Birthdays Galore

HOLAAAAAAA.
Tripping over my laptop wire yesterday evening, I damaged a part in the charger port meaning I cannot charge my laptop and it is effectively uselessL! Thankfully, Maddie, who is out enjoying the sunshine, has allowed me to use her laptop so I can keep you keen readers up to date with la vida española – It’s been 10 months and with only 2 weeks left, I need to keep it going!

Following last Thursday’s joke of an examination, Friday saw my final return to revision for the Spanish in America exam the following Monday. These classes had probably been the worst of all as we literally did NOTHING in them. The lecturer, whose eccentricity seemed to grow as the weeks went on, would often ramble on about random points with them making little if any sense to us Erasmus students who counted for 98% of the class. There was rarely anything to make notes on and I wondered how I’d be able to learn anything to sit the exam.

We were provided with a list of 227 questions, of which 20 would be chosen for the exam. We also had to find the answers but with the help of some people who sat the module last semester. Therefore, it was just a case of learning to recognize each correct answer. While it was a fairly simple procedure, it was tedious especially as I wasn’t actually learning anything useful, only things that would be redundant after the exam.

Friday evening, a large group of us went to Beck’s flat for drinks for her birthday – 2 cakes, some games, lots of chatting and a dirty pint well drank by Becks later, we went to Umbracle, the open-air nightclub which is located at the ciudad de artes y ciencias – a cool place for a night out!

On Saturday, Heather, her friends Steph & Camille who were visitng, Anya, Saloni and I spent the afternoon at the beach, later joined by Charles & Hannah. We stayed quite late until the evening and it was the first time I’d been there at such a time when the sun was slowly setting and things were getting a bit cooler and the temperature was comfortable. Heather, Cams, Steph and invented a ball game where we had to hit it using different parts of the body (to a childhood nursery rhyme which I now can’t remember.) I don’t think we were too good though as we never got through the whole thing.

Sunday was cramming day before Monday’s exam – Reading questions and answers over and over and over and over, looking away and chanting the question and the answer, hoping that I’d read the question in the exam which would spark something in my head. It was a long day and I got quite frustrated when some just did not seem to want to stay in my head – I eventually gave up feeling that I could confidently answer at least 80% of the 227, time would tell if the lecturer would pick questions I knew or not.

Exam day came, as did Heather’s 21^st Birthday! Once again, the exam system of Spain was a hilariously awful. We entered the room and she began the register while the Spanish students did the exam – By the time she was done, she was too. Following the distribution of the exam paper, we were told to start and she then began to explain the exam paper – It was quite similar and I had finished before she had finished explaining what had to be done. The exam was completed in 4 minutes and I was confident I had answered the majority of the questions correctly. Following the exam Anya, Heather, Saloni (Anya’s friend visiting from Cardiff) sat in the sun for an hour to have a drink, catch-up and BE FREE following our final exam. I went inside and bought a little slice of cake, popped a candle in it and delivered it to our table although the wind blew it out and I had to re-light…. Nevertheless I think she was touched! Anya and I made excuses why we had to go home and then went into town with Saloni to buy Heather’s birthday present from us, Hannah and Alex. We decided to buy a Thomas Sabo charm bracelet with a 4 leaf clover. After going home, showering and changing, I then went to Heather’s flat where Hannah had arranged surprised champagne and cake for Heather followed by the opening of cards and then gifts – I think it is fair to say she LOVED what we had chosen from her and I don’t think she expected anything like that. She has become such a close friend here in Valencia and has provided so many wonderful memories and I certainly aim to continue our friendship back in Cardiff, even if I have to drag her around to spend time with me 

As a large group, we all went to Tanto Monta for dinner – Perhaps Heath’s favourite place to eat in Valencia? Part of this may be due to the fact she is in love with one of the waiters there. After being informed of her birthday, he gave her a kiss and wished her Happy Birthday – 21^ST BIRTHDAY MADE!!! Following a delicious dinner (We ordered 53 Pinchos between us all), he brought out a selection of desserts with candles in, another surprise for the birthday girl J! We then went to Chupitos for an hour to celebrate the end of Heath’s big 21^st but just before midnight we started a countdown…. As Heath’s birthday ended, Hannah’s started!!! 

