True Lies and Goodbyes

Since I'm still not allowed to tell people from the course that I got a job (it'd be a bit rude I think) with the school, I have to avoid awkward conversations about my future plans. The terrible thing is my sense of integrity won't allow me to really lie, so I try to tell half truths, such as in the following conversation.

Girl from course who is currently unemployed and would love to have my job: So, what are you doing after the course?
Me: Teaching English, hopefully (there's a chance my job offer was a fraud. small chance, yes, but a chance)
Girl: Well we're going to Sevilla, you should join us.
me: I think I'm going to stay in Cadiz. (truth)
Girl: oh do you think you'll find a job?
me: it would be nice to have some work. (this is true)
Girl: Well if you don't, you should come join us in Sevilla.
me: Yes, if I can't find work here, it would be nice to try Sevilla out. (generic truth revealing nothing)

Anyways, it's difficult to do, but i'm still glad I am in the situation I'm in rather than still looking for a job.

I found an apartment (flat) today. I'll be living with a German girl. I don't really know much about her but I somehow decided to live with her after only meeting her for 3 minutes...

But the apartment is amazing - the previous owner calls it a hobbit hole - the ceilings are barely tall enough for me, let alone my future roommate... I'll be about 1 minute from school and my job, and i'll be on the first floor of the building, which is nice b/c there's only one thing I hate more than stairs: fat men wearing leopard print thongs.

I'm generally really excited about my future here in Cadiz, but it's a bit rough at the moment because all my friends are leaving. I have three main friends, a French girl who speaks german and english, an English girl from Cornwall, and an American girl from DC who went to Wm & Mary. It's nice having girls for friends for the first time since freshman year, but it does suck when the whole class makes fun of you and your 'harem.' What am I supposed to do? There are 14 people in the class, and only three guys. Why is it a problem that I have made friends with three girls?

Movin' on

My course ends today with a 15 minute interview with the Moderator, someone from the parent company who ensures that our grades were fair. Our tutors told us that if we showed up hungover though, it wouldn't be a huge problem. sweet...

Still worried about Rita. My mom told me they left at 8 am to try to get out of Houston. By 5 pm, they were almost out of gas and had only got as far as Kingwood. For those of you that aren't familiar with Houston, that's about 45 minutes away normally.... Since they couldn't find any gas (there's no gas anywhere in Houston), they just had to go back home. Terrible... They assured me that they'll be ok though because the storm's turning back towards Lousiana. Poor New Orleans...

Might go to Africa sometime next week, but today I'm going to the beach. good luck with the 'cane if you're around houston...

I got a job!!

In a stunning development, after sending out only six résumés and not even being interviewed, i received a job offer!

The company where I am taking classes is starting an english course his year and they wanted a teacher from the course. And i guess they decided they wanted me!

I was, of course, deeply honored and nearly accepted on the spot. I'll be teaching all ages: kids, teens and adults, and all levels as well. They're looking for a flat for me as well, and I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that I don't have to move to a brand new city and look for a job only to find out that the boss is a jerk, they don't pay what they promised and I generally get screwed. Instead, i get to work with all the great people i've already met at the school and they'll be there to help as well... It really couldn't have worked out any better.

now i'm at the beach in shorts but no boxers. I took them off in the water trying to pick up this unknown thing sitting on the ocean floor. turned out it was the skin of a rat. There were about a dozen of them in the water. Nasty little buggers...

from the Adventure mailbag...

Dear Morgan,

I feel that you always write about negative things over there. It sounds like you're having a terrible time! Can you tell us about some good things that happen to you or is everything as bad as you make it out to be?

K. from Houston

Well, K., the critical approach does happen to be part of the style that I am writing in, but i do understand and respect my listeners' requests, so I will write a more generic entry focusing on the good things that have happened to me recently. If you are a fan of the more usual biting criticism of Europe and/or other funny stories, stay tuned for Monday's edition.

The course has been really good for me so far; I have found that I really love teaching. It is an incredibly enriching experience where I feel that the knowledge that you are changing lives is worth so much more than the Christmas bonus that so many of my friends will be receiving... Although it would be nice to have a little something on top of my €800 a month for changing lives...

I've also met some very interesting people, and have entirely platonic friendships with girls for the first time since high school (with one notable exception in college). It's really nice, and I spent the day at the beach with three girls. One girl, the European who I argued with so vehemently last weekend, has turned out to be a really good friend, and we've chatted about everything from speaking three languages in the home (she did it) to why the ocean turns green before a storm.

