Friday 29th September

I got up and got in a taxi with Mum and Dad to Telde. We had breakfast in a café next to our usual haunt and then parted ways. They went off to see the caves in the middle of the island and I headed to the bank to pay in some Euros. The queues were huge first thing in the morning so I popped onto the internet after another worrying text from Rob and decided to go to the bank again after I’d been to school. I got to school in perfect time and found Toni and another English teacher straight away. We went to the English staff-room, which is joined with maths and all sat down. I was offered tea or coffee and we all began. There are 6 English teachers and I know 3 of their names for sure. Rita, Toni and Angel. Angel is the only male teacher. He lives in the south of the island. The other 3 are all women, 2 slightly older than the other but all with families. We discussed my options for accommodation. They hadn’t heard anything back from the fax they had sent out so either I had to ask around places like Playa de Melenara for winter flats that were free or I had to look into the 350 a month flat I had found in La Herradura (alone) or I had to live in Las Palmas with students or something. This sounded so far away and impossible to me that I just didn’t know what to do. So we tried to sort out a timetable. Which was also pretty impossible as I didn’t know where I was going to be coming to school from so wasn’t sure how early each day to start. We decided to rule out 8am lessons so my school days go from 9-2. I have a maximum of 3 hrs a day and Mondays free. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it?!

The school has a 2 week timetable and I’m only really pencilled in at the moment. I’m observing next week and then we’ll get rolling with participation. One of the teachers lives in the village/town next to Melenara and offered to drive me into school on days when our timetables match if I ended up in a flat there. Another teacher has children who go to an Institute in Las Palmas and she was heading there at 2pm after school and offered to give me a lift to go and look at an area which is usually thick with housing offers and advertisements for flatmates. I declined as I was meeting Mum and Dad at the police station to finally pick up my NIE.

I left school just after 12 and headed to the bank to pay in the 600 Euros I was carrying around with me. On the way I popped into the Inmobiliaria where I saw the flat and asked exactly where it was and if there were buses to Telde from it. She wasn’t able to show me exactly where it was or where to get a decent map so I left my number and they’re going to call me when I can view it.

After the bank I headed to the police station where Mum and Dad already were, wondering what to do about accommodation. I popped in to get my NIE – they’re starting to recognise me in there – and she said “come back on Tuesday”. I couldn’t believe it. If it drags out to Thursday it’ll be a week late.

I told Mum and Dad the situation with accommodation and asked for a bit of advice. Was feeling quite frayed by this point and really just wanted to curl up in a ball and let it sort itself out. Dad peeved me by starting to work out the financial implications that living in Las Palmas and travelling to and fro would mean. This was pointless as we had no idea of the difference in living costs nor travel costs as we’d only travelled by taxi. I tried to tell him so and it ended up in raised voices…mainly mine. We headed for a bus stop. I knew the number 80 went to the right area of Las Palmas and I knew where the bus stop was, just the other side of the main square in Telde, but Dad insisted, not on following me, but on going and asking where the nearest stop was. All I wanted to do was get on a bus from the area I would be everyday to see where it went and how long it took etc. All Dad wanted (it seemed to me) was to dispute what I was saying, imagining that he knew best and would fix it all. I got mad. It all got a bit much, me being here, Rob being in England, Dad being here, not having anywhere to live, having struggled to understand the Spanish at school earlier on that day…anyway, we got on a bus and headed to Las Palmas.

Arrived at the square and had another paddy. Dad wouldn’t accept that where I had been told to go was suitable and wanted first to find the tourist information office on the map. This took some doing as it wasn’t where it said it was and no-one he asked seemed to know where it was either. This all just wasted time in my mind, what was wrong with going where I had been told was a good place to look…by people who know what they’re talking about?!

We headed for Thomas Morales street and found the big obelisk. The institute is just behind this and we went in and found notice-boards full of flat sharing advertisements. I rang 3 and 2 had already been taken and one of my calls didn’t connect. The 4^th I tried was for a room in a flat with 2 other girls right on the street we were on. After a bit of a confusing phone call between me and the Spanish girl I arranged to go round in 15 minutes to have a look at the flat. Quite a timid looking girl opened the door and I introduced myself as Carolyn. Obviously. Lol. She was quite smiley but a bit taken aback by the fact that this was all happening quite quickly and that I had my parents in tow. We saw the room, the bathroom, kitchen etc and asked some questions. I paid a months rent as deposit (returnable) and got my set of keys. Amazing. 120 euros a month, plus bills. I have a flat! I’m moving in on Sunday after Mum and Dad have gone. Perfect. After all that was arranged we went to El Corte Ingles to get some bedsheets and a map of the area. Then we headed into Telde. I popped on the internet for a bit and then we headed straight to dinner at the beach. Huge steak with pepper sauce. It was delicious!