As I know have experienced several visits from family and friends, there is one thing I never do:
Ask them for help.
So far most people have been fairly good about it-my favorite being my friend Tori and sis Mara, who are both neurotic cleaners, such as I am, but only when having friends over.
I can be sloppy, at times, mostly when I simply don't have the time. Other times, when I'm deliberately selfish I want to spend time reading in the sun.
So my new motivation is to make people join the cleaning activities more. I know they are on holiday, but, hey-it's free boarding, and I'm not an hotel. Nor get I paid for hosting. I, however think, paying me off with goodies is a legal currency ;)
Seriously, it's not only about preparing food, it's keeping your stuff to yourself, or at the guestroom as much as possible, not taking up the hangmat when specified I want to use it, or clearing up dishes after yourself. It's not that bad usually. It's just after a while, people start to feel relaxed about being here and I end up cleaning for twice as much people and having to work and entertain in between.
I'm not gonna let that happen. I hope. I'm just not good at asking for help. As I said. I just end up feeling guilty.... oh boy....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Memoires of a Roteña
So much can happen in such a short time.
A few days ago, we waved my dear friend Paige goodbye, as her Spanish adventures are over, having spend nearly 3 months in the mediterranean. We've spend Semana Santa and Feria together, 2 of the most important holidays after Christmas, and tons of other city and/or beachtrips. It was a time full of tapas, rioja and laughter. The happy memories will always stay with me and cannot wait for her return.
With her moving towards a new era in her life, so do we. Tomorrow we'll be leaving for a 6 day visit to my parents, to celebrate my grandmothers 86th birthday. As we planned, my sister and her boyfriend are also coming over from England, since we haven't seen eachother in over a year now, seemed like the perfect oportunity to have the whole family together.
After that, who knows. I know summer is starting. I've already spend numerous days in the sun, when work permits it. That usually means a time full of hot, sweaty days, chilling at the beach, drinking cocktails in Chiringuito's, weekends with friends. Just delightful.
I also know that my other dear friend Daphne, is coming to us for a week with her long-term boyfriend Roel, and baby Keane. I'm very much looking forward to that.
In life, I find a few things that are important to me. Apart from the obvious- my boyfriend, our families, dogs and our friends. I also know that spending time with either of them are just as important. You know, not taking granted for what you have, but appreciate it. Time comes and always goes, the memories won't.
If you don't put yourself out there, making life happen, than life happens to you. You'll meet people, but not taking an interest will never lead you to a new friendship, a potential workoportunity, and so on.
I know of people that never travel anywhere, don't even leave town, don't like to socialise, just don't like spending money. What good is money going to do, when you are 85, with nobody to share it with? Never enjoying life, not having great memories of stupid things you've done.
That's why I love travelling, meeting new people, having new experiences. Sometimes things don't work out the way you wanted, but at least you tried. It does make you richer. Not in money, but as a person. Which is the most important in life? That's for each to decide.
A few days ago, we waved my dear friend Paige goodbye, as her Spanish adventures are over, having spend nearly 3 months in the mediterranean. We've spend Semana Santa and Feria together, 2 of the most important holidays after Christmas, and tons of other city and/or beachtrips. It was a time full of tapas, rioja and laughter. The happy memories will always stay with me and cannot wait for her return.
With her moving towards a new era in her life, so do we. Tomorrow we'll be leaving for a 6 day visit to my parents, to celebrate my grandmothers 86th birthday. As we planned, my sister and her boyfriend are also coming over from England, since we haven't seen eachother in over a year now, seemed like the perfect oportunity to have the whole family together.
After that, who knows. I know summer is starting. I've already spend numerous days in the sun, when work permits it. That usually means a time full of hot, sweaty days, chilling at the beach, drinking cocktails in Chiringuito's, weekends with friends. Just delightful.
I also know that my other dear friend Daphne, is coming to us for a week with her long-term boyfriend Roel, and baby Keane. I'm very much looking forward to that.
In life, I find a few things that are important to me. Apart from the obvious- my boyfriend, our families, dogs and our friends. I also know that spending time with either of them are just as important. You know, not taking granted for what you have, but appreciate it. Time comes and always goes, the memories won't.
If you don't put yourself out there, making life happen, than life happens to you. You'll meet people, but not taking an interest will never lead you to a new friendship, a potential workoportunity, and so on.
I know of people that never travel anywhere, don't even leave town, don't like to socialise, just don't like spending money. What good is money going to do, when you are 85, with nobody to share it with? Never enjoying life, not having great memories of stupid things you've done.
