Spain Part 2

We are getting closer to getting over to Spain to live!  We've had quite the process of getting everything in order to get over there.

Here is a quick update of everything.  Jimmy just left this past week to officially start living over in Spain.  He was able to get his work visa approval towards the end of April.  What we didn't know this whole time we've been waiting since November for the approval, was that our family visitor visas would not start to be approved until the work visa was approved.  When he got his work visa they made the comment that they would start the visitor visas.  Ugh. Major set back.  They said the visas could take 6-12 weeks.  This week is starting the 6th week, so we're getting closer.  We were hoping to be leaving this week as a family.  However, Jimmy was able to be home for all of April with the baby here, and most of May and into the beginning of June which is more than we expected.  Hopefully we'll be together again real soon.

Jimmy was able to look for houses this past weekend!  A very exciting step forward.  He also got his company car and phone.  It's the little things that make us happy, it is just making this all a bit more real.  He found a house that we both really like and we'll hopefully know real soon if we can get it.

Back in December Jimmy and I flew to Spain together, the company gave us this opportunity to explore the area, some houses, and children's schools to see if this was something we really wanted to do.  We loved the area, found a private British school we both really felt comfortable with, and even found a couple of neighborhoods we wanted to narrow our search down to.  This was a wonderful trip for us to grow together before spending half the year apart.  Very thankful to wonderful parents who made that opportunity work for us as well.  We learned a little more about the culture and a lot about the food.

Jimmy will be working in the town of Huellva, right on the coast about an hour from Seville and an hour from Portugal.  We will be living closer to Seville based on the international schools all of them are either in Seville or right outside towards Huellva.  Poor Jimmy will have a commute while we will be there.  He's had it easy only having to travel 8 miles here in The Woodlands.

Here are some pictures of that trip.

This donkey was in front of the school that we ended up choosing to send our kids to.  My 9th grade Spanish teacher always said "El burro sabe mas que tu" (The donkey knows more than you).

This British school is new in the area, but has had other schools all over Spain that are well established.  We fell in love with how small the classes were for each of our children.  (Around 20 students in a class).  We went to one school that was as big as a college campus and it was overwhelming for us adults, I really couldn't imagine sending my kids there. 

Seville

Seville Cathedral

This Cathedral is the 3rd largest in the World!  It use to be a Muslim Mosque, and in the 1400's was changed into a Cathedral.  There is a large population of Muslim's in southern Spain.

The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is the oldest bullfighting arena in Spain and one of the most beautiful.  It is still a large part of their culture to bullfight. 

We took a tour of the arena and we really learned a lot, they truly honor their bulls that put up good fights.  These animals are held in the highest regards, seems a little strange to torture them if they like them so much.  They only fight from April - August.  We are excited to enjoy this bit of culture.  Jimmy has had the chance to see a little bit of it tonight.  One of the neighboring towns did a very small version of Running of the Bulls.  He was able to get some fun video on his phone.

This is the plaza walk way just outside the arena along the river.  It is a very beautiful part of town.


I hope to  be able to add more soon about our adventures in Spain.  I'll keep everyone posted!