My New Spanish Apartment

Long Weekend in La Rioja

How Quickly Autumn Flew By...

It has snowed in Logroño already this year... and it will likely snow again--maybe even this week! There are mountains all around, and so snow is no unusual thing in Spain; although it doesn't often snow much in some of the cities. The snow in Logroño, for example, doesn't stay for more than a few hours before it melts. The elevation here is about 450 meters or so, and so we don't catch too much of the white stuff.

Fall was nice, and now it's gone, really. The temperatures are not that cold here, I'd estimate the average to be around 40 - 45 F during the day and 35 - 40 at night. It's been raining more these past few weeks, and so it often feels slightly cooler, although I have no need for my Minnesota winter jacket here.

I haven't traveled much this year so far... I was basically waiting to get paid, which finally happened for the first time last week; the government is a little slow in getting our grant money to us, though now they should be on time. I posted for your viewing pleasure a collection of photos of me and my friends I've made here in Logroño so far this school year. Some of these friends are Spanish, some are not, some friends are from the govt program, others are not. Enjoy.

Spanish supper at the old apartment! With me, David & Elena (two Spanish teachers from a local high school) and Gareth (dude from D.C. who joined the program a bit late--he's the assistant teacher at the same school as said teachers).

Same living room; different night. These are my friends Deborah (from London), Claire (from northern England), Andrew (Scotland), and Marcos (Florida). They're all assistant English teachers like me. We like to sing and play guitar together. Yay!

Adventures in cooking. Here's some fish I cooked up with the help of some egg and flour.

Here's a typical Spanish kitchen: small, electric stove, oven, mini table, washing machine, no dishwasher, yes there's a microwave and a fridge. You get used to it, it's just fine. This is my old kitchen, my new one is bigger.

Here's me and Deborah. She's from London, and she has a wonderful accent that they tell me gives her away.

Big group; all English teachers. Claire, me, Jennis & Lucy (both from Alabama), Jon (England). Jon doesn't work in Logrono though; he's in nearby Burgos.

You wanted to see Halloween? You got it. Purple hair is Isabella (German exchange teacher), poncho is Michelle (Louisiana), maid is Iñaki (from Logroño), jumpsuit wearing murderer is Rafael--Rafa (from Brazil, has lived in Logroño a while), the Japanese man is me, and the samuri is Andrew (Scotland).


Me, potato chips, and Ilze (from Latvia, working in Logroño).

Spanish guy in the back is Sergio, friend from Basque Country, Spain. Foreground is Natalie from England and random German dude who was in town visiting.


We've taken to bowling on occasion. It's probably less common in Spain, although not less fun.


Lastly, here's me, Sergio, and friend Celine from Scotland.

Party on Logroño.