Beating Homesickness Abroad - The 10 Steps to Happiness!

If you're on a year abroad, or even just working/living abroad for a while, you may be struggling with homesickness. The first thing to realise is that this is totally normal! People get it to different degrees but whether you're perpetually bawling your eyes out under your duvet or just experiencing a faint twinge every time you spot a family photo on facebook this post is for you.

For me January was when homesickness really hit for the first time. Coming back from a lovely family Christmas, I was having issues with my flat in Madrid and was finding things incredibly stressful. If you too are feeling down in the dumps this January then I hope you take some of my advice on board and go on to enjoy the rest of your year away to the full!

1. It won't be forever

The first thing to realise is that you're abroad for a set amount of time. It may be a month, it may be a year, but it will eventually come to an end. Understanding this helps to put everything in perspective; you may feel absolutely terrible now, and be missing home like crazy, but know that when the day comes you will be heading right back to everything you left behind.

2. Decide to make the most of this time

Knowing you only have a set amount of time in your new country can help you to appreciate it more. Accept that you will eventually be heading home but think about the here and now. Would you rather be spending your year sitting in your room scrolling through facebook feeling terrible or out there taking advantage of all your new home has to offer?

Something that helps me whenever I feel rubbish is looking at it from an outsider's perspective.  Imagine you're the main character in a book. Think how you would feel as the person reading the book if all the main character did was moan to themselves and mope about. You'd want the character to accept that they were feeling crappy and DO something about it - this is generally the kick up the bum I need to take a step away from the duvet and back out into the world.

3. Set goals and plan your time

My third tip will help you do just that! Get hold of a guidebook to your city/country and circle all the cool things you want to see and do in your remaining time away. Think of all the places you could visit, the photos you could take and the food you could taste. You don't have to limit yourself to your year abroad country; hop on a coach, boat or plane and cross a border. Buy a calendar (this helped me so much) and make sure that you note down all the little things you're planning to keep you busy. It could be a language exchange in a local taverna, a trip to the beach, a night at the cinema or anything else that takes your fancy.

Planning your time gives you things to look forward to; make sure you note down if any family and friends are coming out to visit you! It also helps to fill your time with things you'll enjoy, gives you a sense of achievement and helps you to pack as much as possible into your year abroad.

Make sure to factor in time to complete any Year Abroad Projects or other work you've been set by your university - you really don't need a mad scramble in the last two weeks before the hand in date!

For more info on how to do this check out: Taking Charge of Your Year Abroad

4. Keep in touch with home

Just because you're on a year abroad doesn't mean you have to lose contact with your nearest and dearest. This isn't some sort of masochistic contest about who can survive longest without talking to their mum. Phone them up, Skype them, send them a letter or a parcel, there are so many ways of contacting your family and friends in this day and age.

Think about how often you feel happy communicating with people back home and do whatever makes you feel good. There can be times, though, when too much contact with home is detrimental. If your parents are flying out to see you every weekend and you're staying in to Skype your boyfriend every night you could be missing out on a bit of YOU time. Time you could be using to explore your new home, meet new people and enjoy yourself.

Plus it's always much more fun to have a conversation with someone if you've actually got something to talk about. Not much can happen that's phone-worthy in less than 12 hours...

Make sure to bring mementos of your family and friends with you for your new room. A few photo frames jazz things up nicely.

5. Be proactive in your social life

This is perhaps the hardest thing to accept; living in another country where you don't know anyone, are not yet fluent in the language and are unfamiliar with the general way of life is a lot of effort. So much effort in fact that it's tempting, after your fifth meeting with a language partner where you talked about your love of basketball AGAIN, to just give up.

I was unprepared for the amount of effort it would take to socialise and make friends. True I wasn't studying so I knew I'd have to seek out friends my own age but it took me a while to accrue even a couple of those. I know before we left uni we were told that friends would just pop up while in a coffee shop or in the queue for train tickets...this unfortunately is often not a reality. What is a friend anyway? You may have to tone down your expectations. Someone to grab a coffee with and chat with in French for 40 minutes is much better than nothing.

Make sure to realise that YOU are the one that's looking for people to hang out with. All those Spanish dudes already have a little group of mates to call their own. This means that it's you who is going to have to make the first move. This goes for whether you're in Spain or the UK; if you want to get to know someone ASK THEM to join you for a drink, a trip to the beach, the cinema etc.

