toogreytogrind

Yes it's my last week, some of my friends are surprised that it's over so soon and maybe so am I. Then again don't actors say every exit is another entrance. Maybe leaving the MRC is the start and this was the first stepping stone. I had two classes today and I think I'll miss all of the students, some reminded me, of me when I was really studying Spanish. I think it's one of those things that I know and I've proved that I can study Spanish and get good at it, I can study to teach and teach English well, I think - hope. But to do both at the same time feels counter productive for me. My major aim is to learn Spanish and with teaching English all I keep thinking is how beautiful the English language is. I feel I need to concentrate on doing my lessons. Ok so some have bombed but some I think I kicked arse. I'm not saying that I don't think Spanish is a beautiful language (it is) and that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. What ever that is!!!!!!!!!!! I guess some people just need a bit of direction in their lives. Yes, I am including myself in that equation, but there is something to be said about not knowing what you are doing or where you are going and just making the most of the situation.

What's changed for me? Well, when I get back to London I'll try and get myself on to a Spanish course, and get some structure back into my learning. There's qualifications that are recognised world wide, as an indication of your level. Why? Would I work in a Spanish speaking country again? Yes, but not as an English teacher and it's not because I don't like the teaching it the job.

Would all this be different if I had a job, I really want to use "real job" but I don't want to upset the language teachers out there. I'm with you and respect! I just need the 9 to 5. Yes I think it would be different you learn the language from your peers. So from whom am I learning Spanish from if I speak English with all my students! If I was in a job speaking Spanish all the time I think I would feel more like I was progressing.

My Spanish teachers favourite saying was "Si mi abuela tuviera dos ruedas y un manillar no sería mi abuela, sino una bicicleta." (for the Brits: if my gandmother had two wheels and handlebars she wouldn't be my grandmother she'd be a bicycle!). A cuban answer to anyone saying what if you can say what if to anything. Maybe we should say I tried it and liked it or didn't like it whatever.

Anyway, I've had a few drinks and there's some more to be had, so until next time, chao or ciao to the Italian speakers.

Comments on what I should be writing or anything else are most welcome.

I mentioned to someone I've forgot who that I don't think my Spanish has improved over here. I think I was wrong. I was out on Friday night and I tried going to some bars that I've not been to before, which was good as I got talking to some people. In one bar I got talking to two guys from Venezuela and they started laughing at something I said, I thought I said something wrong, but they said I said something very typically Spanish that you don't use in Latin American Spanish. So cool I am improving.
Venezuela does sound a very beautiful country but dangerous. The guys said a lot of tourist get kidnapped, maybe cross it of my list of places to go.

I know I'm leaving the teaching game and I'm usually a reasonable man but I've just had enough. I've had a class with they guy preparing for his air traffic controllers exam, two hours a day three days a week. His place is a bit far out of town ie near the airport - by metro station campo de las naciones and then autobus 112 for 10 minutes to his place. With connections and all that (one metro line is closed so the journey takes longer than usual) about 1 and a half hours to get there. Normally I would not do a three hour round trip but for a two hour class it's probably worth it.
I should have been the last class today. I turned up at his house and rang the bell, no answer, I rang it a few more times and then called his mobile. Apparently he phoned LL on Wednesday to cancel today's class. Fantastic!
3 hours of my day and instead of 30 euros I've got a very round number of euros.
Still looking on the bright side of life I have only another week to go and then I'm back in Blighty for a two weeks to chill out. And I think it will be a chill out, Lisa informed me that it is a very nice cool 28 degrees over there so about 10 degrees cooler. The other day I pucked up after drinking some cold OJ. I was really hot and I took it straight from the fridge. I know all this form doing phys at uni, blood goes to your surface to cool you down and away from your stomach, and so it can't cope with the cold liquid and gets rid of it. Maybe this is what all this has been about I don't think I've leaned a lot from all this experience that I didn't already know but when you are experiencing it, it sinks in.
I'll see all you London lot next week.

It was my intention to come back after my holiday back in London and to tour around the south of Spain and then to do another two months of teaching. However there has been a change of plans due to an ultimatum from my boss. Basically they want only teachers on contracts after the August break ie a minimum of 6 months. But if I did want to work cash in hand I could but I would get all the duff jobs ie teaching children etc.

Well I decided to throw in the towel as regards the teaching in Spain. What are my reasons? Well I've ended up in a shared flat and all the other three people have moved out. No I'm not taking this personally, it's more there is no one to talk to. There your students to talk to I hear you say, true and they are all so nice and I will miss them, but I want the fluidity of speaking with someone from the UK (banter). I didn't realise I needed this until I got talking with some Irish guys in a Irish Pub of all places during one of the England games, and I very naughtily got carried away and I think I was still pissed for my first class the day after. But what the hell they want to learn English, I think they need to learn about English culture as well.

What about meeting Spanish people in bars/pubs. Early on people seem to buy their booze from the alimetacion (offy) and hang around on the streets, so you can have a cheap night with your mates. Not good if you don’t have any mates over here though. I don’t really want to look like a vagrant on the streets, but I do want to make friends. Even one of the guys in the house, before he moved out, whose been living here for ages, said that it is really difficult to make friends over here. I don’t think it helps matters with being a bit older, although I keep forgetting just how old. Then you look at the other Spanish people as old as me and it’s very different. A friend said, this blog just seems to be about all expat stuff, this was suppose to be my attempt at making it not that way, but it still seems to be coming back to the same old theme. But then again this was supposed to be a journal of my time here and maybe the expat nature of this blog is just a reflection of the way I’m feeling. Also, said I’m supposed to be living the dream. Yes I’ve always dreamt of living in a foreign country and now I am so I am living the dream. I didn’t expect it to be easy/difficult, I didn’t know what to think, that’s way I’m doing it to experience it, whether it be good or bad. This also brings that statement around to the question of why Madrid! Especially when I’ve been so hooked on Mexico over the last few years. I chose Spain because it is closer to England, maybe I should go for it and go all the way to Mexico? Never mind there's always plan B?!

So plan B is to finish my classes, go on holiday back in London/Brighton/Rossendale then back to Madrid. I already have my flight booked for that holiday and it's coming back in August so I need to pay rent for that month. August is probably the worst month to go to the south of Spain but it seems the ideal time for me to go. Basic plan go to valencia and work may way around to savilla then back to madrid.

I should be able to get all this done in about three weeks. This time in Madrid is also suppose to be party time so a few nights back here to chill would be nice. Then leave the big ciudad hacia zaragoza entonces barcelona, donde encontrare Lisa. We've both booked the flights today back form Barcelona to Blighty but on the 17th of September giving us a good 10 days of sea, sun y sangria. But it's not going to be 10 days in the city we're going for a tour around to see all the Dali stuff. Sorry art history.

So what then?!

Well teaching English as a foriegn language is the sort of job you need to save up for, so if I need to save up for doing this I may as well save up and do Central and South America. With TEFL as a back up that hopefully I don't need to use.

Yes it is a dangerous world and also a beautiful one as well. This was the last picture of the day and was a spur of the moment thing. Out of all the others I like this one the most for the light effects coming from the leaves from above, and a spotlight on the world.

I'm going to take my camera with me where ever I go now just for something to do and it's fun. I think my next project is going to be the mullet. Yes, they're high fashion over here!!!!!

Another World Cup and the same old story with the penalties. I was going to go to Segovia on the Sunday but after the match I had a few drinks. I left the pub and headed down town.

Saturday was also Gay Pride day and all the Gran via was packed. I had my camera with me, I wanted to get some snaps of the British celebration. So here are some shots of Pride Spanish style.