so I better stop while I still can.
In other news, my throat is still see-sawing between decently good to "get that Jagged Metal Krusty-O out of my throat" (50 bonus points if you know which Simpsons episode I'm talking about). It's just nuts. Even during the weekend when I'm not talking that much it still hurts a bit when I swallow. Weird, since it was fine on Friday when I WAS talking a whole lot more for work.
I didn't do too much today: write Shane a snailmail letter: check. Go for a walk: check. Take a nap: check. Watch boring TV which unsurprisingly ended with me tuning in to MTV España and Los 40 hoping that Evanescence or David Bisbal wouldn't get shown again for the umpteenth time: check. Hopes abashed: check. Decide to watch Behind the Music with Depeche Mode on YouTube: check.

"I'm going to take my time, I have all the time in the world, To make you mine , It is written in the stars above..."

I'll tune out now with some Borat Quotes. Hope you enjoy them...I'll be crying in a corner, lamenting my plight that I won't get to see this glorious masterpiece until the summer of 2007 (for surely it will be out of theatres in Canada for Xmas, no?).

-"I want to do a romance inside of you."
-"My moustache still tastes of your testes!" (this one is for you Shane)
-"This why I meet Mrs Heskell who teach me how to flirt. So I can do a sex with English girl."
-"There is one singer called Shakira… sorry I laugh because in Kazakhstan this word means vagina. For example, ‘Can I touch your shakira?’ or ‘I have seen your wife’s shakira, it hangs like the mouth of a tired dog."
-"American wine is like Kazakhstani wine, but not made from fermented horse urine."
-"My wife, she is scared of men with chocolate face, there won't be any around here?"
-"Very sorry to interrupt politic. Might I make a shit in your house?"

And with that I leave you. oxxoxoxooxo H.

Big, Fat, Ewww

I just came back from running errands in the city centre. I'm soaked!! What an insane storm we've been having this morning! I didn't go out when lightning was acting all crazy and stuff, but I did still venture out when it was raining like mad. I wanted to get to work to prepare my classes at least...but, since we lost electricity this morning, my boss closed the academy and I had to prepare my classes at home. At least I finally went to the bank, went to the pharmacy and dropped off my TC applications at the Correos (let's all chant a luck hymn for lil ol' me).
So now I'm sitting here with the bottom of my pants nicely wet. Nah, I don't feel like changing. Let's just say that I'm in dire need of going shopping for new jeans and the ones I am currently wearing don't scream, "Please stop wearing me out". These ones I'm presently sporting actually still have denim colour in them and have cute pink zippers (wanna know why these still look so new? I barely wore them this past year since I couldn't fit into them anymore...now I can again, hoorah!).
I've been eating very well here in Huelva, better than in Logroño. I wonder why? I did have chocolate again when Shane came to visit me (hey, we just had to have our chocolate croissants at least a few times), but since he's left, I've stopped again. It's weird...but hey, not that hard to do. I feel very good about myself.
I'm excited about tonight...cuz it's movie night! As usual, I don't know what I'm gonna go see, but I don't care as long as I'm with friends and we have fun. My Friend Donna is so nice, such a sweet girl. Hopefully Belen will also be coming out with us tonight...
Man. It's just SO gross and grey outside. Thank God Shane came to visit me last week, cuz we would have had a rainy weekend in Punta and Sevilla...and that would have been sucky indeed. Thankfully that did not happen :).
There's a film fest happening in Huelva in about 2 weeks. Sadly, I probably won't be able to go because I'll be working and it'll only be for a week. Maybe I'll be able to catch a flick, we'll see. It's not gonna be as big as the TO one, of course, but it would be interesting to see what films Huelva has to offer. They are all gonna be in Spanish, of course.
I think that I've improved my listening skills a lot simply by going to the theatre every Friday. It's amazing how much Spanish I now understand. I've made myself promise that when I will be back in Canada, I will try to make a lot of Spanish friends, or join some kind of Spanish online group and meet up every few days or weeks. I really DON'T want to lose the ability to speak and understand this great language. Nayeli, want to come back to Canada simply pour moi?
I just felt the bottom of my pants...hmm kinda feeling a bit drier. I'm probably going to try to blowdry them a little. Yes, THAT'S how lazy I am. I ain't changing.
Oh my God I see a tiny patch of blue sky...dare I say it might stop raining? I HATE my umbrella. Actually, I hate all umbrellas of the world. Seriously, when have you ever had an umbrella that you truly loved? I don't know, maybe it's just me but I've always had mine break on me after a few uses. It was somehow actually raining THROUGH my umbrella this morning. The rusted areas are also a nice touch of merde
Hmmmm, maybe I should stop buying mine at chinese stores (shakes fists towards the "Chino Bazaars" of the world).
Alright, time to go have some lunch, keep yourselves warm and dry
xoxoxoxoxox H

"She's turning the key, unlocking the door, embracing her rollercoaster world"

So...where have I been? A bit here, a bit there...oh, everywhere (except that spot over there).
Shane came to see me from the 25th to the 29th, which was a great little treat. He's already explained our lil adventures in his blog, so I'll let you all wander to his blog for the juicy details on that...I'll just say that I had a great time and was happy to show him my little part of the world, Sevilla included :)
I WAS going to upload some pictures, but blogger is being stupid. Maybe next time.
Today is a national holiday in Spain, which translates into sleeping in until noon and doing 3 loads of laundry. Ugh. I so need socks, lol.
Today I officially finished ALL of my TC applications...hoorah hoorah! Guys, wish me luck...the Heidster desperately wants to get into U of T (gulp).
Too bad I'll only know in April where I'll get accepted...
In other news, it's November. Wow. I didn't dress up for Halloween yesterday, cuz that's just not done here in Spain. Well, there are a few peeps who do care a bit for this festive day, but not many. We just played Halloween games with the students at work and handed out candy.
Next year, I just HAVE TO dress up. Ideas, anyone?
Oh, and my birthday ended up being a blast. We went out for chinese food, went bowling AND went for a boogie at the Buddha bar and danced until about 4:30 a.m. It was pretty fun, although the cigarette stench gets pretty intense after a while. My throat was all scratchy and dry at the end of the night...ugh. Canada, thank you for banning smoking in all public places.
In yet further news, I've grown hooked on watching Family Guy on youtube. There's nothing like coming home from work and unwinding to a fart fest between Peter Griffin and Micheal Moore. Watch the episode...it's pure gold. I nearly cracked my spine from laughing so hard.
Oh, and that lonelygirl15? Punch her where the sun doesn't shine...
Toodles, mis amores, H xoxoxoxooxox