Pueblo chico, infierno grande

I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever again reach a Friday night without this overwhelming feeling of relief and exhaustion. This week have definitely been one of ups and downs.

With the deadline for the first Journal de Bord looming for uni plus various other time limited admin on top of the fact that I was knackered from the ski-party cycle of the previous week, teaching was quite an effort this week. And somehow, don't ask me how, I managed to find somewhere to be every night this week - In Monistrol!! Who'd've thunk.

On Monday night I ended up eating at the "Tyrannosaure", basically a kebab shop with an eat in space and amazing amounts of food for not much money. And no I wasn't drunk.
I'd been introduced by email to the daughter of one of the women I meditate with who is also 20 and lives in Monistrol, just around the corner in fact! We were planning a slightly more civilised meal but being Monday, everything was shut (!!!). It was a pleasant evening and she's definitely someone I could spend more time with, and might provide a valuable entry point to finding some local french friends!

Tuesday I tried to integrate into the local Amnesty group... Who were all at least 3 times my age and some of whom were the founding members of that group (which has been running for the last 30 years!). Needless to say, it was slightly awkward. There was also a massive lack of communication within the group, not to mention the fact that there didn't seem to be any concrete projects running. We'll just have to see with that one... But it was an interesting opportunity for some social observation at least.

On Wednesday, in an unfortunate turn of events the gossipy, grudge-holding, underbelly of the staff room was exposed to me. I won't go into detail but there is what seems to be a long running feud between some staff members which I accidentally got involved with... I guess just another part of small town life which I will be doing my utmost to avoid. Why can't people just be open and honest with each other? It's exhausting trying to talk tactfully in normal conditions, let alone in a second language!
Fortunately, it was African dance in the evening which requires both physical and mental energy to learn and get right so I could forget about it.

Thursday night was "danse libre" with some of the girls from meditation. Basically you turn up with music, decide on an album for the evening, stick it on and just dance, however you want, for an hour and a half without speaking. Excellent. People should do it more often. It happens once a month in that space and just so happened to coincide with this event - http://www.onebillionrising.org/pages/about-one-billion-rising - in solidarity against the abuse of women. Perfect timing, great fun, and exactly the soothing environment you want for free expression.

Tonight I'm just happy to have spoken to some of the people I miss, managed to have a conversation and nibbles with my painfully shy and introverted housemate, and survived my first experience of the hell that small town life can be.