Monday is a school holiday, too

Just in case your child neglected to inform you (which we doubt in the extreme), Monday and Tuesday are both school holidays. That Tuesday is May 1st and a national (bank) holiday, is no news (we wonder: Why is Labour Day, as it is in some countries, a day when very few people actually labour?), and that Monday, the day between (a puente, or 'bridge', in Spain) a weekend and a holiday is chosen by teachers' unions with too much power in Andalucía, is not exactly a surprise. Isn't it time that there were mass protests about the enormous amount of time off teachers get, when Andalucía schools remain at the very bottom of European education lists? (Actually, we did warn you about this one on our School Dates widget on the sidebar) PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue.

Elections? What elections?

Plastered everywhere

ANDALUCÍA Yes, two autonomous regions, Asturias and Andalucía,  are holding elections on Sunday, March 25. to elect who will run the Junta de Andalucía. Favourite so far is the Partido Popular, by quite a margin. This is the seventh try for PP Secretary General for Andalucía, Javier Arenas, whose tenacity may be rewarded at last. The PSOE has governed Andalucía since the advent of post-Franco democracy and has always considered this region its bailiwick, but it is enmeshed in a series of corruption cases -especially those involving the ERE scandal of misuse of redundancy notice monies- as well as its lack of cohesion during the party's recent internal elections. But, you ask, are EuroExPats (there's a new noun being born!) allowed to vote, like in municipal or local elections? Short answer: No - which is why we haven't been covering the subject a lot (at all).

Thank you, Andalucía

Originally published on YouTube on February 27, 2009, this 'small piece of gratitude' was edited by JimenaPulse on the occasion of that year's Día de Andalucía. It's description: A tribute to Andalucía, the place and its people, from a grateful foreign immigrant. Set to a classic piece of flamenco guitar music by Paco de Lucía: 'Entre Dos Aguas', it contains photographs of a little mountain village in the Ronda mountains: Jimena de la Frontera. We're still grateful. (As we are to any photographers we may well have stolen from...)

School's out until Thursday!

In the teachers' union's inimitable fashion, they have managed once more to get away with a very long puente (bridge: long weekend). Because Tuesday happens to be Día de Andalucía, and Monday, by sheer coincidence no doubt, is officially Education Community Day (Día de la Comunidad Educativa), they are also taking Leap Day, Wednesday February 29, off as well. Five consecutive days off without a thought for anyone else but themselves. No thought for parents, that's certain: if Mom or Dad or both are lucky enough to be working, how can they take time off to take care of the kids in the present unemployment climate? If they're not working, a day or three with either or both parents would probably do the children quite a lot of good ... but that can be a big if. (Tell us what you think: click on 'comments' below)

Why is February 28 a holiday? (and so is the 27th for schools)

(Image: Wikipedia)

ANDALUCÍA Every autonomous region of Spain celebrates its Day. This one is ours. Anyone with a child in primary school in Andalucía will not be allowed to forget it, as the kids are involved in numerous activities and events related to it. And anyone with a child, etc. will know that Monday is also a holiday, by sheer coincidence, of course. But to go somewhat deeper than that, below are a few pieces of information that, if not useful, they at might at least be interesting. True, over the years, at about this time, we publish items related to the community in which we have chosen to live (a couple of links are below).>>>

Updating Plan Renove discounts on white goods

Save on renewing your white goods

As we said over the weekend (Update your white goods...), Plan Renove is back again, with a total Andalucía-wide budget of €16.5 million. The idea is to help us exchange our white goods to newer, more energy-efficient ones. The plan began last week and is expected to last until all the money is gone. It is possible to get discounts of up to about €600, depending on the items you choose. There are several requirements, simple to apply, that we are pleased to offer you below:>>>

Update your white goods with a great discount

ANDALUCÍA The new Plan Renove started on February 7th and continues until the €16.5 million assigned to the plan is exhausted. We will be updating this item on Monday, so please, WATCH THIS SPACE for information on how to go about getting the discount, requirements and so on. It is in fact quite simple, but the official notice is in legalese, which needs more time than usual to translate. IF YOU FIND THIS ARTICLE INTERESTING, USEFUL OR ENTERTAINING, PLEASE CONSIDER THE WORK, EFFORT AND COST IT TAKES TO BRING IT TO YOU. WE WOULD APPRECIATE A DONATION TO CONTINUE A FREE SERVICE.

