Fancy an exchange?

I mentioned a little while ago that I'd put an ad on the local radio and TV station to see if anyone wanted an "intercambio", an exchange where they get to speak English and I get the opportunity to speak Castilian.

I met with Remedios a few times but then she went and got herself a job so that put paid to our 9am meetings in the coffee bar in the local market. Those were pretty good for me as her English was pretty poor. I know from past experience that the main language becomes that of the person with the strongest second language.

Cesár rang me on the same day as Reme but it had taken till today to actually meet him and even then I had to miss most of my weekly Spanish lesson to do so. He works as a cameraman for the local TV station I advertised on. He knows what pejorative means in English and he asked me how to pronounce Rumplestiltskin. He told me that when he had asked about an exchange with a couple in Dublin they had presumed it was some sort of sex exchange and they ran away. I think we may be going to speak a lot of English together.

And then when I got home tonight, just pouring the milk in my tea, when a chap called Antonio phoned up. Maggie and I are going to meet him on Saturday afternoon.

Even if the Castilian doesn't get better it means we know more people.