On Wednesday Annalisa moved into her flat at 4pm and I was allowed to move in from 5pm. I hung about in the hostel for an hour reading my Spanish newspaper and jumped in a taxi with my masses of bags to hear over to 'El Real'.
When I got there my landlord (Braim/Brain - I'm yet to discover which is the correct spelling) was dealing with the carpenter and seemed a bit rushed so when they left to go out and do whatever they had to do I left too. I wandered around town for a while, trying to get my bearings in this area of town, and to see how far the beach was away from me - about 3 minutes! I found a bike shop and asked how much a bike was (maybe I can go to work by bike?) and it was then that it kicked in. I'd been speaking English pretty much non-stop with Annalisa and now my Spanish sucked bum (as if it didn't before - ha!). I got frustrated, left, and then got really upset. We both knew we had to separate from one another to improve our Spanish and really benefit from being out here, but it'a not a very easy thing to do. One of those 'easier said than done' things...
When I got back here Braim/Brain?! was back from the carpenters. We talked for a bit, he showed me round the flat as he did with the viewing but in more detail - the bin in the kitchen, how the hob works, everyone buys their own communal schtuffs, that kind of thing. He was really patient everytime I tried to form a broken Spanish/English question that he'd already said the answer to previously which I clearly hadn't understood.
Then he said he needed to go shopping and asked if I needed to. I thought we were going to go to the supermarket just up the road (which I didn't realise is really big - it's like living opposite a bit Tescos which is more than ideal). Instead we went down to the garage and drove to a massive supermarket. I got more than enough food and stuffs but am realising already that Spanish people don't eat at home much! Whoopsy!
On the way back Braim drove me up to the old town and we got out and had a walk around and then he drove me around the area where we live like 5 times so I could figure out where I was. Such a nice, friendly guy - willing to give me his time which is great. He and his girlfriend often go to Morocco and apparantly the beaches are stunning. I told him I've been told not to go without a man, so told them next time they go they have to ask me! He said he goes to the desert too - I don't think I've ever been to a desert!
Anyway, we got back, unloaded our shopping via the flat trolley that's kept in the garage and really worked as a team and had a bit of a giggle despite the language barrier. We each cracked open a beer and he made me some brie and jam on toast and served up some cerrano ham with olive oil. Yummy! As we were munching and talking/trying to communicate Alberto came in (the guy that works at the airport). It was nice to see how he came in and made himself at home, kind of a way to tell how things will go with me living here and how comfortable I will feel. He munched down three yoghurts straight, chatted crazily, grabbed his computer, brought it into the kitchen eratically, explained that he's from Madrid, that he goes back every weekend and then scuttled off to work after speaking to me in prettty much perfect English!
This place is like a haven and Braim has got my back. As has Alberto and hopefully David will have too. He gets back from holiday 18th September so I have a while to wait to meet him.
Basically.... I'm getting really fricking good vibes. :-)
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