29 Mar 2011 12:54 AM:

I can also  recommend a cleaner in Fuengirola. Actually, she is more than a cleaner - she makes minor repairs to things too, and is always sorting things out round the house. And she has a brother who can handle the bigger repair jobs. She charges 10 pounds an hour too but she is very reliable and worth every penny. PM me for details.

Thread: Going rate for cleaner or cleaning agency?

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18 Sep 2010 12:33 AM:

Wow! And that kind of honey is not cheap either. Personally, I think M&S in La Canada is a bit of a rip off anyway. Even accounting for the different currencies, everything seems much more expensive than the UK and they have a much more limited range of stock anyway. I just use their website now and order online. Mind you, would be a bit tricky (or sticky!) to order honey. 

Thread: Very dissapointed in Marks and Spencers.....

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10 Sep 2010 9:32 PM:

Hi.

I had a similar situation and I called a local organisation for the protection of animals because as well as stopping me from being able to sleep, the dogs were also being neglected and not being taken out - so you can imagine the mess. The organisation told me that the laws here meant they could not do anything but to call the police as they would have to do something - not about the neglect but about the barking. (I am in Andalucia so dont know if it is different here.) I also made a note of how often I was disturbed by the noise. The first time I called the police out about 4am after the dogs had been barking constantly for an hour (they were on a narrow balcony on the floor below me, right below my bedroom window!). Unfortunately, they had stopped barking by the time they came at 5am and the police said they couldnt do anything because the barking had stopped! However, they said to call again if it continued.

I called a few days later during the day, and this time it was two different officers who came who were a lot more helpful, they came in and had a look at the balcony, took photos and I made an official denuncio and the police paid my neighbours a visit. I then went out and when I came back in the afternoon, everything had been cleaned up and the dogs were moved. They are no longer kept on that balcony at night, although sometimes during the day one of them is at the front of the building on another balcony barking furiously. But at least not all the time and not at night, like before.

Like you, when I mentioned the problem to a lot of my neighbours they all agreed it was a problem, but I was the only one who did anything. It didnt help that the President of our community doesnt live in the block all year round as I would have gone to him first. I did go to the Administration office, and they said they would write a letter, so I knew they would be of no use at all. I dont know what kind of place you live in but do you not have a Community President you could speak to? If not, keep going back to the police, make a diary of the times it happen, record the noise and make an official denuncio. I dont know the law in Murcia but if you can prove it is a serious disturbance, surely that should make a difference?.  Try and find someone in your neighbourhood that is on your side and could go with you to talk to the owner again, if the owner sees there are a few of you and/or knows you are taking action it might make a difference...  Good luck, I know how hellish it is having this sort of problem.

Thread: Neighbours barking dogs at 2am

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09 Sep 2010 3:59 PM:

lol. Yes it was! Didnt know you were here too. Thought I better not name names though!

Thread: TEFL teaching vacancies

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09 Sep 2010 12:50 AM:

Hi, I work in Spain as an English teacher mainly doing private classes but also working part-time in a Spanish private school (not international) teaching extracurricular english (but it's very part-time only few hours a week). I have a CELTA and some other teaching qualifications.  I think this type of position is quite rare (and I am the only native English teacher there), but you never know!  I have also seen part-time jobs (a few hours a week) advertised to teach extra curricular classes in state schools, including teaching English, which dont require the usual Spanish qualifications needed to work in a school. However, you would probably have to have good Spanish, or be completely bilingual as they often want you to teach other subjects. Either that or know someone who works there, since these kind of jobs are often filled this way.

If you have a TEFL certificate you are eligible to work in an academy. Some places prefer the CELTA though or the TESOL, dont know which one you are doing, or if it is a different one. And some want a degree and experience too. But to be honest, I think it is sometimes down to being in the right place at the right time. A good website is TEFL.com or profesores.com. However, when I got here, I got a list from the Tourist Information office of all the academies, rang them up and then visited them in person with my CV or sent it by post. Later on, I rang back to see if they had anything going. I got my first teaching job in Spain this way. (I did teach in the UK first though for a few years just to get some experience.)

Sanchez is correct about the TEFL certificate but if you have a degree as well, you could apply to the British Council to work as an English language assistant in a school. You would have to do it while in the UK as you cant apply once you live in Spain. This is the link: http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants-am-i-eligible.htm

But I think its great that you are volunteering in your local primary since most TEFL work here is with children. That will at least give you some experience. Also, if you wanted to later you could do a Teaching Young learners course which International House run. I dont know specifically about work in Alicante or Murcia, although i was having a discussion with someone recently about teaching in Murcia, as they had been offered work there even though they didnt have any teaching qualifications at all! I dont think there are many native English speakers up there so you may have more chance there rather than in Alicante where I am sure there is a lot more competition for English teachers.

Good luck.

Thread: TEFL teaching vacancies

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