Chapter Eleven: Lessons Being Learned, Part II

Back in late October, I dedicated a blog post to the experience of a certain David Moyes as manager of San Sebastian's Real Sociedad CF, and the lessons that we, as ERASMUS students living and working abroad, could take from this particular episode. I extensively quoted Guillem Balague, Sky's Spanish football expert, who was critical of Moyes' failure to fully adapt to the unique culture of the city, and also that he didn't help himself by failing to learn the language sufficiently. In the same piece, Balague also commended another Brit working in La Liga- Philip Neville at Valencia- for stepping out of his comfort zone and being willing to learn. Despite some linguistic teething-problems, -he meant to say he was 'running on the beach', google the rest- Neville had impressed throughout the August 2015 pre-season as Valencia's assistant coach.

By the time December rolled around, Los Che were in crisis. Valencia's brilliantly named head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had been sacked, with the team in serious danger of missing out on the lucrative riches of the Champions League. Valencia supporters could be forgiven for thinking it couldn't get any worse. Little did they know...

Upon leaving the gym one Wednesday afternoon, I checked my phone only to nearly drop it in shock- the headline read 'Gary Neville leaves punditry role at Sky Sports to become Valencia head coach alongside younger brother Phil.' I had to read it multiple times for it to sink in. Gary Neville? Managing his first club? In Spain? AT VALENCIA? Needless to say, the reaction among the Spanish press was almost as universally negative as the recent reviews for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.  'A huge gamble', screamed  Marca, a far cry from Super Deporte's 'Neville, yes we can' (written like that). One paper even referred to the new gaffer as Scottish.

Supporters were incredulous. How, they said, could a famous ex-player with no top level coaching experience, who worked as a TV analyst and who doesn't speak the language walk into the fourth biggest club in Spain as if it were the easiest thing in the world? Moreover, Neville didn't make a great start when he said 'I'm here to learn and make the best I can of this experience.' Sounds fine, but when put through the mouth of an interpreter, Valencia's notoriously fickle fans believed that their new gaffer saw their club as simply a stepping stone to greater things. Needless to say, they were less than impressed- was he just coming in to test the water? Had he just got the job for being chummy with the owner, Peter Lim? (The answer to that second question being emphatically yes, by the way.)

After three months it's all over, following a terrible run of just three wins from his 16 league matches in charge. Neville's relationship with the fans had deteriorated dramatically, something not helped by his struggling to get to grips with the language, (outside of him being heard screaming 'pasa la puta pelota' at his players) and an almost scatter-gun policy of team selection. He admittedly wasn't helped by poor performances from key players at key moments (I'm looking at you, Alvaro Negredo) and a 7-0 thrashing at the Camp Nou at the hands of my beloved team, but three wins in three months is not good enough for a club the size of Valencia. When he took over, Los Che were 5 points off the coveted fourth Champions League spot. He has left with them 20 points adrift. In the cold light of day, it's easy to see how this experiment failed.

As the Telegraph's Sam Wallace puts it: 'It's been a good experience for him, but not necessarily for the Valencia fans. For all the bravery he's shown in taking on a club of that size, if we were to reverse the situation, with a rookie Spanish manager coming over to England, who didn't speak English and was effectively parachuted in ahead of other English managers, then Gary Neville would probably be one of the first in line to say "What's going on?" He didn't give himself enough of a chance to succeed. Sometimes you need to do more than just back yourself. There's being brave, and then there's overstretching yourself.'

Me when I set my students homework...

However, Henry Winter of The Times commends Neville on his approach: 'Anyone who has met Gary Neville will know that this is a tough character. He will bounce back. He'll use this experience in the right way, however painful it has been, and I wish this current generation of young English coaches would go out, gamble and take these chances. At least he took a risk in a professional capacity. It hasn't worked out but he will use the experience. We should celebrate that rather than dancing on his managerial grave. Had he not taken the job, he said he would never have been able to look his colleagues in the eye again.'

The words of the both of them serve to teach me a lesson, and also to remind me why I'm here. Firstly, had I not decided to take the plunge and head off to Granada, then I feel my credibility as a motivated and driven Modern Languages student would have been irreparably damaged. I feel that I wouldn't have been able to look my tutors in the eye throughout my final year, and this was a huge factor in pushing me towards Spain. It was absolutely crucial, in hindsight, that I was prepared to take the risk and learn what I can from the experience, when it came to linguistic practice, cultural competence and my own understanding of what I was capable of achieving.

Also, much like Neville, I realised that the opportunity to gain work experience in a foreign country was truly unmissable, and it's given me plenty of food for thought. What I'm trying to say is that when we look closer at the reasons why Neville took the job at Valencia, there are myriad parallels that we, as language students, can draw that will help us to better articulate why we are here, doing what we're doing. At the outset I was scared, I'll admit. But now, with only two months remaining of this adventure, I for once feel prepared. Hopefully I won't jynx anything but I finally feel as if my Spanish has come on in leaps and bounds, although in true granadino style, I've stopped saying the letter 's'. I've also drafted something that looks vaguely like a dissertation title over the easter break, beginning to look ahead to returning at the end of September.

'How many was it, Gary?'

Ultimately, when I consider all of the above, it becomes clear that this whole experience is a win-win situation. Thinking back to Christmas 2014, when I was agonising over the decision of whether to take on the challenge or not, it feels like a lifetime ago. Choosing the more difficult option has undoubtedly changed me for the better. The big take-away is this: always be prepared to push yourself, in whatever walk of life that may be. It will not always be easy, but if it were easy then it wouldn't be worth doing. It wouldn't challenge you, or make you an even better version of yourself than you already are.

I believe that things aren't always as black and white as they appear. It's very easy these days to dub oneself a success or failure depending on past experience, and I believe the fear of 'failure' is what holds us all back sometimes. It's not the end of the world to admit you've made a mistake. I'm a firm believer in second chances in all walks of life, be that with work, academia, friends, relationships, you name it. There will always be another chance to try again, to make amends. You just need to be prepared to go away, learn where and how you went wrong and then be patient when you return. It may come tomorrow, next week or a year from now. But when that next opportunity comes around we have to be brave, take a chance and grab it while we can.

So if in doubt, challenge yourself. If you don't buy a ticket, you'll never win the lottery.


