Understanding Spain - Just Take it Easy

->they are served with the expectation of a long
There is a saying in Spain that says: Tomorrow is thesummer season with kids off school. That, believe
busiest day of the week. I think it is beautifulme, is not what many parent are looking forward to.
invention. It conveys a certain joy to life. Life isFortunately, there is a solution: the summer school, a
already difficult enough so let's not be too seriousprogram where kids are often taken to pass much
about it. Take it easy.of the summer before the holiday of the parents
At the other hand, things are changing, and it isstarts, which is in august. Yet, this summer school
impossible to notice the increasing levels of stress indoes only start in July.
business, in traffic and in public institutions.So this week between the end of the school and the
The National Institute of Social Security is such anbeginning of summer school causes a problem.
institute. It issues various documentsby means ofSomething like a strike comes in handy. I observed
local agencies in towns like Fuengirola. Today the 25ththat only half of the employees were available today,
(as well as the next three days) the agency was onand I imagine that they will switch with the others
strike. "Huelga," in Spanish. As a reason I could readworkers on the next days.
something about better service ...The salaries in Spain are relatively low, so that
But why does this strike sound a bit incredible? Tosupports the idea of a strike. Also interesting to see
me it has to do with the following.is that nobody complained. You could argue, that if
Today is the first day of the school holidays. Theseyou happened to be in a hurry for some social
summer holidays take three month in Spain. And atsecurity procedure, you shouldn't have waited until
the end of the school period, parents most of themthe deadline.
(both) working, have elevated stress levels. And thanYou're in Spain, so just take it easy...