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Demolitions Expert!

I've just emerged from the cloud of dust and mounting pile of rubble in my kitchen to write this update. It's three o'clock in the morning and I've just finished removing wall tiles from a quarter of the kitchen. Only God knows what possessed me! I arrived home from my job at the bar at 2am and thought, 'I know, I think I'll see how easily the tiles come off the wall', as I knew that was a job to do as part of my kitchen renovation. Well, I was so excited to get the first one off and to see how easily each consecutive tile fell off the wall that I just kept going! I only stopped because I should be getting some sleep but I'm so pleased with myself for getting the job started that I had to stop and write a bit before bedtime.

If you've been following my blog you'll know I was feeling homesick earlier in the week. Well, today something happened to make me tell myself 'be patient'. I was looking at the calendar at work and counting the days until my daughters visit and decided to count backwards to see how long I've been in Spain. When I realised it's only just over ten weeks since I arrived in Alcala la Real it put things into perspective. I keep wanting to feel at home, have brilliant friends like in Rowhedge and feel that someone out there loves me. Well, I know I've never experienced that in ten weeks of living ANYWHERE in the world before so I shall have to give myself more time here!

I know it's not like me but I'm going to keep this update very short as I want to get out of bed at a decent hour to hopefully meet with a teacher over at the college where I'm now hoping to accept the part-time job they've offered. Then I shall be back dismantling the kitchen! 

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Feeling Homesick

I've been feeling homesick since yesterday! It all started when I was cleaning the house and decided to put on a favourite CD of folk music by Kate Rusby which reminded me of friends with whom I used to perform music in Rowhedge. It got worse when I tried to phone my daughters but they weren't home. I was desperate to hear their voices and was gutted to have missed them. Unfortunately, I couldn't to try later because some friends came round.

Yes, I've finally had people around for socialising in my house! New friends Jenny and Terry came round for a tour of the house and drinks on the terrace. We had a lovely chat and they were very complimentary about the house. I worry, only God knows why, about what others will think of the house so it was comforting to hear them both exclaiming what a nice place I've got. After a couple glasses of very nice Rioja, we wandered down the hill to 'Rio de Oro' for a meal. We had Gambas al Pil-Pil (prawns sauteed in olive oil, garlic and flakes of dried chili), a plate of Jamon Serrano (Spanish dry-cured ham) and Morcilla (Spanish black pudding). The morcilla was gorgeous and seemed more like a good haggis than black pudding.

We were halfway through our meal when a chap I'd met walked past our table (we were dining outside). His name is Richard and, in addition to being a university lecturer, examines spoken English at language academies. He's been in Alcala for a week and we met at the bar while I was working. Anyway, Richard joined us for a drink and then accompanied us back to my house where we carried on quaffing Rioja until way too late!

It really was a lovely evening, and I am very pleased to be making new friends, but it set me to thinking about all the dear people I left behind in Rowhedge. When my guests finally left, I went on the internet to check emails and found that my mate Christian was on line so messaged him, blubbering about missing friends and saying that my heart was still in Rowhedge. Of course, in the morning I was better (save for a slightly thick head!) and laughed at myself for being so daft.

Just over three weeks until my precious daughters come to Spain! I'm so excited to see them again and am looking forward to a fabulous time with them! Of course, the first week of holidays when Clare, Anny, Frank and Richard join us will be brilliant! My friend Helen has also invited us round to hers one day to go swimming. I'm looking forward to it as I've not yet seen her house and I'm very intrigued! Also Isidro, my boss at the bar, has invited me and the girls to his house in the country for what he promises will be 'a special day that my daughters will never forget'!

I need to get to sleep as I'm intending a late morning visit to Sagrada Familia, the college that has offered me a job, to ask some more questions about my role so I can decide whether or not to accept or decline. I'll keep you posted!

Goodnight! 

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Thirty-six degrees in the shade!

