Tuesday 10 April 2007

Timothy Lumsden in Leon

On Sunday I moved into my new home for the next 8 weeks. I´m pleased to say that it´s pretty much what I expected.

On the positive front, it has a balcony, a fan and a TV (for my favourite Nicaraguan soaps) and the shared bathroom is rustic but fine.

On the slightly negative side, the door doesn´t open on to the balcony, the mattress on the bed is shaped like the letter U and if that doesn´t stop me sleeping, the building site next door kicks in at around 5.30. Normally you´d get the environmental health to sort the latter but in this town everyone seems to be awake at that time so it´s not really a problem.

As for the family, there´s a mother called Hilda and her daughter also called Hilda (aged 6). Hilda junior may be the key to me improving my conversational Spanish. She is the one who asks me questions and finds it hilarious when I get it wrong, such as when I said I had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend (I said novio instead of novia). Don´t think there´s many out and prouds in Leon yet.

There is also another part of the house where students from the local uni stay - they´re slowly coming back from the Easter break. So, I´m looking forward to heated debates around the dinner table as my Spanish improves.

On the subject of food. I´m going to have to ask Hilda to ease of on the comida (food). I have three meals a day (7am, 12pm, 7pm) and all seem to be getting larger by the day. This morning with my fruit salad I was given a big plate of rice, beans, sausages and tortilla. I made a valiant effort but had to leave half of it. Now how do I get that one across without offending?

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