If you wait around to be asked you're going to have a long wait...

If you're looking for likeminded people to hang out with try Meetup.com. This website really helped me as the meetings are fun, often free and a great way to meet new people. Whether you like water sports or museums there are sure to be groups meeting up near you.

6. Do what you did at home

Just because you're in Italy/Chile/Spain doesn't mean you can't keep swimming/playing badminton/going to the theatre. If you love something keep doing it! I love reading so got a job in a bookshop and bought ten tonnes of books. My friend Annie loves films so would invite us all to the cinema to see the latest blockbuster. Another friend, Catriona, plays percussion so joined an African drumming group. Doing the things that you love is an easy way to boost your mood.

7. Start something new

That's not to say that you shouldn't view the year abroad as a time to start something new. Think of all the things you've maybe wanted to try but just never got round to because you didn't have the time or were embarrassed. I found a teacher, took up the clarinet and after a couple of months was tooting away happily. Then, free from the expectations of friends and family, I bought some leggings and went running for the first time.

Join a class, I found a photography one near me, it may seem scary at first but just go for it! I plucked up the courage to start clarinet after Christmas but wish I'd started earlier.

8. Treat yourself

This is for those times when you're feeling down in the dumps and need a little pick me up. Buy yourself something nice. It doesn't have to be a big something; I'm more than happy with a glossy magazine and a bar of chocolate. Take yourself to the theatre, go to the cinema, find a new poster for your wall or a new pair of shoes (there are often unusual shops in Europe that we don't have in the UK - take advantage while you can!)

This brings me to one of the biggest things I learnt while on my year abroad; it is NOT sad to eat a meal in a restaurant or go to the cinema alone.  What is sad is sitting alone in your room thinking how nice it would have been to see that film or taste that gorgeous food. If you want to do something and you can't find anyone to do it with you - do it anyway!

9. Invite people to visit you

What can be really helpful when it comes to homesickness is inviting friends and family over to visit you. It gives you something to look forward to and encourages you to get out more; how will you show them around if you don't know your new city?

If you're too far away for people to visit you, or your budget won't stretch that far, make sure to update them on what you're doing. One of the simplest ways of doing this is with a blog. Fill your time with exciting things and then fill your blog with photos and stories. This can do wonders to take your mind off any feelings of homesickness; it becomes a kind of project to focus on. Why not learn how to code or take a photography course to make your blog even better?

10. Don't compare!!!!

We've all seen them; pictures on facebook of classmates smiling in their boyfriend's arms in Cologne, snuggling with koalas in Australia and enjoying great nights out with a host of new pals. This, as we all know, is not an accurate reflection of someone's year abroad. Who's going to take a selfie of themselves crying because they got shouted at on a bus for not understanding?? NOBODY! What you're seeing are the edited highlights of other years abroad; life is not just an endless parade of sunny beaches and cocktails no matter which Caribbean island you're living on.

Take each day as it comes and celebrate each little personal victory with enthusiasm. Finally found your way to work without having to check Google maps? Get in! Went to your first yoga/pottery/tennis class and managed to keep up a 15 minute chat with a classmate in French/Spanish/Italian? Woohoo!

Recognise that we are all different; we all reacted to moving away in different ways. Refuse to accept this ridiculous pressure to have the "best year of your life" and concentrate on making your year as good as it can be. Nobody's year abroad will be the same as another person's. That's what makes this time so special; it's entirely down to you and your mindset as to how it will turn out. Decide to improve your situation, take advantage of the incredible country you're in with all its unique culture and history and step forward into February with a new sense of purpose!

Museo Lázaro Galdiano vs Museo Cerralbo

I was cleaning up the photo files on my computer when I came across a folder from ages ago when Kat and I went on a museum mission. I was well aware that my time in Madrid was coming to an end and was desperate to pack as much sight seeing and culture as possible into my remaining weeks. Museo Lázaro Galdiano and Museo Cerralbo are both smaller, lesser known museums but are well worth a visit.

Museo Lázaro Galdiano was the family home of Don José Lázaro Galdiano (1862–1947) a very wealthy businessman with a passion for the arts. A selection of his collection of over 13,000 works of art, along with sculpture, textiles and other curios from around the world, is on display here throughout the year. There are paintings by El Greco, Velázquez, John Constable and Goya alongside many others. Those who study Spanish will probably recognise Goya's La Maja Desnuda and La Maja Vestida from culture classes.

