Monday 16 June 2008

Ah so it feels like this

I'm starting to settle in more with Spain.

I had my first "Spanish" haircut. The whole coversation the hairdresser went like this
ME: Habla ingles?
HD: Poco
ME: Hmmmm, vale. Queiro, .... erm haircut? (I wasn't sure if she knew what I was saying? But I was in a hairdressers, I was going to bet on she knew.)
HD: Now?
ME: Si.
I sit down and try to think what was the best way to say "I want a kind of mullet at the back, much shorter then now though. A mohican kind of thing on top. And all very choppy. What I said was.
Me: Um.....Er,....Tiene libro? (close my hands and fold them out) Um...magazines?
HD: SI! (It's good to see that it wasn't just me who was happy that they had magazines.
A few pages later and couple of dozen minutes later and I have a much shorter haircut that doesnt trap heat as much. Although the missus did comment "she didnt do much" It appears that I was able to find the one haircut, one described above, that I ALWAYS have.
Although she did style it different. She kind of had my hair all shaggy and sticking up and to the side. It looked good. Except she stuck about a tub of gel on and my hair all stuck together and looked like I had LEGO hair.

Also, after a previous evening out with some friends I now know some tapas places. Tapas bars in Spain are far better then English places. You get half a pint of beer, free tapas and for just €1,50. Some, I'm told, are cheaper still. You can have a few drinks, have a few dishes and still have change from €5.
And there is loads to chose from, gambas (prawns my favourite), gulash (I think it was called, but reminds me of a stew I used to have back home), pasta, chicken curry, fried potato in tomato sauce. And it's all lovely.
Whats better is there is a great tapas bar around the corner from the missus work that has a great atmosphere and music. It's just nice to be in either with friends or if your on your own.

And one more thing. After I alost bumped in to someone today I automatically said "lo siento" which basically means "I'm sorry." I've bumped in to a few people while in the Supermarket. I'm a very bumpy person, but I've always said sorry. So to say lo siento without thinking about it was huge for me.

There is so much other great news though, like how I've started work now and how I enjoy each morning by going down the beach to do some snorkling, but I have to get ready as I'm meeting the missus for more tapas now.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

God, first haircuts in a foreign language are terrifying! I only managed "a little shorter please", was about the only Japanese I knew at the time!

Good news about the automatic use of Spanish! Congratulations...now just wait til you start dreaming in a foreign language...that is wierd. I've found I dream in Japanese but still don't understand what people are saying in the dream!

Robbie said...

@Olly I think it would make a great game "spotting people who have had their first haircut in a new country."
So you don't understand them as in they make no sense, or you don't understand the language?

commis chef said...

I fancy some tapas now!

Doing normal home type things like having your hair cut definitely does make it feel more like home, don't you think? I got my cheaper bus pass the other day, (for being employed), so I feel a bit more of a legitimate local now.

Yes, well done for your swift Spanish reactions. I'm quite good at doing that in French now, but sometimes I still say things like 'sorry' or even the occasional 'thanks' in English because it's such an instinctual reaction.

I had my first dream in French the other week as well. I can't remember anything about it now though. It's a milestone apparently. Hasn't happened since though.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I don't understand them because they are speaking perfect Japanese, which I don't understand.

I think my subconscience's Japanese is better than mine...