Great conversation with my (for the next 48 hours, still) boss, and yes, Nate's vision of me being replaced by a young girrrl who just finished studying and has experience zero, but accepts a lower wage, was actually T R U E ! ! !
My (for the next 48 hours, still) boss was really great, obviously pissed off at the situation, and far from uncomfortable together we had a good laugh while he made 3 people wait for him, half-way through a course he was giving!!!
As he put it when the new girl came in a moment, 'This is what he's looking for, after you managed to get the office working correctly, now he can pass with her, no experience at all but she does speak languages' Of course, that is not enough for my (for the...) boss, as he needs an assistant he can actually talk to, and rely on, but of course, that's not the firm's owner's problem...
He told me of all the work-related news and gossip, and even showed me a confidential -and hilarious!- e-mail after making me know if I commented on it to anyone from our work environment, it would be obvious he'd showed me it and he'd be into trouble. Only him and the president had read it. Well, can't say much anyway, it's so work-related, but it has to do with the angry e-mails exchanged with the famous Korean guy.
I'm going to miss working with this man. He was such a good boss. Such a great person to work for and with. We were a good team. Shit! getting sentimental about it. Excuse me while I go check The Big Picture and Pearls Before Swine to get over it.
29.6.04
Under 28, 5 yr exp., Languages,
D-size cup and tiny waist, peroxyde blonde part-time secretary wanted for dodgy firm out in the mountains. Salary rating 600-900€ per month, temporary contract to cover maternity leave. Ah, yes, and must have car.
'so... why was it you have not found a decent job yet, honey?' mother asks
'so... why was it you have not found a decent job yet, honey?' mother asks
Been exhausted lately
I guess it's been some sort of aftermath to all the tension and nerves about my contract being (or not) renewed.
Find myself dropping to sleep on the couch, any moment.
Feel too tired to go out, which is really rare the first week of Hugo's summer holidays!!!
Can hardly make myself cook some food, so I often don't even have dinner -nor breakfast, as I wake up late just in time to do all my paper shuffling and so on!!!
Spend hours on the computer, at the cyber. Looking for work, chatting with friends, reading blogs... enjoying the air conditioning!!!
A surprise to hear The Cure on at the cyber... and at this really nice bar I discovered the other day, and there it was a whole record, too!
Find myself dropping to sleep on the couch, any moment.
Feel too tired to go out, which is really rare the first week of Hugo's summer holidays!!!
Can hardly make myself cook some food, so I often don't even have dinner -nor breakfast, as I wake up late just in time to do all my paper shuffling and so on!!!
Spend hours on the computer, at the cyber. Looking for work, chatting with friends, reading blogs... enjoying the air conditioning!!!
A surprise to hear The Cure on at the cyber... and at this really nice bar I discovered the other day, and there it was a whole record, too!
28.6.04
23.6.04
Am looking for work now
At Infojobs. It worked really well some months ago, so there I am now.
Problem #1: As it is summer, many jobs are temp stuff for summer.
Problem #2: As it is summer, many jobs are to cover people's holidays.
Problem #3: As it is summer, many firms shall not take someone for an interesting job, as soon they shall be closing for holidays. Things get to move more in September.
Problem #4: As it is summer, I feel like lying in the park reading instead of going through sooo many ads.
Problem #1: As it is summer, many jobs are temp stuff for summer.
Problem #2: As it is summer, many jobs are to cover people's holidays.
Problem #3: As it is summer, many firms shall not take someone for an interesting job, as soon they shall be closing for holidays. Things get to move more in September.
Problem #4: As it is summer, I feel like lying in the park reading instead of going through sooo many ads.
I am a collateral victim
It seems I was too good a team with my boss, making the President seem even more out of place, so he's been giving all sort of unsatisfying explanations to why he shall not renew my contract.
My boss was really great. He tried to the last moment to make him change his mind, and even asked me to phone the President from his office, so we could talk it over, and was making signs at me as 'ok', 'that's a good one', etc to my talk to the president, but nothing changed.
He said he hoped we'd work together some other time, maybe in some other firm, as he is definetly not staying long in this one seeing how little his opinion counts and how many decisions are taken according to the president's mood of the day.
We had a good, long talk about people, about how he'd thought he'd found the assistant he'd be working with for the next ten years at least, intelligent and bright and with a high education, and can also do her work!!! -anyway, all put together, i'm officially on holiday until July the 1st, when the contract expires.
My boss was really great. He tried to the last moment to make him change his mind, and even asked me to phone the President from his office, so we could talk it over, and was making signs at me as 'ok', 'that's a good one', etc to my talk to the president, but nothing changed.