Okay, now it's finally getting hot! Yesterday the daytime temperature topped 33 degrees and I just looked at the thermometer on my terrace and it's 36 degrees in the shade! Having said that, I don't really feel too uncomfortable except when I'm out in the full sun. The Spanish, rather bizarrely in my opinion, generally refuse to wear shorts and t-shirts even on the hottest of days and somehow manage to look pristine in jeans and smart shirts when natives of cooler climes are absolutely dripping with sweat! So far, I haven't worn a pair of shorts since arriving in Spain, though I think I will crack soon!

I wanted to tell you about an interesting and humorous aspect of Spanish culture I've observed since working at the bar. It has to do with paying the bill. Unlike in Britain where we pay for each round of drinks as we get them, waiters in Spanish bars keep running tabs for each table that the customers pay before leaving. The funny thing is that when one person requests the bill there is a chorus of shouts from everyone at the table, 'Let me pay! Let me!' But then the action turns to slow motion, with everyone reaching for wallets or fumbling through handbags as slowly as possible without looking too obvious that they don't really want to pay after all. The loser is the one who can't manage to sustain the ruse and pulls out a note first! But the drama doesn't end there because the one who pays will almost always make a big show of 'inviting' the others and they in turn will object vociferously, protesting at how unfair it is that they were not allowed to contribute! Some days, it's all I can do to keep from laughing out loud!

I will have missed two social events this week because of work. A couple I met had a barbecue the other night which I really would have enjoyed and I've been invited to a birthday party tonight which I will have to miss because I will surely not leave work before 2am! I'm looking forward to four weeks of holiday and socialising while my daughters and friends from the UK are down, and also to the autumn when I will be working in more 'normal' jobs with a timetable that allows me to be sociable. In the meantime though, I'm still having fun at work and am pleased to be earning money through the summer.

Well, I've got to go iron my shirt and get ready for work. Bye for now! 

 

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Looking forward to visitors!

The view from my friend Barry's house near Casillas

To anyone out there who cares, I apologise for not having updated my blog recently. My job at the bar, and various other projects are taking up so much of my time that I hardly have time to write these days. As it is, I'm sitting here typing this at one in the morning because I'm lucky enough to get home relatively early! Nevertheless, life continues to go well and is always interesting. That's not to say it's without challenges. I'll be honest with you, occasionally I'll find myself thinking 'living in Spain will never work out' when I'm really tired and if something is troubling me. But after a good night sleep or a bit of good fortune I'll pinch myself because life seems too good to be true.

Last week I met up several times with my new friend Barry, who first contacted me via my blog site. He is still living in the UK for the next few weeks but he'd come down to Spain to complete the purchase of a country house. I asked him if I could see the house so he invited me to spend a day last week visiting some towns near to Alcala and taking me for a tour of his new gaffe. Click on the 'Photos' tab above to see pics of his house and some of the places we visited. It was a treat to get out of Alcala and explore. I do occasionally leave town but it's normally when clients take me on jobs to translate and then it's all business. We went for a wander around Alcaudete before visiting Barry's house up in the mountains above Casillas. His house is amazing! Mind you, it needs to be completely renovated but when it's done it was be gorgeous. The views from his house are stunning as well. We walked through the olive orchard above his house and imagined what it would be like swimming in an imaginary pool and taking in the scenery. Afterwards, we went to Castillo de Locubin for a nice, albeit rushed, lunch as I had to get back for my evening shift at the bar.

On Monday, I finally bit the bullet and spent some of my hard earned cash on purchasing a new fitted kitchen. I'd been eyeing up designs at Brico Depot in Granada for the last month or so, every time I went down there with my friend Helen, but I couldn't summon up the courage to spend money! Finally though, I became so fed up with my kitchen and so keen to begin improving my house that I decided to go for it. My friend Alan has a big Jeep and needed to go to Granada anyway so invited me along. I'm really pleased with the kitchen design I selected but there are two problems: I'm too busy to even fathom fitting the kitchen before September so the cupboards are sitting in flat-pack boxes on my ground floor; and I realised when I got home that the chap who filled my very specific order managed to sell me one too many cupboards so I'll have to take it all the way back to Granada! Never mind, it could be worse!

