Tag Archives: friends

Jul6

Work Experience

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School said to me pick wherever you want as long as you have something to put into your personal statement for university about work experience. I personally am not the office sort, so having this opportunity to find somewhere to go for a week only meant one thing. As far away as possible. This is my first ever blog post but it is definitly important as i needed to share my experience with everyone.

Luckily I know the Drakes from back when me and Sasha were in primary school together. My name is Sophie and for the last week I ditched my routine english life to spend a week living the ”La Rosilla” lifestyle in spain, and I have had a ”fenomenal” time. 1062826_10200876464086798_1498215089_n

I have definitely put my language skills to the test when I accompanied Sasha to a fiesta for her friend’s birthday. There was roughly around 25 people there and only 2 spoke english. Me and Sasha. So for me that was definitely an experience. Poor Sasha became translator for the night. Although it was good to see how people my own age live life here and how their parties differ to mine back home.

I also went to a book club which will make my mother so proud. This I found very interesting as of course it was all Lyney’s friends and they were all english. I was able to look around somebody else house and see how all of these women have adapted their lifestyle to live in spain.

Something I will not be forgetting anytime soon was Lynsey bringing home a pigs trotter to ”flavour” her food. For me this was something very different but of course everything is a learning curve so I made the most of the experience though its something I could go without for a few more years :p Whilst ive been in spain I have had the opportunity to watch Lynsey make meals for people as of course this is her job, and I  have to say some of the recipes I have never even heard of but they turned out smelling and looking amazing, especially her carne con chocolate.1011882_628540143831408_1101451143_n

Lynsey took me to the Tanit beach yesterday for my final proper day. The sea was lovely and cool and the weather was boiling. unfortunately a result of my ignorance to the sun’s strength is chronic sunburn, I doubt ill be doing any quick movement for a long time, however I think it was completely worth it as I had a fantastic time.

Overall I have had an absolutely amazing time here in spain! I wish that the ”La Rosilla lifestyle” was my own. I can safely say out of everybody in my year at school ive had the best work experience by a mile and that everyone should be jealous of it.

Considering I only suffered from major sunburn and 16 mosquito bites I would say this trip has been a success!

little burnt

little burnt

I am so sad to be leaving but like I said, I have had an incredible time here and im not likely to be forgetting any of it. I have been made to feel like part of the family which I love and am so glad to of had this amazing experience.

xxx

Feb21

From Campo to Costa

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Now don’t get me wrong I love the location of my ‘Finca’ La Rosilla nestled in the Montes de Malaga, with views to die for, but sometimes I feel the need to escape, throw a 6, and head to the bright lights, big city and the Costa. So to my delight my friend @stellaorbelies came to my rescue & said ‘ let’s hit the road ‘

So with sun streaming we drove Topless ( well with roof down 😉 ) into the city of Malaga to start our day, of chin wagging, lunching, and meeting some inspiring ladies.

The perfect day to stroll through the old city of Malaga, with street cafes full of friends and colleagues absorbing the sunshine and atmosphere. We shared Montaditos ( Little breads topped with amazing ingredients) Smoked Cod & Caramelised Onions, Goats cheese & Serrano and a Salad of fresh cheese, sundried tomatoes & basil dressing, washed down with a crisp white Rioja. Watching the world go by, and putting the worlds to rights, lunched and Cafe Solo’d up, Next Stop …

We met with Sharon Aldred who has set-up The Fashion Workshop, an inspiring place for people to learn, design & create all aspects of dressmaking, but focusing on recycling garments no longer worn or loved into design pieces of the future. So ‘I’ve got nothing to wear’ can be a phrase of the past.

Still ‘Topless’ note to self, must remember a hat, or hairbrush or rock hard hairspray next time.

Onto Jigsaw Design and to meet Lynne Armitage, who produces all business & personal printing solutions from business cards to invitations, but who in her spare time dedicates her life to the Girl Guiding Association, allowing youngsters in Spain the opportunity to be part of a historical movement, that is embracing times of change and the future.

Sun going down, roof up, hair remodeled, face repainted our last port of call, The Costawomen meeting, a fabulous network and social group created by Ali Meehan, (@costawomen) .  This for ladies all over Spain & beyond or dreaming of Spain to be part of a community. Costawomen offers guest speakers, events and motivational groups, book clubs and much more and is growing rapidly, Thanks to the hard work of Ali. It also provides a support group for many of us, who have left our home countries and friends & families.

So my 12 hour escape was over, my tongue wagged to tiredness,  my wine glass empty, time to return to the mountains and reflect- What a diverse land we live in, life is exciting and out there, just got to go out & find it.

 Thanks Stella, where we going topless together next time 😉 ?

 

 

 

 

 

Sep13

Keeping in touch

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It’s great to keep in touch with folks back home.   I don’t know how I would’ve survived without Skype, emails &  along with My Mum’s telephone provider allowing her to call me free for as-long as she wants.  We have a code , 2 rings & she calls me back, maybe far away but only on the end of the phone.   Twitter came along to me, later than most, couldn’t get it at first but then I was hooked.  I’ve passed my obsession over to my Dad now, @bikeral64 , purely of course to keep him up  to date with the techie side of life 😉 but we now communicate in 140 characters or less – short but sweet but we get the message across 😉

Blogging too, has helped on many occasion when, perhaps I need to sit and take a look at what I’ve achieved,  what’s happening around me & what obstacles I have overcome.  Also what delicious meals I have created or eaten, I have shared with friends and now a wider audience, all thanks to technology.

It has been great to be asked to share my experiences with others too , and Midlands Food Bloggers who have created a platform for ‘Foodie’s based in the Midlands area of the U.K , hit home to me.  My area, the home where the other half of my heart lies, and the place where my food & travel life adventures were born…

At a young age, food & travel were always high on my agenda, starting my early working life, in a village pub, waitressing then being promoted to food prep, and then cooking, whilst at college studying Travel & tourism.  This paved the way for my adventures to come. Being fortunate to travel to some far-flung places as a Tour Representative, led hand in hand with trying new cuisines, visiting some of the worlds best restaurants, thus confirming ‘yes’ food was going to pay a major part in my life.

After my travel career, family life started and the story goes on…..

You can read about the next part of my journey from Warwickshire U.K to the mountains of Andalucia, and how my ‘Foodie’ quest has continued.

From Midlands to Andalucia – ‘Journey of a Foodie’ – Courtesy of Midlands Food Bloggers.

http://midsfoodbloggers.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/from-the-midlands-to-andalucia-journey-of-a-foodie/