Conversation I had with a smart Argentinian guy in a suit outside a bookshop yesterday. Time Bookshop was meant to open, 5pm. Bookshop still shut at 5.10pm:
Argentinian guy: That’s why this country is in such a mess.
Me: It drives you a bit mad. The other day I went to the bank, it was meant to open at 9.30, didn’t open til 9.45! A bank!
Argentinian: See what I mean?
Me: In the end you get accustomed to it.
Argentian: No, In the end you resign yourself to it…
I wanted to tell him to lighten up. There is a big difference between getting accustomed to something, and resigning yourself to it, and I think I prefer the former.
In fact I think I’ll redo my Expat manifesto, to add the following:
7. When living somewhere you don’t originally come from, don’t resign yourself to the differences, just smile and get accustomed to them.
[Note: Please don’t use this post as an excuse to leave negative comments about Spain – they will be deleted! I’ve had enough trouble with that in the past!]
Notes from Spain by Ben Curtis 