He said he hoped we'd work together some other time, maybe in some other firm, as he is definetly not staying long in this one seeing how little his opinion counts and how many decisions are taken according to the president's mood of the day.
We had a good, long talk about people, about how he'd thought he'd found the assistant he'd be working with for the next ten years at least, intelligent and bright and with a high education, and can also do her work!!! -anyway, all put together, i'm officially on holiday until July the 1st, when the contract expires.
21.6.04
My boss and his boss argued over me
My boss wants my contract to be renewed.
His boss, the president, doesn't know or won't tell 'till the last moment.
So the saleswoman told me. She saw -and heard- from the distance their arguing over my contract renewal.
The president is lately arguing and breaking business contacts and contracts every other day, and failing to renew contracts at the Headquarters, in some sort of Maniac Frenzy. My boss is sick of this.
It seems like the other girl at the office, the saleswoman, is also not reassured about her renovation.
I'm glad I took the week off last week, and I'm still glad I came to make a couple of phonecalls during my holiday, so I can rub it in his face if he doesn't renew me.
Bastard.
His boss, the president, doesn't know or won't tell 'till the last moment.
So the saleswoman told me. She saw -and heard- from the distance their arguing over my contract renewal.
The president is lately arguing and breaking business contacts and contracts every other day, and failing to renew contracts at the Headquarters, in some sort of Maniac Frenzy. My boss is sick of this.
It seems like the other girl at the office, the saleswoman, is also not reassured about her renovation.
I'm glad I took the week off last week, and I'm still glad I came to make a couple of phonecalls during my holiday, so I can rub it in his face if he doesn't renew me.
Bastard.
18.6.04
Holidays (not) away from the office, part 2
As you probably know, I'm worried 'coz my contract expires at the end of the month, and haven't been told either to renew nor to drop dead. So as there is officially 15 days time to give notice if they don't want to renew -see my worries about a month ago, with weird thigs going through the company's President mind- I am counting the days, even while in the park or at a cyber like now.
Yesterday was the last day they could have informed me correctly if they didn't want to renew -not sighing in relief 'till it's officially confirmed, though.
So I was thinking 'Please don't phone now, please don't say you were checking other people for my job while I was on holiday' when I got this phone call from the office.
The other girl at the office was on.
'Do you know where R. -my boss-'s glasses are? they were on top of the table when we left last Friday. Did they get broken while setting the answerphone?'
No, I didn't know and can't remember seeing them on the table.
And what the f**k does she mean Did they get broken? As if I'd hide the broken specs and not phone to tell him, thinking he won't notice he can't see!!!
Shit, the things this woman can say in her hyperactive thoughtlessness!!!
Yesterday was the last day they could have informed me correctly if they didn't want to renew -not sighing in relief 'till it's officially confirmed, though.
So I was thinking 'Please don't phone now, please don't say you were checking other people for my job while I was on holiday' when I got this phone call from the office.
The other girl at the office was on.
'Do you know where R. -my boss-'s glasses are? they were on top of the table when we left last Friday. Did they get broken while setting the answerphone?'
No, I didn't know and can't remember seeing them on the table.
And what the f**k does she mean Did they get broken? As if I'd hide the broken specs and not phone to tell him, thinking he won't notice he can't see!!!
Shit, the things this woman can say in her hyperactive thoughtlessness!!!
16.6.04
Mad Weather Disease
Is striking Barcelona during my week off.
Yesterday it
Yes! and sometimes it was just a matter of turning round a corner, and you walked out of the rain and into the sunshine ...aaaaaaaahhhh! how I'd love that to happen metaphorically too!!!!
Went for a stressful afternoon walk with Magda, Suquet -her 7-month-old dog, mad and jumping around non-stop-, Hugo and my friend Xavy, childless and dogless and huffing and puffing when seeing all the action around us!!!
We went to a park by the beach, and then the beach itself, and as it was so windy, our eyes were collecting all the sand our Town Hall needed to transport to the other side of the beach, so by shaking our heads a bit we earned €500.00 each, and then I woke up and cleaned my lenses out of sand and grit.
Yesterday it
*was sunny but coldish
*rained
*really bright sunshine again
*wind and covered sky
*rain but sun shining(!)
Yes! and sometimes it was just a matter of turning round a corner, and you walked out of the rain and into the sunshine ...aaaaaaaahhhh! how I'd love that to happen metaphorically too!!!!
Went for a stressful afternoon walk with Magda, Suquet -her 7-month-old dog, mad and jumping around non-stop-, Hugo and my friend Xavy, childless and dogless and huffing and puffing when seeing all the action around us!!!
We went to a park by the beach, and then the beach itself, and as it was so windy, our eyes were collecting all the sand our Town Hall needed to transport to the other side of the beach, so by shaking our heads a bit we earned €500.00 each, and then I woke up and cleaned my lenses out of sand and grit.