'You see teams go to the Camp Nou and get beat 5, 6, 7-0. Barcelona are a good side, well, a great side. But if I were ever involved with a team that got beat 7-0  there I wouldn't be able to look my family in the eye anymore.' Gary Neville, 15th April 2014 on Sky Sports

'We can only say sorry to the supporters and the many people who work every day for this club.'
Gary Neville, 4th February 2016, after experiencing the aforementioned result.

*The quotes in this blog are taken from BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, from the 31st March 2016. Well worth a listen for any fellow followers of The Beautiful Game out there.

Chaper Ten: 'Ellos tambien son cracks' (The Adventures of Jesus Spain)

It goes without saying that a year abroad is a priceless opportunity to obtain fluency in your target language. By living each day surrounded by it, it's highly likely that one will improve a little, almost unconsciously. Like all other walks of life, effort must still be put in in order to get the maximum benefit, but it's also important to make time for what you enjoy doing, and also for researching other aspects of Spanish life that interest you. There are various avenues and resources available for everyone to explore and research, whatever their interests and passions. Some of these are more subtle than others, however.

On a normal day, one of the first things I do when leaving my flat is to pick up a copy of Diario Sport, a daily newspaper dedicated to my beloved FC Barcelona. I have a vast stack of these gathering dust in my room as I write this post- one for almost every day of the past five months, to be exact. These are wonderfully accessible, cheap and interesting, as they allow me the chance to practice reading in my target language (a crucial practice I neglect back home) about something I'm thoroughly interested in, and also grant me a viewpoint into the more forgotten areas of Spanish sport.

These dailies have also taught me a peculiar word: crack, which is used to describe someone as a 'great person, a legend'. It's often used to eulogise about Messi after his latest wonder-goal, but other sports like tennis, athletics, swimming, handball, basketball and padel are also incredibly popular. To that end, I present a list of the Top 6 Spanish sportsmen and women you probably haven't heard of. Que la disfruteis...


1. Paco Alcacer- Football

It's not been easy of late for La Seleccion. In 2014, the defending champions crashed out of the World Cup in Brazil at the first round, a humiliating fall from grace for a team that had made history by winning the previous three international tournaments they had played in- two European Championships either side of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. To add insult to injury, the core of that phenomenal side - midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso and record goalscorer David Villa- retired from international football. Two years later, and La Roja are yet to convince going into the European Championships in France this summer. The biggest issue is at centre-forward- who will lead the line? Who will score the goals? Who could pick up the mantle of the great Raul Gonzalez and be the figurehead of the national side for the next decade?

Step forward, Francisco 'Paco' Alcacer. The Valencia striker continues to quietly go about his business in Spain's third largest city and is a crucial part of Gary Neville's footballing revolution at Los Che. Alcacer has spent his entire professional career at his hometown club, besides a loan spell at Getafe, having been on the books since he was eight. His goal-scoring skills are impressive, with nearly 50 strikes recorded since he made his first team debut. Moreover, this should give him the edge over Spain's other first choice 9's. Chelsea's Diego Costa appears more interested in throwing punches than scoring goals, whilst Alvaro Morata, of Italian giants Juventus, has scored just 5 all season. If Alcacer, 22, continues to develop at this steady pace, coach Vicente Del Bosque's problem position could soon be solved.

2. Mario Mola- Triathlon

This guy can run 5 kilometres in 14 minutes. On it's own, that's insanely fast: try running one lap of a 400 metre track in 68 seconds. Tough right? Now imagine doing it at that pace at least, for another eleven laps. Brutal. When you factor in what takes place before that, the feats that elite triathletes accomplish become almost superhuman. For Mario Mola, this is just the business end of his event. In a WTS (World Triathlon Series) event, he must first swim 1500 metres in freezing cold, open water. This often turns into a melee, with hundreds of athletes jostling for position, arms and legs flailing everywhere. Survive that without getting dunked, it's onto the bike to cycle 40 kilometres at breakneck speed. Crash, or suffer even the slightest mechanical hitch at this point, and its game over. Once this leg of the race finishes, it's time to run 10 kilometres. This often takes elite triathletes approximately 30 minutes to complete. That equates to a pace of 4 minutes and 50 seconds per mile. A 30 minute 10K run, off the back of almost an hour and a half of flat out racing, on legs already saturated with lactic acid from their workload on the bike. There's a reason why nobody ever says 'let's go and play triathlon.'

Mola, 26, has been doing these races for over 10 years. Needless to say, he's bloody good at them. His breakthrough performances came in the 2013 and 2014 World Triathlon Series, where he finished second overall , both times behind fellow Spaniard and 5 time World Champion Javier Gomez- himself a 2012 Olympic silver medallist. I'd say it's a shame that an athlete as dedicated and talented as Mola is forced to live in the shadow of a legend of the sport, but the truth is Mola is showing that he has it in him to carry his countryman's mantle, having beaten Gomez on numerous occasions, most notably during the London race in 2014 and in Chicago last September. The popularity of Triathlon is increasing dramatically in Spain, and with good reason. Inspired by the success of Gomez, it's not inconceivable that Mola, who hails from Palma de Mallorca, could well become the very best at his sport very soon. With the Olympics heading to Rio this summer, I'll naturally be supporting the brilliant Alistair and Jonny Brownlee in the triathlon, but keep an eye out for Mola: he will be an enormous threat.

3. Garbine Muguruza- Tennis

As a casual follower of tennis, it saddens me greatly to see the fall from grace of Rafael Nadal. This is a player whose explosive style and battling performances against the likes of Federer, Djokovic and Murray captured the hearts and imagination people the world over, to say nothing of the cult status the Spaniard enjoys in his home country. But alas, chronic knee injuries have taken their toll on the two-time Wimbledon king, and the people of Spain are now looking for a new champion to get behind. In the 22 year old Basque, Garbine Muguruza, they may just have found their new heroine. Born to a Spanish father and Venezuelan mother, she first began to play tennis aged 3, and her subsequent rise to the pinnacle of the Women's game has been nothing short of spectacular.

