Arrival in Avignon!

 Hello!

Epic ice-cream shop

 So, I've set off on my second year abroad! If you didn't know I was doing one, I've outlined my reasons for it in a post for Third Year Abroad. It wasn't an easy decision but I definitely feel it's the right one.

 Yesterday morning I travelled to Birmingham Airport. It was the first time I'd been there and I was interested to see what it would be like. It was quite comfortable, and refreshingly easy to navigate. The staff were very pleasant.

 Unfortunately I encountered some rude passengers, but luckily none of them turned out to be on my flight. There was also a weird game for kids that involved jumping up and swatting huge mosquito-like creatures on a screen. I nearly jumped every time I saw them out of the corner of my eye!

 There were a lot of empty seats on the plane, which gave us some breathing space. I listened to music on my mp3 player, stumbling upon Outbound Plane by Nanci Griffith, which seemed very appropriate! 

 Then there was a nice moment when Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton came on, just as France appeared below us. I keep coming back here, and every time it's beautiful. I can never stay away for too long.

 The first two thirds of the flight were wonderfully uneventful. However, when we supposedly had ten minutes till landing, the plane started circling the same area and doing a lot of tilting and lurching about. 

 People were getting worried, and we were told the captain would make an announcement but he never did. It was pretty scary. 

 Finally the runway came into sight. Usually I dread the moment when a plane bumps against the ground on landing, but this time I was desperately waiting for it. When the bump came, I think everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

 Avignon Airport is tiny - airports in the south of France often are in my experience, but this was barely a room. I quite liked it. My two trunks were the first to appear on the carousel. A woman complimented me on that - I guess I just got lucky! 

 Although, the fact that they stayed together may be linked to the fact that my mother had threaded the same brightly coloured ribbon onto both to help me identify them as mine.

 Outside the airport there were some cabs, and when I and a couple discovered we were going to roughly the same place, we decided to share one. 

 Despite the massive delay in my flight I managed to reach my accommodation in time to check in - I arrived at the time on the dot. It felt like a strange kind of fate, though I would rather not have gone through that plane experience!

 I had barely got the key to my new apartment when I realised I had to run if I wanted to do any shopping. My local shop is a Casino, just like when I was in Perpignan. Don't worry, there are no card tables or slot machines, just lots of food and toiletries and odd comics.

 As I stepped inside and smelt that familiar Casino smell, I felt for the first time like I was really back in France. None of the products had changed; I grabbed the same old yogurts and the same old microwave galettes and the same old Saint-Paulin, my favourite French cheese.

 I also got ingredients for nachos, and on getting back I made myself some as a first-night treat. I then got a message from Eleanor, the other Manchester student currently in Avignon, asking to meet up. I found her in town and she showed me around. 

 It was dark by then and the narrow streets were like a labyrinth. I don't know if I'll ever totally learn my way around! But Avignon seems really lovely. We went to an ice-cream shop where I got a raspberry sorbet drink. It was gloriously cold, just what I needed in the twenty-seven degree heat.

 The best part of the night was when we sat in the square in front of the Palais des Papes, the Palace of the Popes. The stars were really clear, people were playing guitars and there was a great atmosphere. 

 I was sad to see that the elephant sculpture that used to stand in front of the Palace seemed to be gone - I was really looking forward to seeing it. Ah, well.

 Overall, it was an eventful first day and night - tiring but memorable. Watch this space for my further adventures in Avignon! Hopefully I'll have a really fun semester here.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Farewell, Salamanca

 ¡Hola!

 After a hot but enjoyable summer in Salamanca, the time to return to Manchester was approaching. I had completed two Spanish language courses as well as units in Spanish art, history, literature, economy and society. I received a "sobresaliente" - the highest mark - in every one, which was wonderful. I felt I had learnt a lot and made good friends from all over the world.

 I now knew Salamanca very well and had visited Madrid, Toledo, Ávila, Segovia, La Granja Palace, León and Zamora.

 I had seen terrapins snoozing in a train station and storks nesting in towers; a huge blue moon and the alleged Holy Grail.

 I had eaten some amazing things and amassed a collection of recipes to bring home with me. I had done a lot of art and had two big sketchpads to somehow fit in my case.

 On our penultimate night I went with some of my coursemates to karaoke in an Irish bar. It was quite good fun but got very rowdy and I escaped shortly before midnight, leaving the rest going strong. As I walked through Salamanca, bright with lanterns and floodlit buildings, I reflected happily on my Spanish summer.

