Eres muy blanca

I think I need a sign above my head saying ‘Soy inglesa, mi hermano tiene pelo rojo y yo sé que soy blanca’ (I’m English, my brother is ginger and I know I’m pale). I’ve been thinking about how many people have told me how pale I am and I genuinely think every adult I have met has made reference to my pale skin (on more than one occasion sometimes). There is no solution for me, I am this way. However, I can only hope I marry a hunky Spaniard and have lovely tanned children who don’t have to go through the annual summer depression of their ‘milk bottle skin’.

Apart from being pale, I feel like I’m finally adapting to the Spanish life. The truth is, it’s really hard to adapt to a change of lifestyle however large or small the change is. Maybe some people reading this think ‘it’s no different than being on holiday for a month’, well let me tell you, yes it is. Admittedly my blog creates the idea that I’m taking my cute Spanish children to the beach and pool every day and in the hot sun with smiles all around. It’s not quite that way. I have to get them up, make them breakfast, beg them to make their beds and turn the television off when they say no and simply ignore my request. I then have to go through the television ordeal once again when I tell them it’s time for 2 hours of homework. I have to ask them to please just eat the lunch that has been in front of them for about half an hour (why do children eat SO slow?!), I have to make sure they have put sun cream on, brush their hair, deal with countless sibling tantrums (which side do I take without the other hating me?) and even arguments between children and parents. The latter being the thing I have found horribly awkward. That said, I do love these kids because when we all get on I feel very content with the decision I made to au pair. We have fun, we mess about, and we’ve even made a music video! As well the children, the parents really are great. They have achieved something incredible; they have made me try (and actually enjoy) fish and seafood.

Doing their homework like good children

Since my last blog I’m trying to think what I’ve done. On Saturday I went to the beach on my own, they had some friends visiting for the day (2 single parents who also have adopted children from Guatemala) and all went to the pool before lunch but I fancied the sea. Well, what a mistake. I came back looking diseased. I’ve suffered from heat rashes before but this was something else. The photo I’m adding to the blog doesn’t do it justice. It was disgusting, all over my arms and chest. After lunch I went to the pharmacy and bought some disgustingly expensive antihistamines which only had 7 tablets in a pack!! I took one and skyped my parents feeling sorry for myself and my patchy skin.

On Sunday I stayed out of the sun to give my skin some rest, we had an amazing lunch. I’m not sure what the fish was but it was delicious. We had it with potatoes and onion and a little cava, and also some form of mussels, I actually preferred these little ones to the normal big mussels. I don’t even know what else I did; I bought some Spanish magazines and a Sudoku book on Saturday so I read those. Unfortunately I didn’t pay much attention when buying my Sudoku book, I picked up the hardest one, level 8-9! I’m just cheating at the moment, using the answers to add in a few extra numbers to make it easier.

yummy

The weekdays like I have said are similar and then we usually go to the beach when Núria gets back from work at about 5. On Tuesday evening, Berta and I went for a run along the beach, it was lovely we went to the port and looked at all the boats. Yesterday the sun went in very early and became quite overcast and cloudy; we were having (another fishy and delicious) dinner outside when we saw the sky light up. TORMENTA! Thunder followed, and then once we were back inside the rain came. It seems quite overcast today too but it might burn out.

This weekend there are more friends visiting, this time it is Núria’s Portuguese teacher from Brazil, and her son. This should be a good opportunity for me to practice a bit of Portuguese as I started my beginners course at university this year, I feel like I’ve forgotten everything though! We’ll see. I also plan on beaching/pooling. Need to top up my tan...

I’d like to go up to the lighthouse too.

A week Saturday Tara will be here spending the weekend with us at the beach (YIPPEE), and 2 weeks Saturday I’ll be flying home. Where is the time going?!

Besitos.