Muguruza exploded onto the world stage with her incredible performances at Wimbledon last year, where she made it all the way to the final, before losing agonisingly to Serena Williams. Taking the greatest woman ever to pick up a racket into a deciding set is nothing to be sniffed at. Having already reached her first major final and claimed the scalps of some of the biggest names in the women's game, it would appear that the only way is up- she is currently ranked 5th in the world, having previously been as high as 3rd. In the words of former women's Wimbledon champion Marion Bartolli, 'She's not waiting for it to happen for her- she's going for it, and that's how you win the biggest slams.' High praise indeed.

4. Pau Gasol- Basketball

Six-time NBA All-star and double Olympic Silver medallist Gasol was born in Barcelona, and joined FC Barcelona Basquet when he was 16. After helping the junior team to a hugely successful 1998 season, he was promoted to the senior team. However, the following season saw him amass only 25 minutes of playing time in the ACB league that year. The following season followed a similar pattern. However the next year saw Gasol voted National MVP, after helping Barcelona to the Spanish National Cup and averaging 12.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per 25 minutes per game. That's to say he was superb. Following a successful year for both team and player, Gasol entered the NBA draft in 2001, eventually ending up at the Memphis Grizzles.

Since moving to the States, Gasol has continued to clock up MVP performances, helping his various teams across the pond to win trophy after trophy. He has also helped the Spanish national side perform well in various international competitions, such as the 2006 FIBA World Championship and a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. From 2008-2014 he played for the Los Angeles Lakers, arguably the most famous basketball team in the world. As of today, Gasol has plied his trade for the Chicago Bulls from 2014. Players on the books at the Bulls have won the NBA's MVP award six times- three of those going to some bloke by the name of Michael Jordan. He must have been alright...

Although it hasn't been entirely plain sailing for Gasol in Chicago, a resurgence from the team over the last couple of seasons breeds optimism, with the arrival of the Catalan in 2014 spearheading this fresh approach. Not only is Gasol a superbly gifted athlete (he stands seven foot tall and possesses one of the biggest leaps in the sport) but he is also a highly intelligent individual who speaks five languages, having taught himself French and Italian to go with Catalan, Spanish and English. He would often speak in Spanish with team mate Kobe Bryant during games, to prevent opponents from knowing their planned moves. Furthermore, the Basketball court wasn't always his first calling- he originally wanted to be a doctor, following in his fathers' footsteps, and originally played rugby. His two younger brothers, Marc and Adria, are also professionals, on the books at the Grizzlies and UCLA respectively.

5. Jesus España- Athletics

No list of my top sportsmen would be complete without a distance runner, and this guy's worth including on his name alone. Born in Valdemoro, a small Community of Madrid, middle-distance runner Espana first represented his country in the 2001 World Cross Country Championships, where he finished 11th. The following year he took the World Indoor Bronze medal in the 3000 metres. After nearly 20 years of competing for Spain at the elite level of world athletics, his role of honour is substantial: he has been to an Olympic games (Beijing 2008), finishing 14th in the 5000 metres final, against a field that included the legendary Kenenisa Bekele, who won the race in an Olympic record, and would also go on to win the 10,000 metres later in the games. Two years prior, España won his first major international title at the European Championships in the 5000 metres, overtaking the leader of the race in the last 20 metres. The name of the athlete he overtook? Mo Farah, who has since won every European, World and Olympic distance medal going. As of 2016, España remains the last man to beat Farah in a European final. Impressive stuff.

After nearly 20 years of competing at the top level of world athletics, España has had to closely monitor and adapt his training programme in order to find new ways to improve, and also to manage the workload on his body as the years creep by. The impressive results that he has obtained throughout his career are testament to this constant tinkering- as of today, his personal bests for the 3000 and 5000 (his preferred distances) stand at 7 minutes 38 seconds and 13 minutes 10 respectively. The former was set in 2006, the latter 2009- further emphasising the importance of training smarter, rather than simply adding more and more volume and intensity. As a keen distance runner myself, this philosophy is something that rings true to me. The word is balance. España, for me, is the ultimate example of continually assessing your performance, being honest with yourself and making the necessary changes in order to continually improve. This is also applicable to any area, not just sport, and for that reason alone he is worth including. That, and because his name means Jesus Spain.

6. Vernonica Boquete- Football

This 28 year old striker plays her club football for Bayern Munich in Germany, has captained her national side at the 2015 World Cup and is considered her country's go-to player, a Spanish Ladies Lionel Messi, if you will. Prior to gaining international attention in 2011, after a successful few seasons in America, she previously turned out for RCD Espanyol (city rivals of Barcelona) and Praninsa Zaragoza, and was the top scorer in the 2010-11 Superliga Femenina with an impressive 39 goals. During her time at Espanyol she also won two international caps for Spain.

After a various highly successful and prolific spells at clubs throughout the world (she played for Russian outfit Energiya Voronezh in the 2011 Champions League, and in the Swedish Dmallsvenskan for Tyreso in 2012), and some more stateside adventures with Portland Thorns, the jet-setting Boquete found herself on the books at FFC Frankfurt, who had finished runners-up in the 2014 Bundesliga. She would go on to help the team to the 2015 Champions League at the end of the season, following which her services were secured by German football giants Bayern.

Though her club and international careers have proven highly successful, Boquete has played a pivotal role in promoting Women's football in Spain. She was the first Spanish female footballer to release an autobiography, and started a website called change.org, which encouraged video game developers Electronic Arts to include Women footballers in their Fifa video game series, a campaign which has subsequently proven to be a resounding success. With women's sport finally starting to get the recognition it deserves, Boquete has lead the women's football revolution in Spain from the front in more ways than one.

***

This year, I've been highly fortunate to have shared both a running track and gym with a group of sprinters from the Spanish Athletics Federation, one of whom is currently the second fastest 200 metre runner in the country. Being able to see such dedicated semi-elites train up close has been a privilege, and no little inspiration for me as an amateur athlete. With sport playing such a key role in Spanish identity, and with both the Olympic Games and European Football Championships just around the corner this summer, I will be following the performances of the athletes mentioned above with interest. Don't be surprised to hear their names popping up more and more regularly should they find success this summer. You heard it here first.


