International blogger

Hola. I´m in Madrid and I´m blogging. Aren´t I clever? Not really, I know, but I´m pleased with myself. All the computer jargon is in Spanish and this keyboard is slightly different, so I am up against it here!

There´s not really much to report. I managed to get here safe and sound. Madrid is big but easy to navigate with the Metro (underground). I´m counting my lucky stars that I got here okay because a girl in the same flat as me was robbed in the airport and had her bag stolen with all her money, passport, credit cards. Suffice to say, she´s feeling rather disorientated and is not having the best of times. I´ve since vowed to leave the house with only a little money in my pocket and my keys. I am, after all, in a capital city and these things do happen when you are strange to a place.

I´m staying in a nice flat with a Spanish lady, Mari Paz, and other students of Spanish. It´s nice, but Mari Paz is a force to be reckoned with. She has many rules and regulations (I strongly suspect she has OCD) and at first I was wondering what I was doing here. Some of the rules include brushing your hair only in the bathroom and not being allowed to drink (even water) in your bedroom. Anyone who knows me will know that I´m not naturally tidy so I feel I am walking on eggshells all the time. I´m only here for a fortnight but I am scared stiff of doing something wrong with the formidable Mari Paz.

Today I had my first Spanish lesson. I enjoyed it and the teacher, Emilio, was good. I feel that I have already learned lots and it is great to be using Spanish so much. I have so much more confidence in my German so it´s nice to think I am heading towards that with my Spanish now.

I´ve been into the centre of Madrid today. It´s a very cosmopolitan place and I´ve seen a few characters already. I´ve been knitting on benches in the streets and have been asked about it. They find knitting socks very peculiar but I remind them of British winters (and this summer, for that matter) and then they understand. It is really hot here and I am always seeking out the shade.

Later today I am going back to the flat to plan my excursions for the week. The first two days have been about familiarising myself with the place, but tomorrow I want to go exploring. I must visit the art galleries and museums because they are allegedly fantastic and they have Picasso´s Guernica here somewhere. This afternoon will be spent researching where to go.

A message for Ezzie and Granby - I´m missing you both. Hasta luego.