Life on the farm...

My summer job begins today! I've just taken my friends to the airport, as they're off to spend a month in Canada. While they're gone, I'll be walking the dog, feeding the cat, looking after the turkey, rooster and chickens, watering the plants... and of course, swimming in the pool!

As it turns out, I'll only need to live at Villa Victoria for four or five days. My parents, my brother and my niece are coming to have some summer holiday here in Spain. Once they arrive, they'll live here at the villa and I'll move back to my own house and my own animals, but I'll come over to the villa every day to carry out my "farmyard duties" and spend some swimming pool time with my family!

Summer's the time of year when much of my work is done at the computer (corresponding with the first applicants for next year's LDC, and with the people leading PCYMs that are held around the world in the second half of the year.) I also make time for language study, so that I continue to improve my Spanish.

Among other things, I'll be giving some English lessons this summer in the context of a local charity that some people from our church have set up. This NGO, which is called the ABC, gives food to up to 200 needy families every week. The English lessons are part of a strategy to help these people gain some skills that could help them when job hunting. As well as the English classes at the ABC, I'll be continuing to teach some French classes, and also leading some children's prayer activities at church. So, quite a varied summer lies ahead, and "life on the farm" will be only one of the fun parts of it.