That Time of the Year

It's that time of year again. That time when people looking for summer teaching positions apply for jobs. And those looking for teaching positions for the next school year as well. This means that my last week has been full of applications, cover letters, resumes, reference letters, an interview, scheduling more interviews and all things a working soon to be non-working-but-wants-to-keep- working-in-a-foreign-country adult must do. Frequently. According to my national ID card, my visa expires May 31, the same day my job ends. This creates a special kind of issue, and applies a lot of pressure to my current situation. I am hoping to find a job at an English summer camp, ideally somewhere in Europe. I therefore would need a visa to do so, and would have to get it in Madrid. If I am chosen to work in Spain next year as well, I will need to be somewhere with a Spanish Embassy that is willing to process a visa for an American (last summer I had the problem where only the San Fransisco office would process my visa, because it was my 'local' embassy). Needless to say, this has led to a bit of frustration looking for positions, even just a short term summer position. It is more likely that an English citizen would be offered a job than myself, because there is no paperwork involved as they hold an EU passport.

This led to the idea that perhaps I could get a position outside the EU, ie Turkey. The responses to my emails, however, have been less comforting. Misspelled, grammatically incorrect response from places that supposedly teach English, asking only when I can start and can they have my picture, have left me thinking that maybe I won't be working there this summer (or if I was it doesn't really seem like it would be the kind of job where I could gain experience teaching English...). I am not giving up on the idea of searching, but am putting most of my effort into trying to find a place in the EU willing to help with a visa.

Work this week was really laid back, I did a lot of practice with the students on really basic points, and noticed that it is something I will have to do more. Yikes. The students continue to be incredibly wonderful, and incredibly Spanish (though I as I have been informed many times, Galician is the proper word). I have been continuing with my private lessons, doing a language exchange a couple of times a week, and looking forward to traveling again soon. Just a couple of weeks until I am in Budapest, and then a few more until I get to be with my parents in Spain and Ireland. I am itching for these trips to be here already.

Notable occurrences of this week:

1. I went to fill a RX that I have from the USA, but didn't have my RX with me. I went simply to ask how to get a RX faxed over, the pharmasist said: 'If you say you have a prescription, I believe you. How much do you want?' WHAT?!
2. I broke umbrella number 7 (though not really a 'favorite' of the week, it's worth noting)
3. The grocery store by my flat will no longer be closing for siestas, but they continue to stay closed on Sunday's
4. I found a place that actually serves food during the hours of bar hopping. It's in a woman's house, and she makes sandwiches at the pace of a snail, starting at 3am. Yum.

I am looking at another week just like the last, and that's perfect. Applying for jobs gives me a sense of completion and forces me to be proactive, two things that haven't happened often since moving to Spain. As illustrated by these photos.

 Me, Ángel, Giorgia, Francesca

Giorgia, Ángel, Francesca, Giuly