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A simple mistake anyone could have made |
Before, I alluded to lots of water under my Spanish bridge so now I'll try and be a bit more specific, or perhaps a little less cryptic, you choose to be honest. I've long since given up my magnificent seaview and the bloody great apartment that was big enough for a medium sized family to share, to move in with the girlyfriend in an altogether more sensible place just down the road. That momentous, for me at least, step took place towards the end of December 2008 and, whilst I don't regret for a single second the decision to co-habit, Santa Pola will always be a very special place for me, one that I miss a lot and love returning to. My present home, the city of Elche with it's population of about 230,000 people - at least 80% of whom are complete ignoramuses - only has a couple of redeeming features. A Segunda 'A' football club and all the roads leading away from it!! Still, it's home for the moment and I'll make do until such time as something better turns up. Safe to say though my long term future probably involves a small coastal town about fifteen or so kilometres away.
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Loads of Spanish kids want to as well |
In the middle of a financial crisis that that cross-eyed jock Gordon Brown did precisely nothing to head off, Spain has fared fairly badly, Greece and Ireland aside, Iberia per se has been one of the most badly hit in Europe and only the stoicism and positivity of it's people has prevented far worse trading conditions for a great number of businesses. Against this economic background trying to flog advertising space to firms who simply don`t have the money has, at times, been like pissing into the wind, something of a futile pursuit. Through necessity and in common with some of the better run local enterprises, yours truly has had to adapt to survive. Step forward then El nativo Inglés, (the native Englishman). People who weren't born in Spain but who have a passing acquaintance with the mother tongue together with their own language are very much in demand these days. This has been kind of where I came in, putting into practice a half decent 'O' Level pass with the ability to make teaching English to young foreigners a good laugh. I won't ever end up rich but in future years loads of young Spanish kids will doubtless do so because they paid attention when little old me put my mouth where their parents money was.
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November 2006 started the whole process |
That was then and this is now, and, at the time of writing almost five years has elapsed since I first arrived in Spain as something of a reluctant new arrival unsure of what to expect and whether I even wanted to be here anyway. These days the Spanish is more than passable, (although I´ve found it distinctly advantageous not to let on I know considerably more than people realise), and I'm in the swing of things pretty nicely cheers very much. It´'s been quite a journey, which, with luck still has a way to go but I haven´t got the foggiest idea in which direction I'll be headed. The problem is five years is a big old chunk of time, and, as Axl Rose once wrote "nothin' last forever and we both know hearts can change" Wait and see what happens next, rule nothing out and above all don't be surprised.
In the beginning Being a Brit abroad was indescribably painful, what followed thereafter was frustrating at times and at others, an unbelievable experience I wouldn't have changed for anything.