People keep coming up to me in the street and at the bar saying 'I heard you're going to work at the college in the autumn.' The rumour mill in this town is amazing! To be honest, I am edging closer to accepting a part-time job practising spoken English. It's only ten hours a week but will pay 65% of what I need to earn in a month. On top of that, I will carry on at the language academy after summer holidays which, for four and a half hours a week will pay another 10%. I'm on the verge of agreeing terms for partnering on an internet venture which over time should generate a fair bit of cash and Isidro at the bar has already offered me weekend work at the bar whenever I fancy so I should be alright!

On my day off I had the pleasure of going to new friends Jenny and Terry for drinks. I'm not sure whether I wrote about them before but Jenny and I have a mutual friend in Clare W. in Rowhedge. By a remarkable coincidence, we bot decided to move to the same area of Spain. Both Clare and I were gobsmacked to find out! Anyway, Jenny and Terry are hoping to buy a rural home near Frailes, not too far from Alcala. In the meantime, they are living in a rented house right here in Alcala! We had a great chat and I was really pleased to start getting to know them.

I ran into friends Julia and Raquel at Rio de Oro late this afternoon so sat down for a chat. Luis, my friend and manager of the bar, decided to play matchmaker and started telling Julia, 'You need a boyfriend and Roberto is beautiful! He's a good man and perfect for you!' I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, Julia or me, but she managed to lighten the moment by saying she needed a rich man. That's me done then!

A month from now my daughters will be here and I'm so excited! Lately, I've been missing them so much. Obviously, I'm quite occupied with my work but during quiet times at home they're often on my mind. The saddest thing is that because of my work schedule, I can only talk to them on Mondays and this week I missed my chance!  I received a Father's Day card from Ellie and Imogen which took me by surprise as it's not celebrated in Spain so I hadn't thought about it.

Well, it's nearly two in the morning now so I'll sign off. If you're reading this, send me an email to say hello! Goodnight! 

 

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Has it only been two months?!

I was on my way to Granada today with my friend Helen and she asked me how long it's been since I arrived in Alcala. I paused for a moment to think before looking at the date on my watch and realizing that today marks exactly 2 months since I moved into my house in Alcala la Real. We both said it seems like I've been here a lot longer!

I had two very important chats earlier this week. I met with the Director of SAFA, or Escuela Sagrada Familia- a local school, to discuss a potential job at the college. I was ready to refuse the offer immediately, having realized that I've come to Spain to get away from full-time teaching, when he began discussing a part-time position that sounds a possibility. Apparently, they'd like to employ a qualified teacher who is a native speaker to simply practise spoken English with the pupils in the school. The job would be for only 10 hours a week and would pay enough to almost cover my basic expenses of food and utilities. I'm going back soon for a tour of the school and a chance to ask questions.

The other conversation I had was with my boss at 'El Parque', Isidro. The day he offered me a summer job I told him about my daughters coming at the end of July for three weeks and said I couldn't work then. At the time, he shrugged it off saying that we'd talk about it later but we never did, and I was becoming increasingly concerned he expected me to work while Ellie and Imogen are here. Well, I plucked up the courage and asked him for a private chat, during which I told him my reasons for needing time off. I was prepared to be sacked but he accepted what I said very well and said it wouldn't be a problem. I was happy with the result but still anxious that I'd made Isidro cross. As if to put me at ease though, Isidro said, 'Let's have a whiskey!' and he toasted to a happy holiday with my daughters. What a relief!

I've got another iron in the fire regarding a business venture but won't tell you much about it until I'm closer to sealing the deal.

Just over 5 weeks until I see my daughters. I can't wait! I'm looking forward to bringing them down here and having fun in Spain! While they're down I'm going to ask them if they want to choose the paint scheme for their room, new duvets, curtains, etc so that when they visit they'll feel at home. Hopefully they'll enjoy that.

