Sunday 1st October – Moving in Day

Woke up at half 8 today. Had fallen asleep with the tv on. Mum and Dad are up in the sky by now hopefully. I had packed all my stuff yesterday so just had a shower, got dressed and watched tv until I had to go. I really was just killing time. I didn’t think I ought to arrive before midday at my flat so had to kill a couple of hours in Melenara.

Just wanted to get there really and sort out my room though I don’t know what I’m going to do the rest of the day. Get my bearings I suppose. Find out what there is around me. Most of the shops will be shut though I expect.

So I arrived. Had quite an amusing taxi driver. I rang for a taxi, one appeared then he disappeared again telling me to wait for another. Bizarre. Anyway, the guy who came was really sweet. He was helpful with my luggage and chatty. He was from Cuba and spoke to me about what I thought of Canarias and put on a CD of Cuban music and asked me what I thought of that. I paid him and dragged all my cases upstairs. Tried my key in the flat door and couldn’t open it. The door opened from within (must remember to try my key later to check it works!) and a guy answered the door. Amelia was inside on the phone. I said hello to everyone and excused myself to my room to unpack with the door open. It was hot, hot work having dragged 5 cases up 3 flights of stairs. I moved the bed and desk over and found a little space for everything. The walls look bear but apart from that it’s fine. I need to find some blu-tack really and get my poster up. That’ll help.

I feel a bit like a guest in someone’s house. Like an exchange student. Amelia is studying with a friend in the front room and I’m pottering to and from my room sorting things out. Haven’t spent long in the kitchen. It’s small. Haven’t got anything to move in there and I don’t know what “my space” in there will be. Need to get Amelia on her own to ask things like that. Feel a bit intrusive at the moment and don’t want to interrupt. Need to sort out some lunch. Got some pasta and sauce and I’ll do my first main shop tomorrow. Think I’m going to have to shop little and often because fridge space is limited. Freezer space and cupboard space seems ok.

I wrote Granny a letter.

Went for a wander in the afternoon and discovered a few local shops and the main high street. It’s very German looking with a Pimpkie and a Bijou Brigitte. I feel nice and local to everything. It’s a nice area with plenty to see and do and it’s not far for me to get on a bus to work. As I walked back in the afternoon I walked under a tree with loads of squashed plums or something similar under it, and as I passed under one plummeted to earth and hit me smack on the back of the head. Wasn’t a nice squidgy one though, was hard as a rock. In the afternoon I came back and started brainstorming first lessons. It’ll be good to get to watch the students first to see how confident they are and what their level of English is.

I was sitting watching TV when Amelia and her boyfriend were in her room and the phone rang. PANIC! Do I answer it, when it’s bound to be someone Spanish or what?! I answered. J Very proud. It was Amelia’s brother after some computer advice.

Amelia and I sat watching tv later in the evening when we heard trumpets like a little brass band. Looked out the window and there was a church procession heading down our little road. Must look into what special day October 1^st is for Catholics. I know November 1^st is special. Maybe it’s the day of the dead today.