It is beginning to feel like that end of term feeling I remember from my school years. We are counting down the days to the 22nd June when Spanish school ends. Daily I add things to a growing list of things we will do when its holidays…from “doing an art course” to catching up on “my blogging ” to ” going to a new beach each week”. In reality I feel we might do nothing for the first weeks, but what the hell it is 3 months of holidays!.

Talking about Spanish class; we have both felt at times quite despondent. For me it’s the fact that I seem to understand most times what is being said, but for the life of me I cannot answer back quickly and get all tongue tied trying to think the answer before saying. Then afterwards I go back over the conversation and kick myself, I knew exactly how to say in Spanish , why do I go blank? And for Chris it’s the feeling he can’t indulge his natural curiosity (aka Nosiness) of asking lots of questions of people and finding out about them. So I think it must be natural when learning a new language and settling into new country that you have weeks of uncertainty and questioning oneself. At times I feel down and Chris picks me up and then its his turn and I tell him how amazed I am that he can now answer the phone, order at the market, butcher, frutería & farmacia and is on greeting terms with the local grocery shop assistants, the pharmacist & neighbours.

• 

• 

• 

Things to tick off on this adventure: we negotiated our way through a doctors visit at the public health centre, ( ok our new GP speaks a bit of English but still!), we arranged appointments for blood tests, visit the nurse and both of us have now had the first jab of the vaccine. Chris was a drive through and mine a walk through.

The terrace is looking so lovely and we really hoping to share to use it a lot if we have all those friends over. We invited our friends ( P & K plus kids , our only friends )to a roof wetting to celebrate. Of course we chose the only day it was cold and miserable but it was ok and they seemed to have fun. Chris is really enjoying the gardening and I must give him credit the patio and terrace gardens are really looking good. We have a lovely summery feeling in the town, things are definitely gearing up for summer season, and the atmosphere is wonderful.

PS: Things we love about Spain: you cannot miss that it’s summer as every shop is selling beach chairs. And the rundown wreck of a restaurant/bar that looked like it was closed for the past 5 years is suddenly ( and I mean from one day to the next) open and full of people.PSS: I painted the room the new yellow, will post a pic sometime, but for now I am keeping quiet as Chris accuses me of making the room smaller!

OH PSSSSS: Nearly forgot to share this with you, we went to on an outing with our Spanish class this past week, and our lovely teacher invited us to see her home…we are surprised at how many people living in the town of Ayamonte have a beach house – and I mean literally 5 min down the road. I mean it’s like living in Vredehoek and having a beach house in Sea Point…