I must get some sleep. Lots to do tomorrow before teaching English and my evening shift at the bar. Goodnight! 

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Out of the frying pan and trying to avoid the fire!

Well, I met with the woman from the college this morning and, as I expected, she didn't want to meet because she fancied me. She was sent by the director of the school to see if I'd be interested in a full-time permanent teaching post. Apparently the director drinks in 'El Parque', though I 'm not sure who he is. Of course he would have realised I'm bilingual and somehow he found out that I'm a qualified teacher.

Anyway, Aurora, the teacher from the college came to explain that they want to achieve status as a language college and were hoping to recruit me. She told me that the post they're trying to fill is working with children as young as three and throughout primary school. The college has 1500 pupils from age 3 to Baccalaureate, so it's quite huge. They've got a good programme of English tuition in secondary but want to establish English instruction in primary. They way Aurora described the job, I'd be responsible for teaching all subjects but in English rather than in Spanish.

I'm sure you can imagine how flattered I was to be sought out for the job, proof positive that my name, credentials and reputation are spreading quickly in Alcala la Real. But I know in my heart that I must turn the job down. The reason I made the big move to Spain in the first place was to allow me a chance to leave full-time teaching. I love working with children but am burnt out and know that the last thing I want to do is spend my weekends planning and marking books like I used to. I asked Aurora about the work day, meetings, paperwork, etc. and from the sounds of it, it would be just like the job I was so desperate to leave.

I might have been tempted to give it a try but for the most important issue- the school holidays don't coincide with those of my daughters, Ellie and Imogen. Right now the most important thing in the world is insuring I get to spend school holidays with them. I called my babies on Monday. As soon as I heard Ellie's voice on the phone I began to cry, though I tried not to let it show in my voice.  I miss the girls so much. Ellie and Imogen were both very excited to hear from me, especially since they'd just received the postcards I sent them. Neither could stop talking about coming to visit in the summer and Imogen is very excited about seeing friends Anny, Frank and Clare when they join us for a week.

In spite of what I told Isidro when I started working at the bar, I think he harbours illusions that I will somehow continue working during my daughters' visit to Alcala la Real. I know that I want to spend every minute of the three weeks with them and will soon spell it out to him again. In the meantime, I'm just trying to work hard, and earn respect and more responsibility at work, so that Isidro will prefer to give me a three week break to losing me altogether. I must say, he's been very complimentary so far and yesterday I heard him saying to Antonio, the other manager, how pleased he is with me.

I finally managed to track down the architect who surveyed my house so I could pay him. I've been sending him emails since I was still in the UK trying to get his bank details so I could transfer funds to him. In the end, I found his office and handed him a wad of cash. We were chatting in his office when I noticed he had one of my leaflets for translation services! I'd intended to suggest it anyway but this allowed me an easy opportunity to introduce the idea of translating survey documents for British clients. He liked the idea and said that he'd contact me with work. Fingers crossed!

Well, it's gone 2am here and I'm knackered or esfaratao, as my Andalucian mates would say! Boy, am I learning some new words at the bar! And some of them I can actually use in polite company! Ha! Goodnight. Wishing you well.

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Haribo Heaven!

I've just arrived home from work. Well, that is to say I've arrived home via another bar where me and the lads from work went to have our customary whiskey after our shift. I've been wanting to tell you, but keep forgetting, about a curious fact relating to some bars in Alcala. If you go to any of the bars/discos that are open late in Alcala, instead of tapas you will receive either nuts or a selection of Haribo sweets! It's the most bizarre thing but I must tell you they go superbly with my whiskey and lemon.

I  had a long day today. First, I prepared English lessons in the morning. Then, after a nice lunch on the terrace, I taught for four and a half hours at the academy. After that, I went straight to the bar for a shift. The weather has improved and it was warm enough to put tables out on the terrace today. It was quite a busy evening but, once again, a lot of fun. I keep telling myself that I shouldn't enjoy bar work this much but I do! And I think I'm gaining the respect of my colleagues as well as the customers. The older clientelle in particular seem amazed that a non-Spaniard is working in the bar and speaking such good Spanish!

