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Having been in Spain for a fair few years now you tend to forget those early days when you were almost too terrified to open your mouth and speak the language, when every task seemed fruaght with problems, and you never left home without a dictionary. I can remember that "breakthrough" moment as I stood in our local supermarket with a gaggle of Marias all talking at once about a recent local event, I took a deep breath and added my fourpence worth, and before I knew it I was one of the gang! The boost to my confidence was enormous and now I just blether on regardless, fortunately, my local Spanish are amazingly tolerant and seeem to delight in having a semi-tame Guiri to practice their English on.

Of course, the cultural and attitudanal differenes are pretty big. Much as I love the Spanish, the majority cannot multi-task, talking and serving, or cutting ham, at the same time just doesn't happen, hence the long waits in shops etc. But, on the other hand, why is it so important to do everything in doudle quick time? Just what use do we make of all that time we save by doing 2 or 3 things at once?  I was back in the UK for the first time in 6 years last October and was struck by the overall dowdiness and miserable expressions of people in the street. I see more smiling faces in my first hour of the day here than I did in a week in England.

My Spanish friends explain this phenomenon by saying it is because the Spanish stick their heads in the sand and therefore pretend not to see the problems the country is facing with the economy and unemployment. If they smile enough and ignore it, it will surely go away. I think the Brits do the same, but are more miserable about it!

Anyway, need to go and sort out the dogs -more about them next time.