She also has potentially changed my outlook with regards to deadlines: she believes that she'll take however much time she has to do an assignment. So extensions on homework (which we received) just means she'll be up late on Sunday night instead of thursday night. So she's decided just to not worry about stuff until it's basically due. We agreed that if something's due on Monday and we know it will take about 6 hours to do it and we try to do it on Saturday, we'll stare at the computer like monkeys all day long and still do it on sunday. I don't think i've met someone who has the same outlook as me as per deadlines as I do, and it's rather liberating.

I've sent off four resumes so far to different schools, but I think I'll end up picking a city and moving there and looking for a job. I'm thinking about Sevilla or Valencia, so if you have opinions let me know. I'm not interested in touristy, but I am interested in slightly modern amenities. Madrid and Barcelona are both out b/c of price, location and/or language spoken there.

Other than that, I finish this Saturday and then start a young learner's course on the following Monday. The school year starts basically at the beginning of October, so it's a little tight for me as far as windows...

I've realized that by resorting to humorless writing, I've effectively failed my mission, since my playwriting teacher at Dartmouth told me humor should only be used to further the plot development. Since I have neglected to further my plot with humor and have been forced to resort to lame prose, I have failed as a writer. I will try again on monday.

English Wars, Part II of IX

In this, the second of a nine part series highlighting the absurdities of the language spoken in the UK and commonly known as "English," but more appropriately described as "British," we will take a closer look at "snap," "slap," and "click" and their blatantly incorrect usage.

When a game called "Snap" was introduced to our class, the seven E-mericans were confused because the game required what we call "slapping" one's hands on the table. When questioned, the Brits admitted that they call a "slap" a "snap." When further examined, they defined what we call a "snap" as a "click." They continued to jumble the words, saying that "sometimes a slap can be called a slap, but a snap will never be called a slap." And a "click" might be called a "snap." Absurd indeed.

I have decided to start a list of people that I have been told I look like. The list begins below. Feel free to comment on the list or suggest additions to it that you have heard before.

1. Rawson Daniel













2. Jon Hampton













3. The gap-toothed goofy kid in the SigEp composite on the third floor


4. Justin Timberlake










5. "Adam" from the TV show Smallville about Superman. The newest addition to the list...

in middle school all over again

Although I've generally felt welcome here, there are times when I can't believe the audacity and just plain disrespectfulness of the Spanish people. I wait in line to be served at bars, candy stores, sandwich shops, but apparently that's impolite or something. You're supposed to shove your money in the clerk's face, use elbows, sweat, and a 2-day-without-a-bath-stench to force the American out of the way. And the clerks don't really give a damn.

The third day I was here I tried to buy a candy bar. I made eye contact with the clerk, and asked "How much for this?" when a teenager planted his left elbow in my chest and shoved his money on the counter. The clerks broke eye contact with me and took care of him. I was in such disbelief I didn't even walk off, just paid for the candy bar.

When i walk down the streets, which are narrow already, for some ridiculous reason that likely has to do with my skin color, I always have to be the one to get off the sidewalk and walk in the street. If I'm on the inside, I have to open my shoulders. Bottom line: the Spaniards never break stride or flinch. I didn't realize it at first and thought it was just b/c i was walking on the wrong side of the road, but today i decided to test it out.

13:30 Walk on the R-side. Old man walking wrong way never looks at me. I sidestep into the street to avoid.

13:33 Decide to hug the wall, determined that I won't be the one in the street. Man about my age, larger than I keeps shoulder closed. I open mine to avoid contact.

13:35 Decide I'm gonna be the tough guy. Woman in her 40s with child. Oh yeah, I'm gonna be that guy. I hug the wall. She doesn't flinch. I tighten shoulders. She's on the outside but doesn't move towards the street. At last moment, I brace for contact. I give in and open shoulders. Spaniards 3, Morgan 0.

Me vs. Europe, Texans football

I just had a wonderful home-cooked whole chicken with stuffing and potatoes and some vegetable dish for lunch. It was almost like having Thanksgiving, but without Mo-mo’s chocolate pie. The girl that cooked it is really sweet but your typical Bush-hating European – we argued last night for an hour at dinner (to the chagrin of the 6 other people who sat in between us and had to idly listen to our conversation) about the two no-no topics: politics and religion.

Although I praised her for keeping a level head the whole time, she didn’t really buy my whole “it’s all relative” argument that, for example, the Europeans can have their 2 hour lunches and we can have our 15 minute power lunches and it’s all ok (something about food quality and the environment…) The good news is that she respected my viewpoint and calm, collected arguing style enough that I got invited to that delicious meal today…

The Texans get underway today and I'm all set up with the streaming radio online... free 7-day trial, but i'm sure i'll end up buying the whole season package for a ridiculous $35 (in contrast, I got 160 streaming video baseball games for $80)... Ok here's kickoff so i'm out...