'When the outside world wants to bring you down, count on what's inside to keep you up.'
Lionel Messi

Chapter Nine: Mind Over Matter

At the outset of this blog, I was determined to make this year abroad the best thing I would ever do. Fast forward to now, with a little over three months remaining and I'd tell you that it's turned out very differently to what I expected. That's not to say I'm deeply unhappy with where I am and what I'm doing. Rather, its a timely reminder to not set ludicrous expectations. It's not the first time of late that I've had to be honest and accept the reality of a situation, and it never gets easier. It's not uncommon to be so caught up in the hype that you fail to be honest with yourself (and others) about what you really think of the experience. Furthermore its very easy with something as big as a year abroad to feel like you're failing at it if you feel anything other than total happiness the entire time.

However, one thing I've learned since I began University in late 2013 is to take a more holistic approach when it comes to goal setting, and to keep track of the bigger picture. By this I mean remembering where, and who, you were when you began, so that you can use that as the barometer to judge yourself, rather than just the result of something. That way, even if you deem yourself to have failed, you remain positive for the changes you experienced along the way. I've been able to  put this strategy into practice at various times, on various fronts, since I started my days as a student. That's to say that although University hasn't been success after success, I've emerged a better, healthier person as a result of trying to make a difference.

I believe that this approach stems from a Type B personality trait. This is defined as 'people who by definition live at a lower stress level and typically work steadily, enjoying achievement but not becoming stressed when they are not achieved... They are often reflective, thinking about both the outer and inner worlds.' Needless to say this doesn't mean that you shouldn't put absolutely everything you can into achieving whatever goals you set for yourself, but again I come back to enjoying the process- which for myself and my classmates means the remaining three months of our year abroad. Likewise, being privy to judging my current self against the me from last year is another common occurrence for B personalities.

So how does this help me to get the best of myself? Well, it keeps me level headed, and motivated to continue to strive to be the best I can be in everything. This means I'm often looking within and asking myself, 'What am I capable of achieving now? What would I be capable of achieving if I tried and kept at it a little longer?'

With only three months remaining of my year abroad, I'd say it's been pretty good- it hasn't been the greatest thing I've ever done, nor have I made any great effort to 'find myself', and I often end up unfavourably comparing my experiences in Spain with those of my friends, which judging from their various Facebook posts, blogs and photos, puts mine into the shade. This is quite a shift in perspective from my early blogs, but I believe there's a very important lesson to be learned from this: don't expect too much, too soon.

Did you know that over ninety percent of New Year's Resolutions fail by the end of February? It's true, according to research from the Brain Statistics Institute, who go on to state that a loss of motivation is cited as the main reason that people give up on their goals. I don't mean to judge and criticize when I say this, but I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Resolutions. Though they are meant to imply a willingness to change and adopt healthier habits, I believe goals can, and should, be set at various times throughout the other 11 months of the year. What's wrong with achieving in February, March or April?

Moreover, I don't buy the excuse of lacking motivation. If you weren't up for changing something, then you wouldn't set it as a goal. What I believe to be most important when setting goals for oneself is being realistic. Don't try and bite off more than you can chew immediately- it's much better to focus on small steps. It takes more time, but that means it's worth doing. These days, we live in a society in which the pressure to enact personal changes can be overwhelming. Almost everyday, we see new commercials for the latest FAD Diet or Self-Help book, or hear people on the radio talking about how they're going to shave their heads, move to Tibet and live in a monastery for a year. No thanks.

The most important first step to setting a goal is to work out what you really want. This sounds obvious but often people come up with things from scratch, without being sufficiently introspective first. What I mean is that it's better to map out a few different areas of your life and then write down targets for each that you would enjoy achieving, and would leave you feeling enriched as a result. I would call this 'Focusing Inwards to Achieve Outwards.'

The next part of this process involves being kind to yourself- this sounds extremely corny but bear with me. This is the absolute first step towards achieving any goal which you set yourself. Treat yourself as you'd treat others, so that if you make a mistake, you're able to draw a line under it and move on. I'm still getting to grips with this little step. It's been very easy to feel that, because I'm not as blissfully happy as my classmates I'm not making the most of this opportunity, rather than focusing on the multiple things I've done well. Goals require a certain amount of diligence, so you'll be better equipped to cope with mistakes by going into them with a positive mindset. We should all be allowed to make mistakes from time to time, and use them to focus on how far we have come and all we have previously achieved. So what does this mean for me?

Despite being employed as a teacher, for me this year is about learning. I've reached a point now where, with three months remaining before I pack my bags and say 'adios' to Granada, I'm asking myself: 'At what level do I want to be when I return to University in September?' This is a marked contrast to what I wanted to get out from this year at the start of September, and shows you how your perspective can, and indeed should, shift throughout, irrespective of the quality of your experience. This goal doesn't only apply to language-learning, but to athletic and social pursuits also. Though admittedly, acting like a sponge and trying to soak up all the Spanish know-how I can is the big one.

With your goal in mind, it's then your task to come up with various strategies that will allow you to attain it through repeated practice and self-improvement. This doesn't have to mean force-feeding yourself grammar tests (as a linguistic example) or other tedious things that don't work for you. You have to enjoy the process, or else the end result won't be what you wanted at the outset. An example for me this year would be religiously buying Diarios (Sports dailies) during the week, and noting down new words or phrases on my mobile each time I come across one- which is a lot. Then it's my job to put them into practice. This is just an example of something that works for me, as I'm able to read about something I enjoy -Spanish football- in my target language, and isn't something for which I need to set aside a scheduled hour each day. The beauty of having such simple resources at your disposal is that this kind of exercise becomes part of your routine. As Horace Mann said: 'Habit is a cable. We leave a thread of it each day, and at last we cannot break it.'

The temptation at the outset of any new challenge is to go into it expecting far too much of yourself. I remember the day before I started teaching getting a text message from my Dad, a highly experienced former teacher himself, which simply stated "Go for it, but remember: you don't need to be a fully qualified teacher by tomorrow afternoon." This summarises everything I've spent the last two days trying to explain: there's a big difference between challenging yourself with the targets you set, and biting off more than you can chew. Four months later, I understand that I'm not going to be revolutionising Spanish Bilingual Education- however this doesn't mean that I haven't performed the tasks expected of me to the best of my ability. Come May, I will feel content with the experience I've had, even if it hasn't lived up to the hype that previously surrounded it.

So besides putting effort in on the linguistic front, what other challenges have I set myself this year? As I said, my particular carrot is the thought of returning to University in September as prepared as I can be to put what I've learned this year into practice. Even though it probably won't be the best year of my life, I'm sure it will still be the most valuable learning experience.

