Feliz Navidad y bueno año nuevo

I have given up on posting bilingual, its too much work and since everyone I know speaks pretty good English as well I will continue in English and maybe from time to time in German.

Christmas is drawing closer and also the excitement of going home to see family and friends back in Germany. Escaping unheated houses and the occasional cockroach. Coming home to cold temperatures, Christmas markets, hot wine, chocolate and down time.
Time to resume a bit over the past 3 months spent in Elche, Spain.

Erasmus has been a wild ride: meeting lots of different people, going to the beach in november, eating in the middle of the night and for that matter not sleeping much...First the language class in September, not understanding much, struggling signing up for classes, then actual Uni started, slowly improving, making friends, bonding with spanish culutre, lots of dinners, trips to Valencia, Murcia, Barcelona, San Pedro...
FAQs aquí en Elx: people speak Valenciano (mix of castellano and cataln); dogs here are rarely cute, more like ugly, mostly fast and tiney but harmless and very laid back like their owners; dont stress dont rush, things will work out somehow but dont expect them to rapidly; Gestures make up for the lack of language proficiency and everyone is very helpful; houses dont have heating systems and are not built proberly entonces it gets more freezing inside than outside at times; DO NEVER STEP on a COCKROACH, those things are all over...Tapas are amazing I recommend patatas bravas, calamares, queso frito and chupitos for after.

I wish everyone a peaceful christmas-season and a happy new year!!!!

PS a little video made in Barcelona

Barcelona me encanta

Barca...me encanta
Day 1, Dec 3rd 9pm: Vueling Air takes off going east, bringing us (Toni, Katha, Lina and I) closer to the city of our dreams: Barcelona! Due to delays, long lines we arrived at midnight in our piso for the next 5 days. Right around the Corner of Sagrada Familia we got 2 beds to sleep in for free (THANKS GREOGOR & JON!!!)...flying in, unrolling sleeping bags, passing out...PS its amazing hwat kind of carry-on vueling air lets you bring onto the plane. Well we are just girls after all
Day2, Dec 4th: Breakfast with bocadillos, tea and cafe solo next to the Sagrada Familia; later Barrí Gotic strolling down its narrow passageways, discovering tiny gems, buying postcards, stamps, rings and buttons in all variations, drinking coffee in sweet little cafes, checking out art printed on doors all over town, walking down Las Ramblas, seeing the sea, seagulls...Sleep
Day3, Dec 5th: Early Riser, off to see Gaudí's "La Pedrera", walking around L'Exaimple and soaking up the atmosphere of Gucci, Muji and other pricy stores and its costumers; Experiencing a lunch with soup in a trendy new place where you microwave your own food (Great Idea, poorly executed), followed by coffee and dinner at Madams cuisine: Distracted by her well being very well "endowed" we ordered egg-plant, couscous and red wine. Topped off by Gofres caliente (Waffles in Catalan) with dark Xocolate...Exhaustion and bed
Day4, Dec 6th: its sunday and St. Nikolaus, we didnt put our boots out but we git fresh bread and lots of sun for breakfast.Off to the Picasso Museum (Free on the first sunday each month) with its special exhibit on his erotic Japanese prints. Afterwards entering the other side of the Ramble: Raval: a multicultural district full of falafel and döner bars, after lots of garlic-sauce we made our way back to the Sagrada Familia to witness an advent mess inside in Catalan...It truly is a sermon built in stone.
Day5, Dec 7th: Parc Güell, Gaudí's Garden Project which wasnt quite finished but turned out to be a gigantic tourist magnet, enjoying sun with 26°Celsius we strolled around greens and mosaics, trying to avoid the crowd and staying off the road, afterwards exploring Barca's rather "new" Gràcia with its artstores and playgrounds. Ending with hot chocolate and tea yet again our last night in Barcelona has dawned...
Day6th, Dec8th: Rising at 4am, catching a plane at 7am back to Elx, Barca waves us goodbye with its first sunbeams of the day, hasta luego, Barca me encanta!
I will be back for sure.
Besos a todos
Marie