Preparing Christmas

In these days of consumism, higher prices, hypercaloric diets, company dinners, special TV programmes or animated streets with lights and Christmas carols, I am still looking a job and purchasing (well, more thinking than purchasing) some gifts. I’m spending time doing nothing interesting (several job interviews) but well, that’s the life of the unemployed: mostly boring.

The best side of this situation is that I’ve got time reading and sailing internet. I like searching for videos in “You tube” or "Google Beta", pages that I knew but I didn’t have enough time to investigate. It’s amazing to see videos of places you know or short videos from TV or radio about a particular subject. That permits me enjoying short videos from TV programmes while I was in Ireland. But, I would really like to finish this situation as soon as possible.

Little Britain!

Insofar as there is some lack of patience. Now it’s a bad moment until next year so I will resign to this situation. That’s it and I can’t change it. Now it’s difficult despite I have been so near to be hire in several times (there’s always someone who doesn’t like my CV, probably my age or my lack of experience). That could be more frustrating because there was a small detail that doesn’t permit me getting the job, so I am constantly changing and polishing my CV. I didn’t think in the first moment it was going to be such difficult. And it’s so irritating when job offers change when you are in the interview: wage conditions, skill requirements, working place or real tasks. I don’t like to waste time but you’re the weaker part of the deal.

Anyway, I am sure this situation is occasional, because in one of the interviews I’ll get the job. It’s a question of time and patience.

See you soon,

Elgaine de Balliers

A boring life.

Sometimes I feel it was a mistake arriving in October. I’ve done some job interviews but none of them has been successful. They were apparently satisfied with my CV but then I haven’t received any answer. Hard luck? Who knows but I think I arrived so late.

Now I spend my time watching TV (well, mostly films on DVD because the Spanish TV is really disgusting), using internet, reading or doing really nothing interesting. It’s a pity to be unemployed, not only for money but dullness. I’m a bit desperate (or even little anxious), that’s the thing, so in the medium-term I’ll have to take other kind of jobs if nothing changes. However, I hope I will find something interesting in this time. I must be enough patience to wait a bad job. The good part is: I’m enjoying a full relaxed situation (I’m a complete lazy boy).



On purpose, I’m thinking in leave the blog “on pause” for some days (probably weeks). In the long run, I don’t have so many things to write and it’s really useless for us writing like this one (on the whole, unimportant affairs). As soon as I’ve got news, I will write them here so as to I must say good bye for a while.

Greetings,

Elgaine de Balliers.

The second summer.

These days are being my second summer, because the temperature is very similar to the Irish Summer (well, I don’t want to mean these rainy days but the sunny ones). I am enjoying them as much as I can (although today’s raining again).

Related to me, not so much changes: I am looking for a job (basically) but not somehow or other. I am selecting the job offers and well, I did three interviews, the last one in Cortefiel (it could be promising and interesting). Off hand, this is by far the most interesting but I don’t want to create a false expectative, because in the long run, there are a lot skilled people in the labour market trying to get a job. I hope that sooner or later, I will get a job but so far it’s being more difficult than I expected in a first moment. And so long as I was looking for it, I’m trying not to forget my English. Next week I start the course in conversation classes. They told me Peter is going to prepare me to the First Certificate Exam.

I spend my time studying English and, off hand on, reviewing my knowledge in foreign trade. At any rate, I need to refresh it. And it could be possible I start another course in Foreign Trade, paid by Inem, here in Móstoles. It can be boring to study again the same, but on the whole, it can be interesting to review knowledge and its job possibilities.

Well, as I wrote in the last post, I want to be brief, so I finish it here. I want only to say I would like to create a conversation club or group, so if you’re interested we can talk about.

Greetings for everyone,

Elgaine de Balliers.

From Dublin to Madrid.

Are you ready for a long post? It could be worthy.