Many thanks, and until next time- which hopefully won't take another month to write...


'Perfection doesn't exist- but you have to look for it anyway.' 
Pep Guardiola


Reference: New Year's Resolution Statistics, Statistic Brain Research Institute: http//www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics

Chapter Eight: Building Bridges

So, it seems we've arrived at what I'll call the interlude- defined as 'something that happens during an interval'. In the world of theatre, actors and actresses use this time to assess their performance thus far, and look for areas of strength and others in which they can do better. Likewise, as my classmates and I arrive at this, the halfway point of our placements in Spain, France, Germany and even China and South America, this time serves as a natural period of reflection. Moreover, many of us will at this very moment will be writing the latest instalment of our Year Abroad Dossiers outlining exactly how we feel we have progressed since jetting off mid-September and, crucially, the areas where we feel we still need to improve. We then have another 4 months to put those into practice and squeeze everything we can out of the time we have left. Easy.

Whilst I won't bore you all to death with my own goals, it suffices to say I'm making progress on various fronts where I felt I was lagging pre-Christmas. Though not so much as Gary Neville, who in the space of two months as head coach of Valencia C.F appears to be getting to grips with the lingo quicker than I've been able to- a direct quote being 'Pasa la puta pelota!'. No prizes for guessing what he's on about there. Cutting edge football management, Nev.

 If you were to ask me the key concepts required to make a decent fist of a year as an Auxiliar then I'd fire back with two mindsets that, in my experience are inextricably linked. These are 'Confidence' and 'Consistency'. By these I mean being willing to get out there, step into the breach and making mistakes, but also being prepared to bounce back and learn from them. I believe that the beauty of both of these is that they feed off each other- confidence leads to consistency, consistency breeds confidence. I'll be the first to admit that I thought communicating would be a doddle. Needless to say when I got my first blast of the Andaluz  accent, I was somewhat taken aback- believe me, it's tricky at the best of times, and nigh-on unintelligible at its worst.

I still haven't quite negotiated this obstacle, but I've also realised recently that it shouldn't be a barrier to making the best of this year. I've stopped seeing this problem as a negative reflection on my linguistic competence and more as part of being placed where I am. Now whenever I hit a stumbling block, I remember to look back on all the times already that other teachers, my flatmates and even complete strangers have complemented my level of Spanish, rather than shrinking back into a corner. Now I remember that I can speak the language just fine, rather it's grasping the nuances of that pesky accent, even if it means just getting the gist of what people are saying, and there are so many ways of interpreting this, like body language, facial expression and tone of voice. And I just said I wouldn't bore you....

So what exactly has caused this confidence-related shift? It's difficult to put my finger on it- maybe it's the fact that January is almost out of the way, although we still get sunny, 18 degree afternoons. That's right- I'm still hitting the track in my shorts and vest in the thick of winter. Perhaps the looming prospect of a trip to my favourite city (more on that next week) has given me a brighter outlook. Or even that I'm now fully settled, feet under the table and really feel like I can get going. I'm not sure, but I'm happy regardless.

More likely though, is the eureka moment that landed me the title of this latest post. I remember reading somewhere that 'a smile is the bridge between two strangers' and it gave me the idea that, in much the same way, we too can build bridges and forge friendships we never thought we could have by just being brave and willing to make an effort. In order to do this, outlets such as hobbies and other interests are the best thing. For example, I've already been part of fascinating discussions about things like Spain's history and religious climate. I've found Spain's past particularly endearing being a student of history, so naturally I wanted to contribute a few ideas myself. Out here people are much more open and willing to talk about issues that in England are a BIG no-no. My landlord even thinks that Franco was great for Spain. I'm not entirely sure I, along with many others, would agree on that but it further illustrates the point. People here aren't afraid, so neither should you be.

Moreover, pursuing your other interests means that you open yourself to interactions with others. For example there are usually the same people using the track at the same time I do on a Thursday. Now that we're accustomed to seeing each other I'm often asked what I'm doing: 'Oh just some 800 metre reps.' When I reflect and realise that they knew what I was on about, it inevitably gives me a real boost. In much the same way people at the gym now know me as 'the Erasmus kid from England.' Fame is reaching me.

Likewise at school, though not for the reasons you'd think. Obviously, my football allegiance has made me popular with half the kids and infamous among others. This has really helped me in that it made me seem relatable. I was already sharing their world. More so now, as the traditional football-card-swapping mania has swept through Motril. The kids generosity has meant that I'm now the proud owner of half the Barcelona squad, though I'm still waiting for someone to part with their Suarez, Neymar and Messi. Let's see if I can scrounge them by the end of May.

However, without doubt the best thing I've ever done at school yet happened just this week gone, and I tell you all this entirely at the risk of losing all of my credibility. Prepare yourselves.

Friday the 29th January marked El Dia de La Paz, where the life and work of the almost mythical Mahatma Ghandi are celebrated. To mark the occassion, the music department had to lead the whole school in a dance to an Indian-related tune. The song in question? Jai-Ho, a real blast from the past I'm sure you'll agree. At the end of the first rendition, the kids naturally cheered for an encore. Me being me, I secretly got on stage behind the two teachers in question, chanelling my inner Jared Leto to whip the adoring audience into a frenzy. Needless to say the teachers obliged, on the condition that I, having instigated said encore, join them. And so it was that Ben Seymour, to celebrate the life of one of the greatest humanitarians to ever live, danced (perfectly choreographed) to Jai-Ho, in front of 200 wowed Spanish 5-to-7 year olds. Needless to say, I stole the show. And I have no regrets, unless during this age of Social Media, a video finds its way onto Facebook. Then I may think differently. Still proud though.

So how does that have anything to do with this post? Well, like I said, you've got to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and go the extra mile (double-cliché alert) in order to build those bridges with people. If you do so, then you're experience as an Auxiliar will be so enriched, despite whatever bureaucratic issues the ministry of education, or your bosses can throw at you. It's the people you meet, the friendships you forge and the things you accomplish which you previously thought impossible that make it such a worthwhile experience. And I think realizing that has been the keystone upon which I've built my bridge.

Until next time.

'Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.'
Mahatma Ghandi

Chapter Seven: 'Ojala...'

