On Location Spanish – 29 Jan 2013

130130-iain¡Hola a todos! It’s Iain here from Salamanca, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome you back to On Location Spanish to follow my second term here on Erasmus exchange in Spain.

As I write this, I’m finally reaching the end of my exam period at the Universidad de Salamanca. It’s been a long, hard slog getting to grips with Spanish exams – now they’re almost over, I’m glad to be able to reflect on my improved Spanish and also look forward to a bit more spare time in the forthcoming semester to explore the country properly.

The University’s library was abuzz on the first day back after the holidays as we shared our stories of spending the holidays at home. Salamanca attracts students from all over Spain – as well as all over Europe through the Erasmus programme – and my course-mate Pedro told me of the celebrations in Badajoz, his home town near the Portuguese border. Of his mother’s cooking, he exclaimed:

“¡Me puse morado!”

Translated literally, this means “I turned myself purple”, however Pedro went on to explain that this was an idiomatic expression meaning “to stuff oneself with food”. Much like Christmas back home in Scotland, it’s a time of indulgence in Spain!

Elsewhere in Salamanca, everyone seems to be:

“buscando las gangas en las rebajas”

With all the shops selling off their excess winter stock, the main shopping street in Salamanca, Calle Toro, is filled with shoppers “hunting for bargains in the sales”. It’s certainly busier than I’ve ever seen it, which lends the Plaza Mayor and the surrounding streets, bars and cafes a bustling, busy atmosphere.

I’m about to head off into the thick of the shoppers to load up on stationery, notebooks and textbooks for my new classes in the forthcoming semester. I’m excited to get back into lectures, and wave these exams goodbye!

¡Hasta la próxima!

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