My exit from Ireland was difficult. I had finished in my job on Sunday 8th. I was very happy to finish but I had to arrange all my things in only two days. My boss was out in his honeymoon in Africa and I didn’t know when he was going to arrive. In the other hand, I had arranged to sell the bike to the Catalonian brothers (Juan and Nino) on Monday at noon. I went to the bank to close my account but that day they had to update the computer system so they closed early. It was annoyed to see the bank closed but the worst was to hear that the brothers didn’t have money in that moment. Well, I was suspicious about this but it was the less important problem that I had. Finally, I couldn’t do anything more. Next day, I had to do anything. It was my last day with enough time to put in order everything. First, I went to the job and I was waiting for Cillian for two hours. Then, I decided to go to close my bank account. It was very bureaucratic but I could to get my money (in liquid because I couldn’t do the transfer because they paid a lot of data that I didn’t have in that moment). I went back to the petrol station with Pedro (we met in the bank) and we had to wait 45 minutes more while my boss was arriving. Finally I could get the money and the P-45 (very important document). With this document we went to the O’Connell Office to obtain the E-301 but the problem was that they didn’t give this document. They said to me to go the Welfare Office where I got the PPS number (social security number). There, in Ballyfermot (near Palmerstown), they only said to me that I had to get the E-301 in Spain, so in that moment I wanted to kill anybody (I was very angry because I had had a lot of problems to get my money in the bank, in my job and the E-301). Well, we (and particularly me) were tired and we thought in have lunch anywhere, but when we saw the people in Ballyfermot we thought it would be better to go out of there and we took the first bus from there to Palmerstown. And the funniest was that we finished having lunch in a Bowling Alley, very close to my first Irish house, in the Moriarty Mall. Then, we went to the Liffey Valley Shopping Center. I said to Pedro bye and I went to the house. They prepared a special dinner for me and they gave a special present: a beautiful knife from Provence (una navaja francesa muy bonita de la Provenza) and a sack of Lempsis (from my last cough). It was a very kind detail. The next day I said good bye to everybody and Agnés brought me to the airport. I said goodbye to Ireland (un hasta luego pero no un adiós).



It could be funny but in the first moments in Spain I was saying things in English, subconscious but important expressions like “sorry” or “thanks”. I continued like that for two o three days more, but it occurred when the Spanish visitors were in the house: I said things in English in the middle of a phrase. I think it could be normal because I have been living five months in a foreign country without Spanish speakers.

Well, I am going to sum these days up. I arrived in the evening and I found big traffic jams like in Ireland but there were two main reasons: it was the day before to “Constitution Bridge” (a “bridge” is a small vacation in Spain) and masses of people went out of Madrid, and the other reason was, of course, the public works in Madrid. When I reached my home, I was having fabulous dinner with my family.

The next day I went to Salamanca to meet with my LOVE. I spent two days in this fantastic city, trying to recover the lost time. We went to the cinema, to restaurants, to bars, to pubs but perhaps the best was the German Beer Festival near the Roman Bridge. Big and good beers, sausages, German salads but not Choucrout (the waiter didn’t know it). I had only one beer, but what a beer! It was good but a bit expensive.

Saturday morning I went to the south, to Extremadura (in the centre-south of Spain). My cousin was going to get married. I arrived in the afternoon and it was a tired travel (five hours in a coach). I hadn’t been there for eight or more years. I had never met with some of my cousins. The wedding was ok, but I was a bit tired and I wanted to go to the bed earlier than the rest.

And about last week, I used it for arrange papers here, do two job interviews, meet with Gloria and get my Master Diploma. Not so much, but I needed to rest. And this week, more of the same (to rest).

Well, I think it’s going to be difficult to find the correct job but I am going to give me time about it. I am going to try to get an interesting job according to my skills and qualifications but if I will not be able, never mind. I’ll say to myself: you tried it.

I hope you’re not bored with this long text. It could be bored or perhaps it has got a lot of unimportant details. I promise the next will be short.

See you soon readers,

Elgaine de Balliers.

Spanish visitors.

I couldn’t write last week because I was very busy and the main reason is the title.

Enrique (one of them) was living in the house, working as kitchen porter (as many other) while he was improving his English. He was almost four months and then he returned to Spain but he has been maintaining the contact with the family. So, he came back but not alone. Antonio was a fellow from Enrique’s village, Valenzuela de Calatrava (Ciudad Real, Spain) but he didn’t say anything about to bring a friend.

Anyway, I enjoyed so much with the meals they prepared: caldereta, chorizo, lomo, pisto, manchego cheese, wines from Valdepeñas, … (what can I say more of this?). And they were good guys: I went with them to visit Dublin (for example the Jameson Distillery) and to do shopping in Penneys or Carroll’s (gift shops). Summing up: good people!

