Well, that’s that then.  Another job, another school year completed.  Some tears – there were some from students and from me as well.  Some of those kids were genuinely lovely and it was a pleasure to teach them – and coach them of course.  Some of my best memories of my time in Lisbon involve…

We have an issue.  There is a creature at the back of our oven.  Or maybe inside.  It is of the rodent variety and is causing us anxiety.  We had one a few weeks ago and the dogs went berserk each night it ventured out, smashing about in the kitchen in frustration at all hours. …

The masks have come off!  Finally, after two years, I can teach without my voice being muffled and being able to see the facial reactions of my students.  Then, naturally, everyone gets colds, flu and covid.  I have the former.  My immune system is just so unused to having to deal with the mucus of…

Well, the prediction that life would be a bit shit for a while turned out to be accurate.  Dropping Sonalee off at Cordoba train station is one of those times when you do what you have to and not what you want to do.  To top that day off the cat complained loudly for pretty…

You know that thing that Sonalee and I said we would never do again?  When we said we would never live apart ever again after what was a really shit year with her in Morocco and me in Spain?  When we said nothing was worth doing that again? Well, we’re doing it again. I know.…

Monday last was officially the most depressing day of the year – in western Europe anyway.  Christmas has been done, New Year has been done, Three Kings has  been done and everyone is back at work or school and feeling thoroughly fed up.  When I read about it, thought about it,  I agreed with it. …

‘Tis the Season to drive on some of the most boring roads in Europe for nine hours to come home for a few weeks.  Of course it is. And to re-acquaint yourself with the language that you have not spoken for months on end and have been really bad at practising on Duolingo.  My level…

Giving Thanks I had a day off this week!  Yay!  It was a bank holiday to celebrate the independence of Portugal many centuries ago, independence from the evil Spanish empire.  I did wonder if our car, with its Spanish number plates, would be marked in some way.  It didn’t in the end but we do…

The clocks have gone back and the village looks quite dreary compared to how we left it back in August.  No bar in the plaza during the winter months of course and the xmas lights are yet to be erected to bring that explosion of colour every evening.  Still, it is good to be back…

Well, it is safe to say that the past five weeks have been absolutely mental.  It has been unbelievably hectic for the both of us.  Me trying to get to grips with working in a new school doing a job I have not done before (as a senior school English teacher) and Sonalee trying to…