Nerja and Frigiliana

These past two weeks I have been so busy that I had to sit down for about 30 minutes and just write down everything I have done. That is not to say I don't like it, it already feels like I've spent a month here. I go to bed dead tired but content with all the things that I was able to do. That said, it would be impossible for me to speak of everything I have been doing In a single post. Therefore I would like to begin with my trip to Nerja and Frigiliana on the 14th of January.

The coast looking east from Nerja

The king of Spain and I

I hadn't heard much about the two villages before we headed out from Malaga that afternoon. I was told they were traditional Spanish villages known for being painted nearly entirely white and surrounded by beautiful scenery.  Which was precisely the case.  However, in my opinion the two villages don't live up to the hype equally. 

Nerja is a town built on the coast and baptized the "balcony of Europe". Still not entirely sure why. Walking through the village was a bit disappointing because almost everything was closed and very little was going on. To be sure, it was pretty and the view of the water was fantastic.  It just seems that we came at the lowest point of the low season so that it nearly felt odd walking around as tourists.  Perhaps the slightly grey weather came into play...

The team walks through Frigiliana

 While also extremely empty, Frigiliana was different. Although we came into the town in an overpriced taxi (it costed us €12 for 5 minutes compared with €3,50 for a 1 hour bus ride to get to Nerja), I much preferred it to Nerja. As we walked through the village we came across a path that lead us up to the hill that Frigiliana is built along.  As we ascended we saw beautiful views of Frigiliana and of the Andalusian coastal landscape. We topped the day off with the famous moscatel of the region overlooking the valley that leads down to the Mediterranean.

Above and Below: views of Frigiliana

Our new friend, the donkey!

From Snow to Sun

Arriving in Málaga last Sunday was like coming into a different world.  The setting changed from this...

...To this.

From the freezing temperatures of Stockholm to the 18 degree Málaga winter. I was picked up from the airport by a Cervantes representative who showed me a bit of Málaga, the school and to my host family.  To the left is the view from my room! Unfortunately the swimming pool is closed until May, apparently it is much too cold for such an activity.

The family is very kind and very relaxed.  What I find interesting is that the construct of time doesn´t seem to take on the same importance as in Germany or Sweden.  Dinner is an extremely flexible arrangement.  Yesterday, just before I wanted to go to bed at 23:30, I heard the distinct sound of sizzling meat on a frying pan coming from the kitchen.  Luckily for me, Cervantes asks them to cook a dinner for the students at 20:30 (which can also be pushed later depending on the events of the evening). The rigid structures of a northern European household and a Malagueño household are as separate as the weather.




On the same day I arrived, I met with an old friend from school, Gustavo. Gustavo is studying at the University of Málaga and happened to be nearby when I told him I had arrived.  We went for a coffee on the waterfront (shown above), which is full of charming cafes and restaurants with a view on the Mediterranean Sea,






I had my first Spanish lesson today and although it is too early to judge, I think it 's done quite well. The teacher is articulate, patient and has 14 years of experience. Lessons are from 9:00 to 12:15 with one 15 minute break in between.  At the moment we are studying movies and the cinema.  The topic may be  relatively simple, but since I haven't been studying Spanish at all since May, it is nice to begin with something easier.

We do get a lot of free time to do what we want which I find is very nice.  This opens the possibility for travel and tourism or things around the area like going to the gym, playing football on the beach or buying a Spanish SIM card.

At Home in Stockholm

After nearly 4 months away from home, nothing could be better than sleeping in my own bed, eating something other than schnitzel and simply seeing my friends and family.  Gone are the days of the caretaker that began at 5:30 in the morning.  In fact, I have swiftly turned around my sleeping pattern with no day beginning before 10 (that doesn't always mean I'm getting more sleep).  

Though the weather is absolutely miserable at the moment, it doesn't seem to matter so much.  In an case, I will soon be making the shift from the fog and rain of Stockholm to the sun and blue skies of Malaga. The temperature there averages at about 18 degrees Celsius! While I am excited for this, I believe I will cut the trip short, from 3 months to 2 and a half. Like this I will have an entire month back in Stockholm to get bored and ready for the next trip: Ethiopia.