---

My final day in Spain passed quietly. I was up early for another solitary breakfast, quietly staring out of the window at the people outside. I packed up my room and left my things in storage while I set off for a last walk around the city. It was a peaceful morning. Relatively few people were on the streets and I again took to exploring the narrow alleyways and stairways leading upwards until I reached my favourite place amongst the old city wall ruins. The sun was warm and birds chirped in the trees and as I entered the quiet place the chimes of bells rang clearly from the cathedral. I sat on the grassy hillock high above the city and enjoyed the solitude.
It has been a funny time in Spain. For so long I had made my plans on what I wanted to do with the next couple of years and the 'year teaching in Spain' seemed to be a reality before I'd even found the job. In a sense it's been a remarkably unsuccessful start to the year. The academic year began with my disatrous job in Balaguer and 2011 has begun with a rather pointless return visit to Spain. Yet despite everything my plans have changed little. I have had a successful time in Spain, maybe not in terms of career or money but I have had some interesting life and work experiences, spent time with good friends and as my blogs attest I did manage to fit in a fair bit of sightseeing too. I spent enough time in England with family and successfully completed my post-grad interview and got my university place arranged for September..... oh and I have got a job..... in Peru!!!
So with my passion for teaching remarkably intact, my packing already half done and the lure of new adventures in south america I am not too unhappy with the way things have turned out.
I met my friend who was to drive me to the airport. Loading my two enormous suitcases into the car we set off through peaceful fields and arrived at the airport where I found tea and a table to sit at and we whiled away the time chatting until it was time to go through to departures. I had a pleasant flight and found myself sitting next to a Pakistani businessman who seemed quite happy to give me his entire life history, including the fact he married an English girl who converted to Islam and then divorced him because his buisness is selling imported alcohol. Nowt as queer as folk!
Back in considerably colder English climes I now have a little over a month to prepare for the next big adventure.... teching (and travelling!) in Peru.

---