ok I am going to stop counting days...

September 22, 2007
So I checked out my competition. Let me just say, I knew at first glance I am going to kick his butt. It´s hostile take over time. Like I am fighting for street corners to sell drug, I am going to get a few hard hitting Negroes to get medieval on his ass!
I went into his shop, of course sticking out like a sore thumb because I was the only one in the small shop and as big and chocolate as I am, I just stick out! The shop is one big room, separated by a 3/4 wall. The front room was the show are and the back contained, what I could see, several PCs in various stages of undress. From behind the wall I could also see the back of someone’s head with headphones on. I must have tripped some silent alarm b/c without saying a word he rose and turned to me. ESP is not just an abbreviation for Spain I guess.
So this dude walks from behind the wall and comes to the front area. Days of being followed by security guards in clothing shops still haunts me. But he did not follow me around. I guess with a shop the size of a closet, where would he follow me to?
The showroom was not impressive at all. In the window, were shelves containing boxes of item. There were products on these shelves but in no order or categories at all. I counted 3 types of processors, 4 types of switches, etc, all intermingled. I saw no boxes for motherboards. So my only logic was that these boxes were for decoration or showing off. to the naked eye, the wall of product boxes can be overwhelming, but hey, what do I know. So I went to check to see if the boxes had weight, if there was the actual device in the box. As soon as I touched it, the owner spoke to me in a rapid manor so all I got was the first and last words. I think he said something about my mother, too. Might as well be b/c I don’t know what he said. I removed my hand but did notice there was some weight to the boxes. Now to put this all in perspective, this shelf of his impressive display of boxes collected were all sitting in the front store window. Can you imagine what happens to bright and colorful boxes that sit behind a clear window pane and receive 5-6 hours of intense morning son: THEY FADE! I mean these manufacturers spend a lot of time and money getting their products to shine on the store shelves. They look like my grandma’s jeans from 1954! I was so disgusted. And I know the devices have protection and all but who wants to spend a lot of money on an outdated computer part i a faded box?
Now I turned my attention on the gentleman. The average Spanish geek, so nothing special. I knew from his sangria belly (as opposed to beer gut) he could not kick my ass or run very far if I needed to kick his. I noticed he squirmed a bit while he stood there with part of his shirt un-tucked and his hands in his pockets. After further inspection, I saw that his thumbs were red and swollen. AHA! he was a gamer! He was in the back playing some online game and his thumbs were enlarged due to activity. No wonder he can’t get anything done. He looked like a cartoon character with those huge thumbs as he tried to fit all five fingers in his tight pockets. Now I know his weakness!

Spain - Day 3 Wednesday

September 21, 2007
So while I sit and wait to establish my residency, I decided to check out the town and figure out what I am going to do with the rest of my time here in Spain, be it for a year or forever. Many people know I am good with computers and this town needs a new technician. How much different can it be from when my mother calls me and asks me "how do you make the thingy make the noises"? Sure I am not exactly proficient in the Spanish ways and languages, but how hard could it be after that right?
So most people ask what I can do (some talents I have are useless in any country...like playing the spoons) and I respond that I am good with computers, networks, etc. Everyone then goes into a speech on how horrible the local tech is. They rant in incomprehensible Spanish or Catalan about how lazy and slow he is. Again I pick up key words and pray I know what the heck they are talking about. I pick up words like stupid and expensive and I take my queue on what the people want. So now I have to go check this dude out...

