The Spanish taster...

Now this is just a quick post again but I'll expand it once I get the chance... promise!
Spain was amazing! The program I joined with Vaughan Systems was just fantastic and I've made some amazing Spanish friends.
I was even put forward for a teaching position! Imagine me teaching any form of English! LOL!
I changed mobile phone numbers recently too so if anyone would like the new number, just drop me an email.
Oh and I finally sent off my Christmas presents to family and friends... so slack!

Photo update of Spain...

Sorry to keep this breif but theres a stack of new photos up on my flickr website from my Spain experience.... go check them out!

First impressions are going to last...

So... my first afternoon/evening in Spain? Wow!
Okay, track back to my arrival first! The flight was all good, no problems, bar the delay of 1.5 hours. The flight involved frantic flicking though the new phrase book. Arrival at the airport entrance involved a huge 'what the &#$@ do I do now?'. I have about 3 Spanish people a huge 'muchas gracias' for getting me to the Metro train station where I was suppose to be. All my bloody accomodation was planned at the very last minute but everything has worked out so well... fallen into place! Anyhow, I get off at the right Metro station but have a next to useless map on my mobile. Now the 1.5 hours lost on my flight was the time I planned to find where I was staying, dump my gear and head to the tapas party. No no no... instead it involved frantically running around the center of Madrid fully loaded with suitcase and all. So about 30 minutes of looking I finally decided to find the hostel I'd booked! Such a relief to put everything down and walk out no the street free again. 30 minutes late to the party I show up... to a room full of everyones! Aussies, Canadians, Brits and Americans! Even a guy who did the same program I'm about to enter, last week, his repeating it this week and called it 'life changing'.
Okay, more tomorrow and hopefully with photos and some more details, when I'm not typing on my mobile phone!

Delays, delays!

Right, I'm checked in, equipped with newly acquired Lonely Planet Spanish phrase book and guide to Spain, eaten horrible McDonald's and feeling a bit tired and slightly ill from... McDonald's (why do I do it).
My flight was delayed but it least it allowed of to notice that I'd picked up Latin America Spanish phrase book... Der! So that got quickly swapped.
Next post should be from Spain! YAHOO!

Spain by the weekend?

(Pictured: Left - Hotel Real Monasterio San Zoilo, not my photo. Right - Church in Brighton City Center)

By chance I happen to come across an ad on gumtree pointing to this site Vaughan Town

Site Quote:
"In July 2001 we did something that had never been done before: we transformed an abandoned Spanish village into a tiny but bustling metropolis whose official language was English. We "stocked" the village with 20 English speakers from all over the world and brought in 20 Spaniards, leaving the 40 to fight it out and have fun over 10 days."

"The battle was fierce, and when the dust finally settled, we clearly had a draw on our hands: the Anglos had the most memorable 10 days of their life and the Spaniards were three times more fluent and confident with the English language."

This is the program I have joined! I'll be in Spain this week till the 11th! WOOHOO!
I just confirmed time off from Virgin and booked all my flights and transfers!

So the basic idea it's a working holiday organised by a group that English speaking people together at a hotel in Spain, host them, feed them and ask in return that you speak "regular" English to paying Spanish speaking clients (apparently usually business executives) to the hopes to dump them in the deep end of learning English.

Now if the hotel looks *anything* like it does on their site then I'm going to have a ball.
The group apparently organise hikes and other random outdoor activities as well as parties. Going to be a great tester for the new camera phone too! Hehe!
Should be a great teaser trailer for Spain itself later on in my adventure...