BarrieMahoneyOver the years these values have been recognised and supported in most civilised societies, who have felt that a collective investment in children is an investment in society as a whole. Sadly, as we have seen with the increase in tuition fees in the UK and the erosion of the principles of “free education for all”, these values appear to be under threat or, depending upon the colour of your politics, are requiring “readjustment to meet changing fiscal needs.”
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BarrieMahoneyAs much as many expats such as myself enjoy living in our newly adopted countries, it is strange what we miss from our countries of origin. Lemon Curd, Persil tablets and Branston pickle are just a few of the items that I know our friends beg visitors to bring when they visit. For me, it is Marmite, mince pies and ‘J’ cloths that ensure that our visitors receive a particularly warm welcome. I also miss BBC radio news, as well as radio drama...
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BarrieMahoney"My eye was drawn to a young man in a wheelchair being pushed by an elderly woman from the arrivals lounge and into the main airport corridor. He looked painfully thin, with a pallid unhealthy looking skin, and his frail body was strapped into his wheelchair. An elderly man followed the wheelchair, pushing several suitcases on one of the airport trolleys. It was clear that these passengers did not travel light. I immediately recognised the Welsh accent as being from the valleys when the elderly woman began speaking to the young man. However, I could not decide whether the elderly couple accompanying the young man were his elderly parents or grandparents."
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BarrieMahoneyNothing says “Royal Wedding” quite like an ostrich’s bottom joined to your left temple. No, I had told myself, I would not be spending the day watching the wedding celebrations and associated hats of a couple I did not know, would never meet and who were representing a country many miles away.
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BarrieMahoneyIt is easy to understand the fascination of many Americans with these small volcanic islands just off the coast of Africa. More than two hundred years have passed since the arrival of the Canary Islanders in Louisiana. However, Spanish surnames are plentiful in Louisiana as well as in other states, and their descendants still treasure the unique heritage of their brave ancestors from the Canary Islands.
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BarrieMahoneyMy first encounter with ‘The Big Beast’ came shortly after moving into a new housing development in the Costa Blanca. Obtaining a reliable electricity and water supply were both considerable challenges, but none more so than getting a telephone. I recall standing in endless queues with other equally frustrated expats of all nationalities, and sometimes the shop closing before anyone was available to attend to our needs. I have witnessed grown men cry with anger and frustration at the sheer incompetence of trying to get a telephone line installed.
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BarrieMahoneyExpats and Ebooks
I miss books! One of the most difficult things that I had to do when we left the UK for Spain was to cull my collection of books. We could neither afford to transport them all, nor was there going to be enough storage space in our new Spanish home to accommodate them. Book lovers will know the feeling, I am sure, that books become like old friends - always there to provide words of comfort and support in times of difficulty, laughter as well as endless sources of wisdom collected over the years. In the end, I had to make a decision and most of my collection of books found their way to the Salvation Army shop at the end of our road. It was heartbreaking. Even so, I just could not part with some of my earliest childhood memories and so some of my favourite children’s books are still stored in a box in my elderly Aunt’s garage in the UK.
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AudiobooUgh - getting rid of books is so hard! I just feel reassured seeing them on my shelves.
Kate
@Audioboo
BarrieMahoneyEl Hierro gained its original name of ‘Fire Island’ from its origins of volcanic eruptions many years ago, and although volcanic activity has now gone, the natural Earth forces of water and wind remain. These power sources are now due to be harnessed so that by 2012, this small island in the Atlantic will be the first to be able to generate all of its electricity needs from sources that are renewable.
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BarrieMahoney"Despite all the positive aspects of living in the Canary Islands there are, as in all things in life, a few negatives too. One of my main irritations is slow delivery of parcels, which is often due to the Aduana (Customs) process. Even though the Canary Islands are part of Spain, and within the European Union, we are outside of both for the purposes of taxation. This state of affairs is of great benefit to residents and visitors alike, who can buy all the luxury goods they can afford whilst on holiday, and pay only 5% IGIC (local tax) instead of IVA or VAT in Spain of 18% and in the UK at 20%. However, there are downsides too..."
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play0:00 / 4:54The Canary Islands have a history that is, quite literally, littered with explosions. Each of the seven main islands was created by hot v...
