Back to School!

Hola Blogers,

¿Que tal?

Well, school has started and its all go go go. I love the school and I am feeling really happy that I am here and that I made this choice. Everyone at the school, both students and teachers, are really friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. There are students from all over the world, of all ages and of all abilities (Spanish speaking skills -nada mas!).

On the first morning, everyone that started that day (about 30 people) sat an exam to determine which class they would be put into. The streaming seems to have been done well and I am enjoying my classes a lot. I have private classes in the afternoon (one on one) and these are a lot harder than the group classes (five in my group). This is because you just don´t get a break from thinking or speaking because it is never someone else´s turn. Its what I am here for though so I am not bothered about being pushed and working hard. I was longing to get my teeth into something (other than Churros) for the last few weeks in Brazil. My brain was starting to get very restless. I can´t complain now though - the old grey matter is fully occupied!

Other than classes and wonderful pastries at morning break, school is good for socialising too. Tonight I´m going to a tango show with a meal included. About 15 of us are going with one of the teachers. There are events every day that you can sign up to (these are extras that you have to pay for but my budget is such that I can do everything if I want to - everything is very cheap here for those with pounds sterling in the bank).

I am getting used to the Rockweiler in the house. I am now ready to call her by her name - Cleopatra - rather than calling her "the dog" all the time - so I think this says something for the progression of our relationship. I do believe my host now when she says that Cleo is not ferocious. She´s a little too tired to be bothered to be ferocious in the evenings. A man takes her out all day, with other dogs, for a kind of doggy creche come party in the park. So, she tends to just lay around in the evening, invariably in the way and mostly in the doorway of the bathroom. I have found that a slight tap with the foot ensures that she understands that you want her to move.

I am getting used to the host a bit more now as well. She is a singer and last night was spent listening to her latest songs, recorded that day in the studio, and telling her which I liked and which I didn´t and why - under much interrogation!

Buenos Aires is very first world looking and you could be mistaken for thinking that you were in Spain somehwere. The accent is the only give away. Very odd actually. I understand it now that I know which sounds they are substituting for which, but I am sticking to my guns on my Spanish Spanish. It is quite amusing because my teacher thinks that I have a fabulous Barcelonian accent and is always asking me to say certain things and telling the other students to listen to me. He loves it and gets very excited. Blame Jose for this (who is also developing a Yorkshire accent believe it or not).

I will try to report back on the Tango show as soon as possible. Its not on the most convenient of nights because I have an exam tomorrow but I guess I am not going to die if I don´t do well in the exam so I don´t want to miss the Tango. I always did manage to burn the candle at both ends quite well so I don´t see why I should change a habit of a lifetime.

bye for now

S xx