A night in Alicante

Kloe, Jess and I took the bus to Alicante on Saturday to see Alex, Antonia (and her brother Alex who was visiting) and Betty – fellow erasmuserrrrs. The sun clearly didn’t want to say hey and we had rain and no umbrellas, cue using beach towels to get to Alex’s to get ready for our night. https://instagram.com/p/3WaCB6iBNO/?taken-by=marymandefield

I let Kloe do my make up and had actual eyeshadow on my actual eyelids like an actual girl. Kloe’s a make up wizard so managed to make me look half decent, what a star. I got a bit of apartment envy as the places in Alicante are so much more modern than our granny flats in Ye Olde Murcia… And Alex’s living area is probably bigger than my whole flat, not fair. We headed back to Antonia and Betty’s to pre drink and meet some of their friends. We had cups the size of our faces and more people to pre drink than the room really permitted. A few hours later we headed to Marmarela, a cocktail bar basically on the sea. I blanked out as soon as we arrived like everyone else because those cups really were ridiculously big, so don’t remember much of what it looked like but I know it was preeeetty.

The place felt like a mini festival, was free to get in and the music was actually banging. Me and Kloe head banged for way too long and now have sore necks still 3 days later which is pathetic. The DJ kept looking back at me, if I gave him a thumbs up he seemed satisfied and got back to playing music, weird.

We were all having a really good night until Kloe told me the police were there and drama had begun. I won’t go into detail but things just esculated quickly; a few were covered in blood, I heard a lot of arguing with the police in Spanish and then the ambulance arrived. Drama drama drama. This random ordeal went on until about 7am, then we rejoined at KFC, I ate the batter from other peoples chicken because I’m such a good vegetarian..

https://instagram.com/p/3Um70ozCAw/?taken-by=kloereese

Anyway, apart from the unnecessary police & ambulance drama we had a pretty good night. The Alicante girls are so lovely so I hope I get to see them again at some point in the UK.

https://instagram.com/p/3WN0khTCMb/?taken-by=kloereese

People are starting to leave Spain now because the term is over which makes me emosh, basically, I wish everyone lived in Hertfordshire so I could pop by for pesto pasta and rubbish games of ring of fire.

Mary x

1 week in Murcia

Everyone in Murcia comments on how there’s nothing to do here; it’s kind of true but part of the fun. You’re not overwhelmed with tourist attractions and worried about not fitting it all in. It’s just chilled.

I’ve been here a week now, of course it feels like it’s flown by but then when I look at what I’ve squeezed in it makes sense that I was jetting off from England 7 days ago.

In my first week I’ve; moved in to a new apartment, been to 2 job interviews, met and taught 3 new students, done 3 hair braids, visited 1 beach, consumed my fair share of sangria and gross shots, danced to cotton eye joe with some crazy yanks, signed up to the gym, navigated my own way around most of the city, been to 1 student festival, booked tickets for another festival (aaaaye up years&years, 2manydjs, Morrissey etc!), dyed my hair, temporarily scared a few with my botched hennas, been rained on whilst trying to eat dinner, been woken up by the Spanish remix of ‘murder she wrote’, been woken up to the sound of continuous gunshots that turned out to just been weird play bomb things, been excited at the thought of Nina coming to visit, dodged rollerbladers, watched more than enough Louis Theroux documentaries, booked flights to attend an assessment day (planning my next move), seriously considered buying pet rats, met a bunch of new gals and guys (mostly english oops), people watched from my balcony, seen a double rainbow, sun bathed and generally had a wicked time.

Don’t worry mum & dad (not that you ever would), I’m keeping busy.

I don’t know what else to add apart from the fact that I’m feeling veeeeery grateful and if anyone wants to visit and join the LOLz (and you’re not a psycho…) you’re more than welcome to.

