Pre-Madrid Preparations!

So it is 4 weeks exactly until the big day (i.e. me moving to Spain!) wow! I've got so so much stuff to do before then - I've been writing a to-do list since I first started procrastinating during dissertation/exam season in April - so as you can imagine i'ts pretty big! It includes some important things such as insurance, flight things (checking in/booking seats) and other boring but essential tasks, then little things like sorting out phone/sim stuff and buying these adorable mini portable speakers I've found on amazon (to be used during the many sunbathing sessions in Retiro park I hope :D). Here they are - 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XMI-X-mini-Capsule-Speaker-iPhone/dp/B005UY1JUQ/ref=pd_sim_nm_3. 

(......plus a million other things to tick off my list too!)

SO! A lot of my preparation for moving to Spain right now includes two big things: losing weight and learning Spanish! I eventually need to lose about 3 stone so over the past 6 months I have made some big changes including: drinking lots of water (try to drink 3+ litres a day), going for walks, doing a workout video in my apartment (30 day shred or 30/45 min YouTube cardio and strength training vids), swimming and going to the gym. I really like working out at home. I find gyms quite weird/annoying. People slyly looking over to your cross trainer to clock how many calories you've burnt with a face full of perfect makeup, texting on your phone, taking selfies etc - piss off and leave me to my sweat fest - worry about yourself! The whole experience is even worse when its a student gym so you know at least 5 people each time you go - not the one! So I managed to pick up a set of dumbells for 99p (plus an excersie mat thrown in for free too!) - BARG - from good old eBay of course as after a lot of research on weight loss, I realized that cardio alone just isn't enough if you want to see results! you need to incorporate weights (even if they're tiny 1/1.5kg ones like mine) as this burns more calories, gets you stronger with the added bonus of looking fit and lean when the fat eventually does come off ! So yeah - go get on eBay and make the worthy investment (if you want to lose weight that is)! Also, the 30 min shred is on YouTube + a million other really good workouts to do at home - there is really no excuse. ANYWAY on top of exercising you have to of course eat healthily! My diet currently consists of porridge, fruit, nuts, chicken, eggs, veg etc... the usual soul destroying non-chinese food non-chocolate non-wotsits kinda boring food :(. 

                    99p well spent :)

The other major thing I've been filling my free days with is learning Spanish!! I had Spanish classes in school for like 5 years so I'm not the worst but I really need to update my vocabulary as the last time I spoke (or sang) Spanish was when that loca people song came out...."Johnny, la gente esta muy loca, what the fuck!?". So, many crap apps on my phone later, I found this one called 'Duolingo' - its amazing!! I love it! It progresses through basics and common phrases to more advanced grammar and vocabulary. It does not allow you to progress until you pass each level which I like. It really tests you - asking you to answer in both English and Spanish - with a little help at first with the final questions being more hard and testing you on the previous 'lessons' - it's really helpful and makes it easy to learn and best of all its free! I'm hoping and expecting to pick up a lot of Spanish when I'm actually there immersed in the culture, surrounded by the language (as opposed to me repeating words out loud to a phone in bed). But I'm sure this will help somewhat :)

                Little duolingo guy :)

Other obvious preparations are buying nice summer clothes/bikinis but the frustrating thing is (and the story of my life to be honest) is that I don't want to spend my money on nice clothes when a) I wont feel comfortable in them while I'm this weight and b) I find it will be a waste of money if I really am going to lose this weight as they wont fit right come August time when I'm hoping to be a lot lighter! So knowing me I will put this off until the week before I go. 

Before Spain, I need to move out of mine and my boyfriends adorable little flat in my university city which I love and will miss so much!! It's been a fun but loong 4 years and now I'm 100% ready to move on with the next part of my life! 2 more weeks left here, then 2 more back at home, then Spain! 

The next few weeks are going to fly by, I even received an email today telling me I can already check in for my flight, crazy! I really need to get on with checking things off my list.....!

Adios :)!

Xxx