FFP

These days I'm busy with my FFP, that's why I couldn't upload new posts within last ten days. Hope you know what an FFP is, at least as a foreigner.

Kind of CSI?
No, let me explain. FFP is Flat Finding Project. You know, I'm changing my flat to a bigger one and here in Barcelona, it is extremely difficult to find accommodation in a reasonable price. 800 Euro/month for a single-room flat looks to be the norm here.

I almost gave up. I mean, my colleagues say that they all live outside Barcelona coz the prices are high here. Between 5-50km away.

This is Barcelona. A city for tourists, not residents...

A professor

- Did you hear that Dr. *** became a full professor?
- Yes.

- You know, it changed my opinion about professors.
- Why?

-Coz I know him, he does not deserve this title at all.
- You mean that he is not good in manner, character, experiences,...?

- Yes, exactly. A professor should ...

Well, this is a part of a short talk between me and a friend of mine. She seemed totally disappointed hearing the news. She said that a professor should be qualified not only on a scientific basis, but also some more important factors should be taken into account.

Then it made me think about my childhood; In my mind, a "Professor" was someone really beyond. High in science, morals, experiences,...

And I had a feeling like : It's hard to be a professor. To be someone who really makes a contribution. A person who is different, perhaps old, a little bit tired, but always on top.

Now, they are telling me that I'm kind of professor here at University of Barcelona. And for sure I'm far from all those qualifications I had in mind during childhood. Don't understand...

A backward movement

Imagine that you are given a chance to go back; to years and years ago. And you can meet just one person there. Who can this person be?

Chinese way of education

The class is full of Chinese; I mean the Spanish course. Me, Morteza, and a philipino are the only foreigners (non-Chinese I mean!) and the teacher asked us to change. She believes that we may not learn here that much since these Chinese are not good at learning languages and she has to move ahead quite slowly. This is her experience anyway.

She is defenitely right. You know, one of them even can't write his name in English. Many of them have similar problems as they can not pronounce their names in an understandable way.

There are some reasons for this, some excuses. Firstly, their mother language is like the most difficult one from pronounciation point of view. They have problems with "R"s and some other characters. I think there is no English equivalent for some of their characters, on the other hand.

Secondly, they work overnight, all of them; in chinese restaurants mainly. So they can not concentrate, many of them sleeping during the course.

The teacher has a difficult task on the other hand. To tell the truth, I've never followed "Mission Impossible" but I suppose that the movie is about teaching a second language to people like us. You know, we are like kids here with a lot of problems in understanding the meanings, pronounciation, and making sentences.

And interestingly, in the first session of the course, I saw them all, knowing the numbers; from zero to millions. The only reason behind this, is that they need numbers to get the money from the customers. Otherwise...