Opps. It's been a while, I'm blaming it on the aftermath of my near death experience.
I don't know if you have noticed but there has been a REVOLUTION in Spain. It's like Doctor Zhivago out there. Spain has serious problems, the main one being 22% unemployment and among young people its more like 50%. There were local elections on Sunday and around the election a huge sit down protest has been arranged. Since Monday thousands of people have been gathered in the main square and are still there today. It was about unemployment but they have attracted people protesting about just about everything. Everyone is talking about it, some think its wonderful, others a waste of time. I wish them well. Just like at home in Spain people say the young are apathetic and don't care about anything and its great to see them proving people wrong. Spain does ahve serious problems and I hope it can be a start to getting more organised and influencing things. However I am getting a little frustrated by a lot of the bullshit around it. For example calling it a revolution annoys me, elections just went off without a hitch and the Conservatives swept the country taking all but one of the regions. Does it sound like we are living in revolutionary times? There lots of people with dreadlocks, playing bongos and speaking about non violent resistance. You're not Gandhi. Expressing these annoyances I think has given people that I'm against the whole thing and when I say the whole thing I mean peaceful protest. I'll get myself a reputation.
I have a job! A new one. It's a summer camp in Canterbury. The general scheduele of a TEFL teacher is that you spend the year wherever and then return home for a summer camp. I have managed to avoid this so far but now its time. Fortunatley I will be living at home so I won't have to go on the forementioned "sex patrol". However I will be involved on full day excursions to London and Brighton, ghost walks and most alarmingly "crazy game" night. What does that involve? I dread to think. There will be time to cram in some teaching. I'm sure it will be fun once I get there and get it into but I am concerned how this will dent my cricket watching. Welcome to the adult world.
It's just getting hotter and hotter. We all spend a lot of time sitting in Retiro park. The entertainment involves putting the word 'poon' into film titles, (my favourite being My Big, Fat, Greek Poon) and watching a girl who works at school who sits in the same place but with a different man each time. Other highlights have been watching a Scottish band who were possibly the dreaiest band that have ever lived. So, so, crushingly dull, I wanted to shout at the guitarist MOVE! NOD YOUR HEAD! BREATHE!!! In fairness to them by being that brain crushingly tedious they will live long in the memory, sly. Other highlights have been my personal goal drought ending with a swivelled finish (I will be giving you a blow by blow account of all my goals when I see you next), meeting someone who works for babe station and bottling going swimmimg in a lake. That shit was green.
Live in general is quiet but good. Classes are already winding down, student numbers are gradully decreasing. I know what you're thinking, I did check its not just my classes. Peoples' heads are more involved in what they are going to do next year and just like last year it's a little sad to hear of some good friends leaving. Home in early July, let's have tea.
love love love x
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Friday 13 May 2011
Tonight We are Going to Give it 35%
The reason for a delayed post is that I am lucky to be alive! Thats right! I could have DIED! I survived a pile up. Pile up may be a tad overstating it. What I mean is that the driver of the bus I was on chose an unfortunate moment to look at his shoes and we went into the back of a car. Buses are big and hitting one was enough to push that one into the two ahead of it and for one to go into the back of us. As previously mentioned buses are big so the bus was fine apart from a bent bumper and some broken tail lights. The car we went into however was not so lucky. That was in bits. No one was hurt though at one point I thought the woman who got hit was going to kill the bus driver, he would have deserved it. We caused a huge delay made all the more satisfying knowing that Kevyn and Julio were caught in it.
Home was good. Brief, but good. I was down for only 24 hours and in that time I managed to to catch up with Hannah, Catherine and John who were in great form and saved me from having to spend too much time dealing with my sister's friends which is always gratefull received. Its got me really looking forward to the summer.
On landing I got a phone call from Felicity and rather strangely went straight to meet them for an afternoon at the zoo. Tired, dishevelled and still carrying my bag I wandered around in a strange daze. I like zoos. I don't see them as prisons as a persistent graffitti artist is calling them all over Madrid. Someone should tell him a lot of these animals would be extinct without them. Saying that at points I could see what he was getting at in Madrid zoo. Most of it was good, large enclosures with lots of things in but there were exceptions, such as the poor buffalo just standing in mud. It was the bears who were the worst though. People were throwing crisps and bits of bread at them and they were doing a little dance, it was sad to see them reduced to that. Also I know dolphins are usually a lot of peoples favourites but come on! They'll do anything for a fish, sluts.