In the other hand, I have some incidents with the “natives” (it could be the best word for this people). Last Sunday I went to see the Ryder with David and the porter didn’t want me to go into. The “reasons”: I wore sport shoes (stupid reason when almost everybody wore them inside). So I phoned David who was inside and with him I could enter. I have never felt the racism such strong and it was quite humiliating. David didn’t believe what I was telling by phone. But besides, yesterday, I went to do some shopping and to go for a walk with Pedro (the boy from Barcelona) and his two Italian girlfriends, and when we had diner the waitress asked for the ID cards!!! How can a person be so stupid to require the ID to a people with 30, 27 and 21! Some times I don’t understand this country. And the worst is when you meet with scumbags (marginal Irish people) overcome by the foreigners. They speak a unshaped English, very difficult to understand, their level of studies are very low (or less than the minimum) and a lot of times they don’t have job because they can’t compete with the foreigners, more skilled and motivated. So, when you meet with them, they often show their anger with sights or comments. Some times it’s not easy to live like an emigrant.

And finally, I can only say that I am counting the days for my back. My experience here, in this controversial country, has been interesting and I have learned a lot of things, not only English. I think, in general and getting the balance, that I can’t regret of my decision absolutely and it’s going to be very positive in my future but I had some sour experiences (well, it hasn’t got anything of particular because I could suffer another ones in Spain). I will have to improve my English more, polishing it, but now I think I can defend myself with my current level in a job or travelling. Just I arrive to Spain, I want to join a course up to get the First Certificate and I want to start another language but I don’t know which one: French, Italian or Portuguese. In any case, these plans are for the next future and my actual concern is to close this chapter of my life starting a new and hopeful one.

Well, I hope see you soon. Cheerio!

Elgaine de Balliers.

Disrespectful behaviours.

What can I say about my Italian “neighbours”? This couple seemed strange (very filthy clothes) and conflictive (when we saw Fulvio’s face) but now we can say they are so cheeky. They have been taking food from the kitchen but they don’t pay anything for it. And even Cristiano has asked for money (instead of pay their rent). I am surprise and indignant with them because these behaviours are unacceptable. And yesterday, Michael (the father) was very angry with Fulvio because he broke two salt cellars and he left them broken in the table after they cooked something without saying anything about. He said to them a short but strong speech about respect and attitude and it surprised me because I have never seen him like that (and he’s very tall and strong and black belt in karate).

I don’t understand Fulvio’s attitude. He doesn’t have job because he doesn’t speak any word of English. And it’s very funny when he gave a CV for the Petrol Station and I read in the part of languages: “Italian fluently (mother language)”. I am not going to say anything more about his curriculum but, how does the employer hire him with these kind of nonsense? He wanted to save some money to go to Brasil and open some kind of bar or restaurant but the reality is that he will have to return to Italy if he doesn’t find a job here in the next week (like our friend Jesús, who was fired and he had to return to Spain).

Well and in the other hand, everything is ok in the job. Angel, a Chinese girl, who had a baby, has started to work again. It was a surprise. And yesterday it was so funny when I went to the supermarket because in the door I asked for a shopping car and the person that answered me was Spanish. We started to speak and so on, and when he explained me that he had a job interview in a Petrol Station I understood everything: he’s going to be my replacement. Pedro, from Barcelona, seemed nice and he told me that he wanted to stay 5 months (like me). I explained some things about the job, the neighbourhood (he live not so far from my house), Ireland, public transport, supermarkets… but I had to sum it up so much. He’ll have luck because I’ll learn it everything in Spanish, so it’s a big help in the first days. But he’s going to support the worst part of the Irish weather (a lot of rains, cold, wind…) and Mohammed (a Pakistani workmate) told me that the winter here is horrible.

And finally, I would want to write anything about the Temple Bar. The pubs in this neighbourhood of Dublin are very nice, with live music, a lot of people from a lot of countries (now mainly Spanish and Italian people) and a huge variety of beers. I can’t go so much but it’s likely the best attractive of Dublin, even The Penny Hill, next to my house, it’s a big and nice pub but it’s a normal pub for normal people where you can find the normal beers that normal people drinks, pub food, and where you can see matches of hurling, Gaelic football, rugby or soccer and on Sundays, a little orchestra plays music (this reminds me Benidorm or boring places for “guiris”).

