S, S and S

Good morning, friends and family. Here's a news update from Stine in Spain.

It's Sunday. The sun is shining, and I had the alarm clock on this morning because I have about 30 tests and some oral exams to mark today. Yeah!

It's been a nice weekend so far. As some of you know I've started singing in another choir as well. This choir is in the Norwegian choir (Sjømannskirka) in Calahonda. After more than a year and a half here in Spain I really miss speaking Norwegian, so it's nice to be hanging out with Norwegian people every now and then. On Friday some of us (the people my age) went to the pub after the rehearsal.

Being a teacher at an international school with students from more than 40 countries had made me think of integration and cultures etc. and how easy (not easy?) it is to assimilate. I have earlier had a tendency to think of people who only socialise with people from their own country as a bit strange, but now I've actually realised that it is nice to meet people from your own country every now and then. And it is nice to speak Norwegian down here as well and be with people who have the same cultural background.

This afternoon I'm taking Elaine and Julio to the Norwegian church, to a flamenco mass. It could be an interesting experience! A fusion of Norwegian and Spanish, maybe? Who knows. 

Yesterday we arranged the Cambridge YLE exams for the primary school students at Aloha. This was the first time the Cambridge exams were arranged in primary, and we (the teachers) made sure we celebrated accordingly (after the exams)!!

The month of March is soon over, and I just realised that I've hardly taken any pictures this month. Incredible! When I first moved here, I organised my pictures in folders called Week 1, Week 2 etc on my computer, but now it's months. And I think that's a signal of my life down here being more like a normal life now. I feel I have really settled down somehow, and taking pictures of things doesn't become that important to me anymore. Or maybe it's just because I keep all the good memories in my head?? No need to document them with a picture? I don't know.

I'm also going through lots of nice changes after I realised that my body doesn't agree with some of the food I used to eat. Went to the Doc in mid February and discovered that my body is intolerant to some kinds of food. Now I only eat what my body wants (more or less.....), and I had no idea of how eating the right food could make you feel soooooooooo much better! Very fascinating

I have only got a month left here in La Maestranza, and that month is now named the Hotel Stine month. My parents are coming on Wednesday, my sister and her family are coming the week before Easter, and my friend Ingvild is coming to visit the last part of the Easter break. Wow! I'm really looking forward to seeing all these people again!!

Now it's time to work. Have a lovely Sunday all of you.

Crime in da hood

Went to the Indian restaurant next door with my friend Susan tongiht, and one of the other guests there, the owner of the language school I go to, was very eager to tell us a story. So, basically he told us that a man on a motor bike had fired two gunshots in direction of the card shop between the Indian rest. and the Pasta cafe this afternoon, just after 4pm. Scary! A random person who walked by got injured, and he had come to the language school for help. One of the teachers at the language school had been standing outside the school having a cigarette, and she had seen it all. Now I understand why there were sooooo many police cars everywhere this afternoon when I drove to the gym in the late afternoon? For those of you who don't know where I live: this is like if you live at 7/11 at Majorstukrysset, and someone would be shooting at a person living at Video Nova (in Sørkedalsveien). Quite scary!

Sol og Lucas

I dag skinner sola igjen, og det er jammen deilig! Nå er det snart spansktime, og deretter skal jeg besøke Lucas som er 5 år i dag! Happy birthday, Lucas!

Haglstorm og 10 på topp

I dag haglet det her på Costa del Sol. Ganske utrolig, men det datt altså hvite hagleboller (hva heter de egentlig?) ned fra himmelen. Det har vært regn og torden og vind og skikkelig norsk høststemning ganske lenge nå. Hvor er sommeren blitt av? Regn, regn og mer regn! Jeg vil ha SOL!

"I love your blog"

Så kommer jeg hjem fra jobb og finner altså ut min venn Hege (med bloggen C'est la vie!) har puttet meg på sin 10 på topp-liste over blogger hun følger. Wow. Takk! Litt sjokk, for i natt lå jeg og tenkte at jeg egentlig ville legge ned hele bloggen. Livet er jo så hverdagslig her nå, og jeg føler det ikke er så mye å fortelle lenger. Nå bor jeg her. Nå er livet mitt her. Føler egentlig ikke at så mye av det jeg skriver har nyhetsverdi lenger. Vet ikke helt?  Men takk skal du ha, Hege! :) Artig er det jo lell. Og det forplikter!!

Reglene er:
- Lenk til den som ga deg prisen
- Besvar spørsmålene
- Gi prisen videre til ti bloggere

Nå skal jeg forberede muntlig eksamen for avgangsklassen på IB, og deretter trene, og deretter gjøre spansklekser, så jeg sier herved takk, Hege, og setter spørsmålene litt på vent. Men hvis du er nysgjerrig, så kan du få se spørsmålene her, og kanskje gjette på hva jeg kommer til å svare? Har også begynt å tenke på hvem jeg vil gi prisen til. Følg med-følg med!

1. Hvorfor startet du å blogge?
2. Hvilke blogger følger du?
3. Favorittmakeupmerke?
4. Favorittklesmerke?
5. Ditt må-ha make-up-produkt?
6. Favorittfarge?
7. Parfyme?
8. Favorittfilm?
9. Hvilket land vil du besøke og hvorfor?
10. Still og besvar det siste spørsmålet selv: Vil du noengang skrive ei bok?

Legger tilslutt ved et bilde fra en strand her i nærheten. Snart kommer sola, yeah, yeah, yeah!

If only

Apartment

A very good holiday Friday so far, even though the weather is not too good. Here is a report of two good things that have happened today!

1.) I have got a new apartment, I have got a new apartment! Yeah-yeah-yeah! The contract is signed, the deposit is paid. Will be moving in to this lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Marbella (10 minutes from the sea/the city centre/the bus station) after Easter. It has got a cute balcony with a lovely sea view! And lots of sun and light! Happy, happy, happy!

2.) Three friends from work gave me a gift voucher on a foot massage for my birthday last year. Today I've finally used the excellent gift, and hey, it was a fantastic experience! Both the lady and I were in fits of laughter at some point, but it was great. I fully enjoyed it, and will go back there. For my friends in Spain: The place is called Traditional Thai Massage in Puerto Deportivo on the Paseo. Try it! You won't regret. The lady even gave me a free 10 minutes neck and back massage.

Wishing everyone a nice weekend. Buen fin de semana a todos! God helg!

Kollen

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championship is now being arranged in Oslo. Take a look at the great atmosphere in this picture! I love it!! And I love the colours of the Norweigan flag. (The picture was found in this article.)

The medal count is also very promising for Norway! As of tonight we have 5 gold medals! Yeah! A total overview (in English) can be found here.

Bestemor

Tenk å ha en snart 89 år gammel bestemor som sender brev med hjemmeheklede blomster til pynt til påske! Tenk å ha en snart 89 år gammel bestemor som er opptatt av samfunnsspørsmål og som er oppdatert på det meste som skjer. Tenk å ha en snart 89 år gammel bestemor som stadig er på vift. Herlig! 

Inspirert av mine fotovenninner og deres fotoblogger så har jeg jo selvfølgelig tatt et bilde av påskeblomstene jeg fikk i posten i dag fra bestemor! Takk, bestemor!