Arrival in Vigo

 Hello!

 In my last post I made the journey from Avignon, France, to Porto, Portugal and finally on to Vigo, in Galicia in northern Spain. I arrived at the mountain campus late at night and dropped into bed in the student residence. The next day I awoke keen to see my new home in daylight.

 I got up and did some more unpacking before standing back to assess my situation. I hadn't been able to bring any water from Avignon, nor a great deal of food. I would have to try and find some. 

 I spoke to one of the residence staff. She told me that there wasn't much in the way of shops up on campus and so many of the students did their shopping online. She recommended a few sites. In the meantime, I ate a few bits and bobs from the residence vending machines and then stepped outside to explore.

 It was a beautiful afternoon. Everything was blue and green and white, like the earth from space. The mountains were huge and rugged, coated with forest, and the clouds were fluffy. The way the cleverly-built university buildings sit side by side with nature felt futuristic and very special.

 I wandered around the residence and campus. The sun was beginning to set. I still couldn't quite believe I would be living in such an amazing, isolated place for a whole semester. After the stress of a full day and night travelling, the peaceful walk in the open air was wonderful.

 I spotted a little café-bar called Da Vinci and popped in. It was warm and cosy and seemed to be where the students hung out. The ladies serving were lovely. 

 I ordered a hot chocolate. It was unusually thick and creamy and I got a little cake with it. I also tried a signature Galician dish, a empanada, which is a crescent-shaped pastry. Mine had cheese and ham but they can have all kinds of fillings. It was nice, and I was glad to be able to enjoy something resembling a meal after living off vending machine food.

 I sat by the window drinking the last of my hot chocolate and feeling a sense of calm and snugness. When I eventually stepped back outside into the dusk, I felt much more confident and at home on campus. I was looking forward to the months ahead.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x