And now, German exam result

Well, it's been a long, long time, but I eventually passed the German exam (Kleines Deutches Sprachdiplom, KDS) as well! :)

This means I'm "done", I also got the C2 level in German, no more German exams! Of course, one can always improve even more, but officially I'm supposed to speak the language, which means that, for instance, I could take courses at a German university showing this certificate. But for me it has basically been a kind of "challenge" and a way to force myself not to think that, since I can communicate and understand everybody, my level was already enough.

I don't know the exact results yet, since I simply received a message from the Goethe Institute telling me that I passed and I will receive my mail the certificate:

> die Ergebnisse der KDS-Prüfung vom November 2010 sind jetzt bekannt gegeben. Sie haben die Prüfung bestanden – herzlichen Glückwunsch!

So we'll see whether the mark was good or not, but this is not that important actually, the only important thing is that I passed! :)

English exam result

Yesterday I received the result from the Cambridge CPE (Proficiency) exam that I had made in December. And I passed!!

It wasn't the best exam I have ever done, 72/100, but more than enough (60/100) to pass, and not that bad considering I didn't prepare it that much, specially the part of "Use of English", which I really hate! But speaking, reading, listening... that was not a problem, so even if I finally just got a C I succeeded!

This is the C2 level in English within the European language scheme, which means that there are no more levels, jeje, I should not make any more English exams! And now I'm waiting for the German exam (KDS) result, which I should receive in February. If I pass I would also get the C2 level in German, that is, no more German exams either! I cross my fingers! :)

Birthday party

Once again, as in the last four years, Javier (a Spanish colleague of mine) and me, organized a birthday party. We always organize together, since we both have the birthday at the very same day, January 22nd. This party is somehow becoming kind of "tradition" among our friends in Munich, the so-called "The Definitive Party (TDP)"! And this year, since this date was on Saturday, we could organize it at the very same day of our birthday!

This time we repeated the place from the previous year, the restaurant "El Español", very close to my home and probably the very best Spanish restaurant in Munich. People were very happy last year, and organizing it in the same place is also easier for us, they already know us, we just have to repeat the successful scheme. And like in 2010, the 2011 party was great. Many people came, about 80 or 90, who knows... there was much delicious Spanish food, which is not that easy in Munich, and of course, a lot of drinks, nice Spanish and international music...

Sometimes it can be a little bit "stressing" being in the spot of everybody in such a big party, but it's also nice. For me is basically the best opportunity to meet all my friends at the very same day, at least one a year I always have a good pretext to do so. And since we are two different people organizing, it's also an opportunity for our friends to meet other different people. I guess a wedding has to be somehow similar, so I already know what this is if it ever happens! By the way, a typical joke in the party is to ask who the bride is, Javier or me... I won't answer to that question :)

And of course, it's also nice to see that people can have really good ideas for presents. I'm really bad for that, but I see every year that my friends are always able to pick up an idea from any commentary, joke, discussion... It's really nice, even if I feel sometimes overwhelmed when they start bringing these nice colourful boxes. The way back home after the party (this year we started at 20:30 and finished around 4:00) is always hard, not only because of being tired and maybe a little bit drunk, but also because the huge amount of gifts!

But the more important, and as I always say to everybody in the party, hopefully we'll be able to repeat it in the next years. This would mean just the only important thing, that everything's fine and friends are there!!

Chistmas holidays

Well, holidays are over and I'm already back to Munich. It's been about three weeks, in which I have completely "disconnected" with the daily routine. Being back to work I hardly could remember my passwords! And of course, being home for several days, I gained some kilos...

This year the Christmas holidays have been special, since I purchased a small apartment in Spain. Everything happened fast. We found a nice small new duplex to be sold and in less than a week everything was done. I had some problems with the bank transfer, and we had already planified the trip to Andalucia, so we eventually were in a hurry, but I finally was able to sign before being back to Munich and get into the apartment. Empty, dirty, without light or water, but really nice. I never thought I could buy an apartment in Zaragoza, but such is life!

Apart from that, we were in Southern Spain, in Cordoba and Granada. Very nice cities, really worth a visit. And both cities, even being pretty close, are quite differente. Córdoba was in the year 1000, during the Muslim period, the biggest city in Europe. It's quite clear that these glorious times disappeared when the city was conquered by the Christians. Nowadays, taking apart the modern part of the city, it seems to be a "big village" in which the great past was forgotten... except for the Mosque. It's really a wonderful building, one of the most impressive ones I have ever seen. And a real mixture of cultures, in which the Christian and Muslim cultures are really together and supperposed.

Granada is also a very historical city, the capital of the last Muslim state in the Iberian Peninsula. The memory of those times is still very present, with several references throuout the city about the Catholic Kings (who are buried in there), Colon and the Muslim period. And of course the Alhambra is still there. Absolutely worth the visit, and as in the Córdoba's Mosque, with a strange, funny, wonderful, ridiculous mixture of Muslim and Christian cultures. The city is somehow very different to Cordoba, much more "preppy" and a real city than Cordoba. Very close cities, but they produce a very quite different impression.


