A trip to the Zoo!

I want to get my blog up to date before Sam comes out on Thursday because then it is nearly time for me to go on to France and as I am someone that needs order in my life, Spain needs to be done before France can start!  So, here goes....

A few weeks ago we were bored so decided to go on a kids day out to the zoo in Madrid.  My views on zoos vary but I decided that I could do with a day outside in the fresh air, not in Alcala.  So we got up bright and early and went off into Madrid.  The first thing we did when we got there was go and see the dolphin show.  Having never seen a dolphin show I didn't really know what to expect but what I saw was pretty impressive and what I loved was the fact that the trainers and the dolphins seemed to have a really good relationship.

Then we just kind of carried on walking around and looking at all the animals, I mean what else are you going to do if you go to a zoo?!!  Those of you that know me well will know that I particularly enjoyed the giraffes and when I found out there was an aquarium within the zoo.. well that just made my day!  I love fish and the sea and always have.  In a previous life I must have lived in the sea...

To better explain the day I feel some photos would do the job:

 The entrance to the zoo!  We were quite excited :)

 The Giraffes!!! Of course the BEST animals in the whole Zoo :P

 Fishy!!! My obsession continues...

 The team (Megan, me, Flossie and Elodie), minus Sam who is behind the camera.

 The cute baby panda.  There were two of them, twins, one was sleeping and this one was playing.. he was so funny :)

Well that is quite enough monkeying around ;) for this evening and I have photos from Ibiza to look through :)

Lessons I am learning (part one I am sure)

I haven't updated my blog in a while and aim to share all of my latest adventures shortly, however today had been a very quiet and therefore pensive day.  There have been a few things swimming around in my little head recently and it might be interesting to share.  Some of these thoughts are things I am learning thanks to this year and others are just little random ones provoked by songs, films, life around me etc.

My philosophy in life tends to be that everything happens for a reason, and this year seems to have highlighted why this (for me) is a good way of looking at things.  I used to think things that happened to me were unfair or somehow I was being punished for something I had done.  The only way to justify these things was that they were down to fate.   I could not believe that some things could happen without having another purpose.  Don't get me wrong I am not religious and do not really believe in a greater power, but sometimes I find myself half way down a path (a metaphorical path) and think wow how am I here and then realise it is thanks to a series of events.  When I was ill a couple of months ago I started writing a novel (I was bed ridden for four whole days... and watching three series of Gossip Girl just got a little too much) and the plot all stemmed from a decision I made a long time ago.  In the novel the protagonist chose the opposite of what I did and I guess the rest was just my imagination...  Sometimes I like to wonder what could have happened if.

This leads me on nicely to another lesson I have learnt from a good friend of mine.  She may not even realise she has helped me learn this, but I am who I am today because of what has happened to me and because of the decisions I have made.  And this is not something I should ever wish to change.  I like who I am today (most of the time) and if changing or removing things from my past would change that then no thank you!  This sounds simple and obvious but actually admitting it and realising it is a whole other kettle of fish.

Something else I have noticed particularly during my time in Spain is that I need structure and routine in my life for me to be the best I can be.  As someone recently reiterated to me 'laziness breeds laziness' and this is completely true.  Writing essays in Durham seems so much easier than writing just one here.  My life has always been strictly timetabled thanks to being busy at school, busy with dance and doing shows, so this year being so very not busy has shown me that this is not the way I work.  Having days...weeks...months to write one essay for uni has made it hard to write it, whilst in Durham fitting essays and work into my life feels easy.   I am excited about getting back to the business of life at uni, although I have also learnt to appreciate the benefits of having time off to relax and just be.

This is the fourth and final lesson I am going to talk about tonight... the fact that it is ok sometimes to just do nothing.  This is a concept I had to learn in Austria when I had long evenings with only myself for company, very limited internet and Austrian TV.  I have continued to learn about this here in Spain seeing as I only have 11 hours of lectures and 8 hours of teaching.  Some of you may be thinking that's a lot, but compared to last year's timetable that is nothing.  Actually when I consider second year I know I had a great year and loved it all, but sometimes I wonder if I had maybe done one less thing, or had one less responsibility, would I have enjoyed the things I did do slightly more.  Who knows? (coming back to lesson number one about not being able to change the past!) What I do know is I am looking forward to combining what I know works well for me (the busy busy lifestyle of last year) and what I now know is not so bad, time out.  I was always intimidated by silence and time to think but now I know that both of those things are necessary to process what has happened and also to maintain oneself as a sane and healthy person.