14.6.04
Couldn't believe it!!!
Phoned this medical company in Israel, and instead of the typical shitty tune, I waited for a while listening to... 'Hang The D.J., by Morrisey!!!! Couldn't believe it!!! It reminded me of the summer I spent at Girona airport, on the switchboard, and how I used to leave my cassette player on by the phone, with Nina Hagen, when someone had to wait for a while!!!
And, back to the title of this post, can you believe this?
Park
It's from here: Strindberg + helium ... By the way, in case you wonder who August Strindberg is...
Loved it. Mary-Anne, you'll like it to, I can allready see you copying Helium up and down the house!!!
And, back to the title of this post, can you believe this?
Park
It's from here: Strindberg + helium ... By the way, in case you wonder who August Strindberg is...
Loved it. Mary-Anne, you'll like it to, I can allready see you copying Helium up and down the house!!!
Am spending my holidays at the office
Yes, I'd offered to pass by the office a moment to make an urgent phonecall and have been now three hours or so, solving 5 different questions...
And every time I phone to report, they say, 'Oh, Aurea, honey, please just phone so-and-so, and see if this-and-that is ready. Thanks, you're so kind, and then you can leave, of course.'
But I've got to call them to report, and then back to the same old story :P
And every time I phone to report, they say, 'Oh, Aurea, honey, please just phone so-and-so, and see if this-and-that is ready. Thanks, you're so kind, and then you can leave, of course.'
But I've got to call them to report, and then back to the same old story :P
Weekend without Hugo: sore feet!
Friday night I went out just for one beer, and was all dressed up to go out later on... even thought of passing by the bar Nacho is supposed to hang out, and told me to go sometime... But I was too tired so I went back home.
Got a phone call from Joan, who knew I was in his hood with Eva, but I'd just got home when he phoned to see what I was doing so...Round One won: I didn't run after him at all!!! Said I thought I might go out later on, but was resting a bit then and wanted to lay on the couch. The truth is I fell asleep and woke up at 3 am thinking it may be worth going to see if Nacho was around Magic, but hhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm getting there is sooo much harder than stretching and turning round on the couch!!!
So Saturday at about one I sent Joan an sms asking him out for lunch, if he fancied, and if I had no reply in an hour, I'd eat somewhere else. Got his phonecall soon enough!!! So I went and rang his bell, and he saw me turn up in his favourite miniskirt, a normal t-shirt and one of his favourite pairs of shoes, and went 'wow! if you want, we order some food and eat here!!!' -but no, I said we'd better go out somewhere nearby, at a terrace or so.
Funny how many sms I received while we were eating!!! and all of them from guys -some only friends, other were 'lovers' he knew about, and was asking 'Now what? what does he want now?' hahaha
Round two won: he was talking about passing by his place after lunch, to relax a bit, but I said I should meet a friend of mine and... off I went :D
But then I met I., and went for some beers at JL's place, and then I went to see Marina, and waited for Xaby's phonecall as we were supposed to go out...
Bumped into Tunde, hadn't seen her for ages, I find I like her more every time we meet. Didn't use to know her too well, she was my friends' friend, but I enjoy talking to her now.
Then I saw Manu, who confirmed Xaby was absolutely dead after going mad on Friday night, so I went to Alberto's place, saw a good live gig and then to that disco I might meet some friends at...
But by 4 a.m. I could hardly dance any more, my feet were killing me not that much because of strutting up and down Barcelona on high heels for 16 hours, but for the nasty Early Summer sindrome: getting your feet used to your sandals and summer shoes!!!
So I realized I'd be much too tired and my sore feet would not be too glamorous as soon as I took my shoes off, so I was not waiting any longer 'just in case' and left, and got home and finally soaked my feet in cold water!!!
Got a phone call from Joan, who knew I was in his hood with Eva, but I'd just got home when he phoned to see what I was doing so...Round One won: I didn't run after him at all!!! Said I thought I might go out later on, but was resting a bit then and wanted to lay on the couch. The truth is I fell asleep and woke up at 3 am thinking it may be worth going to see if Nacho was around Magic, but hhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmm getting there is sooo much harder than stretching and turning round on the couch!!!
So Saturday at about one I sent Joan an sms asking him out for lunch, if he fancied, and if I had no reply in an hour, I'd eat somewhere else. Got his phonecall soon enough!!! So I went and rang his bell, and he saw me turn up in his favourite miniskirt, a normal t-shirt and one of his favourite pairs of shoes, and went 'wow! if you want, we order some food and eat here!!!' -but no, I said we'd better go out somewhere nearby, at a terrace or so.
