December 6, 2006 04:49pm

Dearest Sheila,

Again I found a free day to write to all my pals at home since today is a holiday here in Madrid. It's a Constitution Day of Spain - 28th anniversary of the founding of their Democracy. Which to my mind is really strange in comparison to our Philippine Constitution...inasmuch as it shows we have been democratized earlier (in 1935) than the Spaniards. And yet, it seems our Country has not progressed and advanced at all in a way that Spain have had in the last 28 years. A sore note to our Philippine History. Anyway, as I write you this email I'm actually viewing the DVDs you gave me about the English Language History. I must admit though that DVD transfer was not quite good - there are some jumps & cluttered scenes which are not understandable - but as a whole it's still a valuable material for my teaching job. I think when I get the chance to get back to Manila (sometime August next year) I shall try to see you again and have another recopy of the same material. I will always be indebted to you for having shared this material with me. I always get fascinated watching it every chance that I get. And surely I will not forget you for your generosity of showing me this material on English Language History. It has given me an immense "self-confidence" in teaching Business English here in Madrid. Not even the English School - the Canadian Centre - which I'm connected with, I think, would have the same material as you have. As always I give you all KUDOS for being a very excellent mentor of mine. I do hope you are doing well too at this time. About my Teaching career here, I am just plodding along and trying to enjoy every bit of it. The Pay as you know is not that much, meager by all standards here, but I am contented and happy just the same to be employed at my age. At least I get to meet a lot of people who are quite educated by local standards here. Among my students here are - a Director of Canal Isabel (Water Supply Company - like MWSS), a Director of MAPFRE (Biggest Spanish Insurance Company) and Sub-Director of Aldeas Infantiles (a UN affiliated NGO dealing with underprivileged children around the world). So, as you can see, there is really nothing that I should complain about ...except the Low wage that I get. Temporarily however it will do...until I get my spanish Visa. The only resentment that I have is, that, I am not able to learn well enough the spanish language as my time is so occupied with my Teaching job. Teaching English and learning Spanish at the same time ,is , quite a complicated business for me. I do hope to learn spanish next year when I get to put my english teaching career on a more solid ground. Right now, I'm still trying to build up my English Teaching Materials...and there's really no telling When it will stop. So that's all that I can say for today. I am hoping to see you again next year...if time and budget will permit. You take care now and my best regards to all.

-Rene Viray.