The other main event of the week was finally getting around to seeing a Real Madrid game. Jeff (the only nice p****e fan) is a season ticket holder, possibly the first man ever to have both held a p****e season ticket and a Real Madrid season ticket. He couldn't go so he gave it to me and I took his seat to see the local derby Real vs Getafe. It was an exhibition match, Real cruised it 4-0 and at no point was a football match in danger of breaking out. Ronaldo scored three and say what you like about his character he is really, really, good at football. My man crush on Xabi Alonso grows and grows. The game served as a good example of Spanish football generally. It was a real privilege to be able to watch such talented players in the flesh. Real are a very very good side and in my opinion probably would have won the Premier League fairly comfortably this season, its just unfortunate for them that Barcelona are even better. It was great to see some of the best players on the planet show off their talent. Some people say that is what you want, you want to see incredible footballers play incredible football. Like the Harlem Globe Trotters, you don't go to see a game, you go to see the ability on show. While others say the Premiership is better as you will see a more equal and competitive game of football. I have to agree. Charlton (who I know are very far away from Real) have won by 4 goals only a handful of times in my lifetime, but thats the point. When it happens we go crazy, its truly special. The Real fans just clapped and then all went home, it was routine for them and where's the fun in that? As a one off it was brilliant but game after game after game? A good example is Osasuna. Who on Wednesday won a massive game to more or less secure their position in the division next year. 2 nil down at half time to Sevilla, who are a really good side. However they turned it round to win 3-2 with two very late goals. Camunas set up the winner despite being punched in the build up and bleeding. The Guardian described it as
It could just be the best assist ever. Camuñas chased a long ball up the left wing, cut inside, got punched full in the face, wobbled momentarily, lifted his hand towards his head, carried on into the area, blood streaming from just below the eye, provided a wonderful assist and turned to celebrate with the fans, pointing at his face. "See this?" Camuñas said after the game, pointing at his face as everyone went bonkers, "this represents this club". "Look, look, look!" he said, pointing at the fans, "this is what Osasuna are all about." And that is why Osasuna will survive.
Proper football.
love love love x
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-9D4MkNlzw
Home was good. Brief, but good. I was down for only 24 hours and in that time I managed to to catch up with Hannah, Catherine and John who were in great form and saved me from having to spend too much time dealing with my sister's friends which is always gratefull received. Its got me really looking forward to the summer.
On landing I got a phone call from Felicity and rather strangely went straight to meet them for an afternoon at the zoo. Tired, dishevelled and still carrying my bag I wandered around in a strange daze. I like zoos. I don't see them as prisons as a persistent graffitti artist is calling them all over Madrid. Someone should tell him a lot of these animals would be extinct without them. Saying that at points I could see what he was getting at in Madrid zoo. Most of it was good, large enclosures with lots of things in but there were exceptions, such as the poor buffalo just standing in mud. It was the bears who were the worst though. People were throwing crisps and bits of bread at them and they were doing a little dance, it was sad to see them reduced to that. Also I know dolphins are usually a lot of peoples favourites but come on! They'll do anything for a fish, sluts.
The other main event of the week was finally getting around to seeing a Real Madrid game. Jeff (the only nice p****e fan) is a season ticket holder, possibly the first man ever to have both held a p****e season ticket and a Real Madrid season ticket. He couldn't go so he gave it to me and I took his seat to see the local derby Real vs Getafe. It was an exhibition match, Real cruised it 4-0 and at no point was a football match in danger of breaking out. Ronaldo scored three and say what you like about his character he is really, really, good at football. My man crush on Xabi Alonso grows and grows. The game served as a good example of Spanish football generally. It was a real privilege to be able to watch such talented players in the flesh. Real are a very very good side and in my opinion probably would have won the Premier League fairly comfortably this season, its just unfortunate for them that Barcelona are even better. It was great to see some of the best players on the planet show off their talent. Some people say that is what you want, you want to see incredible footballers play incredible football. Like the Harlem Globe Trotters, you don't go to see a game, you go to see the ability on show. While others say the Premiership is better as you will see a more equal and competitive game of football. I have to agree. Charlton (who I know are very far away from Real) have won by 4 goals only a handful of times in my lifetime, but thats the point. When it happens we go crazy, its truly special. The Real fans just clapped and then all went home, it was routine for them and where's the fun in that? As a one off it was brilliant but game after game after game? A good example is Osasuna. Who on Wednesday won a massive game to more or less secure their position in the division next year. 2 nil down at half time to Sevilla, who are a really good side. However they turned it round to win 3-2 with two very late goals. Camunas set up the winner despite being punched in the build up and bleeding. The Guardian described it as
It could just be the best assist ever. Camuñas chased a long ball up the left wing, cut inside, got punched full in the face, wobbled momentarily, lifted his hand towards his head, carried on into the area, blood streaming from just below the eye, provided a wonderful assist and turned to celebrate with the fans, pointing at his face. "See this?" Camuñas said after the game, pointing at his face as everyone went bonkers, "this represents this club". "Look, look, look!" he said, pointing at the fans, "this is what Osasuna are all about." And that is why Osasuna will survive.
