Here We Go Again!

Hola everyone! The blog is once again up and running because I have finally returned to my favorite foreign country, Espan~a! I am once again in Granada, still taking classes through the University of Granada's Center of Modern Languages, but this time at the post-grad level. Next semester I will start classes at the university's Facultad de Traduccion (Translation School) with real, live Spanish kids. There's no use worrying about that now tho, because I haven't even started this semester's classes yet. "So," you ask, "why are you in Spain now if your classes don't start until October?" Well darlings, I'm working here too! I'm a sort of on-site coordinator for GRIIS, which is the program that I studied with 2 years ago. The kids got here on September 3rd to start their intensive course, so I came on August 31st to get a bit of a head start.

And it's a good thing I did because our apartment needed ALOT of work. "Wait", you say, "Our apartment?" Yes, our! Being the persuasive little thing that I am, I convinced my good friend Ben that he would like to spend a year in Spain too. He has come to take a TEFL course and (hopefully!!!) get a job as an english teacher, or anything else that earns money. We live in an apartment with 2 Spanish art students, Livia and Rafa, although we have yet to meet the later. Their classes don't start til October either so we're kind of in limbo this month.

So as stated this is not the best apartment in the city...or in the building...or on the floor, but the point is that it's mine and I have 10 months to make it better. Let's take a tour, shall we?

Here I am, sitting on my bed, writing to you guys :)

This is my bedroom! It's the first door on the left when you walk into the hall. It has marble floors and lace curtains and, unlike Ben, I can open my window because it looks out onto a courtyard. (Ben's looks out onto the washing machine)

This is possibly my favorite part of the room: the shoe drawer. Only half my shoes fit in it, the rest are lined up under the bed

 

This is my "vanity", dresser, whatever you prefer. I happen to think it's genius, but I kind of stole the necklace idea from my momma

 

This is my desk, where in theory work will be done. This is the cleanest it will ever be, and that's a promise.

 

The next door down from mine is the kitchen. It looks really skinny in the picture but that's because it actually is that skinny. I figure that's ok though because since I can't cook to speak of, I won't be in there very much.

This is my and Ben's food cupboard. It's a little empty, but I have promised to go grocery shopping tomorrow...or the next day...

This is a Spanish coffee maker! Ours happens to look like a cow. You put the water in the bottom and the coffee in that white middle part and then just let it do it's thing!



Through the kitchen is the patio. Again, it looks tiny and sad in the picture because it pretty much is. Keep in mind that we have not decorated at all yet. That window behind the chair is Ben's.

This is not one of those awesome, sunny patios like hotels have. We have a lovely view of our neighbors, their clotheslines, and the sky if you're willing to lean out a little bit. (We have a rule against it though cuz the railing barely comes up past my knee)

On this patio we have an olde tyme washboard sink, a washing machine, and a fridge. I have yet to use the washing machine cuz I'm afraid it'll be broken like everything else. The fridge is the one appliance that has not caused problems so far.

I wish I could say the same about this little beast. This thing is called a "calentador", which apparently means a water heater. That would be all well and good except that IT DOESN'T HEAT WATER.

The next door down from the kitchen is the full bathroom. The window there opens onto the back of the refrigerator, y'know just in case you need some cheese or something for your shower. The shower, btw, is just to the left.

...and it has an alligator mat! Gracias a Livia

Next door down is the little bathroom. I'm pretty sure it'd fit in well on an airplane.

Around the corner at the end of the hall are the other 3 bedrooms: Ben's on the left, Rafa's straight ahead, and Livia's on the right. "Why is Livia's so much brighter than the rest?" Good question amigo, it's cuz she has not only the largest room, but also the only one with a private patio. Figure that one out...

If you were to turn back ahead, you would find the living room. We've got 2 couches, a table, chairs, tv, and wireless router that doesn't get wireless. See what I mean about broken things?

This used to be a brown leather couch, but it's more comfy with my Thai throw over it. Look familiar? Gracias to Aunt Lisa for that one

 

Well there you have the setting for my glorious life. We are hoping for internet by the end of the week (but that's what they said last week too, so we'll see) and I'm stealing my showers from some British/American friends who live up in the Albaicin for now. I'm also stealing their wireless to post here, to communicate, to answer emails, and to try to fix my blackberry (which also doesn't work). So until the next time I find free wireless, stay well and enjoy your american showers!

 

Hasta la wifi!