That's why I love travelling, meeting new people, having new experiences. Sometimes things don't work out the way you wanted, but at least you tried. It does make you richer. Not in money, but as a person. Which is the most important in life? That's for each to decide.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Night for Me
As today is a relatively normal day - apart from the fact that it's Miguel's birthday (!) - I wanted to give you an insight of what I do on such a day.
As the alarm goes at 08.00 am, I hit the shower and get ready to go to town, as I need to get some stuff for my folks (their be-lated momsday gift and early dadsday gift). Miguel drops me off at the postoffice as he goes on to the cityhall to get his unemployment check-up. I do my rounds, find out that; Oh yes, the shops don't open untill 10.00am and end up walking in circles doing nothing. Miguel calls me and ask to meet him at his mom's so we can get some breakfast. I do that, in the meantime meeting Miguel's uncle on the street and go to the house.
I have some coffee, Mig and his mum also have some toast with butter/Jamon and oil and while she is getting ready to go to meet his sister in Cádiz, we head out to town again and I finally get what I need. We also buy some lottery tickets - a weekly ritual that usually earns us back some 10 euro's. I've already won 2000 euro's last spring and another 70 euro's in the fall, plus a whole lot of 10 euro's - Yeay!
When we head back to home, I get ready to work on my translations and Miguel hits the studybooks. He's studying for prisonguard and wants to make the exam this year October.
At around 02.00pm, we get our lunch ready - a healthy lettuce, pepper and cucumber salad with some grilled chicken. Yums!
Back to our work and at 05.00pm we take a little siësta, which is quite normal here, but we only rarely do, unless we really are tired.
Feeling fit after an hours sleep, we continue working and at 07.00, Miguel gets ready for his class, which he goes to twice a week, given by a prisonguard to help others preparing for the big exam.
Which means, I have me-time! I clean the garden a little bit, organise the house and go to my laptop to write my blog.
Since it will take around 3 1/2 hours to see Miguel again, I will probably just relax, watch some tv, maybe call my mom. Miguel's birthday will be celebrated another day, probably with some friends and a BBQ this weekend. Ah...the shear bliss of it all....
As the alarm goes at 08.00 am, I hit the shower and get ready to go to town, as I need to get some stuff for my folks (their be-lated momsday gift and early dadsday gift). Miguel drops me off at the postoffice as he goes on to the cityhall to get his unemployment check-up. I do my rounds, find out that; Oh yes, the shops don't open untill 10.00am and end up walking in circles doing nothing. Miguel calls me and ask to meet him at his mom's so we can get some breakfast. I do that, in the meantime meeting Miguel's uncle on the street and go to the house.
I have some coffee, Mig and his mum also have some toast with butter/Jamon and oil and while she is getting ready to go to meet his sister in Cádiz, we head out to town again and I finally get what I need. We also buy some lottery tickets - a weekly ritual that usually earns us back some 10 euro's. I've already won 2000 euro's last spring and another 70 euro's in the fall, plus a whole lot of 10 euro's - Yeay!
When we head back to home, I get ready to work on my translations and Miguel hits the studybooks. He's studying for prisonguard and wants to make the exam this year October.
At around 02.00pm, we get our lunch ready - a healthy lettuce, pepper and cucumber salad with some grilled chicken. Yums!
Back to our work and at 05.00pm we take a little siësta, which is quite normal here, but we only rarely do, unless we really are tired.
Feeling fit after an hours sleep, we continue working and at 07.00, Miguel gets ready for his class, which he goes to twice a week, given by a prisonguard to help others preparing for the big exam.
Which means, I have me-time! I clean the garden a little bit, organise the house and go to my laptop to write my blog.
Since it will take around 3 1/2 hours to see Miguel again, I will probably just relax, watch some tv, maybe call my mom. Miguel's birthday will be celebrated another day, probably with some friends and a BBQ this weekend. Ah...the shear bliss of it all....
Feria, La-La-La!!
How awesome is Feria? Just a week full of holiday, sun, drinking, eating, dancing and you get to spend it with all of your friends.
The girls get to wear the prettiest dresses, the boys looking smart in their suits. I just love people-watching during Feria (EN: Fair; NL: Kermis) I stopped loving Feria in my country since I was 14 and at that time it was the 'cool' thing to just stand at the bumbercars, riding them once in a while. Turns out that never changes, neither here in Spain.
They split Feria up in two parts; one for the grown-ups, the other for the youth. The youth is mainly at the fairrides, and so is grandmother and their grandchildren. However the grown-up part isn't shy of having their fair share of grandma's and kids too. We all hang out in big plastic stands called "caseta's", standing shoulder to shoulder, and each with their own name or number. Usually colorfully designed with red and white stripes.