The variety of art on offer is fascinating and the museum catches and holds your attention from the beginning with the unusual portraits on display.

 

 

  

A rather unimpressed looking saint...

 

 

A very chilled baby Jesus...

 

 

 

 

Even the ceilings are gorgeously decorated and painted with beautiful scenes:

 

 



  

Kat and I were particularly enchanted by a darkened room full of glass cabinets containing sparkling silver and gold trinkets:

  

 

 

 

The museum also has rooms and rooms of textiles, armour, pottery, jewellery and all kinds of other wonders.

 

 

  

 

 

 

Museo Lázaro Galdiano is housed in an early 20th century mansion set in a small garden front and back on Calle Serrano. If you have a free morning or afternoon then it's definitely worth a visit though I would say that kids would probably lose interest fairly quickly as it's a pretty traditional gallery style experience.

 

 

 

 

 At first glance in the guide book Museo Cerralbo might not seem like much. A modest looking mansion, the museum is the former home of the Marqués de Cerralbo and the building is supposedly preserved as it was during his lifetime. So far so uninteresting you might think but old Cerralbo was a pretty eccentric chap; poet, politician and archeologist his house is PACKED with fascinating things he's collected from around the world.

 

The building itself is absolutely stunning; Kat and I were swishing down corridors pretending to be the lady of the manor, and each room is more beautiful than the last.

 

 

 

 

It's so lovely to see touches such as the telephone and bells for servants left in place:

 

 

 

For once in a historic house even the bathroom was left untouched - mum you would have appreciated this!

 

 

 

The Marqués de Cerralbo certainly knew how to decorate a house, here he is with his wife: 



 

 

 

Even the wallpaper was some of the most luxurious I've ever seen:

 

 

 

 

The ballroom was glorious and full of artwork and sculpture. Two lamps in the shape of American Indians were an interesting addition and a nod to empire and Spain's invasion of South America.

 



 

 

There's something for everyone here with kids enjoying the armoury and sword collections most:

 

 

 

 

The museum has a lovely courtyard and garden; perfect for strolling through on a summer's evening.

 





As you may have gleaned from this post Museo Cerralbo is definitely my favourite out of the two museums. If you're near Calle de Ventura Rodríguez at any point then make the effort to pay this place a visit; lovers of history and art won't be disappointed!

 

 

Which is your favourite museum in Madrid? Any suggestions would be very welcome for my future trips to the city :)

The Battle of the Christmas Adverts 2015

It's now the 29th of December and another Christmas has been and gone. Everyone is looking ahead to the New Year and their plans for parties, new year's resolutions and heading back to wherever they call home during term time. With yuletide festivities now just a hazy memory it seems the perfect time to review this year's Spanish and English Christmas advert offering.

1. John Lewis - This was the big one; the one we were all waiting for. John Lewis has a brilliant track record for making emotive, heartwarming Christmas adverts that make us smile or even bring us to tears. Who could forget last year's penguin story or 2012's snowman romance?

I'm sorry to say then that for me this year's advert was a bit of a flop. John Lewis's partnership with the charity Age UK led them to create an ad centred around the idea of including elderly people at Christmas. While stargazing, a young girl spies a man on the moon, old, lonely and forgotten. The end of the advert sees her managing to send him a telescope via balloon so that he can see all the Christmas fun on earth...going on without him.

Instead of the rescue and joyful meeting I was holding out for, the poor old man is still left up there in the cold - a strangely weak and unsatisfactory ending. 6/10

2. Sainsbury's - This year Sainsbury's gave us "Mog's Christmas Calamity". Mog is the fictional feline creation of the author Judith Kerr whose other books including "The Tiger Who Came to Tea" were some of my favourites as a kid.

The ad shows the cartoon cat Mog sleeping in her basket on Christmas eve. She wakes to find the kitchen full of smoke as the turkey is incinerated in the oven; cue a spot of cat slap stick as she panics wreaking havoc through the house. Accidentally calling 999 Mog "saves the day" and the family escape unscathed.

