The weather turned quite dramatically this last weekend – coincidentally Sonalee’s birthday.  We have, without warning, gone from Summer to Winter without any pause for an Autumn.  Seriously, one day I was out in shorts and t-shirt of an evening and the next I am in jeans and thermal jacket. It is quite bizarre for…

It’s really hard to try to describe the conflicting emotions at leaving somewhere that you loved living even as you realise that you were never going  to be financially enhanced by being  there.  It is a confusing miasma of feelings that I think you can never really reconcile. Having said that, Portuguese employment laws have…

Wow.  Just wow.  We have come back to Lisbon for a few weeks just because we think we will never get the chance to live here ever again (never say never, I know) but also because we wanted an escape from the unbelievable heat of Spain.  It is, as Sonalee observed, like living on a…

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…