 The next day passed quickly and soon it was the final evening. I packed as much as I could and had one last meal with the crew from my residence. I got an early night and awoke to my final morning in Salamanca. 

 At school we were presented with our certificates. Lessons were fairly laid-back; in our literature class we all chilled on the steps of the school, which is in the Plaza Anaya, next to the Cathedral. We watched tourists stroll past as we chatted and took group photos. It was lovely to be outside on such a hot morning.

 After class I had a couple of hours before I had to catch the long-distance bus to Madrid for my flight. I wandered down the Rua Mayor and bought some last-minute presents and souvenirs. I had a scrappy lunch as I didn't want to eat a lot before travelling.

 Finally I returned to my room and packed - it was a struggle making everything fit between my trunk and backpack but I managed it in the end. Then I met up with Caitlin, a friend from the residence who would be on my flight, and we handed in our keys and hopped into the taxi that the ladies at the residence had called. 

 We whizzed to the bus station - it really wasn't far, but carrying all our bags there would have been impossible. So far, so good. Then things got more complicated as the signs on the bus bays were not clear at all and we weren't totally sure which one was ours - it really didn't help that there were two buses next to each other both destined for Madrid. 

 We ended up trying to get on the wrong bus and luckily the driver told us to get the one at the next bay. It was so confusing! They really need to sort out their signage. Once we were on the bus we could sink back into the comfy leather seats and enjoy the golden fields and green forests and grey mountains flashing by us.

 We arrived at the airport and Caitlin and I navigated our way to the check-in and through security. On the other side we met an Irish friend of Caitlin's and relaxed for a bit in a café. Caitlin and I then found our terminal, boarded our plane and soared off towards Liverpool. Like the plane journey out, the plane journey home was uneventful. I had finished all my books so just read the in-flight magazine and listened to music. 

 I remembered waiting nervously outside Madrid Barajas Airport when I first arrived, unsure what was to happen as I hadn't been able to take the bus I had wanted to. Of course, it all turned out fine and I had an amazing few months in Salamanca.

 At Liverpool Airport I said goodbye to Caitlin, was reunited with my family and was soon on my way home. I'm now back at Uni and definitely benefitting from all I learnt in Salamanca. I can feel the improvement in my spoken Spanish, and my increased knowledge of Hispanic art and literature has already come in very handy.

 I've joined a Spanish reading group and am helping out at a primary school Spanish club. I'm determined to keep Spanish culture in my life. I may even begin writing a book set in Salamanca, the way I have for Montpellier, Manchester and Perpignan.

 I hope you've enjoyed following my year abroad adventures. This isn't the end of this blog: I still have bits and pieces from France to post; some food photos and more film reviews. So, watch this space! And make sure you check out my articles on Third Year Abroad!

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

 PS Just seen that this is my 100th post on this blog! Wow! What a journey it's been, in every possible way! I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it, taking photos and film and spreading the French and Spanish love.

 Here's to many more blog posts and much more globetrotting!

Menton: Life on the border

 Hello!

 On my first Saturday in Juan-les-Pins I decided to go to Italy. I thought that while I was so close I may as well take the opportunity to see a new country. So I got on a train to Ventimiglia, the first town over the border.

 However, the train ground to a halt in Nice. Sometimes trains sit in Nice for a bit so I stayed put. Then a railway worker came through the carriages ordering us to get off as the train wasn't going any further! I climbed down onto the platform, feeling miffed. I was keen to see Nice but today was Ventimiglia day!

 However, I soon found a train from Nice to Menton. With Menton being the last town before the border I reasoned that I should be able to get from there to Ventimiglia easily enough - there would surely be regular trains. So, I hopped onto the train and off we went to Menton.

 On arrival I discovered that I had two hours until the next train to Ventimiglia so I spent that time perusing the town. The main thing that struck me about Menton was its greenness (as illustrated in the word-cloud). Many of the streets are lined with trees and I sat in a lovely little park to eat my lunch. There was a fountain and little birds skittering about and it was very nice and earthy.

 When I finished my sandwich I headed to the seafront where I admired the colourful buildings, the ice-cream shops and the deep sapphire blue of the water. I went back inland and found a bakery where I indulged in a slice of lemon meringue pie which was really tasty, before hurrying to the station to catch my train to Ventimiglia.

 My time in Menton may have been brief but it was memorable all the same and it is somewhere I am keen to return to one day to explore further.

 Thanks for reading!

 Liz x