How to spend the ERASMUS grant before it arrives.

As the title suggests, I am waiting for some money.  Since I have already discovered what to expect from the International Office (they still haven’t replied to an email I sent in June), I realise I may be waiting for some time.  The ERASMUS grant is a few hundred euros for every month of your work or study placement, to enable you to explore and discover the country in which you were living, and I presume it is supposed to act as a British contribution to the economies of Europe.  I have been told I am eligible for this money, and although I have no idea when I will receive it, I have wasted no time in visiting various places in Spain.  Working full time and with fixed hours has been definitely something I need to get used to, but this means I know I get my evenings and weekends completely free, without needing to worry about summatives, extra reading or exams.  And so, with our precious 65 hours between work finishing on Friday and the dreaded Monday morning, we usually like to go on some sort of excursion.  The very first of these trips (which now seems a very long time ago) was to a town called La Alberca, just over an hour away by bus in the mountain range of La Sierra de Francia.

The village is home to about 1000 people, and is known for its jamón ibérico.  As far as I remember, on every street there was a place that sold it! 

I very much enjoyed visiting the town, with its quaint Plaza Mayor and small streets, which made me think of the Shambles in York. (Although a lot sunnier, with a strong scent of ham.)

As el jefe of the group on this day, Sebastian had been very organised, and found a short, publicised route we could follow through the mountains, to get out of the city and see a bit more of the countryside.  This was a perfect idea, until we somehow lost our way on the well signposted path, and ended up trekking through the forest in the blistering heat for a good few unnecessary hours.  My personal highlight was coming across this sign:

*(Abejas is bees).  

However, after chatting to the friendly bee-keeper who pointed us in the right direction, we finally arrived at the correct path, and I have never been so happy - our joy had to be documented:

I think I am only just recovering.

Erasmus adventures to be continued...