Funny how many sms I received while we were eating!!! and all of them from guys -some only friends, other were 'lovers' he knew about, and was asking 'Now what? what does he want now?' hahaha
Round two won: he was talking about passing by his place after lunch, to relax a bit, but I said I should meet a friend of mine and... off I went :D
But then I met I., and went for some beers at JL's place, and then I went to see Marina, and waited for Xaby's phonecall as we were supposed to go out...
Bumped into Tunde, hadn't seen her for ages, I find I like her more every time we meet. Didn't use to know her too well, she was my friends' friend, but I enjoy talking to her now.
Then I saw Manu, who confirmed Xaby was absolutely dead after going mad on Friday night, so I went to Alberto's place, saw a good live gig and then to that disco I might meet some friends at...
But by 4 a.m. I could hardly dance any more, my feet were killing me not that much because of strutting up and down Barcelona on high heels for 16 hours, but for the nasty Early Summer sindrome: getting your feet used to your sandals and summer shoes!!!
So I realized I'd be much too tired and my sore feet would not be too glamorous as soon as I took my shoes off, so I was not waiting any longer 'just in case' and left, and got home and finally soaked my feet in cold water!!!
13.6.04
Got a week off, but...
Started my holidays on Friday at 3:00 p.m. -but, as you know, I was working that afternoon to get my office to have an answer-phone.
Left at 8 p.m., and it was not solved, though at 6:30 or so the technitian had left happily believing he'd made it work.
The message sets off and you can hear it clearly from the office... but the person phoning does not hear a thing, as if no-one is answering and it rings off!!!
So I was until 8, on the phone to both my bosses, trying to solve it.
Monday morning, I'll try to see to it again -nice holidays, huh? Hope at least they do renew my contract at the end of the month!!!
Left at 8 p.m., and it was not solved, though at 6:30 or so the technitian had left happily believing he'd made it work.
The message sets off and you can hear it clearly from the office... but the person phoning does not hear a thing, as if no-one is answering and it rings off!!!
So I was until 8, on the phone to both my bosses, trying to solve it.
Monday morning, I'll try to see to it again -nice holidays, huh? Hope at least they do renew my contract at the end of the month!!!
11.6.04
Websites recomended by Tentaciones
* For those with facial hair problems: Monobrow.com - Celebrating the Unity of Your Eyebrow
* For people who, like me, HATE cockroaches: le menu du site de Cucaracha la blatte savante
* Seems an interesting art e-mag: clandestina
* Liked the idea of blog t-shirts! minid.net
...anyway, had to do something while keeping company to the poor guy fighting to crack Telefonica's switchboard!!!
* For people who, like me, HATE cockroaches: le menu du site de Cucaracha la blatte savante
* Seems an interesting art e-mag: clandestina
* Liked the idea of blog t-shirts! minid.net
...anyway, had to do something while keeping company to the poor guy fighting to crack Telefonica's switchboard!!!
Machine installed. Holidays starting 3,2,1...
Maaaaan, it took quite a long time to get the switchboard and the answering machine to work together!!!! Some tricky programming from Telefonica makes it really hard for anyone else, even specialized professionals, to get their switchboards compatible with answering services!!!
But I'm off now :D
Promised -actually, offered it myself- to turn up a moment on Monday morning to make an important phonecall, and then I'm free for a week!!!
But it seems I'm gonna get involved in helping at Hugo's school End of Year Party -not really my idea of a holiday, let's see what I can do about it!!!
But I'm off now :D
Promised -actually, offered it myself- to turn up a moment on Monday morning to make an important phonecall, and then I'm free for a week!!!
But it seems I'm gonna get involved in helping at Hugo's school End of Year Party -not really my idea of a holiday, let's see what I can do about it!!!
...Yes, I know, you're not going on holidays...
The whole of Spain, and part of Europe, seems to know I'm not getting my week off unless I can get an answerphone to work at our office. I'd asked for this week off over a month ago, to spend some time with my son before he leaves for summer.
This doesn't seem too complicated for a company selling and servicing UCI equipments, ventilators, defibrillators... but the fact that we have a Telefonica switchboard but are working with another, cheaper (!?) company for our phonecalls doesn't help at all: we are in a no-man's-land as usual, being sent back and forth from one company to the other. I've spoken to at least 20 different people, and listened to endless muzak...
But also... remember how complicated it was to get my boss make his mind up on a coffe machine??? I guess there's not much else to say.
