I write today’s missive with a sense of nostalgia and warmth, albeit a kind of deadly warmth and nostalgia you’re pleased to have left behind. I’ve just come back from the local pub where I witnessed Manchester United’s defeat to Barcelona, and while I feel a slight degree of sadness at United’s loss, I can’t deny the happy, jovial scenes on the streets outside – the gun shots (surely just fire crackers, although they are awfully loud), the police sirens, the car horns etc. – and, more interestingly, the feeling inside a bar while watching the local (relatively) team win. The atmosphere was buoyant and this buoyancy was fuelled by alcohol and by tobacco; the strange, heady scent of Marly reds, Winston’s and other high tar tobacco products that wafted around my head and which made me feel as though I were in the pubs of central London of years past – I was almost tempted to by a pack from the machine in the corner just for the hell of it. At only 2.80, it almost seemed like a shame not to.*
While drinking in the toxic fumes of my peers, the only thing to bring me to the present and my location in Spain was the rounded, half-pint glasses with which I was being served lager in. Still, I am on the continent after all. It’s only now that I’m back in my hotel room that I realise my clothes and hair smell lightly of tobacco from the fug at the bar – a not entirely unpleasant smell as the smoke wasn’t too dense and my lingering in it not too long. Still, good to be out of it, though. The one thing I can say about the game though, is that I thought the second goal was a bit messy... Sorry, couldn't resit that pun. I don't think it'll translate into Spanish.
*
But what of examining? Here’s one exchange from yesterday:
Ben: Do you have any pets?
Candidate: When I was younger, I was a fish.
Ben: Really. You were a fish?
Candidate: Yes.
But what of examining? Here’s one exchange from yesterday:
Ben: Do you have any pets?
Candidate: When I was younger, I was a fish.
Ben: Really. You were a fish?
Candidate: Yes.
*
This was at my first school (pictured) which had very well prepared candi
dates. Luckily, I only had to fail one, and as she had some rather questionable views on immigration I didn’t feel that it was a problem. Reminds me of a young teenager I had to knock down from an ‘A’ to a ‘B’ because he said Maradona was the best football player in the world. I mean, really. He was in an English exam with an English examiner...
This was at my first school (pictured) which had very well prepared candi
dates. Luckily, I only had to fail one, and as she had some rather questionable views on immigration I didn’t feel that it was a problem. Reminds me of a young teenager I had to knock down from an ‘A’ to a ‘B’ because he said Maradona was the best football player in the world. I mean, really. He was in an English exam with an English examiner... *
The school was located just outside the city which meant that I had the joy of riding back to the hotel on one of the school buses. Even though it was a semi-private school, I was surprised at how well the kids were behaved – I escaped the encounter with all my documents intact and a full head of hair, too. Not at all like the kids at ‘Bash Street’. I also got to share school meals for two days. They weren’t good, but when were they? Metal trays with potato slop and overcooked green beans (but green they were) and some meat of unknown provenance. Kept m
e going, though and the kids certainly seemed to thrive on it. However, in exams were the 2nd conditional was being used (‘If I were...., I’d....), several of the students were quite vehement about what they would do to the cooks and the food.
My examining room (pictured), was a dark and windowless office with some Disney pictures here and there and a crumpled union flag in the corner. Made me feel like a mole when I appeared out into the sun after a day’s examining. But it was very comfortable and there was air-con, too. Quite a posh place, obviously.
The school was located just outside the city which meant that I had the joy of riding back to the hotel on one of the school buses. Even though it was a semi-private school, I was surprised at how well the kids were behaved – I escaped the encounter with all my documents intact and a full head of hair, too. Not at all like the kids at ‘Bash Street’. I also got to share school meals for two days. They weren’t good, but when were they? Metal trays with potato slop and overcooked green beans (but green they were) and some meat of unknown provenance. Kept m
e going, though and the kids certainly seemed to thrive on it. However, in exams were the 2nd conditional was being used (‘If I were...., I’d....), several of the students were quite vehement about what they would do to the cooks and the food.My examining room (pictured), was a dark and windowless office with some Disney pictures here and there and a crumpled union flag in the corner. Made me feel like a mole when I appeared out into the sun after a day’s examining. But it was very comfortable and there was air-con, too. Quite a posh place, obviously.
*
The evening brought a foray into a tapas bar (pictured) and some very good rio
ja and cheesy snacks (fried hake in cheese, fried leeks in cheese and fired courgettes stuffed with potato and cheese). Along with the tapas, I was given a small bowl of peanuts to munch away on, which I duly did, collecting the shells and putting them neatly into a little pile on the side of the dish. When the bar eventually began to fill up (about 21:30), I saw others shelling the nuts and throwing the detritus on the floor (surruptiously pictured). Clearly I’ve still got a lot to learn about bar protocol - thank you, Paulette, for the comment / tips on throwing away serviettes and the business about the brandy - I'll try it when examining at IH Zaragoza on Friday. However, there has been a significant breakthrough on the drinking & dining form which I’ll regale you with in the next blog. Bet you can’t wait. 
The evening brought a foray into a tapas bar (pictured) and some very good rio
ja and cheesy snacks (fried hake in cheese, fried leeks in cheese and fired courgettes stuffed with potato and cheese). Along with the tapas, I was given a small bowl of peanuts to munch away on, which I duly did, collecting the shells and putting them neatly into a little pile on the side of the dish. When the bar eventually began to fill up (about 21:30), I saw others shelling the nuts and throwing the detritus on the floor (surruptiously pictured). Clearly I’ve still got a lot to learn about bar protocol - thank you, Paulette, for the comment / tips on throwing away serviettes and the business about the brandy - I'll try it when examining at IH Zaragoza on Friday. However, there has been a significant breakthrough on the drinking & dining form which I’ll regale you with in the next blog. Bet you can’t wait. 
*
Until then, I'll leave you with these wise words of natural science wisdom I learnt from one 14-year-old:
Until then, I'll leave you with these wise words of natural science wisdom I learnt from one 14-year-old:
"There are three types of animal: farmyard, wild and acquatic". Don't forget, you heard it here first.
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