Italy Vs Belgium - the Cook-off

The other day Victor (Belgian), for one reason or another, decided it would be a good idea to set up a cooking competition between himself and Roberto (Italian). Lena (French), Benoit (French), Rebecca (German) and I (English! :-P) were asked to act as the impartial judges. Roberto, however, invited half the Italian nation over as his cooking team, forcing Victor to join forces with Benoit. The result was a rather exciting yet bizarre gastronomic journey. The Italians dazzled our tastebuds with fried aubergines, battered steaks and about 52 different sorts of pizzas. Meanwhile the Belgian-French alliance of Victor and Benoit presented us with an egg with tomato sauce starter, followed by a potato, pea and sausage hotpot.

We, as the judges each had to award points for the following categories:

1. Appearance
2. Smell
3. Taste

The Cook-off, with me presenting the results!

I can tell you that Italy won (93-81). The French want me to take them on sometime for an English-French cook-off.... I'm not so sure! As always, I'll keep you all posted!

My Flatmates

Here are some pictures of my housemate to give you an idea of who I live with! (I've put them in the order that I met them all).

Lena, the French lass:

Benoit, the French lad:

Victor (Vicky), the Belgian lad:

Rebecca, a German lass:


Greet (Greta), the Belgian lass:



Roberto (Robbi/Bobbi), the Italian lad:

Weird Weather

I thought the British weather was strange for its random and unexpected changes... but that's nothing in comparison to the weather we've had here in Córdoba this week! From Monday to Wednesday we had three days of practically constant rain, the temperature dropped to between 10 - 15 degrees and at night my room was like a block of ice. On Thursday morning, between about 6 and 8am, we had a huge storm which woke me up. It was practically impossible to see anything outside as the rain blurred everything in sight. However, by the time I'd had a shower and was ready to leave the storm had vanished, and, other than the odd puddle, no were no clue to imply that the storm had ever even existed! By midday the temperature had hit 30 degrees again (which was a bloody pain, as I had my jeans and a jacket on) and it has remained like that ever since. It's like summer again! Bizarre!

Autumn?! and my Timetable.

I think that Autumn has finally arrived in Códoba! Which basically means that before I leave the house at 8 in the morning I have to choose between wearing three-quarter length trousers or jeans. I have, until now, always gone for the former because by noon the temperture still manages to creep up to around 30ºC! Oh well, shouldn't complain! Luckily my department (La Facultad de Filosofía y Letras) tackles the heat heroically, and so the classrooms remain comfortably cool.

A photo of the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras (my department)

Speaking of classes, I have FINALLY ( after three weeks of messing around) managed to organise my timetable. This semestre (until February) I'm taking;

1. Spanish Lexigraphy (the history of the art or practice of defining Spanish words)
   
2. Spanish Phonetics and Phonology (which is really interesting but, by Allah, it's solid!)


3. Theory and Practise of Spanish Language


4. Archeology


5. Specialized Translation (Spanish > English)

And next semestre (February - June);

1. Theory and Practise of Spanish Language


2. Specialized Translation (Spanish > English)


3. Dubbing and Subtitling


4. Literary Translation (English > Spanish)


5. Translation of Newspapers (English > Spanish)
   

Bit of a mouthful, but there you go. I'm fairly pleased with it, but I'm not looking forward to the exam period, I can tell you!

Some Photos

Sorry for not uploading photos soon and for not having written anything for a while, Internet is a real luxury at the moment for me, we still don't have it in our house!

Anyway, here are some photos I took on my first day in Córdoba;

This is the 'Puerta de Almodóvar' (the 'Almodóvar' door) which form the entrance to Córdoba's historic quarters, which is now a world heritage centre.

This is the 'Mezquita de Córdoba' (Córdoba's Mosque), the most famous building in Córdoba. I still haven't been inside during my time here... may take a visit tomorrow morning... My house is literally two minutes away from here by foot. I pass it everyday on my way to Uni.

Here's the hostal I stay in during those first few days. Nothing particually special, but was cheap and cheerful!

I'll upload some more when I have the time (the battery of my laptop is just about to die - I'm in an Internet cafe!).

Flat Hunting

On Monday (21/09) I started off the day with a trip to my University faculty, 'La Facultad de Filosofía y Letras', which was literally just around the corner from my hostel, to try and find both my timetable and permanent accomodation. Unfortunately I found neither. I was told I had to organise my own timetable, choosing any classes I wanted to study that are taught within the faculty, as well as being given two of the worst flats I have ever had the misfortune to turn my nose up at to look around. Admittedly, the owner of the second flat was lovely, although he had one blind eye that moved around gracelessly on its own accord. The flat however was a dump, as well as being about a mile away from the faculty and 450€ a month! After going to see it I decided to comfort myself with plenty of tapas in a bar near the hostel and fell asleep watching a Mock the Week DVD.