Well, I’ll see you soon here, in Elgaine de Balliers.

In these days.

In these days I couldn’t read or write anything. I have been working six days per week and now I’m recovering from a good cold. Money is nice but health is more important (and even more important is love, isn’t it?). And I didn’t know anything about the problems in Elgaine (fans, I am sorry about that… hahahaha).

In these days we have a “boy” 35 years old from Malaga. Jesús (a blasphemy name for the Irish people) arrived to the house on Saturday (from another house) and he went to the city centre (to a hostel) on Tuesday. Only four days but what four days. Why? He was a very special person and I don’t want to say anything more because he can appears in my dreams and kill me (do you know what I mean?). He had three suitcases and it was very suspicious for me in the first moment but well, there are people that likes have enough clothes for all occasions. But the next strange thing was that he had more than twenty soccer T-shirts (he was a supporter of Malaga and had sympathy for Barça). Next strange: his favourite genders were philosophy (well, pseudo-philosophy), meditation (he needed more books of this subject) and esotericism (the first thing that he answered me when I told him that I was in San Francisco was that I had been in the Church of Satan). Well, these first clues put us in alarm. And besides, he had a knife (and he wasn’t so skilled with timber to make wooden sculptures of Buda). The children were afraid of him (and me too, of course). Next strange thing: he had dinner with pink sunglasses (oh my God, this was worse than the knife). Next strange thing: it was pouring a lot rain and he wanted to do jogging. He told me that he was doing time series of 18 minutes each but it was so funny when Juju told us that she was spying him from her bedroom and that he was only running in from of the house. When he appeared in the kitchen I told him that I couldn’t run like him and that I could only run 1 minute and 17 walking and we couldn’t almost resist laughing). And the last funny thing was when he started to play his harmonica (he could play like me, I mean, nothing coherent). Well, I was trying to avoid him during the weekend but it wasn’t easy. But the inflexion point of the story came on Monday. He had the job interview in Intel for kitchen porter at 7 o’clock. He got a cab but the driver understood Imbel instead of Intel and he went to another place very far. It was hard luck because when he arrived to Intel, they didn’t know anything and he lost the job. He came back to the house, he was crying like a baby. I could understand him, because he was alone and he told us that he hadn’t more money. That was embarrassing for us but Séan Kavanagh got another interview for him (that was the good new of the day). That day I went to Porter House with Agnés, Goshia and him. We were listening good live music (and the singer was very skilled with harmonicas) and drinking strange beers from the World, and I tried to speak to him about his critical situation. It was impossible to establish an intelligible conversation, to but he knew that I was right (it was elemental, my dear Jesús). Next day, he went to the job interview with Séan and finally he got the job as kitchen porter in the Architecture School Cafeteria but he had to move to the city centre (well, that was agreed among the family and Séan, because we didn’t feel safe with him). The last day told us more things about his life, his family, his life targets … I felt a bit bad because he needed help and perhaps I didn’t do enough for him (we gave him the meals and indications but not money). The last day I found a suspicious small piece of paper when he used the shower. I was scaring but when I told it to Agnés, she started laughing because it was made by Juju (she likes to do a lot of things to play with). But the real thing is that Agnés asked him about drugs and he answered that he took drugs (the last time was a month ago) and we suspected that he smoked hash in his bedroom, because there was an intolerable smell of incense.

The same day in the late night two guys from Italy appeared to install in the room. I didn’t see them this night but the next day in the morning, when I went down to the kitchen to have breakfast, Agnés said to me that they hadn’t good looking. They had filthy clothes and one of them had injuries in the face. He told Agnés that he had a car accident (oh yes!) but it seemed from a fight. One of them, Cristiano, speaks English but the other (Fulbio) speaks Italian and Portuguese (not so much useful here). The next day they went to the job interview for kitchen porter but they didn’t obtain the job. In the next chance, Cristiano obtained it but not Fulbio (I think because his suspicious aspect). Anyway, they only sleep in the house because they know Italian people in the city centre, so we’re happy because they scare to the children, particularly to Juju. We think that they will go to the city centre in few weeks so it is possible that more people can arrive to the house.