Since my last blog post quite a bit has happened.

The first British Astronaut entered space. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, The Special One, became The Sacked One. There was an awakening within the Force... did you feel it? (WHAT a film, by the way!) Spain's General Election resulted in the most politically fragmented Parliament the country has ever seen. And yesterday saw the back of 2015 for good.

Star Wars hype is universal. I didn't know this at the time, but (SPOILERS) there are actually TWO Ben's in this picture...

Like many others, the period between Christmas and New Year brings me to reflect on the year gone by: the challenges and targets I set myself, what I achieved, what I couldn't quite reach, the highest highs and the crushing disappointments. I'd  say that I often dwell on the regrets a lot more than the successes, which is why this year I've tried to change my outlook. This time around, I'm using the New Year as a time to look ahead, to set new targets and goals to focus on, rather than dwelling on any regrets or heartache from the previous year. This new outlook stems from a fantastic quote I came across shortly before Christmas (which you can read at the end as always) and is what this latest blog post will discuss. I don't think it's any coincidence that my time in Spain has given me a refreshing way to view our entry into 2016- over the holidays I've faced countless questions from relatives and family friends about what it's like to be living in Spain for a year, with just 12 hours a week spent teaching classes in English. My answer? 'It just feels like I'm on sabbatical.'

Why is this? Well, first of all the novelty of the whole experience still hasn't worn off. A year ago I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do in my third year- but I can emphatically say that I made the right choice now. Because of that previous indecision I can't help but feel as if everything that has transpired since has been a bonus. I think this outlook has really helped me embrace the experience thus far, and made me get the best out of everything I've done in Granada up to now.

One of my favourite things I've put into practice during the three-and-a-half months so far that I've been in Spain is a lovely little word called 'Ojalá', meaning 'hopefully', but more often 'I wish' or 'If only'. I've been using it quite often to answer questions like 'Do you have a girlfriend in England, Ben?' or 'Have you been paid yet by the Ministry of Education?' One of these has been solved over the holidays, although the answer to the other one remains 'Ojalá', and emphatically so.

The wonderful thing about this little word is that it can be used to express so many different things: it could be used for sarcastic self-deprecation, part of a wish list or, very relevantly, to look forward to whatever goals you set for the near or distant future. It's already worked it's way into my day to day vernacular because of this flexibility. But more importantly, every time I use it I'm made to think hard about what I want to achieve and what I still have to look forward to this year. It's shaping up to be a big one: starting halfway through my Year Abroad, finishing back at NTU to round things off. I've previously referred to these two years as 'the business end' of a language degree and it certainly feels like that is the case. But all the better to go into it with a year's worth of experience of Spain's people, lifestyle and culture, along with this cracking little phrase. It all adds up to an increasing confidence with engaging Spaniards in a recognizable style- that of the everyday conversation, which makes them see you as less a tourist who wants to just take a few pictures, and a seriously committed linguist who can maintain a conversation with little apparent effort. This is one of the biggest revelations that I've experienced thus far- Spaniards who are speaking with you also need to have confidence in your abilities, so give them reasons to believe in you and then you will absolutely fly.

Believe it or not, I took this.

I certainly feel much the better for going on the Year Abroad. Living with two Spanish girls who don't speak a word of English has certainly chucked me in at the deep-end, but I'm positive that this whole experience will be so worthwhile come next September, although at the moment that feels like a very long way away. Thankfully so- I don't want this 'sabbatical' to end anytime soon.

This doesn't mean that some time at home hasn't been much appreciated: quite the contrary, the last three weeks have been a perfect opportunity to really switch off for the first time for almost two years- no deadlines to meet, presentations to prepare, various paperwork to fill out or other external pressures in personal or social areas that can be even more draining than work. So for once I have enjoyed having a true break with nothing to be worried about. I've caught up with friends who have all been quick to tell me how rubbish I am at keeping in touch, been spoilt rotten by my wonderful family, eaten and slept a bit more than normal and been to see The Force Awakens twice. And now I'm positively itching to get back to Granada on Wednesday afternoon, ready to go again.

So roll on 2016- a year that will bring all it's own challenges and goals, highs and lows. A year that begins in Spain and ends back at NTU. I can't help wonder what will have happened by then: what will my classmates and I have achieved during our time abroad? How will our placements have changed us, and what will the end result be? All these questions, and a great many others, will be answered in due course. The only one I'm concerned with however, is this: will 2016 continue to bring success and improvement?

I think you know the answer already: 'Ojalá'.

Best of luck this year to you all. I wish you every success!


Life is locomotion- if you're not moving you're not living. But there comes a time when you've got to stop running away from things and start running towards something else. You've got to forge ahead, keep moving. Even if the path isn't lit, trust that you'll find your way.

Chapter Six: Perseverance

Autumnal Granada is simply stunning. In fact it's very similar to how England SHOULD be at this time of year: golden-brown leaves litter the parks and pavements, the sun shines in a cloudless, perfect blue sky and the fresh mountain air from the Sierra Nevada is nothing short of invigorating. Although at the time when I'm up during the week it's nothing short of freezing, (1.5 degrees on Tuesday morning...) I've missed my winter jackets and scarves: it's nice to know that I can get them out again. Moreover Christmas decorations are shooting up everywhere and El Corte Ingles is already fully kitted out, stocked up and raring to go for the festive season- much like myself, as only 16 days remain until I fly home to spend the holidays with family and friends. There is, however, one slight hitch...

Lately, I've been feeling like my Spanish has hit something of a rough patch, with a few more off days than I'm happy with. I've been through spells like this before, and I'm sure many others have too. For the non-linguistically-initiated, on occasions of this kind I struggle to string together anything vaguely coherent- too many uncertain pauses, hesitation. Nothing flows as it should: you often feel as if you can't remember the simplest word, phrase or conjugation to make your point. Engaging native speakers in a foreign language, I've found, requires you to constantly be prepared to step into the breach. You have to be prepared to make mistakes, like in any area of life, in order to improve. I recently read a personal coaching column on this very subject- perseverance.