I was a bit confused by this advert; the parents sob on each others' shoulders in their soot blackened kitchen and then are all smiles again as the local families arrive bearing bags of satsumas... It would take more than a satsuma to sort me out if my house ever burnt down I can tell you! 6/10

3. Marks and Spencer - Who doesn't remember the "this isn't just Christmas food...this is M&S Christmas food" of years gone by? In my opinion M&S make the best food adverts I've ever seen; everything just looks so delicious! In the world of fashion and homeware though they seem to lag behind a bit... This year's offering was a short, sharp burst of sparkling confetti, prowling catwalk models, backflipping children and a fiery christmas pudding. I like it. It may not be the best advert in the world but their "Art of Christmas" makes a change from all the other nostalgic, traditional ads on offer. Colourful, fun and slick M&S stood out for me this year. 8/10

4. Tesco - There's not much to say about Tesco's 2015 Christmas ads. They follow a family doing their Christmas shopping; mother, father and their cretinous teenage son. The humour is simple and somewhat grating. The characters are stereotypical and the script wooden. I'm not sure what Tesco were going for with this; how can they expect to compete with other retailers if their advertising is at this level? 4/10

5. Harvey Nichols - From bad to worse. Harvey Nichols hasn't exactly filled me with Christmassy joy for the last couple of years with their "Sorry, I spent it on myself" and "Could I be any clearer?" adverts. They reduce the entirety of Christmas down to gift giving, not in a warm fuzzy way but rather a cold hearted, miserly way. "A little something for them means a bigger something for you" was their strapline in 2013...you get the picture.

This year they've treated us to "Avoid #GiftFace". A young woman struggles to keep a smile on her face while her family and boyfriend present her with their carefully chosen gifts at Christmas. The hashtag is irritating enough but the lack of gratitude, utter selfishness and sheer spoilt brattery of this advert is difficult to swallow. Perhaps an attempt to connect with a younger audience, this advert is a definite failure for me. 2/10

6. La Lotería de Navidad - The Spanish look out for the release of the Christmas Lotería advert in the same way we wait to see what John Lewis will bring us each year. The lottery in Spain is extremely popular with almost everyone buying a ticket for the Christmas draw when I was in Madrid last year. In my opinion this advert beats John Lewis' "man on the moon" hands down.

Justino is a nightime security guard in a factory that makes mannequins. Made in the same animated style as the pixar movie UP the ad shows how Justino lives a fairly lonely life sleeping all day but leaving lovely surprises for his daytime colleagues during his night shift. Like all offices in Spain at Christmas the workers have put their names down and entered the "Lotería de Navidad". They win and the office is full of excitement. Justino arrives at work that evening downcast but finds that they've signed him up too and he can take part in the celebrations with them. The look on his square, mustachioed face is what Christmas is all about. I'm not ashamed to say I was welling up by the end; this ad was most definitely my favourite out of all of 2015's offerings. 9/10

Well that's it for my roundup of the 2015 Christmas adverts; I wonder what next year will bring. Which was your favourite? Comment below!

Reggaeton - Authentic "latinidad" or a lazy marketing ploy?

If you're on your year abroad in a Spanish speaking country, whether it be Spain, Colombia, Mexico or elsewhere, you are sure to come across reggaeton. This blend of Hip Hop, Dancehall Reggae and Spanish rap is often blared out in nightclubs over a sea of gyrating, twerking and slut-dropping revellers. To put it bluntly reggaeton is rude.

Stars like Daddy Yankee (see below) and Pitbull have helped this style of music cross to the UK and beyond with huge hits like "Gasolina" and "El Taxi".

 

Reggaeton has been called the first "transnational" music as it's impossible to specify where it first originated. Puerto Ricans will often claim it as their own seeing as many of the first reggaeton artists were Puerto Rican living in the US in the 1990s and early 2000s. Panama is also often touted as its birthplace with a precursor to reggaeton, reggae-en-español, taking hold there during the 1970s and 80s.

The diagram below shows how reggaeton developed over the years from two separate musical styles, hip hop and reggae, became translated into Spanish, Spanish rap and reggae-en-español, and eventually culminated in reggaeton in the 1990s in the US. Along the way a certain "Latino" flavour was added with elements of Puerto Rican Bomba, the mish mash that is salsa and other South American traditional dances being incorporated.

 

The music itself is characterised by its use of the "Dem Bow Riddim" a beat made popular by Jamaican Dancehall artists like Shabba Ranks (see below) in the early 1990s.

The artists creating those first reggaeton songs had grown up surrounded by the same cultural issues that affected African Americans in the US. Racism, poverty, the problems of urban living and the feeling of being ostracised by society in general are all synonymous with hip hop and would come to dominate reggaeton as well. In fact many Latino artists had been there at the birth of hip hop in the 1970s and would continue on the scene for the rest of their careers.