Mary x

Maz in Murcia

Holaaaa,

I think it’s fair to say I had been feeling a bit crap for the few weeks before these holidays; it was January, unbelievably cold, everything seemed more expensive than ever, I’d felt sick, I’d been working hard on a little side project and was drained, I was missing friends (and my dog, probably more than is socially acceptable), the school run was a big stress since the Hebdo incident and for most people the novelty of living in Paris had worn off. Obviously you’ve gotta expect that; you can’t always be amazed by where you’re living, you’d run out of energy. But once the magic wears off and the reality sets in you can’t help but imagine going somewhere else or starting something new. I’ve also realised that I’m a massive whinger. I find faults with everything because I just want it all to be perfect ALL the time. Hmmm unachievable goals eh. So, sorry if I’ve whined to you in the past couple of weeks, I’m over complaining now I promise! 

Anyway, back to Spanish adventures! Murcia kinda went like this… 

 

I ran, shopped, we ate pizza for €4.50, listened to uptown funk more times than I can count, danced on bar tops (apparently…), cooked turkey burgers and wedges, walked into mirrors and got laughed at, ate tapas, danced to Prince, watched Gogglebox, put flowers in my hair, drank beer in 1 litre glasses, danced some more, had drunken walks home, drank too much tequila, borrowed a bride-to-be’s veil, got some free pizza, went to Alicante for the day, climbed a big hill, rescued a caterpillar, walked through giant mushrooms, visited an old castle, taught the Americans our English slang, learnt that Americans have so many different words to us, learnt that northerners have so many different words to us southerners (doofer?!), witnessed a pretty bright rainbow, sang, ignored street sellers, sat on the beach and left just as it was getting sunny, walked along the marina and lusted after luxury yachts, paddled in freezing water, went for a drink with a fellow WGCer, ate more tapas (cute deep fried squid), mocked segway goers, found our long lost left handed Leo friend, came to the conclusion that left handed Leo’s are the best type of people, went to the cheesiest student bars, laughed at it all the next day.

Basically Murcia was a big ‘Dafuq happened last night?!’ few days and I looooved it. Kloe was the bestest host to clumsy (& possibly a bit drunk) old me and her friends are the sweetest, funniest people in the world. I felt like part of their little Erasmus family after 3 days and I was actually gutted to leave. Miss Klo and everyone already. Not fair. 

Also LOL that a few people were confused when I left Murcia. They thought I was just a new erasmus student. Haha, it reminded me of when I convinced a few Beaumont guys I’d actually been there since year 8. Always blending in… 

Mary

x 

LDN & journey to Murcia

Shopping in St Albans with Sheri, G and Aunty Doreen was well deserved; I hadn’t rummaged through TK Maxx in way too long. It rained, we went home and Sheri and I ended up going to see 50 Shades of Grey at the campus along with lots of 30 something women who’d obviously left their husbands at home to come and giggle at this ridiculous film. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet but I’ll tell you that we just laughed the whole way through. It was a major cringe fest. Rita Ora’s (non-existent) part was definitely a highlight for us…

On Tuesday we went into London to be tourists for the day (I honestly feel like a tourist in London now because i’ve forgotten where everything is. oops). We went to Shoreditch, Oxford Street, Knightsbridge and then back home from Kings Cross. Vapiano’s for lunch; the best salmon carbonara evaaaa.

Wednesday morning I was woken up at 3am by G and mum being angry at me for some reason. They dropped me off at Stanstead and I made my way through security. Stanstead is a miserable airport and my hour and a bit of waiting felt like forever. Plus point though, my plastic bag of liquids was used as an example to show the rest of the line (LOL thanks G). Then I was fully patted down at security and had to stand in a 360 scanner because my dungarees had multiple metal buttons and I probably looked a bit dodge because I had so many layers on.

Flying with Ryanair wasn’t the most luxury experience but I landed in Alicante and got a 5 euro coach to Murcia where my friend Kloe from Paris is living. I’m a bit rubbish at knowing where I am and it took me a few hours to realise I was in Spain and not France. It’s sunny (compared to London or Paris) and so nice to be in a new place again.

I have lots of photos to add to this post but I’m on my phone and it won’t let me, cry cry

Mary x