Really funny, though, how I've been getting phone calls from different people concerned now that I am not going on holiday unless I guet this answer machine working!!! The president of our company has started telling people at the phone companies 'this girl is going away on Monday, but it won't be possible unless we have the machine working' -so they phone and say 'Hi, my name is xxx. Are you Aurea? Yes, we know it's urgent, you have to go on holiday on Monday!!! We'll help you.' :D
This doesn't seem too complicated for a company selling and servicing UCI equipments, ventilators, defibrillators... but the fact that we have a Telefonica switchboard but are working with another, cheaper (!?) company for our phonecalls doesn't help at all: we are in a no-man's-land as usual, being sent back and forth from one company to the other. I've spoken to at least 20 different people, and listened to endless muzak...
But also... remember how complicated it was to get my boss make his mind up on a coffe machine??? I guess there's not much else to say.
Really funny, though, how I've been getting phone calls from different people concerned now that I am not going on holiday unless I guet this answer machine working!!! The president of our company has started telling people at the phone companies 'this girl is going away on Monday, but it won't be possible unless we have the machine working' -so they phone and say 'Hi, my name is xxx. Are you Aurea? Yes, we know it's urgent, you have to go on holiday on Monday!!! We'll help you.' :D
7.6.04
Sunday: Bernard phoned again!!!
To say he didn't want to disturb me by phoning too often, as I'm sooo busy with my boyfriend -yeah, still believes I'm with Joan- and that he thinks I should have found some time to spare for him... I reminded him, once more, that he himself had told me a couple of weeks ago it wasn't worth seeing each other!!!
So he said he'd have to see Hugo to buy him some clothes, as he looks like a gypsy, while his father is still alive and can buy him stuff.
No Comment.
Or yes, you gals who know Hugo, please speak up!!!!
So he said he'd have to see Hugo to buy him some clothes, as he looks like a gypsy, while his father is still alive and can buy him stuff.
No Comment.
Or yes, you gals who know Hugo, please speak up!!!!
Friday and Saturday night: Marato de l'espectacle
And now my son wants to go to Circus classes!!!!
We went to the Show Marathon they do once a year in Bcn, and there are open-air games and activities such as juggling, tight-rope walking, monocycle riding... the latter he loved, and the guy teaching said he was good at it, to be the first time... still holding onto the rails, but miles better than any other kid.
Years ago Hugo knew he'd be a clown when he grew up.
He loves playing magic tricks with the game sets from Magia Borras, and others he picks up from TV programs, and makes himself.
Now he's into the monocycle!!!
We went to the Show Marathon they do once a year in Bcn, and there are open-air games and activities such as juggling, tight-rope walking, monocycle riding... the latter he loved, and the guy teaching said he was good at it, to be the first time... still holding onto the rails, but miles better than any other kid.
Years ago Hugo knew he'd be a clown when he grew up.
He loves playing magic tricks with the game sets from Magia Borras, and others he picks up from TV programs, and makes himself.
Now he's into the monocycle!!!
Friday: Hugo had an accident
Got a phone call from a doctor who was checking Hugo, to go as soon as possible. A motorbike had hit him, he seemed ok but was being looked at because he'd been hit on the ribs.
It took me about 15 minutes to get there in a taxi, no comment about the trip.
To cut the story short... He's fine. X-rays and all, he's ok. But of course, worried and shaky about walking on his own in the streets... and me going over and over the scene in my mind, I wasn't there so I can only imagine, I WASN'T THERE!!! -and what if it had been worse???!!!
It took me about 15 minutes to get there in a taxi, no comment about the trip.
To cut the story short... He's fine. X-rays and all, he's ok. But of course, worried and shaky about walking on his own in the streets... and me going over and over the scene in my mind, I wasn't there so I can only imagine, I WASN'T THERE!!! -and what if it had been worse???!!!
3.6.04
No more E-mail nor Messenger chains!!!
Annette : arabianwoods (02/06/2004 06:32:36): yahoo is shuttin down August 17th. Yahoo wants to get rid of free messenger. if you delete this and dont pass it on. your name will be deleted. Alot of people have already been deleted. right click on groupname of your buddy list and click "send2 all in this group "EACH PERSON YOU send this 2 will count as a signature on a petition they have 3 get!
aurea : hadn't heard of that at all. Doesn't sound likely.
aurea : where did you get that from?
Annette : I know... I'm sorry for that "blah,blah,blah...but, I keep getting it! So, I finally felt guilty enough to send it... i feel like a dork now! Lol...
aurea : ;) I just hate passing this sort of crap on, unless it is something really important
aurea : but don't worry, we all get these silly days now and then!
Annette : lol....thanks I guess this was my day
aurea : lol
aurea : hadn't heard of that at all. Doesn't sound likely.
aurea : where did you get that from?
