Learning about Lugo

When I first saw the city of Lugo, Galicia driving through on the bus I thought ´tiene buena pinta´, a Spanish expression that literally means to have a good colour. I thought this because the streets were full of people running a race and for me it made a good first impression. People keep asking me ´why I am in Lugo´ and to be honest I am also asking myself that question. I am looking for work here because I want to learn more about Galicia and spend more time in Spain. A friend told me the city of Lugo was a nice city for me, not too big, two beautiful rivers and a historic walled city centre that is like a big castle. I told myself a while ago that I would stop moving places where I didn´t know anyone and here I am again. I was scared getting off the bus and walking into the city. I really did not do any proper research on the city, but here I am. After I dropped off my bag at the youth hostel I started to wander around to get a feel for the city. I discovered a beautiful cathedral and a friendly city centre. I walked into the tourism office and announced I wanted to look for work. The whole idea is completly crazy and if nothing else it will be learning experience. It has been a precarious few days here trying to find a balance between trying to figure things out, slowing down and not worrying too much. I have sort of been treating it as a fact-finding mission.

To report on this research I have been to the eight private language academies that are listed in the yellow pages with my resume. I have been told that most of the hiring is done in the summer for a September to June contract and that there is also an interest for ´native´ teachers to help out with summer camp and travel programs. As a general rule foreigners find other foreigners and within my first 24 hours here I was introduced to a Portuguese-Canadian who is working here. She brought me to the weekly quiz night at an Irish pub and I met most of the other English teachers working here. Some of them are working at ´native English´ speaking positions at the University, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (E.O.I.), a few other unlisted private academies, private school and an assistant program similar to the one I did in France to work in a local high school (according to the website Canadians can apply http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/AC/indexing.shtml ) It seems that most people arrive after they have a contract they heard about through the Internet or friends. So now I have to think about do I stay in Lugo and offer private classes or work as an Au pair or do I look for a contract in another part of Spain...

Part two of my research has also been finding out options to study Spanish. I was surprised the E.O.I did not have any Spanish classes because that is where I went in Bilbao. I have since learned there are classes for new immigrants at the Escuela por adultos (E.P.A), at municipal community centres, potentially at the University, but I think it is just for Erasmus or international students and then I am also told at the Red Cross.

Part three has been finding where to have Internet access. It is free at the Library and a Cyber cafe run by a local bank and then available at a low cost at Locutorio shops. I have been using my youth hostel address when I need to be a resident.

Saturday I decided to enjoy Lugo and went to the provincial museum and was very intrigued by an exhibit which can actually be seen on-line http://www.r-gonzalezfernandez.com/OBRA_DEL_MES/MES_ACTUAL_OK.htm . That evening I went out with some of the English teachers to get a taste of Spanish night life. We met early at 11:00pm and there was only about a handful of people in the bars and clubs until about 2am and then things started. I missed the smoke-free laws in Canada and it was a little crazy that most clubs only seemed to have one toilet. I went to bed early around 5am, but by that time we had moved from one club with English pop music, to a bigger place playing more popular Spanish music and then to 70s style club with a really good D.J.