Update

I haven't updated this in over a week. In part that is because I just haven't gotten around to it, but it is also because apart from work I haven't been doing much that would warrant a blog post! I am now working extra hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays doing private classes, which means a bit of extra money.

Speaking of which, I have been told by the Catalan Departament d'Educació that the the Ministerio de Educación in Madrid is finally going to pay me this week, and that I will get my grant for both October and November in one go. Great!

Anyway, I thought I might as well do a quick blog post now because I will be away all weekend. After finishing at the school tomorrow I will be going to Barcelona and then catching a night train to Madrid. I'll arrive nice and early (7.30am) and won't be leaving until Sunday night, so I'll have three full days there.

Depending on how much time I have, I'd like to go to Toledo, which is steeped in history and by all acounts a great place to visit. But I imagine Madrid has enough to keep me occupied for the whole time, so I might have to go to Madrid again after Christmas so I can visit anything I miss this weekend and fit in a trip to Toledo.

If nothing else this trip will be a chance to spend a few days speaking Spanish instead of Catalan! My Catalan has been improving since I got here, but my Spanish obviously hasn't improved as much since I get fewer chances to use it. On the other hand youth hostels tend to be full of people from England, Australia, America, etc who all speak English...which is even worse for my Spanish than only speaking Catalan! We shall see.

Busy few weeks ahead. Madrid this weekend, of course. Then I am going back to England the weekend after to visit the lovely folk in Durham, and then the weekend after my parents will be coming to Barcelona for my 21st birthday. All good fun, and then there will only be a couple of weeks left before I head home for Christmas and New Year!