I told Isidro I'd like to take a couple snaps at the bar so my friends can see where I work. He told me to bring my camera on Saturday and said he'd make sure I got some really good shots. He's making more of it than I intended but I'm glad he wants me to have a nice photo.

I've got to get up early because Isidro told me a woman from the local college asked to meet me in the morning. I'm hoping she fancies a shag but I rather suspect she's going to offer me work instead. Pity because I'd rather have the shag at the moment! Ha! I've got a terrible feeling she's going to offer me a teaching post of some sort which, at the moment, I feel inclined to turn down without a moment's thought. I'll let you know what transpires when I meet her tomorrow.

Time for bed. Goodnight!

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Working and Sleeping

To anyone out there who cares, I apologise for not updating my blog recently. As you may have guessed from the title of this installment, I've been extremely busy with work and have had time for little else. However, in case you're concerned, I must tell you that I love working at the bar! It's such a fun place. I get on really well with all the people and we have a laugh. To be honest, I feel really lucky to have a job where I'm constantly meeting and interacting with people and where there's a real banter with workmates. I'm now used to the long shifts and the exhaustion and aching feet I experienced in my first few days have disappeared.

Another positive aspect of working at 'El Parque' is that I'm spending much less money! I get a meal at the bar and I probably drink more than when I was paying for it, thanks to Isidro! Just about every afternoon when I arrive Antonio makes me a cafe con leche. Then when Isidro arrives to take over, he pours us both a whiskey and lemon! During lulls in the action we usually have a beer and tapas. After closing, when we sit down for a meal, Isidro always opens a good bottle of Rioja.

I'm also teaching Spanish on Mondays (my only day off from the bar) and on Tuesday afternoons I teach four and half hours of English lessons before going straight to the bar for a shift. I get called a couple times a week to do translation and interpretation. Sometimes I feel like turning the work down but I need to keep that side of things going as most of the work is generated by word of mouth, and I want to keep the good reputation that I've earned thus far.

The alarm on my phone just rang to tell me it's time to iron my shirt and get ready for a shift at the bar. Tomorrow's a day off but I'll be busy teaching Spanish, preparing English lessons and catching up on housework. And I'm desperate to finish my front doors! Hope you're well. Bye for now! 

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Oh, my aching feet!

I've got a night off after three long shifts at 'El Parque'. I started my new job as a waiter Thursday night, just as the weather hotted up and everyone in Alcala la Real decided to head to the bars! In the summer when it's hot we put 30 tables on the terrace outside, making a total of 42 tables to serve. On Friday and Saturday nights nearly every table was occupied all night long!

I start at five in the afternoon and work until we close, put all the tables and chairs away and give the whole place a good clean. The last customers usually clear off just after one and it takes us another hour to get all the jobs done. Then, just after 2 o'clock in the morning, the whole staff sits down for a big meal! That might seem strange but after working very hard all night long we're ravenous. On my first night, after finishing the meal, my boss said, 'Off we go to another bar for a whiskey!' So we got in his car and drove down the road to a bar that's open late. It turns out that is the nightly routine! Every night we go to a different bar.

I think Isidro, my boss, was right when he said I'd be famous. I think I already am! Everybody already knows me by name! The Spanish have been very complimentary about my Spanish. All my British friends think it's amazing how quickly I've landed a steady job and some English customers come in are surprised when I switch from Spanish to English.

It's a bit cloudy and cooler here today but still nice. As I write this I'm sitting on the terrace listening to Radio 4 and nibbling on some lunch- chorizo, salchichon, olives, cheese, bread and some salad. Mmmm! Catch you later!

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Bob the Barman!