Annette : I know... I'm sorry for that "blah,blah,blah...but, I keep getting it! So, I finally felt guilty enough to send it... i feel like a dork now! Lol...
aurea : ;) I just hate passing this sort of crap on, unless it is something really important
aurea : but don't worry, we all get these silly days now and then!
Annette : lol....thanks I guess this was my day
aurea : lol
Where are you now?
By the way, if anyone happens to know where Carlos or Patricia are, please post me a comment and help me find them!!!
They used to be very close friends of mine, both moving from one place to another too often to trace them, and used to let me know where they were through postcards etc to my previous flat.
Which no longer exists. So I can't get hold of them... and really miss them!
Carlos is Brazilian, and probably somewhere in Brazil right now, and Patricia is Irish/Spanish, and has a daughter called Marina.
Thanx!
They used to be very close friends of mine, both moving from one place to another too often to trace them, and used to let me know where they were through postcards etc to my previous flat.
Which no longer exists. So I can't get hold of them... and really miss them!
Carlos is Brazilian, and probably somewhere in Brazil right now, and Patricia is Irish/Spanish, and has a daughter called Marina.
Thanx!
Might jump into a different blogging system
What I hear, read and imagined is true:
The longer you are blogging, the more you seem to need extra tools and more powerful systems.
Out of pure lazyness and lack of time, I must admit, I have stuck to Blogger and improved my blog only through adding bits, and Blogger's own improvements. Now it seems I may change... but am not too sure yet. They say in Spain 'Mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer', which could translate to our English Better Safe than Sorry... which I keep trying to believe, but somehow end up in the 'sorry' section!
Anyway, any news shall be on the blog.
By the way, new pics shall be linked soon. Velena finally sent me them!!!
The longer you are blogging, the more you seem to need extra tools and more powerful systems.
Out of pure lazyness and lack of time, I must admit, I have stuck to Blogger and improved my blog only through adding bits, and Blogger's own improvements. Now it seems I may change... but am not too sure yet. They say in Spain 'Mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer', which could translate to our English Better Safe than Sorry... which I keep trying to believe, but somehow end up in the 'sorry' section!
Anyway, any news shall be on the blog.
By the way, new pics shall be linked soon. Velena finally sent me them!!!
2.6.04
Still remembered...
For about four years I was teaching at this low budget Adult School, in the outskirts of Barcelona. My classes where mainly to middle-aged-going-on 'till senior citizens, and in many groups it was directly these grannies who had only just learnt to read and write the year before and now were forced to 'learn' English!
The job came to me from a friend's boyfriend, who was doing it and couldn't stand it through the whole term, and wanted me to stand in for him. I didn't, but was introduced to the school for the next term and only left when I started working at an office and couldn't combine the timetables. I have been offered the classes back a number of times since, every time someone dropped out, as it took all your patience and warmth to teach this sort of people. It was not just teaching, you were part of their new life, of their will to learn in their 60s, their ambitions... and their desperation when they saw how hard it could be.
There were also people, mixed in the groups, who were slightly retarded and had to attend as part of the payback for having a government benefit, kinda 'integration' scheme... Really easy to deal with, honey!!!
I also had groups of teenager semi-delinquents, school drop-outs who were there to get their basic Graduado Escolar title you get at the age of 14, and once they were 17 they could do it at an adult school.
Finally, there were also the groups of over-25-year-olds who were attending a special course to sit an exam to enter University, with quite different levels of English knowledge, and who had to concentrate on reading comprehension, as the exam was always based on a text -that could be anything from an extract of a novel, out of context, to a piece of news or even a recipe for a Spanish omelet!
Well, the teachers and the old ladies were really sorry when I left, and so was I -I liked forming part of this community. Kept in touch with the directress, who is more of a friend now than an ex-boss, but have lost contact with her during the last year.
Yesterday I got this phone call from one of the teachers who basically run the school, Montse. She's nice, a real teacher-and-housewife-and-mother-and-full-stop sort of person, kind hearted and reliable but would never really understand Nuria, the directress, older than her, who had raised her son on her own and was still partying -yep, that's why we became friends, she had found at last someone she could talk to! Anyway, this Montse woman called me and asked me if I remembered her -of course I do! How are you?! -blah blah blah- and she had phoned to invite me to the 25th Anniversary of this school!!!
Nice to know they remember you and still want you around.
Shall make my way through Barcelona right after work to see them!
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE AT THE ESCOLA D'ADULTS CAN VIDALET/EUGENI D'ORS!!!
The job came to me from a friend's boyfriend, who was doing it and couldn't stand it through the whole term, and wanted me to stand in for him. I didn't, but was introduced to the school for the next term and only left when I started working at an office and couldn't combine the timetables. I have been offered the classes back a number of times since, every time someone dropped out, as it took all your patience and warmth to teach this sort of people. It was not just teaching, you were part of their new life, of their will to learn in their 60s, their ambitions... and their desperation when they saw how hard it could be.