That is very funny because I was going to be the next person in sign in the Black Book. The Black Book is not an esoteric or politic book. They call Black Book because it’s black and it’s the book where appear the people that has lived in the house. They write briefly their experiences here (in Ireland and in the house) or in some cases, Agnés did for them. She takes photographs and sticks them in it. Now we are 46 people or something like that in ten years, and there are a lot Spanish people from a lot of places (Ciudad Real, Barcelona, Madrid, Calahorra, Basque Country ...) but a lot of people from other countries.

Well, it was long but it was worth it, wasn’t it?

See you soon,

Elgaine.

PS: sorry for my English.

Hasta los mismísimos.

Recupero el castellano para escribir de nuevo. El caso es que el titulo es representativo de lo me esta ocurriendo ahora, ya que me esta tocando trabajar 6 dias por semana y estoy un poco cansado. Ademas ahora si que no hablo con nadie en castellano para aliviar esa necesidad (bueno, solo por telefono) y aunque es positivo para mi evolucion, echo en falta conversacion en mi propia lengua.

Por lo demas, todo bien. La familia regreso de Francia no sin problemas de retrasos en los vuelos, y todo vuelve poco a poco a la normalidad. El tiempo vuelve a ponerse inestable y por las mañanas hace un frio que pela (para ser agosto, quiero decir), aunque no se que temperatura puede ser. Ayer, cuando fui al Penny Hill Pub con David, vi el primer fiasco del Real Madrid, cuando despues del partido de futbol gaelico pusieron un rato el partido contra el Villarreal, aunque me alegre por Alonso y Martinez de la Rosa. Pero me fastidia mucho que no pongan ninguna imagen del Mundobasket (solo puedo leerlo en internet y ver algun resumen en Euronews).

Bueno, espero que todo vaya bien por ahi. Pronto volvere.

Saludos,

Elgaine.

Sissie is going to move.

The Spanish guy that lives in my former room is going to escape from that Colditz Prison called “94 The Coppice”. Well, the main problem is his real intentions with one of the daughters (the famous sexual mirage). I told to him about the probably consequences but he didn’t listen me. Now, the two brothers don’t speak him, the other daughter shot killing sights and the parents don’t want him in the sitting room when they’re watching TV (and drinking a glass of vodka). Yesterday, following my advice, he called to Séan, the agency coordinator and he said that he’s going to search another room. I could only say him: good luck and prepare your arse!

By the way, yesterday evening I met with two Spanish guys, one from Catalonia (it’s Spain for now) and the other from Seville. We spoke about life here and it was curious because we live very near one from the others. And the catalan’s story was very similar to mine (he studied a master but he obtained a bad company work practices), but he’s going to stay here one year (this is time for acquire a good level). I cannot stay here more than 6 or 7 months, so I hope this time is enough. But I need to improve it more so I will try to do my best in this period.

So well, I will write about the next events of Sissie.

See you.

Elgaine.

Alone in the house

Today and for the next two weeks, I'm gonna stay alone in the house. The family is in France, the couple of the upper apartment is in Chech Republic and Jaime and his friend has gone to Spain.

Well, I hope Anamer come here soon but I will try to watch TV and read for now (spending these lonely days).

By the way, yesterday I was doing shopping in Dublin with the other spanish guy, but I realized he's totally stupid. He's not got friends or anything similar but he doesn't want to socialize with anybody. And he's got a sexual fantasy about one of the Frank's sisters. So, I couldn't stand more with him.

Now I'm thinking about English classes in the last part of my stance here in Ireland, but I think it'll be not necessary at this stage so I'll try to study for myself.

Have a nice day and we'll see us soon.

Elgaine

Watching TV

This is our main hobby here, when we don't work. In the house, they've NTL and there more than 100 TV channels (but the only channel in Spanish is Euronews that is our only information source on TV about Spain).

We spend a lot time watching "The Simpsons", "Friends", "Malcolm in the Middle", "Prison Break", "Cribs", "Pimp my ride", or the Bam Margera Show. And we see a lot of DVDs from the Library or Videoclub.

Last Tuesday we went to go for a walk to Dublin and we visit Phoenix Park (the biggest of Europe), Trinity College (but we don't see the Book of Kells because it was very expensive), St Patrick Cathedral and Grafton St, when we did some shopping. There were a lot of people (a lot Spanish young people), people looking for a job and tourists.

And well, Jaime is going to Galway this weekend with his friend and I will be almost alone in the house. It'll a very quiet weekend.

See you soon.

Elgaine

55 days in Dublin (but this is not China).

