Monday 11th July
This is the start of week 2 of my course.
The weekend went well but much of Saturday was taken up taking a friend to Málaga by train to buy a ticket for him to go to Valencia. We originally went to the Fuengirola train station to buy the ticket for this main line journey BUT BE WARNED - the ticket window for purchasing long distance train travel in Fuengirola is closed until 21st July.
The Cercanías train trip to Málaga RENFE (train station which is one stop BEFORE Málaga Centro), was fine. If you are going to be purchasing train travel tickets in Málaga, please note that the queuing system makes use of numbered tickets - you need to take one from the dispenser and wait for your number to be called and displayed on a screen - this also tells you the ticket window (ventaniila) to go to.
We had a 20 minute wait!
After buying the ticket we went for lunch and enjoyed a selection of food - mixed house salad, paella and cod fish (bacalao) cooked with potatoes and peas. All this with bread and water for only 16 euros total.
The reason I went with my friend was that he suffered a stoke in 1991 and has some difficulty talking, so it is helpful if there is someone there just in case they are needed.
On Saturday evening I played some more tennis, then enjoyed a nice meal at home.
Sunday was very busy with shopping, followed by 2 hours of tennis and then preparing food for our guests who were coming round in the evening.
We had a good meal of mixed fish starters (smoked salmon, boquerones in vinegar and curried herring, with a garlic and tomato salad, followed by spag bolognaise and then lemon mousse and ice cream. Needless to say a few bottles of wine were also consumed.
Grammar class - we were issued with a new book at "Superior" level. Most of the main books used for grammar in the classes have been written by Concha Moreno, so if you are looking for a good author of grammar books to help you with your studies, then she would be a good recommendation as author.
Today, we were focussing on different uses of the present tense, both to make reference to the future and the past. We also listend to a couple of songs but J L Aute and filled in the blanks on the lyrics sheets - a difficult exercise! The focus was on the use of the subjunctive.
Vocabulary/ conversation class - focussed on dictation, stock frases used in everyday speech and discussion about various issues.
5 new students arrived in our class today.
At night, a party was organised for the adults groups, there were about 40 of us there. There was free beer and sangria as well as tapas of ham, cheese, tortilla, nuts, crisps, olives and pork cooked on the grill.
It was an enjoyable evening, mixing with others students and teachers.
Robbieroy