In Sevilla, each familia or group of amigo's have their caseta rented, so you are assured of a spot to hang out in. Their is a bar, loads of uncomfortable tables and chairs and a podium where the dancing and performing happens. The floor is mud or sand if your lucky which btw ruined the bottom of my dress -thank you very much-!
And really all you do is hang out, eat, drink, dance and converse. It's just a great excuse to go crazy, I guess.
I had the best time, we were so fortunate to stay at a friends house, that only lived a metro-ride away from the Feria, but since the WHOLE of Spain decided to go, ended up more in taxi's than the subway. Gosh, I never saw people getting so crazy, not even in NYC, so you can imagen. There was just no room to fit everybody in, but still we stopped at every stop and people yelling there was just no room for more travellers. Aahh the horror!
Feria is like Disney World (I even saw something that resembled Winnie the Pooh!) and you are in a magical place, just ignoring the real world for a few days. No wonder everyone wants to come! I just loved wearing my wonderful dress, that happened to be incredible heavy and the ruffles hurting my shins while walking, but it was worth it. You feel like you are contributing to the magic.
The magic also included that my American friend Paige -who came back for the event- and I got so happy with our Rebujito, a mix drink of Manzanilla (applewine) and Sprite, that we got seperated from the group. My boyfriend Miguel came to find me, got very angry about this, me not understanding the big deal. Things ofcourse worked out quickly, because we were drunk and your personality changes with it. Other things like our friend Jaime falling down the subway stairs, breaking his shoe and him not remembering it with, but being angry that his shoe fell apart for no reason.
Paige got kinda lost on the last day, running off with our friend Saber, and Miguel and I waiting for her, catching a cold. We found her again, being semi-annoyed with the semi-abduction and we all got to go home again. I think there was even some falling to the floor involved and misterious bruises showing up the day after.
Just the usual.
But that's what I love of having friends and doing stuff together. You get to experience so much; you laugh, you cry, you get over it. These are the memories you will never forget. And when you are 80, you won't ever regret these great times you had. The only regrets you will have is the things you never got to do.
The girls get to wear the prettiest dresses, the boys looking smart in their suits. I just love people-watching during Feria (EN: Fair; NL: Kermis) I stopped loving Feria in my country since I was 14 and at that time it was the 'cool' thing to just stand at the bumbercars, riding them once in a while. Turns out that never changes, neither here in Spain.
They split Feria up in two parts; one for the grown-ups, the other for the youth. The youth is mainly at the fairrides, and so is grandmother and their grandchildren. However the grown-up part isn't shy of having their fair share of grandma's and kids too. We all hang out in big plastic stands called "caseta's", standing shoulder to shoulder, and each with their own name or number. Usually colorfully designed with red and white stripes.
In Sevilla, each familia or group of amigo's have their caseta rented, so you are assured of a spot to hang out in. Their is a bar, loads of uncomfortable tables and chairs and a podium where the dancing and performing happens. The floor is mud or sand if your lucky which btw ruined the bottom of my dress -thank you very much-!
And really all you do is hang out, eat, drink, dance and converse. It's just a great excuse to go crazy, I guess.
I had the best time, we were so fortunate to stay at a friends house, that only lived a metro-ride away from the Feria, but since the WHOLE of Spain decided to go, ended up more in taxi's than the subway. Gosh, I never saw people getting so crazy, not even in NYC, so you can imagen. There was just no room to fit everybody in, but still we stopped at every stop and people yelling there was just no room for more travellers. Aahh the horror!
Feria is like Disney World (I even saw something that resembled Winnie the Pooh!) and you are in a magical place, just ignoring the real world for a few days. No wonder everyone wants to come! I just loved wearing my wonderful dress, that happened to be incredible heavy and the ruffles hurting my shins while walking, but it was worth it. You feel like you are contributing to the magic.
The magic also included that my American friend Paige -who came back for the event- and I got so happy with our Rebujito, a mix drink of Manzanilla (applewine) and Sprite, that we got seperated from the group. My boyfriend Miguel came to find me, got very angry about this, me not understanding the big deal. Things ofcourse worked out quickly, because we were drunk and your personality changes with it. Other things like our friend Jaime falling down the subway stairs, breaking his shoe and him not remembering it with, but being angry that his shoe fell apart for no reason.
Paige got kinda lost on the last day, running off with our friend Saber, and Miguel and I waiting for her, catching a cold. We found her again, being semi-annoyed with the semi-abduction and we all got to go home again. I think there was even some falling to the floor involved and misterious bruises showing up the day after.
Just the usual.
But that's what I love of having friends and doing stuff together. You get to experience so much; you laugh, you cry, you get over it. These are the memories you will never forget. And when you are 80, you won't ever regret these great times you had. The only regrets you will have is the things you never got to do.
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