Learning magic in Vigo

 Hello!

 One thing I did during my time in Vigo that sometimes surprises people is taking a magic class. 

 I can understand how on the surface it might seem slightly random, and at odds with my other modules which were focused on languages and history. However, it came about quite naturally.

 I found a booklet in my residence about optional extra courses students could do for one or two credits. There were all kinds of things: photography, guitar, drums, cookery. I was interested in all of the above, but for timetable reasons the magic class looked the most promising.

 I signed up, and it was so easy and quick - the admin at Vigo was wonderful. I then went to my first weekly class, in Edificio Miralles: a long, thin building on stilts.

 It was located between my faculty and my residence, which was convenient - Magic was my last class on a Monday, so I could head straight home afterwards. 

 I was amazed at how big the building is inside compared to how it seems from the ground below. There are rows of seats outside the classrooms where you can wait, and the views of the mountain campus from the windows behind them - the ones in the photo - are stunning.

 The classes were relaxed and interesting. Our teacher was passionate about magic and performed his tricks with real charisma. He let us work at our own pace, sitting with us and helping us if we needed it. 

 I was the only student - to my knowledge - who wasn't a native speaker of Galician or Spanish, but there is something universal about magic tricks. I had done some when I was a kid, which helped. I remembered a trick I used to do centred around the Aces, and impressed the teacher with it.

The class mainly consisted of older men, with one other woman and three male students my age. This was a different demographic to what I encountered on a day-to-day basis at the university and in my residence, so it was a way of learning how older people live in Vigo, and how they talk. 

Their way of speaking struck me as very articulate, with a dignity that I admired. They asked me once about Brexit, but mainly we just discussed magic and helped each other to understand the tricks.

 One concern I had before starting the course was the cost of the equipment I might have to buy. However, the only essential equipment was a pack of cards, and we could buy them from the teacher. The only other things we really used were paper and pens, which I had anyway for my other classes.

 At the end of the course, we performed a show for friends and family. I did a trick, speaking in Spanish, which took courage, but it went well and I was happy and proud. We then received our certificates and a very quirky magic wand, which I appreciated. It was a nice afternoon.

 I am glad I chose to do this extra module, and I recommend doing something like it to anybody going to Vigo or abroad. You can learn or polish a skill, be completely immersed in the language you're learning, and meet people you might not otherwise. It definitely improved my confidence.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Galician language and culture classes

 Hello!

 I mentioned in my last post, about my modules at the University of Vigo, that I would dedicate a post to my Galician language culture class, because there is so much to say about it.

 This was more than a Uni module. It was a big part of my life, what with all the excursions we went on and the bonds that formed between us as students. I made some great friends from all over the world.

 We had five hours of lessons a week. We learnt Galician language - grammar, vocabulary - and did a lot of speaking practise in groups, which helped us to get to know each other.

 We would then study Galician culture - history, geography, art, food, festivals and traditions. We listened to a lot of music, of different genres, which I really liked. Galician classes came after our morning modules, and were a nice, relaxed way to spend an afternoon.

 Of course, I must talk about the trips and visits, as these ended up forming a kind of backbone to my time in Vigo. They meant I travelled on a regular basis - I probably would have anyway, but having organised tours certainly helped.

 They also allowed me to see amazing places that would have been hard to access through public transport but which a coach or minibus could get us to. Here is a recap of our adventures.

 The Monastery of Carboeiro - This abandoned Benedictine monastery was a remote, peaceful place, and the surrounding area was incredibly lush and green.

 The River Deza and the Toxa Waterfall - This hike was quite tough at times, especially as we were rained on, but the nature was very diverse and we encountered hallmarks of Galician culture such as the horreo (granary) and cruceiro (double-sided crucifix).

 The O Castro Mountain and Park - This was, at the time, the most beautiful place I had been; it seemed like heaven. The park above Vigo is full of public art, blossoms, water, bees, butterflies, lizards and frogs. It was gorgeous.

 Vigo city tour - I knew Vigo pretty well by this point, but I still learnt some new things, and enjoyed exquisite views from the higher parts of the city.

 The Monastery of Oseira - This Trappist monastery was large and elegant, and through our guided tour (led by a monk) we learnt a lot. The nearby village of San Cristovo de Cea was also nice, though we only had time for a quick visit.

 Ribadavia - This town, known for wine-making, was very colourful, with lots of leaves and flowers. We also encountered two dogs and a possibly-pregnant cat, and sampled local cheese.

 Sobroso Castle - This small castle, sitting on a hill and surrounded by flowers, was very calm and serene. You could buy specially-made chocolate, which was divine, and colourful woven notebooks.

 The house of Rosalía de Castro - Visiting the house of this respected writer was a very special experience. We were given a fascinating tour, and enjoyed a garden full of flowers and fruit.

 Padrón - Dominating my memory of our trip to this town is the heat - it was a very sunny day, which added a surreal quality to the chickens, roses, fish, dog and ducklings we encountered. It was a strange, dreamlike, but enjoyable visit.

 Pontevedra - This became possibly my favourite town in Galicia. I loved the chilled out, happy atmosphere, and the diversity of the slim, winding streets and the big, open squares. I just had to return, which I later did with my mother and grandmother.

 The Liste Ethnographic Museum - I learnt a lot about the history of Galicia here. I liked the museum's layout; the way there were different rooms based around different themes. I was particularly moved by the room all about light.

 Castrelos Park - I had passed this park regularly on the bus, and was intrigued by its hedge maze. It was nice to visit it - we were there in the late afternoon and I remember that low, lazy sunlight on the maze, sculptures and pond.

 Carnota - This probably overtook - or at least equalised with - O Castro Park in terms of being the most beautiful place I had been, and my idea of paradise. It was all green countryside speckled with wildflowers, horses and foals and goats, sand dunes and a turquoise sea.