Proper football.
love love love x
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-9D4MkNlzw
Wednesday 4 May 2011
What the Fuck is the Internet?
What an eventful week! Obivously the weekedn started with the greatest event that HAS EVER HAPPENED. Aww didn't she look nice? Wasn't it lovely? I'm glad it didn't rain. These were the insightful comments that we were discussing on Friday afternoon during that whole Royal Wedding business. I was booking a football pitch during the ceremony (take THAT monarchy!) but watched them on the balcony, there was even a cheer when they kissed. Strangely two French people were probably the most excited, should have thought about that at the time. There were British flags and even a little champagne. Let's just hope it doesn't end like the last one.
We had a little problem over the weekend. We were supposed to go to Segovia but we had an issue with train stations. We were at Menendez Pelayo and really inconviently you can't go to Segeovia from there. Rude. Rather than just go to the right station we thought it a better plan to change destination to Avila. On the bus Amy did remember that a friend Raquel had gone to Segovia the day before. Rushed phone calls, apologies and guilt (oh the guilt!) took up the rest of the journey. Fortunately she has family there so it wasn't completely terrible, but still. Poor Amy had to listen to Sean give long tearful descriptions of Raquel sitting in Segovia weeping.
Avila was very nice. It's main attraction are the Medieval walls. They built these walls and then that was about that for two thousand years. Thats not strictly true, Saint Teresa was from Avila. She is a reformer so not to exciting, they do keep her finger in the cathedral but it was closed so we missed that strange token of affection. We did see the walls though, boy did we see those walls. Work started on the walls in 1090. The fenced area is of 31 hectares with a perimeter of approximately 2,516 meters, 88 blocks or semicircular towers, paintings by 3 m. thick, an average height of 12 m. and 9 gates. It is the largest fully illuminated monument in the world. They really were some damn fine walls. Silja acted as our mother for the trip and ensured we all learnt something. The rest of day was mainly spent eating and drinking. Classy.
At the end of the last post I said the Champions League match would be huge. It wasn't, it was humilating. The two best teams in the world, and in Barcelona quite possibly the best ever, rolled, dived, cheated and whinged for the entire time. You expect it from a Jose Mourinho team but Barcelona were even worse. Alves, Pedro, Mascherano, SERGIO FUCKING BUSQUETS. It is even more annoying when combined with their "more than a club" moral superiority. I was was a little disillusioned with football but then Leo Messi just did what Leo Messi does and then everything was back to normal. He was the exception, he's just too good. Our own football has doubled to two hours, my legs are just so painful.
love love love x
We had a little problem over the weekend. We were supposed to go to Segovia but we had an issue with train stations. We were at Menendez Pelayo and really inconviently you can't go to Segeovia from there. Rude. Rather than just go to the right station we thought it a better plan to change destination to Avila. On the bus Amy did remember that a friend Raquel had gone to Segovia the day before. Rushed phone calls, apologies and guilt (oh the guilt!) took up the rest of the journey. Fortunately she has family there so it wasn't completely terrible, but still. Poor Amy had to listen to Sean give long tearful descriptions of Raquel sitting in Segovia weeping.
Avila was very nice. It's main attraction are the Medieval walls. They built these walls and then that was about that for two thousand years. Thats not strictly true, Saint Teresa was from Avila. She is a reformer so not to exciting, they do keep her finger in the cathedral but it was closed so we missed that strange token of affection. We did see the walls though, boy did we see those walls. Work started on the walls in 1090. The fenced area is of 31 hectares with a perimeter of approximately 2,516 meters, 88 blocks or semicircular towers, paintings by 3 m. thick, an average height of 12 m. and 9 gates. It is the largest fully illuminated monument in the world. They really were some damn fine walls. Silja acted as our mother for the trip and ensured we all learnt something. The rest of day was mainly spent eating and drinking. Classy.
At the end of the last post I said the Champions League match would be huge. It wasn't, it was humilating. The two best teams in the world, and in Barcelona quite possibly the best ever, rolled, dived, cheated and whinged for the entire time. You expect it from a Jose Mourinho team but Barcelona were even worse. Alves, Pedro, Mascherano, SERGIO FUCKING BUSQUETS. It is even more annoying when combined with their "more than a club" moral superiority. I was was a little disillusioned with football but then Leo Messi just did what Leo Messi does and then everything was back to normal. He was the exception, he's just too good. Our own football has doubled to two hours, my legs are just so painful.
love love love x
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