That is quite enough musing for one evening.  I will leave you on one note though... laughter is certainly good for the soul.  Having just laughed for an entire week with one of my closest friends I know that is exactly what I need in my life... time to laugh and giggle and gossip with my favourites :D

p.s feed the fish!!!! :P

An exciting few weeks :)

So, it has been a while since the last post so I thought it was about time to write a little.  I have been fairly busy the past few weeks...but not really doing anything exceptional.  I am now teaching 10 hours a week on top of lectures so am keeping myself busy, which is keeping me happy! Teaching in Austria was just the best so doing that again is cool :) Plus it means I am a bit busier, which you all know is the way I like my life to be.  I am also making the conscious effort to spend a lot more time with my housemates to get that all important Spanish practice in!

In March I made a couple of theatre trips with Sarah in Madrid.  We went to see Avenue Q one weekend and Les Mis the next.  Avenue Q was fabulous and was literally the London show exactly just translated into Spanish.  As it had been a while since I saw the show it was nice to go.  We thought it was hilarious, but the humour was generally pretty lost on the Spanish.  At times we were the only ones laughing!!  Ah well I guess some things just don't translate!  Les Mis was absolutely stunning and I loved getting to see it again :)  I absolutely LOVE the show so was really happy when I found out it was on.  I am also helping out with a youth production of it this summer so it was good to have a refresher.

We have had a couple of nights out here too.  For Katie's birthday we all dressed up as Katie and had an adult themed kids party.  The night was a good laugh and I loved doing fancy dress again :)  Dressing up is something I have missed this year and can't wait to get back to it next year!  We also went out for St Paddy's day and had a good night.  Then it was a meal at Buffalo Grill (an awesome steak house...mmmmmm steak) for Flossie's birthday before a trip home.

I went home for a long weekend to see the HLOS production of Carousel because lots of my friends were in it and Bianca and Sam were leads.  The show was really good (I watched it three times I should know :P) but the thing I loved most was being back home with la famille and getting to see all my shows friends from home.  It had been far too long since I had seen any of them and I even got to meet a few new friends too :D  Whilst at home I also managed to cram in a full wardrobe clear out, a shopping trip, 3 viewings of carousel, an after show party, two after show meals, a four hour long lunch with some of my favourite people and a trip to London to see The Wizard of Oz. 

I was a little disappointed by the show in London, maybe purely because it was so similar to the one we did in St Albans 10 years ago.  I mean yes they had an awesome set and costumes etc etc but I don't know it just didn't wow me.  Sophie Evans was lovely as Dorothy and the Wicked Witch was fabulous but I think the show is lacking in some big showbiz numbers with those big belty notes to get the show lifted?!  Who knows... I am planning another trip to see it in the summer to see Danielle Hope (the winner of the Over the Rainbow series on TV who is on every night but Tuesday.)

I had such a lovely time back home that coming back was difficult as adjusting back to la vida en Espana is not easy!!  I was wondering yesterday why I have found Spain harder than Austria.. and there are many many reasons.  The fact that Austria was first and so therefore I was all fresh and excited about the year, the fact that I loved my job, my colleagues and my friends over there and whilst I am loving teaching again here and have met some nice people it is not the same, and most importantly perhaps; during my first 3/4 months in Austria I only came back once to visit Durham.  I have realised it is in fact easier to actually just not go back to allow yourself the time to settle and get into life abroad.  Since being in Spain I have made two trips back (in two months) and each time I have to leave it makes it harder again.. ah well!! only three months of being abroad left.  Scary scary times as that means I am three months closer to next year...and scarier still three months closer to real life!!!

I shall leave on that note but will write again soon as I have more comical observations to report.  Things I am looking forward to:

- the zoo tomorrow :)

- La famille coming out next weekend

- Ibiza with Keri in only 14 days!!!

- Rachel coming to Madrid

- Sam coming out :)

- More days of 29 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!