Whilst Charles & Alex were in town buying champagne, chocolates, flowers and other goodies for Hannah (her parents had sent us some money to buy her these things from them, as they could’ve be here), Hannah, Kate (Han’s friend who had come out for her birthday) and I went to the beach for what would be the hottest day of the year so far. I bought a bottle of champagne and Han brought along too and being her 21^st birthday, we decided to rent some sun beds which were SUCH a great idea. Walking across the sand, I could feel my feet getting hot and digging them in as I walked made it no better – I was forced to run across the whole beach to the cool sand at the front before being able to sit on a bed. The sand was so hot that I burnt the soles of my feet and now have a blister from the burning, it later emerged the temperature had been around 39 degrees that day. We drank champagne, swam in the sea, ate strawberries and tanned like we never had before The others joined us later and we toasted to Han’s birthday before eventually going home, the temperature was just too much!

That evening, there was more champagne and cake at Han’s place and we presented her with her present – Nike Blazers! She’d mentioned them agesss ago and I probed her for information trying to be as discreet as possible – I don’t THINK she worked it out. As seen in the photos, she was clearly pleased to have them! For dinner we went to an Italian restaurant in Carmen, the old part of Valencia. A huuuge pizza and 3 types of tapas for 10eur – it was a fantastic deal! The people working there were genuinely the nicest and most genuine of people I have ever come across in a restaurant and the waiter was hilarious and joked around with us lots. Hannah was presented with a slice of tiramusu cake which Heather had arranged and due to them not having any candles, they placed a tealight on the top – How cute! Leaving the restaurant, the waiter said that our Spanish was excellent and far superior than that of the many Italians who visited the restaurant. I hope he was being honest and didn’t just want a big tip! At the end of the mean, it was time to say goodbye to Rachael who would be leaving Spain the next morning. Sad times :(

Wednesday and Thursday both consisted of trips to the beach, making the most of my final weeks here to ensure I go home with a Spanish tan. We also went out Wednesday night for Han’s birthday to another open-air club in the port which is probably my most favourite place that I’ve had a night out so far!

On Friday Hannah and I did the tourist trail with Kate. Cycling into town, we visited the Cathedral and climbed to the top (which I had not yet done) and saw some spectacular views over Valencia, even if the steep and claustrophobic climb was difficult in the heat. We then ate paella for lunch in Plaza de la Reina before cycling down to the city of arts and sciences. A beautiful day! That evening, Kate made a DELICIOUS Spanish Tortilla for dinner while I contributed some guacamole, I have become pretty obsessed with it as of late. That evening we went out to Umbracle again and we had a great night. We were hungry at the end of the night and so asked the Taxi driver to take us to the one bakery we knew open, there’s no such thing as a late night McDonalds or Fish and Chips here. The food went down SO WELL and I don’t know why we haven’t done that before!

Yesterday was yet ANOTHER day at the beach (certainly making the most of it!) Alex and I had a long swim in the sea and there were plenty of waves to play around in – I’ve found some bats and a ball in my flat which I took along and we had fun diving into the waves trying to hit J Yesterday evening, with my skin a little hot from the sun, I stayed at home and watched a film with Maria – Interestingly, Spanish Television seems to have the option to change whether you listen to films in VO (Original version) or dubbed in Spanish – naturally I went for the Spanish.

TODAY IS AN EXCITING DAY AS MY FRIEND JESS IS COMING TO VISIT!!
Having just finished her Masters degree, we were chatting on Facebook where she complained about needing a holiday. I told her to book flights, and she did, and will be here until the 27^th when I go home J There’re still lots of Touristy things I wish to do and so I’m glad I’ll have a tourist to do them with as lots of the others have done things with their visitors J My list is long but I’ll hopefully get at least something done every day.


12 days until home, this really is the final countdown!!