It takes at least four attempts to accomplish anything

I didn't realize it at the time, but Adventures with the Spanish Consulate should have taught us about dealing with perhaps more than just the Spanish government. Perhaps it takes at least four rounds to get anything done.

There was one exception today. Ysabel went to the bank with us and we successfully opened an account in one visit. Well, there was the other stop at the bank on the first day we were here...

Keys - llaves
We had one set of keys on arrival. Two keys are needed to get home - one for entry into the building, and the other to get into the apartment (piso). Yesterday we split up for a bit while Jack and Alex rushed home so Alex could go to the bathroom while Anna and I shopped for dinner. By the time we were headed home, I was in dire need of the bathroom. But we hadn't really figured the bell system yet. At the outside door the bells are marked by the floor, then either D for derecha (right apartment) or I for Izquierda (left apartment). The question is, do you determine left and right from the top of the stairs or from exiting the elevator? I was pretty sure it was the elevator, and I needed the boys to unlock the door for me QUICK. But no one answered. And no one answered when I buzzed D. I buzzed several times, and since our neighbors were not very happy to see us move in, I didn't want to bother them. Alas, I was ready to charge into the quiet bar across the street in despiration when a delivery man (THANK GOD) buzzed someone else and got in. So we slipped inside and I ran up the stairs.

Thus, we decided getting a second set of keys moved up in importance on the to-do list. We also decide to figure out how the buzzer system works. Turns out that ours is I – izquerda – because it is to the left at the top of the stairs. Score, we figured that one out. Every little victory counts!

So Jack and I headed out to get keys made. Our fabulous porter Benito sent us to the hardware store (ferretaria) around the corner. We got one key made and found that the outside key required a special key maker. (round 1) Closed by the time we found it.(round 1.5) So first thing this morning the kids and I headed out to the keyshop (round 3). The keymaker had a rough time with this unusual key, only to finally throw in the towel. “No puedo!” Remarkably, I understood that. “I can’t.” Not only did he ruin the duplicate, he ruined our only copy of the key to get into the building. Good God, how do we deal with THIS? If Benito isn’t there, we’re in big trouble. The apartment owners 1) only speak Spanish and 2) are Reno, Nevada right now.

To our immense relief, Benito was there when we arrived, so the front door was open. And even more to our relief, he said he would go get copies made for us. Otherwise, we would have had to leave someone home all the time until we got a new key. So round 4 was in Benito’s court. When he came up to our apartment he delivered the message that the keys (we asked for 3) would not arrive until next week because they had to be ordered from another town. Lucky for us and after some effort to figure out the Spanish, we came to realize that he was able to secure one key today. Fabuloso. We are to pick up the others next Tuesday. Round 5 awaits.

So – Bank, Keys, Phones. The next hurdle to tackle. Phones. We have visited several cell phone shops briefly so far. Here’s the upshot – it required six trips to the Phone House today to get phones and get taken for a ride and return to get the phones working and get half the money returned to us and then again to correct the type of coverage, and then finally to learn the sad truth that every cell phone call includes a 18 cent charge just to connect, even if you are calling Happy to Happy plan (or Blau to Blau). Nonetheless, 6 trips to the store later, we finally have working cell phones. They aren’t flawless, but better than none.

It’s our 16 anniversary today. We’re in Spain, figuring out how to live here, and exhausted.

All said, it was a good day. Bank account opened. Key crisis partially fixed. Phones up and running. Not a bad day for non-Spanish speakers. But this evening when I was cooking a crappy meal in our less than well appointed kitchen, I didn’t want to hear a word of Spanish. I just wanted English.

Es bueno. Really. Life is good. I guess we’re pretty much living in Spain now. Even though absolutely everything is a mystery.