La Mota Castle 

I start my new job waiting tables at 'El Parque' tomorrow evening! I must admit I'm nervous and I told my new boss, Isidro, as much last night when I popped in for a beer and a chat after teaching English. He said, 'Don't worry, Roberto. You mark my word, you'll be famous!' Perhaps, but I hope I'll be famous for the right reasons! Isidro tossed a tray to me and said, 'Show me how to carry that.' He must have approved because he added, 'You're a natural!' This morning I had to go out and buy a pair of black trousers and a white shirt to wear. I'll let you know how I get on!

If you read my last blog you may remember I mentioned something about a programme that provides grants for renovating old houses in the historic centre of Alcala. I went to speak with the man who's in charge of administering the programme and he was at first excited by my interest. That is, until he explained that one had to show evidence of only having earned a maximum of 16,000 euros in the previous year. When I told him I'd earned three times that much he said I wouldn't have a chance of receiving a grant this year but could try again next year. I told him that the way things are going, there's every chance I'll be knocking on his door this time next year!

I taught my first Spanish lesson on Monday to a retired English chap who lives in a nearby village. We had arranged for lessons to take place at my house but I met him in town because I knew he'd never find my house on his own! We sat and had a coffee while talking about his experience of the Spanish language so far then, before trudging up the hill to my house, he asked me to do him a favour and interpret for him at a washing machine repair shop. It seems a repairman had come to his a month ago to repair his machine, took away a part, and hadn't been heard from since. Well, within a minute I managed to confirm that the new part had arrived and that the repairman would come and install it on Wednesday!

I really enjoyed the lesson and Jeff, my student, seemed very pleased too. He said he definitely wants to carry on! I think he'll be a fast learner. It's just forcing him to use the language that could be tricky but I'm going to build practice into our lessons, learning grammar and vocabulary and then taking him into town to put it to use. He seemed to like the idea.

The weather here has turned summery very quickly, especially when I think how cold, wet and miserable it was when I arrived! The temperature was thirty degrees today and the sky a gorgeous blue with only the occasional wisp of a cirrus cloud. In the full sun, it felt quite warm but the nice thing about the narrow streets in the old town is that one can always find a bit of shade. So far my ancient house, with its thick fortress-like walls, is doing the trick and insulating from the heat outside. It is lovely to return from town hot and bothered, open the door and walk into the coolness. You'd swear the house was air conditioned! I'll let you know how long the affect lasts.

I went to 'Rio de Oro' for a coffee this morning and ran into some fellow expats so we had a chat. One chap said he keeps seeing my leaflets advertising translation, interpretation and Spanish lessons all over town! At least I know they're visible.

When I returned home I was sitting on the terrace enjoying a cool drink when Jerome, the estate agent I bought my house from, called to ask if I'd be interested in meeting to learn about a new project he's starting up. He didn't divulge much other than to say he was going to invite a Spanish chap to the meeting as well and that he'd like us to collaborate with him. 

I had coffee with Juan, my solicitor, on Tuesday morning and broke the news that I wasn't ready to start up a new business with him just yet, not within doing proper market research and writing a business plan. He was perfectly happy with that and that we put the idea on the back burner for now, perhaps start doing some research, and meet again in the autumn for another discussion. I was relieved the conversation went so well. He's a really nice guy and a valuable contact, I think, and I didn't want to put his nose out of joint. Juan reiterated his previous offer about paying me commission should I find him any clients for his legal practice. He said that for every client I refer, he will give me 100 euros. Not bad!

This may sound really nerdy but I'm keeping track of every penny I spend. I've got a spreadsheet with lines for every budget item, e.g. groceries, bars and restaurants, clothes, etc. Every day I enter what I've spent so I can figure out how much I really need to earn to live comfortably. So far, I'm managing to live on about 30 euros a day. That includes food, utilities, clothes, things for the house, mobile phone- everything. At the moment I spend more than a third of my money in the bars on food and drinks but I consider it a worthwhile investment when I consider the important contacts, both work and social, that I've made by getting out and meeting people. Now I just need to figure out how I can earn thirty euros a day and then I'll be sorted!

Wish me luck for my first day of work tomorrow! I'm off to the bar to watch the UEFA cup final, and all Spanish affair. Bye for now! 

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