Dawn

Dawn

Friday, October 29, 2010

I mentioned the other day that the Spanish property market was one of several things I doubted I’d ever understand. So, I could hardly stop nodding in agreement with this opening sentence in Mark Stucklin’s latest post over at Spanish Property Insight – “Anyone keeping an eye on the Spanish property market could be forgiven for feeling a little confused right now.” Which is a relief.

Yesterday’s pupil no-how was by no means the first time I’d experienced this. When my elder daughter left Pontevedra for Madrid, I inherited a couple of her pupils. Sometimes they’d turn up and sometimes they wouldn’t. And, in the latter case, there’d never be a phone call on the day or any sort of apology or explanation the week later. So I was rather grateful when the classes stopped. Abruptly and without any explanation of course. When Spaniards protest they’re not as rude as they’re painted by foreigners, it’s this sort of mala educación that springs to my mind. Though I’m not at all sure this sort of thing is considered to be bad manners by the Spanish themselves. Just the cut and thrust of life perhaps. Contrary views welcome. Especially from Spaniards.

Interestingly, my friend Peter avers that, based on his experience, there’s often no real interest in having the kid's English improved. Just a desire to be able to boast to one’s friends that one’s rug-rat is being taught English not just privately but by a native speaker. As he says, I really should be able to make effortless money out of it, one way or another. 

Finally . . . I should just stress that the pupil never turned up at all. It was the mother who arrived 50 minutes after the appointed start time to tell me what had (or hadn’t) happened.

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