In fact, I have been here for more, but I liked the title (hahaha). In other ways, I cannot say a lot from the last post. There are some changes in the job because some workmates leave Ireland or simply the job to take another better. I would want to change it but I am not to stay here for more than 6 months and it doesn’t worth to change to stay one or two months in another job.

Related to my home life, now we (Jaime and me) are cooking our own food and well, the meals have changed a lot because we put the Spanish touch in each plate (although we’re a horrible “chefs”) and we’re often eating huge beef steaks (600 gr each) in our way (very rare). We’ve got the house for us because the “landlady” is now on holidays with her sister and our landlord is taking advantage this situation (do u know what I mean fella? --> I’m improving my slang too seeing films like “The Barber Shop” or “Dirty”). Well, we are missing the children in some way but we are enjoying this situation.

And finally, I knew a new Spanish boy that now is living in my former accommodation. His name is Antonio and he’s 22. He’s a real bookworm but he’s not lively in absolute so Liz asked me for help him, because he hasn’t got job. I went with him to the Welfare Office to obtain the PPS number and I said him some guidelines about to do job interviews. But he wanted more from me: he wants me to use me like a guide dog to purchase things and so (es decir, que le das la mano para ayudar y te cogen el pie). In any case, I said no way. I understand that it’s difficult to start here because you’re a mere foreigner (like Polish, Estonian or Italian people) but part of the life here is that: you must overcome the obstacles.

Well, now you have a new episode of Elgaine de Balliers, living a quietly experience in Ireland, the land of the beef and beer, the pubs and churches, and the any time tea.

I’ll see you later.

Good man yourself!

It’s a simple and extended expression to say good work or thanks, here in Ireland. Firstly, I thought it was a funny expression to seem stupid, but it is really used in a serious way.

In other ways, I can’t write anything new or relevant. I watch matches on TV , some films and soup operas, and read books and magazines in English and Spanish. I want to finish “The Historian” (E. Kostova) in order to start another book (the second part of “The Stone Shelters”, “The Valley of the Horses”) that I had started in Spain before. In the work, the same routine and I don’t go out because Jaime (the other housemate) and I haven’t got the compatible timetables (and I don’t want to go out alone because it’s a bit dangerous if you meet drunken-aggressive people).

Yesterday, we had a visit of a former housemate. Anna, from Germany, speaks English, French and Italian fluently (and German, of course), and she has returned to visit Agnes and Michael (the owners) and to see the enormous changes occurred during these years. Then, she will travel to Cork (a important city in the South) to meet with a German friend.

Well, I’m waiting e-letters and more comments (thanks to Anastasia, Loco and Dora). Today I’m going to do (or to try or to die trying) a Spanish Omelette (o sea, una tortilla de patatas con cebolla) for the match. Agnes is French and cooks decently (with olive oil!) but a Spanish Omelette is an Asiatic luxury in this Gastronomic Desert.

See you in a next post!

Elgaine de Balliers

No more sighs from Ireland!

Almost a month in this country, but ... I don't know what is wrong. I have some problems to understand yet, but some times the worst is to express myself (how to say thing when you think in spanish).

Last Sunday was my birthday (I’m thirty, by God) and I went to Dublin for a walk. It was very sunny and even hot at noon, and I walked the both parts of the city. The Liffey river divides the city in two parts, one is very British (a lot of people says that isn't Ireland) and the other is more popular and Irish. Well, in the British one is the Trinity College, Grafton St (like Serrano St in Madrid), Saint Stephen Park (similar to Retiro), Christchurch (anglican), the Parliament and other interesting places like Temple Bar). In the other shore, there are a lot of shops in Henry St or O’Connell St, and some monuments two, like Four Courts.

Well, while I was walking, near to the tourist centre, I found a Spanish restaurant and do you know what is its name? Curiously, its name is Salamanca (life‘s causalities or not?) and they have a lot of typical Spanish plates and “tapas“ like Paella or Stew of Madrid. I was also in a second hand library but I didn’t find anything interesting.

In other ways, I’m fine in my job and I’m just moving to Lucan, nearer to my job. The tips are good some days and very helpful. I think it will be better in some ways (the room is bigger and food taster, I hope). The worst or the best is that I’m going to live with another Spanish, Jaime (he’s from Calahorra). He works with me in the Petrol Station in Lucan, and I treat to not speaking with him in Spanish, but some times I do it unconsciously.

