Making Progress; or, Trying Not to be *that* guy

We are (finally) making some progress! Waiting has paid off.

First, we got our SOFA stamps and our NIE cards back. Yay! With those, we are "officially" in the country (and can rent a house, buy a car, etc).

Second, we found a car. We are the proud owner of a used BMW. It's blue. Yes, that's about as much as I know about it. Right now, I'm still driving the rental car and trying to find something great for parking in small spaces, because that's what you really need here. Blue Car (it has no name yet) is not a big car, but it's not tiny. Yes, this is as technical as I get with cars. It's a stick shift (good), a diesel (even better), and roomy enough to cart visitors around, so it's exactly what we wanted.

No tractors, no horses, no horse drawn carriages.
Highway signs and a view out of the new (to us) car

We are still waiting for our permanent driver's licenses to come back, but at least we have temporary ones that make us street-legal for driving all over the EU, if we wish.

Third, and most importantly, we found a house! We don't move in until mid-September, and our household goods sat in a storage facility for almost two months in Florida instead of moving on towards us (I'm not pointing fingers, but. . . GTMO). It makes it rather difficult because we were told when our goods were packed up on June 8 that the shipment would be in Spain the first week of September. Instead, it now looks like things will get here in late October. It is what it is. I now wish I had mailed more clothes and my work boxes, but they will get here eventually. We will be on temporary furniture once we get in the house and live with what we have for a bit longer than we originally planned.

street view of the house

We are learning patience and don't want to be horrible, terrible, stereotypical Americans. And before you think I don't love 'Murica, please know I really, truly do. I'm just not a fan of all of my countrymen (and women). Some Americans sadly stick out like a sore thumb (and not in a good way). We've seen it here. A few Americans come and expect the culture to be American. They are indignant when service isn't immediate, even though they should know that the culture is much different here. Some Americans are impolite when people don't understand or speak English. (Hello! We are in their country; try to learn the language). Spaniards are so helpful and appreciate the effort, even if we do sometimes butcher their language. There are the Americans who want Spanish businesses to be open during siesta/lunch, they want Spanish grocery stores to stock American food, they want the rules to be the same as in America. (Many times, these same Americans moan and groan about how "foreigners" come to America and don't assimilate immediately. Why don't they speak our language? Why do they eat different food? etc., etc.) In a month here, we have seen it ALL and worse. It is shameful but it is what it is---the overwhelming minority are obnoxious enough, they tend to leave a lasting impression that the overwhelming majority has to fight.

Have a beer (and a water) while waiting
on your wife and mom to finish shopping.
Mall food court, Spanish style

And it's not that we are perfect, either. Believe me, I have my moments when a new culture and a challenging language get the best of me, too.

I am trying my best to not get frustrated when I am told for the second, third, or fourth time, "Okay, maybe it will be ready next week!" (and I just scream, roll my eyes, and stomp my feet in my head). We do our best to speak Spanish, and we even opened a Spanish bank account using mostly Spanish (and I was totally psyched the next week when I picked up and activated my new bank card with the teller who doesn't speak English). Yes, we speak Spanish, but we speak Mexican Spanish. It's like moving from the U.S. to Scotland and trying to communicate. Have you tried speaking to someone from Glasgow? It's nuts. Always trying to remember here to pronounce words the Castilian way and use unfamiliar Spanish words can be exhausting. I haven't thought about what I'm saying---and how I'm saying it---so much in my life.

We order food and get what we ordered, and if it's not what we expected, we eat it anyway. Fried shrimp with the shells and heads still intact? What's a little peeling. It's a 2 hour meal, you might as well slow down and get to work. We navigate the thirteen traffic circles between the hotel and my work, and we grit our teeth when someone cuts us off. Why worry? Why honk the horn? Spaniards tend to be a lot more laid back than Americans in every respect except traffic. That's the one area they don't wait patiently; if you give someone any reason to cut in front of you, they will take it. You learn to drive more defensively and you motor on.

I've heard Americans use the word tranquilo here. It doesn't just mean "tranquil," it means calm down. Don't worry. At my week back to work, I heard it used over and over again. It is what it is, and you can't change the way things are.

You have to go with the flow or you will go crazy. It can drive you insane trying to fight it.

Or even worse, you will become an Ugly American.