When it Rains...

(I'm speaking figuratively; we're back up to high nineties weather without a cloud in the sky...)

This week has brought a wave of news (I'll refrain from saying "good" or "bad").

Thursday I received notice from the Spanish Ministry of Education that my homologacion, the con-validation of my B.A. has been definitively denied. This means that as far as Spain is concerned, I don't have a University degree. However, there is the possiblity that if I were to enroll in a program here, they would waive certain requirements if I present the necessary documents. Apparently the insufficiency of my U.S. degree was greater than 25%. Theoretically, if I were within that 25th percentile, I could have taken the few classes that were missing to fill the requirements and been awarded my equivalent degree.

Whatever.

Truthfully, I'm neither surprised by Ministry's decision, nor very upset about it. I think eventually, probably sooner rather than later, I will go back to school; but I doubt very much that it will be to get a degree in Spanish language, for example. My future studies will more likely be along the lines of education, possibly environmental science, or tourism. And with some luck (because that really is what it comes down to) I'll be able to get a few of the required classes waived. That is to say, I would be starting from next to zero anyway.

Having a degree already would possibly make employment easier, and also facilitate admittance into a University program here; but by and large the denial of my request doesn't affect me. Still, it is depressing to think that four years of studying now amount to nothing.

The other bit of 'news' was served to Angelines by a local policeman this evening when she opened the bar: the city has decided to begin charging us rent for our flat. Once again, this isn't surprising, but still annoying.

For those of you who don't know the details of our current living situation, I'll give you a brief rundown. We are living in a flat that belongs to the city and is technically designated as teacher housing. This sounds strange to American ears, I know. Teachers in Spain are civil servants and therefore are often placed in jobs far enough from home that commuting isn't possible. Years ago the city governments spent money to build housing for the teachers which they have since been selling off little by little. Our flat and the one opposite ours are the only ones left in La Roda that remain as city property.

I was lucky enough to get this place because my first year here, I shared the flat with a teacher from Malaga who'd been "stationed" in La Roda for the past seven years. The following year she left, but I made an appointment with the mayor to request the flat for myself. Although I wasn't technically a teacher, I was working in the Spanish education system so I wasn't completely illegitimate. They granted me the flat.

Since that second year, I've continued living here even though I was no longer working at the school. True, this past year, I went back to work as a language assistant, but in a neighboring town. We have been to see the mayor repeatedly about our situation because we realize that we have no real title to the place since neither Angelines nor I are teachers. We have asked about renting or the possibility of buying, but with no response other than a typically Spanish, "I'll get back to you."

Well, today they finally got back to us. After four years of rent-free living, our days of "squatting" have come to an end. They're not asking much, 250 euros, but still it seems capricious at the very least--the city is practically bankrupt, making budget cuts left and right and scrambling to pay off years of debt. It's gotten to the point that only half the street lights are on at night in an attempt to save money on the electric bill. So the fact that NOW suddenly they're asking for money from us, leaves a bad flavor in my mouth; especially when I know that my neighbors pay nothing (one is, however, a legitimate teacher).

The letter we received notifying us of the new conditions as city tenants said nothing with regard to buying the flat. It's old and needs a lot of work and repair, but I do like my little home and for the time being we'll be staying here. It would be far better to buy the flat and begin fixing it up a little at a time rather than paying each month to continue living in a place that's not worth the investment to improve because it isn't ours. Next week I will make an appointment to see the mayor, yet again, to see if we can't work something out.

So there you have it: when it rains, it pours.

On a brighter note, we're leaving tomorrow for Barcelona. We'll be visiting friends of ours until Thursday. I suppose this mini vacation has come at just the right time. The week's news has us feeling a sharp need to escape.