There were also people, mixed in the groups, who were slightly retarded and had to attend as part of the payback for having a government benefit, kinda 'integration' scheme... Really easy to deal with, honey!!!
I also had groups of teenager semi-delinquents, school drop-outs who were there to get their basic Graduado Escolar title you get at the age of 14, and once they were 17 they could do it at an adult school.
Finally, there were also the groups of over-25-year-olds who were attending a special course to sit an exam to enter University, with quite different levels of English knowledge, and who had to concentrate on reading comprehension, as the exam was always based on a text -that could be anything from an extract of a novel, out of context, to a piece of news or even a recipe for a Spanish omelet!
Well, the teachers and the old ladies were really sorry when I left, and so was I -I liked forming part of this community. Kept in touch with the directress, who is more of a friend now than an ex-boss, but have lost contact with her during the last year.
Yesterday I got this phone call from one of the teachers who basically run the school, Montse. She's nice, a real teacher-and-housewife-and-mother-and-full-stop sort of person, kind hearted and reliable but would never really understand Nuria, the directress, older than her, who had raised her son on her own and was still partying -yep, that's why we became friends, she had found at last someone she could talk to! Anyway, this Montse woman called me and asked me if I remembered her -of course I do! How are you?! -blah blah blah- and she had phoned to invite me to the 25th Anniversary of this school!!!
Nice to know they remember you and still want you around.
Shall make my way through Barcelona right after work to see them!
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE AT THE ESCOLA D'ADULTS CAN VIDALET/EUGENI D'ORS!!!
1.6.04
Bye! ;) Ciao! :D ...bye!!!
Why is it that it's so hard to say Bye! and log off when you're on IM?
Not as bad with friends, real friends, 'coz either you shush them directly or you just flick off and that's it. But these people -specially guys :P- who flick up onto your screen, and you don't know... I do tend more and more to simply ignore them, but there have been a few I've kept in touch for a few moths now and are really cool. So before clicking on Ignore, sometimes I exchange a couple of lines, and then say I'm busy, I'm working, etc -thinking maybe I talk a bit more another day to give them the benefit of the doubt, and can always 'Ignore' them later.
But then you have to go through the whole shit of:
BY THEN I'VE DECIDED TO 'IGNORE' THAT STUPID MORON, MAN!!!!!
Mind you, with friends it can get quite pathetic sometimes. In a different level.
There's when you say you're about to log off, or to leave them for a while without logging off, to do something, and you close their window, to see an orange blink on the bottom of the comp a few seconds after you've considered the conversation finished. So you click on it, and it's
Hey!!! Didn't I say I'm off to do something away from the computer? so the blinking orange notice is going wild on my PC?!!
Then there's when you actually do want to stop chatting, because you're busy, or the other person is, but either you or the other person keeps remembering really important or really hilarious things to mention, and can not wait! Sometimes it's necessary to remind the other person: Weren't you going to miss the bus ten minutes ago? :P
Anyway, Mary-Anne and I have a semi-satisfactory system: we have a code for our Last Message, and that IS to be accepted. Most of the times we actually stick to it, dont' we?
Not as bad with friends, real friends, 'coz either you shush them directly or you just flick off and that's it. But these people -specially guys :P- who flick up onto your screen, and you don't know... I do tend more and more to simply ignore them, but there have been a few I've kept in touch for a few moths now and are really cool. So before clicking on Ignore, sometimes I exchange a couple of lines, and then say I'm busy, I'm working, etc -thinking maybe I talk a bit more another day to give them the benefit of the doubt, and can always 'Ignore' them later.
But then you have to go through the whole shit of:
Me: Sorry, I'm busy now. Am at work
It: O.K., sorry
...silence...
It: Maybe later?
Me: well, o.k., maybe talk some other moment ;) Bye
It: ;)
It: Bye
It: See you later
Me: Yes, bye!
It: Don't want to disturb, sorry :*)
It: well, bye...silence...
2 minutes...
It: I'll see if you'r online later on ;)
BY THEN I'VE DECIDED TO 'IGNORE' THAT STUPID MORON, MAN!!!!!
Mind you, with friends it can get quite pathetic sometimes. In a different level.
There's when you say you're about to log off, or to leave them for a while without logging off, to do something, and you close their window, to see an orange blink on the bottom of the comp a few seconds after you've considered the conversation finished. So you click on it, and it's
Friend : ok
Friend: wait
Friend: ill go after a while
Friend: probably i wont be back this evening
Friend: not sure
Friend: but if i dont get back
Friend: then offline me if there is any news
Friend: ok sweety am leaving now
Friend: take care and have a nice evening
Friend: :-*
Friend: chao
Hey!!! Didn't I say I'm off to do something away from the computer? so the blinking orange notice is going wild on my PC?!!
