March 24, Murcia

I am now in Murcia (about two hours south of Valencia) with the family for whom I will be an au pair for the next two months. They live about ten minutes outside the city in a big house, with a swimming pool and orange trees in the yard. The parents are great, Clara and Tomás, they have been nothing but welcoming and friendly. There are three kids, baby Manuel (five months), Araceli (4 years) and the younger Tomás (6 years). The main objective of my job is to speak English with the children and help out Clara in whatever way I can. In the mornings I watch after Manuel and help get Araceli and Tomásito ready for school. While they are at school I can do as I please, but sometimes run errands with Clara. Yesterday we went to the supermarket and bought vegetarian things and toothpaste. When the kids come home we play and I give them an English lesson. Last night they were very cranky while I tried to show them clips of Sesame Street and the Muppets show on YouTube, asking about what color each muppet was, and counting along with the Count. Araceli sort of through a fit and ran away, but eventually Tomás got into it and even laughed a little at the singing bats in the Count´s dungeon. I think they really miss Johnna, their previous au pair, who left only a few days ago. Tonight if I can get Araceli to stay and name a few colors and numbers I will be satisfied. After lessons we make dinner and get ready for bed.
Sometimes I go with Clara to pick up the children from school, so far this has been one of the most chaotic experiences of my life. The drivers in Spain are all absolutley insane. We park just about anywhere we like before exiting the car and dashing across multiple lanes of traffic to reach the school. Once inside the courtyard of the school, still breathing hard with the adrenaline of parking, we are instantly swarmed by many very small human beings with sticky fingers and running noses. They seemingly have no control of their flailing limbs as they hurdle themsleves in every direction, often colliding painfully with our knees. The first task is to pick out which sticky being belongs to us, and then somehow convince it to follow us to the car. Usually this takes about an hour. Clara and I have a disadvantage since we must collect two of them, and also carry with us Manuel. I suppose this is why I am around.
Mostly the parents speak in Spanish with me, and although I often can´t find the words to come up with more of a response than, ¨sí, está bien,¨ I understand almost all of what they say to me, and I think that my improvement over the next two months will be fairly drastic. My only real complaint thus far is that they don´t usually drink coffee and all that is available is Nes Café. My job is enjoyable and not too dificult, but it is exhausting, and I am really missing the real stuff.
Right now the kids are at school, Tomás is at work, and Clara is with Manuel, so I think I will go make some ¨coffee¨and then maybe set out for a little exploration of the neighborhood. Thus far I have not had time to leave the house on my own. ¡Hasta luego!