Listen to any more modern reggaeton song, however, and ideas of a deeper subtext geared towards social commentary or rebellion evaporate... Sex, money, partying and more sex is all that reggaeton seems to endorse now. The lyrics are overtly sexual, at times homophobic and generally misogynistic; in reggaeton the man most definitely wears the trousers.

Its similarities and links with hip hop have allowed this form of latino music to establish itself in the mainstream much more firmly than other past latino dance "crazes". In Madrid it's everywhere. Teatro Kapital has its own reggaeton floor and there are clubs that exclusively pump out its steady beat.

This ubiquity has become something of an issue though - in the mainstream US media it seems that reggaeton as a musical style has now come to represent the Latino community as a whole. Its stars are being used to advertise products to the Spanish speaking market and it seems that all US hispanics are presumed to identify with the ideas of Latinos it presents. Below are images of Daddy Yankee advertising Pepsi and his own brand of perfume for women:

In the first image the star is playing the "big boss" role. He sits dripping in bling, muscled arms rippling and covered in tattoos. The ad also includes the word "cartel" implying that he's somehow involved with drugs. The second image sees him reclining on a beach while a scantily clad woman drapes herself over him. Here he looks sharp and wealthy portraying the pseudo-aristocrat, billionaire playboy character. Both images are endorsing traditional latino stereotypes.

Rivera states that:

"Reggaeton artists have been used by the culture industry to promote and sell Latin urban authenticity as a tenable media representation of latinidad (or Latin identity)".

 

In other words the mass media is making use of these reggaeton artists in adverts as they see them as a quick fix solution to appeal to a Latino market. The star is used as the icon or epitome of modern Latino identity, hopefully ingratiating their product or service with Latinos and non-Latino consumers who are attracted by the "latin flavour" the artists provide. The Pepsi advert is written in Spanish implying it's meant for a Spanish speaking audience but how much do US Latinos truly like or identify with reggaeton and the messages it sends?

The stereotypes promoted by reggaeton and its artists are tired and outdated. Since the 1990s and early 2000s the Latino community in the US has changed significantly leaving the music lagging behind. The overly macho lyrics and music videos full of men in over-sized t-shirts or too tight vests surrounded by a harem of near naked women are just not in-keeping with what it is to be "Latino" today in the US.

Rivera also notes the recent appearance of "anti-fans"; Latinos who actively speak out on the internet bemoaning this over-generalisation and cliched stereotyping of their community.

It seems that marketers hoping to appeal to a Latino audience by lazily plastering their promotions with images of artists such as Daddy Yankee do so at the risk of alienating a large proportion of the community they aim to target.


References

- Flores, J (2000) 'Puerto rocks: rap, roots and amnesia'. in Flores, J. (2000) 'From bomba to hip hop: Puerto Rican culture and Latino identity'. New York: Colombia University Press, pp. 115-139.

- Nieves, Moreno. A (2009) 'A Man Lives Here' - Reggaeton's Hypermasculine Resident' in Rivera, R., Marshall, W. and Pacini Hernandez, D. (eds). 'Reggaeton'. London: Duke University Press, pp. 252-279

- Noriega, D. A (2014) 'Música, imagen y sexualidad: el reggaetón y las asimetrías de género'. El Cotidiano, 186. pp. 63-67 

- Rivera, M (2011) 'The Online Anti-reggaeton Movement: A Visual Exploration' in Prout, R. (ed). 'Seeing in Spanish: From Don Quijote to Daddy Yankee - 22 Essays on Hispanic Visual Cultures', Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Spanish customs you may find strange...

1. Their Timetable or "Horario"

The Spanish are known throughout Europe for the strange hours they keep. You'll realise this when out late in the evening with your friends you look up to see young children chasing each other round restaurant tables as the clock strikes 11pm. Shouldn't they be at home tucked up in bed? Where are their parents?

We've all heard of the Spanish siesta which involves taking a short nap at around 3 or 4pm in the afternoon during the baking heat of summer (A tradition I made the most of during my time away). Not everyone also knows that going to bed before midnight in Spain is practically unheard of. They still manage to get up early enough to get to work and school every day; it amazed me how people could survive with such little sleep.

