Thanksgiving and all that

Spain is still a little bit old-fashioned in terms of political patronage and one must be wary of connections especially in a small town such as the one in which I live and work.
Having a strong belief in one´s principles is fine, however one should not forget the dangers of messing with the family. Unlike my birthplace where you are just as likely to live in another county or country to your blood relations, the Madrid clan tend to live in each other´s back garden or very close by.
A recent episode involving an excessivly pushy student´s mother caused yours truly to react in a belief that much had been done to accomodate and that a stand against the bully was required.
The situation eventually sorted itself out but one will be more careful in future dealings.

All Saints and All Souls

We (my Celtic cousins and I) came up with the idea of Halloween from the ancient festival of Samhain but thanks to Hollywood and Irish bars it has now been transported to central Spain. Donning a rubber mask and yellow witch´s hat, I entered into the spirit at a party hosted by one of my work colleagues last night. A little sceptical at the idea of dressing up, it turned out to be a pretty enjoyable night.

As the U.S. election heads towards the final hurdle, one hopes that those in the Land of Stars and Stripes give us something better than the previous eight years.

Death and taxes

They have a complicated tax system in this country and woe betide any slacker like myself who forgets to change their address as this has proved costly. Not only was I done for tax dating back five to eight years but they also froze my bank account and extracted the money owed. Make sure your employer contibutes properly and that you do a declaration de renta every year.

On a more cheerful note, a visit to the University city of Salamanca included a visit to the Octoberfest with real German beer, sausages, oom pah music and some cabaret style performers who were larger than life in every way.

Anyway Leinster have a break for the autumn internationals and looking a little jaded in their defeat to Glasgow last Friday night, it will do them no harm and will return to batle against the Dragons on Saturday November 25th at six thirty Madrid time

Only twenty eight hours till Wasps

This is my first entry and I will give a brief introduction to the author of this blog.

I have been living in Madrid for nearly eight years, I spent my first 23 in Ireland being educated in what one might believe to be institutions of the advantaged. Off to lovely London in the late eighties of emigration where my time was spent in the not so high flying world of insurance during the day and the pubs of an evening.
On my return to Dublin a little more time in insurance convinced one that ther was a life in another direction. A TEFL qualification and a few months on the dole when suddenly an opportunity to become a teacher in a Spanish school in Bray, Co. Wicklow was to change my life forever.
After a number of years teaching , I headed down Iberia way where I know reside and work north of Madrid with weekends spent in central Madrid watching rugby and sipping beer with an odd collection of ex-pats.

Only twenty-six hours till my beloved Leinster face Wasps in the R.D.S. As Ross would say Come on Drico and the boys¡