Expatiperro

As much as I would like to think that English instruction is so vital that it's resistant to the economic crisis, so far it's turning out to be just as vulnerable as Coke (a-Cola) parties on 30 Rock. Last month, I lost 3 hours due to budget cutbacks at companies where I taught; today, I just found out that I'm losing another 2.5 hours a week for the same reason. This makes me sad for a few reasons, least of which financial; Fernando was one of my favorite students, class was fun and easy to prepare, and now I have another chuck of my week with nothing to do. Free time is deceiving: the more of it you get, the less idea you have of what to do with it.

It's not hard to see all the ways that Spain is suffering because of the economic crisis, especially from my foreign, English teacher perspective. Companies are cutting back on expenses, and those that haven't canceled their English classes have cut back on other costs, like flower purchases, bottled water, and according to some of my students, writing implements (bring your pen to work day!). The amount of for rent signs up in empty store windows is staggering- in fact, the car dealership that used to be on the ground floor of my building moved out a few months ago, and I doubt that anyone will move into the space while I'm still in Spain. And the gym that I go to is packed with middle-aged adults during the afternoon, when one would imagine that most of them would be at the office.

From what I hear from family and friends, the scene at home is similar, which makes me all the more hesitant to go back. It's a bit ironic that it has been easier for me to find work living illegally in Spain than it has been back home in the US. But if my recent lost classes are any trend (and I suspect that they are), I might be equally unemployable on both sides of the Atlantic. And if that's the case, what difference does it make where I live?