On Tuesday (22/09) I returned to the Erasmus office and instantly found three new flats to take a look at. I arrived at the first appointment to meet a jolly, plump, Spanish woman outside waving some keys and guiding me into the house. What I found inside was, if I'm going to be honest, really beyond my expectations after the previous day's fruitless venture. The house was HUGE! With seven bedrooms, two bathrooms, two kitchens, an outside roof terrace and lots communal living space I feel in love with it as soon as I saw it. Then came the 'piece de resistance', the owner told me that the room cost only 180€ a month. With that the deal was done, and the attic room became my new Spanish home! (I will upload some pictures as soon as we get Internet sorted out at the house, at the moment I'm in a computer room in the University.)

After being given the keys I went back to the hostel to collect my suitcases. When I returned I met majority of my new flatmates. They are :

Lena (French lass, studing Medicine)
Benoît (French lad, Lena's boyfriend, speaks little Spanish and is job hunting)
Victor (Belgian lad, studying Medicine)
Greet (Belgian lass, studying Medicine)
Rebeka (German lass, studying Medicine)
Isobel (German lass, studying in the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras like me)
Roberto (Italian lad, studying International Relations)
Me! (the only and only English student!)

We all went out for a few drinks and tapas to get to know each other, and ended up in bed far later than I had hoped, as I need to be up for half 7 the next day for my first day at Uni....!

All in all, things have improved 1'000'000 times over since my first day!

A Bumpy Arrival

Well, what can I say? The last few days have been some of the most interesting, frightening, exciting and nerve-racking of my life! I´ll try my best to describe my first 'enjoyable day' here...

On Sunday, as I explained in my pervious post, I left Lincoln during the early hours of the morning. For a reason that escapes me I decided not to go to bed and to brave the day completely knackered and thus slightly grumpy. Luckily I managed to get a few hours kip on the plane, but I still arrived in Madrid with eyes as red as the devil's privates and a headache that felt like a tumor.

I then had to get a train from Madrid to Córdoba, during which time I was stalked by a Spanish tramp who tried his best to obtain the contents of my pockets (by that I mean my MONEY, I know how some of your minds work.) When I finally arrived in Córdoba I had to walk from the train station to my hostel, during which time I mangaged to get sunburn all the way up my right arm. As I´m sure you can imagine I got to the hostel with spirts as high as a kite...

After having a shower I decided to go for a walk around the historic centre on Córdoba. Those of you who have ever been here will know it is like a collosal, white maze - something you should under NO circumstances attack without the help of a map! Being a male and thus "too proud" to consult any navagational aid I managed to get lost, and spent the best part of an hour trying to find my hostel again. When I finally managed to get back I instantly hit the hay and slept for the best part of 13 hours!

By this time you may think that I was feeling somewhat suicidal, but fear not, fair reader, my luck DRAMATICALLY changed (thank God), but I´ll write about that when I have time later, I´ve got a Spanish grammar lecture to attent. So, until then, I bid you fairwell!
Liam

Lift off...

Just a short post to say goodbye, as the time has come for me to leave ol' Blighty and set sail for (well, fly to) España. I'm packed up with everything from t-shirts and towels to ibuprofen and diarrhea tablets (because you never know!) Tomorrow's plan of action is as follows:

02:30 Leave Lincoln for Luton Airport
06:45 Fly from Luton heading for Madrid
10:15 Arrive in Madrid (local time)
10:40 Catch metro to Atocha train station (where the Madrid bombings took place in 2004, thought I'd slip in a reminder of some recent Spanish history there for you!)
11:00 Catch train to Córdoba
12:42 Arrive in Córdoba
13:00 Find hostel and check in
From then on I'm sure the direction of my day will be dictated by the instinctive urges to both eat and sleep! I'm certainately looking forward to tucking into to authentic Spanish cuisine!

So, farewell, or as they say in España, 'hasta luego'! I'll try my best to write my first proper blog entry as soon as I can after my arrival, hopefully with some pictures of my first sights of Córdoba (which should be lovely and sunny, fingers crossed!) Until then, adios, over and out.

Welcome!

Hello one and all!

I would like to introduce you to my new blog, which will be my way of telling you all about what I get up to in Cordoba next year. I hope to be able to entertain you all with my tales from my year abroad and please feel free to leave your own messages! Enjoy!

Much love,

Liam!