Spain - Day 2 Tuesday

September 18, 2007
This is my first official day in Tossa de mar, Espana. A little bit about the town. It is a small "kvillage" up the coast line from Barcelona. Many tourist visit and stay here for weeks on time. Everyday a new bus seems to pull in from France, Germany, England or wherever. It is not customery for you to speak to strangers, especially since you do not know if they speak your language or not. There is a beach here , which I have not visited just yet, but as many of you know, I am in no need of a tan. The city is alive dsay and into the evening. Most of the life is centered in bars to see the soccer matches of Barcelona FC. Otherwise, you see many foriegners (not me) stolling along the streets until the closing of shops seem to happen in harmony at promptly 10pm. Sometimes it´s odd to think when shops are closing here it´s 4pm back home.
Many wonder how well my spanish is coming along. I have to say, Carme is quite shocked at how much spanish I use daily. Still it is difficult for me to hear it when people speak it so rapidly. I catch about every other word, if I am lucky. I am seeing many familiar faces from visits in the past. That is comforting to know I have friends here. Still my biggest crutch is Carme and, suprisingly, Alex (read the post for Day 3 and you will see!!). Most times she lets me roam as I see fit and she doesn´t push me too much.
I kinda thought I would be a celebrity here. I am the biggest thing in this town. Literally I hover a foot over most natives. It takes some getting used to the light switches, for instance. Where in America, they are higher than the halfway mark! I spent almost 10 minutes feeling a wall inside of a dark room looking for a light switch. It was easier to build a torch like Conan or some mideveil Hobbit, right? But luckily, the switches are like 2.5" by 2.5". makes it easy for the switch on and off unlike our tiny switches.
There is only one gas station in this town, so if you are driving the coast and you are low and running on fumes...you are forced to pay 6€ per liter! So stop complaining America and filler up! Still I think the cars here have head rests bigger then gas tanks and still get more kilometers per gallon...ha ha (Let Jason explain that one!)
Going back, I got to walk my son to school this morning. The morning was crisp and a bit cool, but the sun was peaking behind a ridge of grassy and rocky areas and warming the town just a bit. I was able to wear shorts and a T-shirt without shivering. I noticed the closer we got the more nervous Alex got. As a paent you want to pick up on these clues. Sure Carme has givien me her account of his first week at school but now it was time for me to see it for myself. I had to resist the urge to want to rescue him and take him to the beach or something (he needs the tan!). Still I watched him look in horror as an Italian youngster clung (is that a word) to his mother, then to the hall stairwell railing, then eventually shreiking in agony at being dragged into school. It was a bit much for Alex. The kicker was seeing the kid take off running from the class, thru the courtyard and seeing the teacher take chase! You would think this was juvenille hall, right? I could see why he was so terrified. But I am sure this would happen in America as Alex was starting Kindergarten this year. Funny thing, they skipped him to the first grade and one of his classes is English (someone has to get an "A" ).
They go to school from 9am to 5pm with a break from 1-3 for lunch. The children can go home to have lunch but we chose not to pick Alex up due to the fighting we would need to get him back at 3pm. Maybe in the winter I will take the time to spend with Alex during his lunch break, when he actually begins to enjoy his friends at school.

a touching moment...

September 4, 2007
On Monday, Labor Day, my wife and son took their flight to Barcelona to contiue with the next phase of PROJECT:BARCELONA!!!! We found really cheap round trip tickets from Philly on Air France (sale still going on) stopping in Paris and ending up in Barcelona. Of course that means we have return tickets but it was cheaper for these tickets rather than one way.
The trip started well as we steam rolled past northern VA and entered the beltway. We have been planning on stopping to see my great aunt in Baltimore. After a quick stop and back on the Interstate, we stopped for lunch somewhere in Baltimore. Carme had to go into the Target there (she can spot one a mile away I swear) to exchange a belt (more evdence she has an old flame in Spain she is dolling up for!)
The trip was lively and fun until after lunch. We were a few miles from Deleware when the somber mood just settled over us. It seemed like either the burritos were really locking us up or we all knew that our time was closing near. We all sat in our own air, pondering the next 13 days of seperation for my family. I worked hard to keep the mood light and fun. alex was not haivng it. Carme sat and just tried to smile, hiding tears behind her expensive shades (hey!!! did she have those shades before the detour to Target?!?. A rousing game of 20 questions could not stir Alex from his long face.
20 minutes from the airport, I found myself actually driving the speed limit. I guess I subconsiously slowed my pace as to have a few more moments to hold her hand, to watch my son sleeping in the back. Unfortunately, finding a parking spot was strangely easy. The long walk to the terminal too mere seconds. We even had no issues at the ticketing counter! Geesh, I can't avoid this if I wanted to.
Tears began to flow. If you have children, you know, seeing them cry is almost the worst feeling (seeing them laugh at you when you slip and fall if THE worst feeling :) ). Alex tried to be brave and understand but he could not fathom the though of "daddy not coming with us". I truly believe this boy loves his parents equally. He promised me, with all the bravery he could gather, to take care of him mother for me. And that he did. You should have seen him helping her during the metal detector obstacle course. He held her hand firmly, turned one time to wave, and walked away bravely. I could not ask for more from that boy. I cannot wait to see him again.
I love you, Alex.