And well, I’m adapting to this place and I’m trying to start new activities, like English classes.

Finally, I send you greetings from here, so cheerio!

Sighs from Ireland!

Hello everybody!

How is life in Spain, Europe or Latin America? I arrived last week on Tuesday (10th) in the evening. Sean (SK Dublin agent) was waiting for me in the International Airport and he brought to the family, in a Residential neighborhood in Palmerstown, in South Dublin. Everything is typical with those semidetached houses with its gardens.

The family is kind. They're a couple in their fifties with their two daughters, two sons and two dogs. They're normal people, but here people live very well (the second top life level after Luxemburg). And there are a lot of emigrants, overall from East Europe.

And I'm working in a Petrol Station as Fourcourt Attendand, so this is a boy for every kind of tasks. My companions of work are from several countries (Poland, Estonia, Pakistan, India, ... and of course, from Ireland) and two are from Spain too.

I have been twice in Dublin, doing purchases and going for a walk. I saw Trinity College, Thomas St, Grafton St, St Stephen Park, Christ Church, Four Courts, and anything else, but Dublin is not too big.

Well, the worst part of this adventure is, as you know, the food. The family give me the breakfast and the dinner. The breakfast is good but the dinner... I though that I liked all kind of food but...

That's all for the moment. I will write sooner.

Cheerio!

Easy going fellow!!

Firstly, I’m so sorry about the quasi-abandon of Elgaine de Balliers. It has been a period of changes, mainly related to job. Now I work doing the invoices and the warehouse control for a cable importer (and other administrative tasks). The starting is being hard because there is a lot of delayed work. Besides, the business is still growing and it has more contracts. Definitely, I was so busy and quite stressed, but I have defeated my initial fears.

In other ways, since last post, I have to mention the concert of Depeche Mode on February 7^th and Anastasia’s birthday. They are doubtless the highlights of the mouth.

I went with my friend Precioso. The concert was amazing and surprisingly, DM is fit (at their age). Most of people were on the thirties (mainly old ones) but we enjoyed so much with songs like “Master and servants” or “Enjoy the silence” (maybe my favourite). I had never thought in this moment since we bought the tickets.

And referring to the birthday, we went to well-known restaurant in the outskirts of Salamanca, “El tostón de oro”. Anastasia’s sirloin was so good, but my roasted piglet (tostón in Salamanca) was like gum (the skin), it seemed reheated. That was my deception. Eating a good roasting piglet is a lottery, so the next time I won’t order it in a non-known restaurant. We wanted to do other activities, but the bad weather hindered us (so windy).

Well, and today I have another celebration (my brother’s birthday) and I am also going to meet with my Master’s friend Bear. We have to think in a wedding gift for our Master’s friend Pepelu (suggestions are welcome). They will marry on Easter, so we have to hurry, in Tijuana.

I hope to write more than nowadays, but I have little time to spend on this page, although it is a writing exercise for me (in my fighting for improving my English).

Summing up: have a nice weekend!

Cheerio!

First post of 2006.

How much time without writing!!!

Well, first of all I want you to wish the New Year even though today’s Friday 13^th. Do you have new objectives for 2006? If you used to read the weblog you should to know what’s mine. But it’s not the only one: I have to improve and refine my level of English (principal), to obtain a better job (in my sector), to maintain the contact with my old friends or to put off weigh (less food and beverage, but better).

Perhaps you have yours and we say a lot of things starting the year. This year can be a good year and everything can be reached with effort and some sacrifice. Step by step, day by day.

In other ways, I met a lot people in few time. But the most remarkable ones were Carolina (well-admired by Tomi, Luis or Gloria) and Nieves. Carolina is working in a Lawyer’s bureau and she looked very elegant as a married woman. On the other hand, Nieves is employee in a bank (Barclays Bank) but she’s exactly as I remembered her. She answered me for Oscar (Alcorcon’s) and I could only say her nothing interesting (the last news, from him, were in May and he looked some annoyed with some or everyone).

But well, where were my former university colleagues? I don’t know anything about anybody (except Tomi and Isra) since last meeting.

I don’t want to be nostalgic (it's not my intention!!) but Time pass crazier and crazier, and when we realize it … you’re lost.

Cheerio!