Language Exchanges

Just because I am a native English speaker and I am living in a place where learning the English language is a hot commodity doesn't mean that I have any desire to do meet ups with people to help them improve their English. The catch is always "and I can help you improve your Spanish!" but I get enough of that already. Not every moment of my day has to be spent learning Spanish, that's not the reason I am here (but I think people think that I am here primarily to learn Spanish). I'm frusterated at how many people (relatives and friends of the family) ask me if I want to meet up to do a language exchange. If I said yes to all of them, I would be busy all day every day with helping people improve their English. The only way I would do it is if I were getting paid. My time is valuable. I want to choose how I spend my day, even if it means having a siesta and watching a movie. It's my experience and it doesn't have to revolve around learning a language. I feel guilty when I don't want to do language exchanges, like people perceive it as a positive thing and by saying no I am turning down an experience. Too bad, it's not the experience I want to have.

The only exchange I am doing now is an hour of English a week for free yoga classes in return. I think its a fair trade, especially since yoga tends to be expensive and I like doing it.

10 year old girl problems

Laura is currently "not speaking" to her mother and instead writing what she wants to say on a note pad she is carrying around.  She is upset because apparently she says "my mother loves my brother more than she loves me!".  This is obviously not the case, but it's quite amusing to see how much of a drama queen a little 10 year old can be!

BzzzzZZZZ.

The flies are out in full force here in Malaga, and as annoying as ever.  According to Rosa, they are frantic because they can tell winter is coming (whatever "winter" means here!).  They fly around erratically and relentlessly... One spend a few hours circling the coffee table.  I know because I watched it . Spending time sunbathing on ground level is a pain, because there are always flies landing on you and walking around on your skin, leaving you to shift position constantly to get them off.  I find that lying on the rooftop patio is the best bet, the flies don't seem to go up that high.  Today while I was waiting for the bus, a fly kept trying to fly up my sleeve.  Yesterday two flies who appeared to be mating flew on to my arm to do their dirty work.  They buzz around your hair, land all over your arms and legs... Eating outside is difficult because you have to spend half your meal swating them away.  I can't wait for them to leave me alone.

Although, I guess it is better than mosquitos or bees.