It's safe to say that I take myself too seriously at times. Many times have I been told that I'm too hard on myself, expecting too much too soon- not only in academic pursuits but also in athletics and also other things, like relationships. Inevitably such an 'all-or-nothing' approach more often than not sets you up for disappointment- such as my extensive history of injury problems on the one hand, and also being constantly single on the other! As Language Assistants, before going on placement much of our preparatory correspondence with the British Council encouraged us to be patient with our students, many of whom had just started bilingual education and had never before studied a foreign language. That's all fine, but I'd also add a footnote, encouraging all LA's to be patient with themselves too. We're not going to become qualified teachers overnight, and there'll be plenty of stumbling blocks to overcome even after you've fully settled on your placement. Furthermore I think a great many people would benefit from treating themselves as they ideally treat others, at times.

What I mean is this: whenever we learn a new skill, be it academic, linguistic or an important life skill like driving, we also temporarily practice a far more important quality before forgetting all about it upon achieving mastery of that skill. I'm talking about perseverance. Think of a toddler learning to walk for the first time: more often than not it's a fairly simplistic process of stand up, walk a few steps, fall down, be picked up by Mum or Dad, and repeat until successful. We know the toddler will eventually get it right so we encourage it to keep trying. If only we all talked to ourselves like this! More often than not our default response is to continually mull over where we believe we went wrong, castigating ourselves for making the simplest slip-up and being afraid to get back on the metaphorical bike. Hopefully by now you can see what I'm getting at!

I'm sure that I am not alone in having experienced a fair amount of tough times, setbacks and rough patches over the years. What's important is not over-analysing what you believe to be going wrong, rather sticking at it and knowing that sooner or later you'll come through it. One thing I've found is that the Year Abroad can be mentally taxing at times, being almost force-fed the target language all day, every day and also having to think five or six words ahead in conversation. With me this also makes the time I get to spend with myself precious, whether that be a night in my flat at the weekends, going out for a run or down to the track or gym to train. It allows me time to collect my thoughts and gives me clarity, along with being an outlet for any built-up nervous energy that's accumulated throughout the day. Taking time to look after yourself is something I'd always recommend to anyone at anytime, but in this type of situation it's importance is paramount.

Ultimately the Year Abroad is a shared experience- not only among those going away on it, but also our families, friends and administrative staff at our various universities who are all involved in logistical planning, financial and even emotional support when needed. And I believe the fact that this year is such a major operation is the best way any language student can get through any sticky periods- by remembering the bigger picture and the countless others who are more than likely in the same position as you, a fact I remembered during a phone-call from Trent recently- moreover it's a very strange thought that things in Nottingham continue as usual, and there are a lot of times when I need to remind myself that I'm out here for university purposes: but importantly without the pressure of having to get at least a 2:1 in every essay, presentation and exam that I constantly put on myself. In fact, my sister often tells me that she thinks I must enjoy putting pressure on myself to do better, and I don't hesitate to agree with her. Lucky, as she'd have some stern words otherwise!

There's a saying 'This too shall pass' and I'm convinced I'll get my confidence back in due course- maybe as early as next week. In this kind of situation it's important to focus on the things you've already accomplished: moving abroad, surrounding yourself with people who don't speak your native language, spending hours in the foreign office and bank to complete the relevant paperwork and then the 12 hours a week you are required to spend entertaining and engaging with your students and the planning of the weeks' lessons, to say nothing of the impressions you need to leave with other members of staff and people in your immediate social circle. It's no wonder many of us need a break or have a down period once in a while- we're only human after all, and no one can perform at 100 percent all day every day without breaking down, either physically or suffering a mental dip, or even complete burnout. Proof of this for me has come in the past week, although on the brighter side, it's given me time to consider the causes of this self-induced pressure and appreciate every opportunity that comes my way.

I'm lucky to have got the balance right so far and am loving every minute that I'm spending out here. Though I can't lie about being seriously excited to fly home for the holidays in 16 days' time. I think one of the most important things university life has taught me so far is to not see everything as one enormous, insurmountable challenge, but rather break it down into smaller chunks. In terms of the Year Abroad, I'd say it's much the same. Upon arriving at your placement, the numerous administrative procedures can seem overwhelming, but if you draw up a plan of action then you'll be much better served in the long run. But remember to relax and, crucially again, don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's how we respond to these mistakes that defines whether the experience has been a success or not, and that comes back to perseverance.

And on that note it's time to sign off. Good luck with whatever challenges come your way this week, and since everyone seems to be talking about Star Wars at the moment, may The Force be with you!

*Edit: For any who studied my previous blog on the lack of British coaches in Spain's La Liga and the perceived problems adapting to a foreign culture, you'd be interested to know that Gary Neville has been named the new head coach of Valencia C.F., replacing the wonderfully named Nuno Espirito Santo, and joining his brother Philip who was already working as assistant coach at Los Che. The Nevilles will be hoping that the Big Man is indeed on their side in Gary's first head coaching role. On this sensational development Guillem Balague says: 'What a brilliant move. We are talking about two guys who could have made a career in England at the top end of the scale, but instead they are stepping out of their comfort zone, go to Valencia and try to impress in a foreign country.' High praise indeed, and exactly what my previous blog, Lessons Being Learned tries to encourage. Let's see how the Nevilles fare!*


'We are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey, especially the goodness of the people we meet along the way. Appreciation is a wonderful feeling. Don't overlook it.'- Unknown

Chapter Five: Lessons Being Learned

Throughout the course of this blog so far, I've been banging on about comfort-zones, routines and adapting to a different culture, and how these are so important when you're preparing to move abroad. However, I've spoken about them at great length without really explaining what these fancy terms actually mean. There are two reasons for this: the first being that without an example to use to illustrate the point, I'd be able to send even the most chronic insomniac to sleep by trying to define what exactly I mean; and the second being a lack of such an example. Until a few days ago, that is.

I'm sitting here writing this having learned, on Monday, of David Moyes' sacking as coach of San Sebastian's Real Sociedad CF. Obviously any sacking in the hyperactive media of the football world is big news but I couldn't hep but feel especially drawn to this one in particular, as I believe there are various challenges with which my classmates and myself can identify, as we soldier on through our quests to adapt, learn and improve. Learning a foreign language at University is like drinking from a straw, whereas the minute a lot of people arrive abroad the metaphor shifts to that of a barrel being emptied over one's head. Thankfully as ERASMUS students we are given all the time that we need to feel settled, not to mention being already well-versed in the lingo and certain aspects of a country's history and cultural traditions. In the mad world that is top-level football however, newly-hired coaches and managers are often not afforded this luxury.