Junta amnesty for 90% of illegal building in Andalucía

Illegal construction in Chiclana

Another 10% to remain under threat of demolition

ANDALUCÍA (Agencies) Nine out of ten constructions, be they individual homes or within an urbanization, that were constructed on what is called suelo no urbanizable, or restricted land, will be able to obtain property rights for their owners, after a decree was approved last week by the Junta de Andalucía's Government Council. The rest will be demolished unless otherwise instructed by a Court of Law. The announcement by the Junta's Councillor for Housing, Josefina Cruz Villalón, confirms what had previously been mentioned by the President of the Junta, José Antonio Griñán, during the State of the Region debate last June. In fact, there is no register of otherwise 'illegal' construction, except as listed in reports such as those carried out in the Axarquía region of Málaga, for example. So, with the help of aerial photography, the Junta has calculated that about 10% of the 250,000 'illegal' buildings can be made fully legal. Another 80% will not be officially 'legalized' but will have their circumstances approved so that they can legally obtain basic services such as water, power, etc.. The remaining 10% will not get any kind of approval or legalization and will be scheduled for demolition, unless otherwise directed by a court.>>>

Catalan candidate insults Andalucía and is forced to 'explain'

Josep Antoni Durán i Lleida

CATALUÑA / ANDALUCÍA There have always been what might as well be called racial or class tensions between Catalonia (NE Spain, capital: Barcelona) and Andalucía and Extremadura. North of the divide, Andalusian workers are considered lazy and too fond of fiestas. South of it, the Catalans are seen as slave drivers, tight with the money (that is the perception of Catalonia in the rest of Spain as well). These are just some of the epithets they occasionally throw at each other. This is one such occasion. The candidate for President of the Government (i.e. Prime Minister, this being a constitutional monarchy), Josep Durán i Lleida, of the CiU nationalist party, said at his party's conference on Saturday ,"No hay derecho a que mientras un agricultor catalán no puede coger alguna fruta porque no le sale a cuenta, en otros sitios de España, con nuestra contribución, reciben un PER para que pasen el resto de la jornada en el bar de su pueblo."  Or:>>>

All school start dates, including holidays and lots of other information

The beginning of the school year 2011/2012 is almost upon us. It is, in fact, on the same dates for all state schools within the Junta's Consejería de Educación. Thus, teachers are due back at work on September 1, to prepare for the students, who will be starting classes according to the programme below. The Confederation of Parent/Teachers association says that the average cost of school materials for this year is around the €600 mark, depending on the age and grade of the student: the older the child, the more expensive it gets (but we knew that, didn't we?). In Andalucia, school books at the primary stage are free and/or recycled. If your child does not return the book at the end of the year, you will be charged for it. Starting dates are as follows:>>>

Everything you ever wanted to know about your child's education but couldn't understand the language

ANDALUCIA There are always a lot of questions about local education facilities at this time of year. We try to bring you up to date information but that is not always possible, if nothing else because it is all too often not available on a website (fortunately, our office is close to a school, so we are sometimes seen rushing across the street to get information...). One of the most frequently asked questions is How & when do I register my child for school? The answer is on a pamphlet (in English, French and Arabic) that gives you a general overview. In any case, (FIND OUT MORE ON CampoPulse!)

Back to school for the little ones

It's an important day today, especially for the littlest of kids who have no experience of it. School starts for them. Three year olds will be puzzled, bewildered and sometimes overwhelmed by it all. It's the start of a long haul. Six year olds will be veterans by now. They will be entering 'real school' and proud of it. It's an important  day for parents, too. Some will approach it with trepidation, others with relief (pic.). (Please tell us which!) Good luck to them all.
(Secondary school -ESO, Bachillerato, etc.- begins on Wednesday 15th.) 