Of course I was also home, with my family. It's always nice to be back home, but specially at Christmas. And yes, I have eaten too much, but now I'm trying to be back to my ideal weight, eating well, doing sport and trying to have again a healthy life. I enjoyed it a lot, so I don't have to regret it! I stayed in my brother's apartment, which makes a big difference from being at my parents' home. This is very small, not much space, not much freedom... it's a great solution but my brother usually rents the apartment, so we'll have to see what we do for the next time. But even if it could look "naive" I really love being at my parents' home for the Three Wise Men day (Día de Reyes).


Apart from that, I was also some days in Bilbao, and of course, I was for Santo Tomás, a day in which a rural market is installed in the city center, giving a really different aspect to the city. I always enjoy it and whenever I can I go to Bilbao this day.


So this is more or less the "summary" of my holidays. This time it was nice, special, long but short... However, I also enjoy being back to the routine, it's nice being back to Munich and seeing all my friends again. Next week it'll be my birthday, so we are planifying the birthday party. A good way not to be depressed after holidays! And of course, I'm already thinking of my next trips, holidays, parties. Life goes on!! :)

Last week before holidays!!

Well, it's almost there!! After having made the Proficiency exam, this last week is being very, very relaxing. No more study, but meeting friends, going together for diner, giving nice walks with all this snow... It's certainly cold (-10°C), and of course I still have to do some work at the office, leaving everything ready before the end of the year, but the rhythm is already different.


But at this point I just realized of big "problem". Which one?? Yessss, I didn't buy anything for Christmas yet!! Well, I certainly have no more time here in Munich, since today I have to prepare my luggage, tomorrow evening I'm going to a big Christmas party and I'm leaving on Saturday morning. But I still have some hope!!! I will spend some days in Spain before Christmas/Epiphany, so I hope I'll be able to find some time (and ideas) to help the Three Wise Men, Olentzero or Santa Claus, whoever is bringing the gifts :)

These holidays are going to be quite long, I'll be in Spain longer than three weeks! But as I usually try to do, I won't spend much time at the same place. I will be (at least) in Laredo, Zaragoza, Madrid, Córdoba and Granada, not that bad, and of course, I will visit some days Bilbao and Santander. I also planified some hiking if the weather is good enough. My parents always "complain" when I go home, they claim that even being at their home I hardly stay there, but you know, parents always complain about these things.


And another very important thing now at Christmas is, of course, taking care of what I eat... My capacity to eat a lot is quite big, jeje, so I have to be very careful. In last months I got some 3-4 kilos, too many journeys, exams, bad weather outside and therefore less sport... and now Christmas, the "worst" period of the year, coming in just some days. What can I do?? I usually get some 3-4 kilos every year during this time. Is there any way not to do it?? I think there isn't, at least visiting my mother!! Well, all mothers are like this, aren't they? And after Christmas I have plenty of time to lose what I gain, don't I? :)

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to taking the holidays this year. Having a relaxing time, visiting as many people as possible, eating good food (but not too much, jeje), travelling around a little bit, staying at home with the family... All this kind of stuff you always think about when the year is about to finish, don't you? And it's just in a couple of days!!! :)

English exam

After several weeks preparing the Proficiency exam, I finally made it yesterday. So this was the second time in six weeks I had to spend a whole day making a language exam! Well, I was certainly not lucky with the dates. A business travel in June made me postpone this one, and therefore, almost have it at the same time as the German KDS. Too much for such a short time, I think.

I find really stressing spending a whole day in a big classroom, with many other people, repeating once and again different exercises for hours... wouldn't it be better just to talk with an examiner who could test you in all the different aspects (reading, speaking, listening...) for a couple of hours?? Well, I understand it'd be too many people, not that easy to implement!

My biggest concern was not to think in German. English is certainly easier than German, and I have been learning for many more years. I think my background is better in English, but now I'm in Germany, which means a strong influence in the daily tasks, apart from having been preparing the KDS for months. Too many languages for my little brain, I guess!!

But it was OK, even if I'm not completely happy with my performance in the exam (I've never been in my whole life, I think), but I think I should pass the exam. The results will be published on January 25th. A little bit latter, in mid-February the KDS. I hope I will pass both of them, it'd certainly be a great relief for me!

But if I do so, what will be the next?? I can't be without doing anything!! :)

Snow is already here!!

It had already been snowing during this last weak, but very slightly. But yesterday was finally everything white. Well, I really love snow, it's something I always link with my childhood, but last year it was like this for almost four months, and that's maybe too much...

Anyways, December is a nice month to have some snow. The streets have plenty of Christmas markets, giving a nice atmosphere to the city. They have been opened this weekend, so perfect timing in that sense!

We'll see how this Winter is, but since you always have to think of the positive side, here I have my first "Winter picture" from this year, just taken from my home!