I met with Spanish Volunteers at BVSC at 12 noon after their return from Queensbridge School. I accompanied them to a supermarket and then to the fresh fruit and vegetable market to buy the ingredients for the tortillas, which for 15 people were 40eggs, 2 litres of olive oil, jarred pimento, 2kg onions, 5 kg potatoes and a garlic bulb!!, We walked back to the BVSC to store the ingredients there until 17/6/14, the day they cook.
Next, we walked to the train station to collect their tickets to travel to London on Sunday. I explained that the tickets were for off peak hours, but on Sunday they can travel anytime of the day. However, I warned that the ticket was for Birmingham Midland from Birmingham New Street to London Euston, and Virgin trains also travel the same route, so not to get on the wrong company’s train otherwise they would be charged again on the train. I hope they understood me well. We will find out when they return.
After lunch, we walked along the Birmingham Canals, see photos. The day was hot. By the time I took them to the Blue Velvet Rooms, they were exhausted. After their treat of a double scoop vanilla and Bourbon ice creams, both Jose Luis and Miguel fell asleep on the Chesterfield sofas,see photos of the snoozing duo. An hour later, we headed for the Brasshouse Language Centre where we met June. We had a short talk from various Spanish speaking staff members about the Centre, all of it being in Spanish, so I did not understand it all.
Then, we took part in an information session on the school to promote the project "Si Senior!". Nieves was in her element, sparkling, making profound conversation with native English speakers, because she had the chance to talk in Spanish!, see photos
We had an interesting chat about Spain and India. It was refreshing to discover a Spanish person as interested in Indian culture as she was. She loves the sweet Prashad at the Gurudwara, has already been in the Dome hall of the Gurudwara that I visited for the first time this week, even though I have been married to a Sikh for 30 years now, she adores saris for all the vibrant colours, embroidery, materials and is keenly waiting for one of her Indian friends to marry so she can wear it too one day. Not only that, soon she is planning to go to India, probably Punjab, to teach. I felt great admiration for this apparently young and free spirited person who reminded me very much of my daughter.
We had dinner at the Revolution Vodka Bar, see photos. It was unusually noisy for a Thursday night. I ordered some sweet potatoes as my side dish to allow the volunteers who were not familiar with these to try something new. Then, my husband, Bali and I dropped them off to Fircroft, and phew, were we all glad to get back home by 10.30 pm after another long, hot and tiring day.
