Bob's Spanish Adventure

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.

• Posted by bobinspain on 31/05/2007.
• bobinspain's site