Back to school

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Sometimes i feel like i havnt breathed fresh air since i got here, theres so much pollution. When i travel on buses and taxis i genuinely fear for my life, buses leave centimetres to spare - i was on one which very nearly collided with a cement truck, which would have been quite messy. Paul, who's driven in Paris and London, says London is a gentle drive in the country compared to the chaos of BA! Just wanted to share the angst.

Monday I went to school, got introduced to the teachers and kids, im giving them conversation practise for their actual exams - feels a bit too much like responsibility for their education if you ask me. That went ok, a bit boring as u have to repeat the same questions for each child, over and over again. Still, the kids are all different, with different levels of English, so its bearable. The school has security guards on the door who look like bouncers - all suited up and everything. Most of them are friendly and chatty, but the biggest one who looks like a bear is so miserable. Every time i smile at him he just glares back, stony faced, as the smile fades from my face. now its my mission - im gonna make that man smile at me in the next three months if its the last thing i do. Went to my home and was made to sing the lyrics i gave them. The entire room went silent, it was so embarrassing. Dont think i'll take lyrics again, think i'll start doing some actual teaching next time, play word bingo and simon says and stuff. Monday all the girls got back just after the boys had been whisked off to a wine tasting on behalf of gary. Me and Jo complained about favouritism, los chicos always get invited to stuff while las chicas stay at home! Garys having a general wine tasting for us all tonight in the hostel to make up for it 😊 A new guy, James arrived Mon night, hes a lot older than us - 31, just here on a bit of an enforced career break to learn Spanish.

Tuesday i went to hospital, where a couple of biochemists actually turned up! Had hour long conversation about the bloody NHS, im a bit clueless and ended up making up half the answers to all the questions...
my english is getting worse and worse whilst im here, other people say the same. My spelling is going downhill dramatically, and i cant remember simple words. Hope it gets better, or i'll end up not being able to communicate in any language!
I came back and didnt have anything to do for the rest of the day, so Chris suggested we go to Palermo Viejo, the trendy area to shop - loads of boutiques where u have to ring the doorbell just to get let in to browse. Of course i looked like a tramp, so i had an inferiority complex - its bad enough going into sparse shops when ur dressed up.
Anyway, i ended up getting a pashmina for 9 pounds, less than half the price back home. Chris decided to turn the excursion into a mammoth trip, i traipsed round after him while he tried on shoes and t-shirts - we went out at 1, and came back at 7. He's worse than a girl. Had a couple of baileys in a bar to recover then came home. We all went out to a buffet place called Sigue La Vaca (follow the cow!) for out travellers welcome meal, then onto a place called ocho7ocho - the taxi stopped outside this random house, and i was like, wheres the bar? Apparently it used to be a bit underground, but its not so much now - u still have to ring the doorbell tho, and know where it is in the first place. Otherwise it just looks like any other building in the street from the outside. Stayed there for a couple, but i was flagging at 2, and came home.

Today ive just got school, so its not too bad. Missing everyone a lot today, im tired and dont feel particularly well, so im not my cheeriest. Shud be ok tonight, i think the wine tasting will be fun. Love you all, miss u more xxx

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Comments

[Ben]

You can take Em out of the UK...
I'm glad to see that every comment so far has involved varying degree's of alcohol enjoyment / abuse, good to see some things never change!! Glad to hear that you're doing well and nice to chat to you on MSN the other day. Keep enjoying it (and keep up the amusing posts, they're good to read) and I'll see you at Christmas. Take care and keep on having fun :) x

[Lionel]

About Ocho7Ocho
Hi!. I use to go to that place, at least once a week. Could be for the music (Chill Out to Jazz), could be for the Food ( really nice and cheap ), or just for the people. My opinion it's from a man who studied for Chef, so i'm not saying this for any reason, just because i know the place. You have a difference between the underground (outside) to the inside, because if you get into the Bar you will discover a bar half and half (half foreingers and half argentinian people). When i sit nearly the bar i listen english like if i were in London. If you want to try this bar you will never complain. :D