Buenos días and a very warm welcome to another On Location Spanish post from studious Salamanca. It’s Iain here, and much like Grace I’ve been slowly getting to grips with a brand new culture, a brand new University and, clearly, a brand new language.
A few weeks have passed since my stumbling introduction to my life in Spain, and much like my fellow novatos (“freshers” or “freshmen”) I’m proud to say that I’m really beginning to find my feet here. Classes are well under way and despite the nasty surprise of some lectures lasting until 10 o’clock at night, everything is running smoothly!
Many of my classes here at the USAL are Business and Economics based subjects and, understandably, the lecturers are drawing heavily on the current events which dominate the Spanish newsstands. These have been relayed across the world, and it is interesting, as a business student, to live through economic history as it is being written.
My lecturer today was talking to us about jobs, and finding employment. Out of interest, he asked if any of his students had a job. Tellingly, very few put their hands up. One student cautiously raised his hand, and replied with an interesting phrase:
Estoy en plantilla de un Hotel
“I work in a hotel”
I jotted this down in my workbook, simply as I had never heard this expression before. Checking the phrase up in the dictionary, it does seem to be quite interesting – una plantilla translates literally as “an insole of a shoe”. In terms of employment, I’ve learned we can use the phrase estar en plantilla to signify being “on the payroll” of a business or organisation.
Outside of the classroom, Salamanca continues to worm its way into my affections, with its diverse mix of culture and student nightlife. If, like me, Salamanca had barely registered on your radar in comparison to the tourist traps of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, I really would recommend a visit. The summer sun is slowly turning to crisp, clear autumnal days, yet the cooler weather isn’t putting anyone off – the place is as vibrant as ever!
I hope you’re enjoying our updates and we’ll keep them coming!
¡Hasta la proxima!
