Lancashire Chronicles

So, picture this: there I was, alone into Manchester airport, feeling like I owned the place, even though I was just a clueless Spaniard fresh off the plane from Malaga in September '98. Now, I gotta admit, my English skills were probably better when I was three years old, hanging out in Palma de Mallorca with Anika, my Swedish au pair. But hey, I was feeling confident, soaking up all those positive vibes, even when I found myself in a bizarre conversation with a drunk guy rambling about timing and I was understanding everything!

Jojo's videotape - Cia's 30th birthday

Winning that Erasmus scholarship was a total game-changer, but heading to Lancashire County? Let's just say I had mixed feelings. Sure, I was dreaming big, but spending a whole year in England? That was a bit scary. Still, I'm not one to back down from a challenge, so off I went.

Now, getting to Ormskirk was a bit of an adventure. Train station in the airport? Check. One-way ticket to Liverpool or Wigan? Can't quite remember, but I was definitely feeling the nerves. Ormskirk itself sounded more like a Viking settlement than an English town, but hey, first impressions, right?

When I finally made it to Edge Hill, I was on a mission to find the Katherine Fletcher Hall, my residence. That's when I met Anita, who took pity on my lost self and gave me some much-needed directions. Turns out, there was a big party the night before, and most people were still sleeping it off. So, I knocked on my student advisor's door, only to find out he was the legendary Jim Wilde –I did not know at that moment- a rugby player who wasn't shy about streaking across the field completely naked. A top and mad guy!

By the end of that wild year, I'd fallen head over heels for the Lancashire accent – it's something you just can't forget. And my English? Well, let's just say I improved so much by then. But what really made it different was the sense of family we had. From Cas to Dave and Steve, we were all in it together, they were studying teaching and let me know the best way to spell and pronounce every word I used to said wrong...also Lindsay, they all were adorable!!

Guillaume, Andrew, Lindsay, Jonathan, Kelley, Aaron, Ness, Swedish girls (Jojo, Cia, Cissi, Linda), Meghan, Teresa, David Smith, Tim, John Holmes, J. Andrews, Lorna, Jason, Emma, Matt, Tracy, María, Mandy, Lisa.

And who could forget those late-night sing-alongs at the café? Louisa, Ali, Karen, and the gang belting out ABBA's "Fernando" like there was no tomorrow. Those were the days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQsjAbZDx-4

Oh, and let's not forget about Robert, the guy who turned me into a die-hard Liverpool FC fan. I'll tell you when I went to Anfield, soon, promise! Miss you Roberto.

I may not have all the photos here in Mexico, but you can bet I'll be digging them out next summer when I head back to Granada. Because those memories? They're worth sharing, mateys. Miss you All and those football games! with green and fresh grass, so good!

Stay tuned for more adventures from this crazy Spaniard.

Love you amigos!