INTERVIEW WITH AN INSOMNIAC

Hoy empezaremos esta nueva etapa del blog, despues de un largo periodo de vacaciones y un horrible periodo de examenes con con entrevista especial.

Today, we are going to open this new term of the blog, after a long vacation period and a horrible exam period with an special interview. 

Un problema que pueden estar sufriendo los Erasmus (en apuros) que echan de menos sus camas. Hoy hablamos de problemas para dormir con Laurine Moine (Una Erasmus Insomne)

A problem that it might be suffered by Erasmus (en apuros) that miss their beds... Let's talk about sleeping troubles with Laurine Moine (an Erasmus insomniac)  

- UEEA:  So, Laurine, first of all we need to know some information about you, how do you decide to do an Erasmus year, why did you choose UK, tell us about yourself.

- Laurine: Well, after 3 years of University in France I wanted to improve my English, so that's why I decided to move to UK and I really wanted to meet new people, I wanted to discover a new way of study and basically because I really like English and the English way of life. In fact, I felt in love with London when I was 11 and since Southampton is not really far from there and my university had an exchange with the University of Southampton I thought it was a good choice. 

- UEEA: Did you have another option within UK to study your year abroad?

- Laurine: Yes, I could have gone to Scotland, where I have a friend but I think I made the right choice. 

- UEEA: Ok, and now, tell the readers about your problem, how did you realise you have sleeping problems? Do you really consider yourself an insomniac?

- Laurine: Well, I realised that I had sleeping troubles when I realised I couldn't sleep at night hahahha. Basically, that's the main problem. No, it is just that I cannot sleeping properly at night in a regular way (and that means you can only sleep 1 or 2 nights per week more than 4 hours). So, yes, I might be considered an insomniac.

- UEEA: And did you have this kind of troubles before you arrived? Or do you think this is a new thing?

- Laurine: No, definitely I did. (very sure of the answer) I think I always have some troubles to sleep but it became worse last year. 

- UEEA: And... obviously this is a "must" question, where do you think these problems come from?

- Laurine: Ammm... I guess... they became worse because I was doing a double-diploma at university and I had lot of hours of class at uni, that means stress and very little free time so... you can imagine... It must be linked. But now... it is just the opposite, I'm doing more sports, I'm eating better...and I feel less stress but yeah... I don't really understand, that's why it is a PROBLEM. 

- UEEA: Ok, and as an insomniac, because you told us you consider yourself as one... how do you feel about being insomniac? which are your feelings towards this problem? 

- Laurine: Well, you know, it's really annoying...

- UEEA: would that be the word that describes your situation better?

- Laurine: Well, as we all know there are worse things, but...I think is annoying because you just cannot sleep and you're lying on your bed, doing nothing...It's definitely annoying, but the most difficult thing is to... I guess there are some other linked problems, like for example how you deal with your day, the lack of concentration...

- UEEA: And how is the relationship with your housemates... the people surrounding you?

- Laurine: It's complicated because when I cannot sleep I'm less patient... it's difficult to describe but... I'm less cheerful, less motivated, I guess is linked with the fact that when you don't sleep you just want to stay in your bed all day. You don't feel like your are really prepared for your day. In a long term...it's difficult to deal with this problem, that is why I'm trying to solve it.

- UEEA: Ok, really interesting... and a question that our readers might be asking themselves... How are you trying to have this problem solved?

- Laurine: Well, I tried to get some natural medicine (based on plants) but it didn't work, maybe because first, you have to think that they can work, but...otherwise I tried to do more sports, eat better...

- UEEA: So... you consider that food and what you eat is linked with it?

- Laurine: I think so, I think is also linked with stress so if you find a way to liberate it, you'll be better. It could be doing sports, reading, eating better... etc. By sure you have to find a way of balanced in your life and try to solve the problem. 

- UEEA: that's fine... but I think that when you are really tired after a night without sleeping you need a nap, so tell me about these "nap times"

- Laurine: Well... hahhaha... there's not a "nap timetable" it could be anytime, anyway... (hahhaha) no, just joking... I think is really hard to balance that because of course you feel tired during the day but it is definitely not good to take too much naps or to take naps that are too long, because with that habits you are still favouring your messy sleeping habits. And I'm not sure that it'll work so....

- UEEA: Yes, I see what you mean, if you change your timetable, your sleeping hours will be changed too so...it's difficult. Regarding now timetables, obviously you're a student so you have work to do and you've already told me that you do some sports so...how do these problems affect to your daily life (schedule...)?

- Laurine: Obviously they affect because I'm tired during the day and it takes long for me to do some things because I cannot be concentrate but I work during the night... well it doesn't happen all the time but...for my last exam I worked between 3-6am and I was brilliant!! hahhha

- UEEA: Yes, I see... And how could you advise people that have the same problem as you? Just in order not to be desperate because even though you realise you have a problem and it is quite serious I'm seeing you quite positive towards it. 

- Laurine: Maybe the best piece of advise will be to find into themselves a way in which they can release their stress...if it's stress, otherwise you should go and have a meeting with your doctor. 

So... finally I just want to thank Laurine for this lovely interview and write down a final sentence that she gave me and that could perfectly summarise all the interview. 

Laurine's last comment was a quote from Fran Lebowitz "Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep"

Lo ultimo que Laurine quiso añadir fue una cita de Fran Lebowitz que dice "La vida es eso que te pasa cuando no puedes dormir"

"My bed is at the the same time my best and my worst friend" (Reflection made about Laurine Moine, an Erasmus Insomniac)

"Mi cama es al mismo tiempo mi mejor y mi peor amiga"  (Reflexión hecha sobre Lauirne Moine; una Erasmus Insomne) 

Con esta entrevista nos despedimos por hoy, espero que os haya gustado, que comenteis y que me sugirais nuevas entrevistas. 

PD: Siento que la entrevista este en inglés para aquellos que no lo hablaís pero se hizo así y era la mejor manera de transcribirla... pondré una herramienta de traductor para que podaís leerla en Español también.