Despite this difference, judging by the reaction of the Spanish press to Moyes' sacking the Scot's efforts to adapt to a different culture left much to be desired. According to Guillem Balague, Sky's Spanish Football expert, "he needed to work harder at adapting to a culture that is not Spanish, or even Basque culture, but Guipuzcoa. It's a part of the Basque country which, like everywhere in Spain, has a different mentality to the rest of the country. People think, speak and act differently."

This, I think, sums up a lot of what I've been trying to put into words so far in this blog- the term 'Spaniard' is misleading, as Spain is, and has been previously, filled with a range of cultures, where each region has a different form of the language. Furthermore people introduce themselves not as Spanish, rather as Madridista, Sevillano, Granadino or Valenciano. This sense of community fuels the different mentalities touched upon by Balague, who also asks the question of what one can learn from Moyes' failure to adapt. Was it to do with him personally, or the result of being unable to answer the questions put to him by a new culture? More importantly, does the culture to which one already belongs prepare them sufficiently for these challenges?

I'm a firm believer in getting out what you put in. This probably doesn't surprise many people, and it's a mentality that took it's time to harvest. Since then I've become converted to the principles of hard graft over a long period of time in order to achieve the goals I set for myself, whether athletic, linguistic or academic. I'm sure I don't need to give examples, but the most important part of this principle is, in my opinion, staying humble and accepting that the way I view the world is unique to me, hence others will more than likely not share it. In other words I must compromise or surrender control to others in order to progress. At times this is easy, at others not so. But it has done wonders for me so far on many fronts. Curiosity and self-honesty are also key, and it's a combination of these two, along with humility, that I believe makes one fully equipped. I also don't particularly consider these to be skills, more characteristics that can be acquired and instilled- there are subtle differences.

Going back to the example of Moyes, something that has been made clear to me from reading various columns and articles by people far more qualified in the field of Sport's Journalism than myself, one thing has been made abundantly clear: the biggest barrier to successful cultural integration depends on your point of cultural reference. It takes a lot of hard work to be ready for this challenge- 8 years in my case, solely based on learning the language, which is far from the only key factor, though it clearly has a huge role. As I listened to Balague's thoughts on Sky's La Liga Weekly podcast, one thing that struck me was the similar nature of the challenges faced by David Moyes and myself and my fellow ERASMUS students.

According to Balague, before making the move abroad "you must build sufficient layers of understanding to prepare yourself, with enough skills, including the language. Many people don't go abroad to learn and challenge themselves often enough, meaning that they continue to do things as they've always done them and like everyone has done them in England and Britain for a long time. Then when they go abroad and try to adapt to a new culture like Spain, they crash." I think this explains perfectly why being open-minded and humble is so important to making the best of a Year Abroad, certainly better than I ever could. Moreover for one to be prepared for the challenge, Balague cites curiosity and self-criticism as fundamental traits to aid cultural adaptation. Sound familiar? Incidentally, I consider these traits as important pre-requisites for success in any field, not just for travelling and adapting during your time abroad.

These thoughts are echoed by Diario Vasco journalist Inaki Izquierdo, who wrote that "Moyes still bears the impression of someone who has only just arrived and still doesn't understand the club, players or league, but more importantly the city, languages or even timetables."

As I have also said before, myself, my classmates and my fellow LA's have been learning the language for many years. However just learning for the sake of it does nothing- it sounds obvious but I do believe it's very easy to sink into this mentality, simply trying to force-feed yourself too much language in the hopes of obtaining a 2:1 or 1st, and losing track of the bigger picture and, more importantly, their love for the country whose language they have chosen to study. This also means that, therefore, you aren't challenging yourself and lack the necessary hunger to learn, whilst appreciating the stimulus you can get from studying or working abroad if you have the right attitude and go about things the correct way. Again, Balague echoes this when talking about the lack of British football coaches succeeding in Spain.

I've written on numerous occasions about the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone- yet another phrase used by Balague when discussing the decision of another British coach to move to Spain. Philip Neville has been working as an Assistant Coach for Valencia CF since July. He has also begun to learn the language on the job and can, in his own words, "get by." But Balague commends Neville for "stepping out of his comfort zone and being willing to learn. He still doesn't know enough to be fully adapted yet but he is willing to learn and challenge everything he already knows. In Britain the mentality revolves around shortcuts to success. People just want to come, take the picture and go. Learning and putting in the hours takes a huge effort- hours of working, travelling and, particularly, questioning yourself and being self critical, are key." I'm almost tempted to put this one in huge black letters.

As a language student so many of the key themes of this debate, and the material which surrounds it, strike a chord with me as I continue to feel more and more settled in Granada. Also as an avid follower of Spanish football there are plenty of parallels to be drawn between the challenges that are faced with adapting to a different lifestyle, culture and city. I believe that my first two years at university (and to a certain extent my Gap Year) sufficiently installed these beliefs in such a way that arriving in Granada wasn't a bigger shock to the system that it could have been. Moyes' departure from Sociedad after a year in charge served as a timely reminder that all of us, my classmates and myself, aren't doing too badly! It has also made me embrace the whole Year Abroad experience and the benefits it brings, both linguistically and in a more holistic sense.

Ultimately the biggest lesson we can learn from 'Moysey' is that success in your Year Abroad is down to you, and whether you're willing to be sufficiently honest, self-critical and open-minded to accept that things won't happen for you overnight. With luck, your first two years at University will wake you up to this important fact, as they did me. Be prepared to accept that you're in a minority in terms of the way you view things- often a minority of one, and make the changes necessary in order to improve. If you want to learn more about the Moyes debate as quoted in this blog post, then simply log on to the ITunes store or Sky Sports website and download the latest La Liga Weekly podcast- the first ten to fifteen minutes in particular are well worth a listen. Inevitably the football side takes precedence but as you can hopefully see there are many lessons that we can learn as language students. If nothing else I hope it makes you appreciate the unique nature of living, working and studying in a foreign country- it'll also more than likely make you stop and think to yourself: "I'm doing better than I thought!"


A veces la vida te pone a prueba para ver si eres lo suficientemente fuerte para seguir adelante.
Sometimes, life asks you to prove you're strong enough to keep moving forward.