Then there's when you actually do want to stop chatting, because you're busy, or the other person is, but either you or the other person keeps remembering really important or really hilarious things to mention, and can not wait! Sometimes it's necessary to remind the other person: Weren't you going to miss the bus ten minutes ago? :P
Anyway, Mary-Anne and I have a semi-satisfactory system: we have a code for our Last Message, and that IS to be accepted. Most of the times we actually stick to it, dont' we?
Forum Barcelona actually exists!
Went to the Forum on Sunday. Family excursion, with all the stress and co-ordination that means. Hugo and I were 30 MINUTES EARLY!!! so my parents couldn't huff at me.
Ok, not bad, but it has the same old problem in all these places: you have to walk for ages from one thing to another, and then back, and queue and queue and can not fit in to a schedule to see everything you are interested in, but find you have an hour spare with nothing going on that you may fancy. PLUS, being there with my parents, I couldn't sneak off to a bar to have a drink and a bite, but had to stick to the cans I'd brought in with me and the sandwiches my mom had made. And some food looked really nice ...specially after my migraine on Saturday, making me not eat anything for almost 24 hours.
But there were some interesting things to see, of course. The Xi'An Warriors, really amazing... for people who appreciate art and ancient history, so me and sis and mom etc really got a kick out of it, checking such different facial expressions in each warrior. My favourite -out of the representation they brought to Bcn- was the last Civil Servant, who had a really hauty face, we nicked him The Tax Inspector.
And 'El Gigante de los Siete Mares' was a good show, but yes, it has been seen before. I liked it, but it wasn't anything new, as to my mom and sis, who don't see that much performing and street theatre. It was good, though.
Couldn't make it to the water puppets I wanted to see, nor the other floating 'creatures' that I wanted to see. And some of the stuff I wanted to see was late at night, and I wouln't stay on after my family left, coz a) I'd been there since 9:30, as agreed with my parents, though the doors opened at 11:00 (yes!!! my family does that sort of thing) and b) they were leaving at 7:00 pm, and I had to meet this guy at 8:00 pm for cinema + dinner+ drinks and had to rush to get changed and there in time.
Went to see The Ladykillers. Good laugh!!! Dinner at an Egiptian rest., and out around the areas I used to go with Joan, but didn't feel weird about it. GOOD!
Well, it was kinda testing my final impression on this guy I didn't know what to think of. I hadn't been too impressed the first time we'd met, and he was insisting a lot to meet again, but bumped into him again and he was better. Yep. Not bad, not going into my V.I.P. lists, but shall be around again.
Ok, not bad, but it has the same old problem in all these places: you have to walk for ages from one thing to another, and then back, and queue and queue and can not fit in to a schedule to see everything you are interested in, but find you have an hour spare with nothing going on that you may fancy. PLUS, being there with my parents, I couldn't sneak off to a bar to have a drink and a bite, but had to stick to the cans I'd brought in with me and the sandwiches my mom had made. And some food looked really nice ...specially after my migraine on Saturday, making me not eat anything for almost 24 hours.
But there were some interesting things to see, of course. The Xi'An Warriors, really amazing... for people who appreciate art and ancient history, so me and sis and mom etc really got a kick out of it, checking such different facial expressions in each warrior. My favourite -out of the representation they brought to Bcn- was the last Civil Servant, who had a really hauty face, we nicked him The Tax Inspector.
And 'El Gigante de los Siete Mares' was a good show, but yes, it has been seen before. I liked it, but it wasn't anything new, as to my mom and sis, who don't see that much performing and street theatre. It was good, though.
Couldn't make it to the water puppets I wanted to see, nor the other floating 'creatures' that I wanted to see. And some of the stuff I wanted to see was late at night, and I wouln't stay on after my family left, coz a) I'd been there since 9:30, as agreed with my parents, though the doors opened at 11:00 (yes!!! my family does that sort of thing) and b) they were leaving at 7:00 pm, and I had to meet this guy at 8:00 pm for cinema + dinner+ drinks and had to rush to get changed and there in time.
Went to see The Ladykillers. Good laugh!!! Dinner at an Egiptian rest., and out around the areas I used to go with Joan, but didn't feel weird about it. GOOD!
Well, it was kinda testing my final impression on this guy I didn't know what to think of. I hadn't been too impressed the first time we'd met, and he was insisting a lot to meet again, but bumped into him again and he was better. Yep. Not bad, not going into my V.I.P. lists, but shall be around again.
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