Alcohol, drugs and 'precocious sex', a dangerous 'cocktail' among minors

A recent report by the University of Cádiz's Department of Labour Relations says that "the combination of alcohol, drugs and 'precocious sex' in adolescence, a critical period of development, is a vicious circle." Aggressive behaviour, alcohol, drugs and early sexual activity is a 'cocktail' clearly interrelated, correlated. One thing leads to another, one habit leads to another, and it all leads to a pattern among minors that causes a commonality of "risky behaviour," adds the report, which was carried out among 2000 high school students in Andalucía. It begins by analysing violence and its relationship with drug and alcohol abuse, and ends with sex, correlating over 200 variables. The same people who have early sex, it concludes, are the same as those who drink, take drugs,>

Thank you, Andalucía, for being as you are

Originally published on YouTube on February 27, 2009, this 'small piece of gratitude' was edited by JimenaPulse on the occasion of that year's Día de Andalucía. It's description: A tribute to Andalucía, the place and its people, from a grateful foreign immigrant. Set to a classic piece of flamenco guitar music by Paco de Lucía: 'Entre Dos Aguas', it contains photographs of a little mountain village in the Ronda mountains: Jimena de la Frontera. We're still grateful. (As we are to any phtographers we may well have stolen from...)

Who was Blas Infante and why do we mention him?

Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas is known as 'the father of Andalucía' and today is Andalucía Day. Born in Casares on 5 July 1885, he was summarily executed by Franco's forces in Seville on 11 August 1936. Blas Infante was an andalusist politician, writer, historian and musicologist. He was an idealist who initiated an assembly at Ronda in 1918, which adopted a charter based on the autonomist Constitución Federal de Antequera written in 1883 during the First Spanish Republic and embraced the current flag and coat of arms as 'national symbols', (see them below) designed by Infante himself based on various historic Andalusian standards. During the Second Spanish Republic, Andalucismo was represented by the Junta Liberalista, a federalist political party led by Infante. He was among numerous political figures who were executed by the insurgent forces that invaded Seville at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). As both a regional autonomist and a kind of libertarian socialist, he twice 'merited' inclusion on their liquidation list. He was shot without trial or sentence, at Km 4 on the road between Seville and Carmona, leaving a wife and four children. His last residence at Coria del Río now hosts the Museum of Andalusian Autonomy.>

No schools on Friday and Monday, banks, offices closed on Monday

Schools are closed on Friday, tomorrow, and Monday; banks, public and private offices will be closed throughout the region on Monday, March 1st, in celebration of Día de Andalucía, which is on Sunday. It is likely that supermarkets and groceries will be closed in the afternoon on Monday, too. Check with your local stores, or make sure your fridge is full. Have a nice holiday, and please don't forget to check this site on Sunday to find out who Blas Infante was.

Andalucía health service costs €3,000 million per year; 'phantom bill' campaign in the planning

(El País) A quick visit to the doctor in Andalucía can cost under €140. If he sends you to the hospital for, say, an abdominal scan, add €35. But the scan indicates appendicitis - if all goes well, add €2,500. If not, add €6,000. That means four or five days in hospital - add €2,400, or €600 per day. If things don't get any worse, your bill would be anywhere between €5,000 and €15,000. However, if you are one of the 7.9 million people in Andalucía entitled to free medical care, you will leave the hospital without paying anything.
The total budget for the Servicio Andaluz de Salud for 2010 is €8,989.2 million, of which about a third (€2,996.4 million) is reserved for what they call 'attention'. According to the Junta's Health Department, the service costs €1,240 per beneficiary per year. Or €103 per month. The fact is that most people have no idea what the services they get actually cost. We get ill, we go to the doctor, we have an operation. We have an accident, we get taken to the hospital. That's it. But the health service carries out thousands of 'attentions' every day, ranging from treatment for a simple cold to a face transplant, >

Jimena unemployment doubles in two years; 3.709.447 in Spain

(Agencies) According to the latest reports on unemployment, Jimena figures show 1220 people unemployed, against 605 in October, 2007. The Campo de Gibraltar has 33.272 unemployed, while Spain as a whole has 3.709.447. Percentages by towns and villages are difficult to find (we will keep trying), but Andalucía showed a 25.41% unemployment rate in September, while the province of Cádiz showed 26,05% last April, so it is safe to assume that the province will have increased to a similar number.