Where to start is my main problem.

I suppose at the beginning as the old song goes.

I started off from home with the idea of having a short tour round Europe. My main problem was that I really wanted to go there but had seriously limited funding. So part-time jobs here I come and I managed to save up about 3,000 Canadian to get myself going.

Next problem, when the money runs out, how do I feed myself and avoid being arrested for vagrancy. Hey, I'll have to get a job over there, but where and doing what.

I had a talk with some ex-university pals who told me that there are a few options. Bar work and teaching English were the ones that struck me so I hit the net. Near to zip on bar work but loads of stuff on teaching English so that seemed to be the way to go.

Being from probably the coldest country in the world, the idea of Northern Europe was number 2 on the list so I decided on Spain. Not least cos my mum's English and used to go there on holidays when she was a kid and told me it was a greate place for hanging out and generally having a good time.

I surfed for a while and finally decided I'd give Madrid a go and the school I thought would be best was one called EBC. They seemed to have the things that were most important for me - a TEFL teaching certificate and leads to jobs.

So with that out of the way, it was down to packing the suitcase and booking the flight. Now follows a boring part, mainly me waiting around, earning a bit more cash and dying for the flight day to arrive.

Anyway, flight day arrives, my folks drove me to the airport, teary farewells, 3 hankerchiefs at least the usual. The flight was long but it was OK, usual crappy food but at least it was served with a smile. Free bar too which helped things along.