All systems go!

It's been over a week since I last posted. That's because all my internet time has been used up with work-related stuff but I've got a little lull so I can catch up with my life again.

After taking it easy for the first few weeks after arriving, it has been all systems go on the "finding work" front. Lots of emails and designs going back and forth between London and Ibiza - all for a postcard to showcase my work and something I will distribute to all key people and places. That went to print today, will be ready on Friday and then things will really get busy.

I also spotted details about an interiors show taking place next month. After calling the lady organising it, I decided that it would be a good place to launch the business so I've signed up for a stand. I was a bit worried that the smallest space I could take was 10 square metres and it's just me and my laptop so the space might look a bit empty. Not the best impression for an interiors consultant. But I'm going to get some photos enlarged and mounted and see if I can get an interiors shop to lend me some display furniture for the exhibition (in return for a card saying where the furniture came from). They may say no but you have to ask! Then it'll be a case of inviting key people, the English-language newspapers on the island (I may well be the only non-Spanish person exhibiting so possibly a good story there) and anyone else who may be interested!

So things are happening and I'm doing things at my pace - which appears to be a little quicker than other people's pace. I've had a few people say "slowly, slowly, it takes a long time to do anything in Ibiza" but I'm far too impatient to go too slowly with anything, in case I stall and stop. I'm not sure how real the "slowly, slowly" advice is - it may just be an excuse people use for why it took them a long time to do anything on the island. Time will tell. 

I was reading the blog of another British girl who moved to the island a few years ago. Although upbeat and a great read, I came away feeling disheartened. She'd written somewhere else that basically if you move to the island, you need to come with enough money to survive for a few years, not a few months. I have enough savings to survive for a few months. When she moved to the island, she sold her house in the UK, sold all her possessions and came with a healthy amount in the bank. I could have done that too but chose not too. I'm not prepared to get off the property ladder in London and I'm attached to my possessions as they remind me of people and places that are special and important. Then I reminded myself that her experience doesn't have to be my experience and I can still be a success here without thousands in my bank account. Plus, if that was the case, I really would  be having a very long holiday, frittering away all my cash and then having a very major panic! After my little pep talk, I felt much better!

I'm glad the next few weeks are going to be busy distributing my cards across the island and getting ready for the interiors show. Bea has gone to Italy for a few weeks and the house is strangely quiet without her. I prefer it when she's here, she's great company and if I'm completely frank, I don't really enjoy being at the house on my own. The days are fine - if the weather's good, I tend to spend a lot of time outside. But the evenings alone in the house can be a little boring. I think I've also had my fill of living alone and now prefer living with good company. If I never lived alone again, I'd be quite happy. I always wanted to live on my own just to see that I could do it. I know that I can so I don't really need to do it anymore. 

The cats have been fun company while Bea's been away. I like watching the cat dynamics. There are five altogether - Red, Fouzie and three others whose names we didn't know so we've named them ourselves. We've now got Whitey, Little Red and Blacky. Red is my favourite, closely followed by Little Red. Blacky is a cheeky little thing and although completely paranoid and skitty, is hilarious to watch at play. Whitey doesn't seem to be friends with any of the other cats and keeps herself to herself. Little Red is friends with Red and spends a lot of time with Blacky, her brother. Like most siblings, there's a lot of love and a lot of fighting between those two! Blacky will often engage in play fights with Fouzie and although they cause havoc in the house, they make me laugh. Cheeky as he is, Blacky doesn't try to fight with Red or even go too close to him - Red appears to have the respect of the other cats. I have a real soft spot for Red, he has a wonderful gentle personality but he doesn't strike me as a happy, smiley cat. He knows which is my bedroom window and as soon as it's light, he'll be at the window, miaowing to let him in. It's very difficult to see his little face at the window and ignore him so he comes in most mornings. The cats have all sussed that Red gets little treats from me so they hang around him quite a bit - the treats now get shared out amongst all!

I was going to do an update to mark four weeks in Ibiza but I've missed the deadline as it was last Friday. Instead I'll do one for five weeks, capturing all the moments so far!