Aleksandra's Tourism Blog

2003-12-01T00:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Aleksandra!

Congratulations! I'm happy to hear your news about Norway!

Talking about your experience of making friends in Barcelona, I think you'll find that you're not the only one. One of the things is that it's more difficult to make friends in a big city. Look here and you'll find some other opinions.

I am going to Newcastle for Christmas - it'll be nice to go home as I haven't been since last Christmas. I'm hoping for snow, as it's one of the things I miss about living in Barcelona. More than anything else, I love walking on the beach when it snows! I think it's one of the few times I actually go to the beach as I don't like sunbathing (my family don't understand why I'm living in Spain - for them, they say it's the main advantage of living here)

I hope you have a good time in Bulgaria Aleksandra - write and let me know when you have some news!

Bye

Graham

2003-11-26T05:12:00.000-08:00

http://www.norway.org/
In this page you can find all about Norway - politic , economy , travell , culture , as well as useful links.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mybrainhurts/norgeblog/About the experience of two americans , which visited Norway in August 2000.There is useful maps of the country and of the most importmant cities.

2003-11-26T04:55:00.000-08:00

Hi ,Gream ,

How are you ?
The interview went very good - in February I'm going to go in Norway -:):):) , and I`m quite happy now :)
This morning I went to the Embassy of Norway to understand what about the documents for visa :)
I'm completely agree that at first the Spanish people are quite rerserved and they make friends very difficult.
I think that Bulgarian people are more open minded and more hospitality with the tourist or foreign people who visit own country.
It is true also that the spanish people is quite different for the rest of the world.
What about Christmas ? - are you go back to England.
I think that `'m goigng to go to BG and I will make good use of this period to spand many time with my friends and my family:)
Well , i don't now what more i can wriote at this moment - I wait for your replay:)

Have a nice day , Gream:)

2003-11-12T15:19:00.000-08:00

Hi Aleksandra

How did the interview go? I hope it went well. That's interesting what you say about the level of education in Bulgaria. I think that lots of things are different here in education to other countries. for instance, in some other places, it's far more common for students to do presentations. It's something that is very common - that students work in groups and then have to present their findings. Here it seems it's more difficult to adapt to this way of working. It's something that in the English department we would like to do more of, and little by little, we are doing it.

But then, statistics, for example - I have never studied statistics, so I would have problems with that! I agree with you about the hours for doing things in Spain - when I first arrived, I had problems adapting to this too, but now I think it's normal to eat at ten or later! I also enjoyed the fiesta attitude in spain when I first arrived - the first year I was here felt like one big holiday, although now I've calmed down (I'm older!) and don't go out much...

Interesting what you say too about making friends. I don't think Barcelona is an easy place to make friends, and this is echoed by the foreign students who come here to study. I have found a big difference between Spanish people of different areas (the differences in culture between Spanish people is much greater than the differences between the British (or at least I think so). Traditionally, British people I think are similar to Catalans in that they are quite reserved, especially at first. In general, what I like about the Spanish is that they are very open and honest. This is quite a contrast to people in Britain where it's sometimes very difficult to know what people think of you.

What about Bulgaria? Do you find many differences?

2003-11-11T05:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Gream ,

I`m really happy , that I have the posibility to write you again.Today within 1 hour I have an intervew for the Erasmus exchange programe , but I`m not nerious , I feel quite calm and convince in my knowledge :):):)
Now ,about your cuestion:):):):):)
When I arrived in BCN city to study Tourism i n this university , I think that I adapted to the studing plan very quickly.
Sincerely , I think that the education in Bg possess bigger level of dificult , becouse the majority things which I`m studying now in Statistics for example , I stidied in BG in the High School.In BG I was studyingthe spanish for 5 years and therefore I haven`t problem with the language like the most of the foreign students:)
I adapted more dificult to the habits in Spain - for example I don`t like have a dinner at 23.00 o`clock and immediately put in the bed; but we are quite similar with the Spanish people about the parties - in BG also exists this spirit of "FIESTA":):):)
So here I met many inetersting people , but the majority of my friends are foreign students:)
So what do you think about the Spanish people?
Do you like the " corida" - bullfighing ( I´m not sure for the english word , I know the pronunciation :))Are quite diferent the Spanish peopole than the English people?

2003-11-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

2003-11-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hi Aleksandra!

Don't apologise. It's just as well, as I wouldn't have time to answer if everyone replied quickly! I also understand that you're busy with exams.

It's great to see more non-Spanish students at the university, although it must be even more difficult for you, as you have to deal with a foreign language as well as studying Tourism! I think you made the right decision, although it sounds like it was hard at first )I know how you feel - I felt the same way when I moved here!)

I think going to Norway for the exchange is a great idea - I have never been, but I have always wanted to go. Where I come from (Newcastle), trips to Norway are quite common, although it's usually the Norwegians who come to the UK (for the shopping!), but I didn't take advantage of it while I was there. Now I regret it, although I'll have the opportunity one day I'm sure...

I have another question for you - how easy was it for you to adapt to studying here? What were the most difficult things you experienced (apart from being away from your family and friends, of course)?

2003-11-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Graham,

I`m terribly sorry that I answer you so late , but the last week I was quite busy with exams ant another things in the school.
Originally , I`m From Bulgaria - from the second most importmant city in the country - Plovdiv.
I come to BCN city to study Tourim, becaouse I studied spanish in Bg , in the High Schoolo for 5 years.Then I finished the last course , I have two posibilities - stay in Bg and forget the tongue , or move abroad - and I`m here :):):)
In the begining the change was really hard , becouse my family , my friends and my boyfriend were in Bg , and I `m quite far for them , but now , Ì`m really hapy that I live in BCN city.
The mounth of February , I think that I`m going to go with the Erasmus exchange student programe in Norway.I choose this country becouse I think it`s quite different from Bg and Spain and I hope to met new people and quite interesting culture.
What do you think? Have you ever been in Norway ?

2003-10-28T02:02:00.000-08:00

Hi Sasha!

Sorry we've taken so long to write to you here - it's been a busy week! I hope that you find this weblog useful over the next year. Remember, you can write anything you want to here, about anything that comes up in class, etc. It's a good way to practise writing in English. Some people use it as a kind of diary too!

Do you know any of the ERASMUS students from Holland? It might be interesting for you to talk to them about living there, as you want to go. You can find out what they think of living in Catalonia here:

http://cat-cult.blogspot.com

You can also find their e-mails there - why not send them an e-mail. They're really friendly, and I'm sure they would answer any questions.

I have a question for you - Where are you from originally? And what made you decide to study Tourism here?

2003-10-27T02:05:00.000-08:00

There is no question, so nothing to answer. But I'll tell you that you will find it useful.

2003-10-23T01:34:00.000-07:00

Hello,
I'm Sasha.I'm 20 years old and I'm from Bulgaria.I'm a second year student in ESADE -Sant Ignasi school in Barcelona.I like quite go out with my friends and go to movie.
The next year I will finish the university and I would like to go to Holand to make postgrade programe.

2003-10-22T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hi Gream ,

How are you?I think it is quite dificult to make this web page:):):)I have too problems with the publishing:):):)
I think that I prefer stay in the classe and write letters in the blackboard , no it's joke:):):)

2003-10-22T05:09:00.000-07:00