Meal times are vastly different from England with my grumbling stomach usually piping up round 1.30pm only to be satisfied by about 3.30pm when I got home from work. Dinner is hardly ever before 10pm and can go on for hours. The Spanish actually have verbs that mean "to stay up all night" and "to get up very early" - "trasnochar" and "madrugar".

Don't be surprised if shops shut in the afternoon to make time for siesta or if nobody arrives at the club before 2am - they're probably still eating...


2. Eating Standing Up

Speaking of eating, how often would you expect to go out for a light meal in England and find the restaurant has no chairs? This is a regular occurence in Spain with many restaurants like "El Tigre" in Madrid having a kind of shelf around the walls to perch your drink on and not much else. That being said these places are often mainly serving tapas or light bites to go with your drink; all the food at El Tigre comes free with a glass of cider/beer!


3. Throwing your dirty napkins to the floor...

This Spanish quirk was just so against everything I've ever been taught about manners that I just couldn't bring myself to take part. In many bars there are napkins on tables which you are encouraged to use and then...THROW ON THE FLOOR! There may be a kind of trough running along the base of the bar but more often than not you're expected to just screw up your tissues and drop them where you stand. Throughout the night a member of bar staff pushes a huge broom around the tables gathering up all the rubbish and carries them away. Would it not just be easier to put them in the bin in the first place?

Though often, the more napkins, the more popular the bar with the locals and the better the food!


4. They don't do cards...

This was something that my friend Cat and I discovered early on. The Spanish just don't do cards in the same way the British do. If you're looking for a tasteful birthday, valentines, anniversary, thank you or Christmas card you'll certainly have to begin the search with time to spare. El Corte Inglés, the main Spanish department store, has a pitiful selection and newsagents just don't stock them. There are postcards everywhere but be warned these are VERY unlikely to reach their destination! If you want a card/message to reach home it pretty much has to be in an envelope; all the postcards I ever sent never arrived.

If you're feeling entrepreneurial there's definitely a gap in the market for expats who desperately need a last minute card!


5. YOU buy the cake on your birthday

Unlike in England, where it's customary for your colleagues to club together and bring in a cake or a small treat of some sort, in Spain you're the one parting with the cash. When your birthday rolls around make sure to have a box of chocs ready to share out at work to celebrate. It's just the Spanish way; when its their birthday you'll be given your share of cake too!

Have you noticed any strange customs while in Spain? Leave me a comment below or tweet me - I'd love to hear about them!

The Chino - A Spanish Institution

In my first few weeks in Madrid I discovered what would later become an essential part of life in the city; the Chino. These are the equivalent of the corner shop in England and sell everything from stationary and food to bed linen and crockery. We were forever popping out to the Chino for something or other.

If you're on the hunt for one you won't have to look far; any shop with the words "Alimentación" or "Bazar" on the sign is more often than not a Chino. They also often make a play on the famous Spanish department store El Corte Ingles and call themselves "El Corte Chino". The unequivocal king of the Chinos in my opinion is La Casa de Pin on the Ronda de Atocha; an absolute palace spread over three floors devoted to homeware, knick knacks and everything else you could want.

In Spanish the word "chino/a" means "chinese man/chinese woman" or can simply be used as an adjective to mean chinese e.g. "la tienda china". It's not surprising therefore that these shops are run by chinese families who have migrated over the years to Spain. Coming from England, where we're all so desperate to be seen as politically correct, I was a bit reluctant to use the word Chino at first, it just seemed a bit rude somehow.

We've all heard someone say that all English corner shops are run by "pakis" or make jokes about "Mr Patel" something which often comes across as racist even if it's intended to be funny. Here, just like in every aspect of their life, the Spanish take a more direct approach. The shops are run by chinese people or "chinos" so they use the same name for the shop. This might seem a bit demeaning but it's really innocent. I'm sure if they were run by russians or greeks they'd call them "rusos" or "griegos". Throughout my year in Madrid I never once heard anyone be racist towards a chino (person or shop).

If you're living in Spain for any length of time "chino" will just become part of your new Spanish vocabulary. Need a new lightbulb or adaptor plug? Head to the Chino. Forgotten to buy pasta or need some decorations to jazz up your new room? The Chino's got you covered. I even bought an emergency suitcase from La Casa de Pin the day before flying home as my mountain of stuff refused to be squashed into the two I'd brought with me.

What's more these shops are often open long after the supermarkets shut on a Sunday or Saint's day; something you will be eternally grateful for when you check your cupboards that morning and find them empty...