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The Cracked Glass Door

A few weeks ago, the wind was so strong that it slam shut our glass door to our rooftop terrace. A piece of the aluminum frame twisted and the glass of the door cracked. After living for one year in Tenerife, I expected this to not get fixed before we move out of this home. That’s why I was even more surprised that after noticing our landlord, a glazing company of the insurance texted me the next day to arrange an appointment to fix the glass. All within less than 24 hours! Today, the handyman called and came around to fix the glass. As a German, I expected him to bring a new piece of the aluminum frame and a new glass. As I had two video calls in a row, I signed off his papers before he began his work. Afterward, and after he left, I checked the door. He bent the aluminum frame back, so that it was working again. The glass? Cracks are still there. I expect him to come back. Here in Tenerife, we say that everything is mañana. Which refers to, everything that can be done tomorrow, will be done tomorrow. I’ll let that be a surprise. In Germany, I’d be furious. After one year of living here, I couldn’t be more easygoing. This is Tenerife.

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Five German Minutes

One and a half hours is a lot of time. 

Today, I dropped off my wife at the Policia Nacional station in Santa Cruz de Tenerif. She had to correct a small detail of her name. I believed this to be a job of 5-minutes. Five “German” minutes, I now have to add.

Five “German” minutes turned into over 90 “Spanish” minutes. She had to wait outside the building, then wait for the correct caseworker, then she had to discuss, what was obvious, until she was finally done.

But that was not enough. Instead, she had to wait again. This time in the waiting room. She had to wait until the cases of all other people, who waited with her, were processed. Only then they were escorted to the exit.

After two months of living here, I think Spain is a bit like Germany. A lot of bureaucracy, but in addition, you need time and patience. 

Spain is effective – but not efficient.

Spain is like Germany, just without the stress.

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Nuclear War & Moving to Tenerife

It is official. We moved out of our apartment in Germany and moved to Tenerife – one of the Canary Islands. Tenerife – and all other Canary Islands – is a part of Spain, located just a few hundred kilometers off the coast of the Sahara desert. And that is the point: Tenerife is quite far away from everything.