 Muros - I enjoyed exploring this quaint harbour town with its narrow, hilly streets, mosaics, cats, swallows and ice-cream.

 The coastal fort at Baroña - This was a magical place. The remains of an ancient settlement perched on a peninsula, surrounded by rushing waves, and with lizards creeping about. It was like reaching the edge of the world.

 The Sea Museum - I spent a fulfilling afternoon here, exploring marine animals and plants, boats, diving, and the role of the sea in toys and games. It was our last trip as a group, which was sad, but we knew we would keep in touch.

 Overall, as I've mentioned before on this blog, taking the Galician language and culture module was one of the best decisions I made during my semester in Vigo. I really, really recommend it.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Leaving Vigo

 Hello!

 My semester in Vigo was sadly at an end. My mother had been staying with me on campus for a few days and would return to the UK with me. Although I was used to travelling on my own, and was fine with it, I was happy to have her with me.

 Our taxi arrived and we said goodbye to the staff at my accommodation. It was a strange day - dry but very overcast. The green Galician countryside and a grey sky surrounded us as we headed to a hotel near Vigo Airport.

 We arrived at the small hotel and checked in, before going for a wander. It was a very rural area, and the first place we found selling food was a petrol station shop. We bought some snacks.

 On the way back I glimpsed an horreo and pointed it out to my Mam. Seeing the traditional granary, one of the icons of Galicia, was a nice touch to my final day there.

 Back at the hotel, I played the game Undertale on my (now happily working) laptop and finally beat Mettaton, the feisty robot. It sounds a bit of a frivolous thing to mention, but the music and effects form a big part of my memory of that day, and they added to how surreal it all felt.

 We went down to the dining room and had toasties for dinner. The dessert menu looked exciting so my Mam tried out apple cake, and I chose cheesecake. They were delicious.

 I ordered hot chocolate and got a chunky sachet of powder and some really frothy warm milk to mix it into, as well as some cake to enjoy with it. The result was a lovely and extremely sweet end to the meal.

 We went to bed, and I fell asleep in Galicia for the last time - the last that year, at least. In the morning, our taxi - the same one as yesterday - took us to the airport. There, we saw one of my fellow Vigo Uni students. It turned out she would be on our flight, and we waited together and chatted.

 We flew to Edinburgh Airport without incident. We collected luggage, took a shuttle bus into the city and then endured possibly the hardest part of the trip - lugging my huge suitcases from the bus to the train station. However, we reached our train and were able to relax.

 I dedicated much of my time on the train to attempting to beat Asgore, the goat king, in Undertale - again, it is silly, but is what comes to mind when I remember that journey. I didn't beat him, in the end, until a while after I had got home, but his catchy battle tune stuck well and truly in my head.

 Finally, we arrived home. It took a while to adjust to not being in Vigo anymore: not waking in the mountains and walking to Uni through foxgloves and blossoms; not eating frozen yogurt by the sea or buying wacky chocolate bars from Alcampo.

 Of course, there is plenty to do in Manchester, and I am living a fulfilling life. However, Vigo and Galicia will always feel like another home, and somewhere I can hopefully return to.

 If you are embarking on a summer, semester or year abroad, then good luck - hopefully you will have a very special experience. If you are considering Vigo, I recommend it with all my heart.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Vigo University Campus

 Hello!

 My semester in Galicia was almost over. After my Granma had left Vigo for her flight back to Ireland, my mother and I emptied my room, packed and had one last walk around the beautiful mountain campus. 

 The architecture of the University of Vigo really is remarkable: that way it is so unique and daring, and works with its unusual setting and the nature surrounding it.

 There are walkways between the buildings' roofs, meaning you can cover a lot of the campus in the air. I normally commuted on ground-level, but at night I would sometimes sit on the walkway and look at the very clear stars.

Spot the cat

This building is like a ship sailing through the hills and trees

This reminds me of Chinese architecture

 We walked through one of the glass aerial tunnels that link some of the buildings. They are held high off the ground by the thinnest of poles, and the views are stunning.

 We arrived at my school, the Faculty of Philology and Translation. It consists of a main building with a nice canteen and library, three glass pavilions, and the Isaac Newton Building, in whose computer room I spent a lot of time after my laptop stopped working.  

 The Faculty is surrounded by greenery and flowers, and I would frequently see little birds and lizards darting around. It was lovely, and I knew I was going to miss it.

Inside one of the pavilions. They are so open and airy

 I said goodbye to the Faculty and my mother and I returned to my residence to finish packing. The next day we would get a taxi to the airport, to fly home. I was very grateful to have had the chance to study in such a beautiful and friendly place.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Goodbye, Vigo

 Hello!

 I had really enjoyed having my mother and grandmother in Vigo with me, but the day came when my Granma had to get the train to Porto, to fly back to Ireland. My mother and I would fly back to the UK from Vigo in a couple of days. 

 The three of us went into central Vigo and had one last wander around. I knew it would probably be my last trip into the city before leaving, and I was determined to make the most of it and commit my favourite things and places to memory.

 We enjoyed our final frozen yogurts. I had mango as well as my signature cookies, and it was divine.

 We saw a sad-looking dragon.

 Finally, we headed to Vigo-Guixar railway station and my Granma caught her train.

 It was strange to be back there. I remembered the night I arrived and met my Erasmus buddy, Esther, on the platform. I don't think I had been in the Guixar station since then - the train I took back from Santiago de Compostela arrived into the other central station, Vigo-Urzáiz.

 My mother and I would be getting a taxi, not a train, to Vigo Airport, as that would be easier from campus. So, this trip to the station felt like a wrapping-up of my story. I had two days to go, but coming back to Guixar signified some kind of ending and meant a lot to me emotionally.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x