One week in…

Here’s a blog from Rebecca, it will give you an update on our latest exploits in Spain.  Expect to see a lot from Rebecca here, until I get a blog of her own set up.

So we have now been here just over a week, we are registered ( at least the kids and I, Dave will take longer as he is not an EU citizen), we are waiting to hear about an apartment and we have the paperwork for the girls school.  So it has been such a productive time so far.

We are learning to adapt to so many changes:

• The cold! We ignorantly thought that it would be warm so we left the kids coats in America.  It is so cold here,and the houses don’t have heating,so you can see your breath as you eat your dinner with your scarf and ninelayersof clothing on.

• The pipes are too small,so you cannot flush your toilet roll down the toilet!  This has been a huge thing, especially for the girls to remember.  I have to say,I dread going to the loo,it just grosses me out so much,but we will adapt……

• There are no tumble dryers here,so  after you wash your clothes in the washer ( which holds about 1/4 the amount of an American one) which takes 2 hours per load, you hang it on lines and wait about 4 days for it to dry. Seriously, we came dangerously close to no clean underwear.  I have now found a system that will work…little and often.

BUT, it is good for us, and it makes us appreciate all the little  things…..hot cups of tea and fresh bread. Life is good!!!

I also went  to the grocery store and ordered ‘eyes’ instead of garlic, ojos instead of ajos :o)

but the store keepers are very graceful and help me out. As long as I keep trying, they keep teaching me.   I carry a small notebook around to write down new words and sentences, so in just a week, I have learnt so much more than I anticipated.

So hopefully, this week we can finalise an apartment, and get the girls in their classes.

We will also start getting the school ready for students, which means a terribly arduous task of going to IKEA for bedding etc. (it is hard actually, as I will be gazing longingly at stuff that I would love to put in my apartment!!)    The school has no money for these things yet,so if you feel like it,  you can buy some, I will make a “donated by….” sticker for above the beds :o)

I will keep you updated, and let you know all my faux pars….I’m sure there will be plenty.

Bec