San Sebastián

¡Hola!

The last couple of weeks were mostly for the last things I had to do, for example doing the last groceries, buy some towels and some other things.

My sweet parents and my sister organised the last weeks also some surprises for me. On the last sunday before I went to San Sebastián, my aunt, uncle and my grandma visited me at home to say goodbye. They also set up some other surprises, like a survival kit, some photo frames. My best friends also gave me a photo frame and some food. My friends know me so well!

I would like to say thank you again, for everyone who is supporting me! I love you all!

The journey started at the 19th of August. After a difficult goodbye, of my sister, mother and neighbors, we started this long journey to San Sebastián. In total it was a trip of two days and 1300 kilometers driving, all the way through Belgium and France.
My dad and I drove to San Sebastián. The trip by car was prosperous, but there is no end to the way from Lille until the border with Spain. Unfortunately there also was nothing to see outside while we were driving.

Anyway, we also had our stop. Poitiers, it is a small town in the south of France. After this town we still had to drive for like 5 hours to get here in San Sebastián. We arrived in Poitiers at night, so we didn’t really spend a lot of time here. We did make a small walk and had a drink at the terrace of our hotel.

The next day, after breakfast, we drove to our final destination. We booked a camping for 4 nights.
This camping was just outside of San Sebastián, but it was located on top of a mountain. The way to the camping was not really what we had expected. Sometimes we didn’t even see the road in front of us.
There are a lot of roundabouts in San Sebastián. We immediately had many roundabouts on our way to the city, but we were able to find the city luckily. In the evening we went to the city and have a look in the city. I was impressed by the city. It is really small but it doesn’t feel like it at all.

We bought some groceries, so that we were able to have breakfast whenever we wanted to eat. After breakfast we went to the city. The weather was really nice, so everyone who had the possibility to go to the beach went. Playa de la Concha is the biggest beach of the three and it was also really busy. If you are able to walk all day, you can see everything.

Our first impression of this small city was really positive. After the first day I already said to my father that I would be able to feel at home here. Time will tell if it is going to be my home! At this moment I still have to get used to the different life and that is not only because I don’t have my own space yet. My family and I are also 1300 kilometers apart.

For me it was a big decision to make this move, but I think/know that this has been a really good decision to create this experience. It was also hard for me, because I had to say goodbye to my father on Sunday. For both of us this was really difficult. I think that I have never been that quiet, like that day.
Immediately after I came back into my room I put down my photo frames with my sweet family.

The classes of the Intensive Spanish Course started on Monday. We had to make a difficult test to see what our level was. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to answer all questions so I also had to guess some. In the end I was placed at the right level. This is/was a good repetition for me.
My first grade was for a composition, which was 90 out of 100 points. I was very happy with this grade and I was able to improve my writing skills with the feedback I received.
I have met a lot of people here. There are so many people from the Netherlands, but also from Germany. There are also some people from Australia, the US and so many other countries from all over the world. Mostly from Europe though. But the most important thing is that we have fun and also it is really fun in class, thanks to Mari Mar and the whole class.

I like to get to know other people from all over the world and at the same time the cultures. You immediately notice that there are some groups, but in general we all work together.
The world is actually really small! Nancy has been working in the same office as my dad and her mother also works there. The first two girls I met outside of La Salle were Demi and Daniëlle, both of the same university as me (HAN University of Applied Sciences). However they don’t study in Arnhem but Nijmegen. The other city where the HAN is located.

I am so glad to have these wonderful people around me and that I will be able to go to my own apartment. Next week the classes start and then I have to decide which courses I would like to take. I do know that I would like to change my courses. I’ll find out next week!

In San Sebastián there is a really big phenomenon on thursdaynight. It is called Pintxo- Pote. Pintxos are like the Spanish tapas, but here they are displayed on the bar and you can take whatever you want. One pintxo costs around the 1 to 3 euros. The best night to go eat pintxos is on Thursdaynight. A pintxo including one drink (you can choose everything) is 2 euros. If you want to have a sangria with a pintxo it costs 2,50 euros. The sangria here is the best I have tasted so far, so if you are in San Sebastián please try a sangria. However there is one bar, Zibbibo, and they have lovely cocktails. This is in Parte Vieja, the old part of San Sebastián. If you like a sex on the beach, you should try the “sex on la Concha”.
Last Thursday I went to pintxo-pote for the first time with lots of people from La Salle (where I stay during my Intensive Spanish Course). It is so fun to see everyone eat and drink outside. Normally it is busy in the streets of parte vieja or gros, but on Thursday the whole city comes to these to places to have a drink and be outside with everyone.

I am really glad I already met these wonderful people and can’t wait to create my own place in my new apartment for the next coming months!

¡Hasta luego!