Hey, this is the first report from Spain. Yes, they already have electricity here, even internet. And no, it’s not 30°C outside and blue skies all the time. Here in Pais Vasco it’s raining most of the time. But I’ll come to that in a moment.

My Trip – trip was great but awfully long, espacially if you are driving on your own. It took me 3 days with 6-7 driving per day. But I had sunshine (till the border to Spain – what an irony) and visited Carcasonne, went swimming first in the Ligurian Sea near Savona and then in a river near Nice. I refreshed my Italian (terrible) and my French (little better) – but 4 countries and 6 Languages is exhausting. I first wanted to spend the last night in Biarritz on the French side, but I couldn’t find a hotel room… so arrived San Sebastian at 7pm somewhere… it took me an hour to find a cheap hotel, next to a powerplant. I drove to Orio (where I work, a small town, 20mins from San Sebastian) and met Asier, my boss. He introduced me to everyone and helped me to find a room.

I looked at three and decided to take the one in Antiguo, a very nice part of the city on the West side, close to the University. I have 3 flat mates: Miren, Olatz and Markel – they welcomed me warmly. Very uncomplicated and ver friendly. Took me out right on the same day and on the next as well. Saturdays is always a lot going on at night… but on Sunday there was this rowing regatta … i have never seen this many people on that little space. The parte viaje (old center of the town) was completely stuffed with people, chatting, drinking, peeing, eating, dressed in their team colour (every city on the coast has its own rowing team) inside the bars and pubs as well as outside. To Spanish people the don’t differ really between inside the bar or outside… as long as there is some place to stand. Totally crazy… I regret I didn’t take pictures of that day…

WOrk is great as well – I work together with Markel, Lander (both Designers), Pedro and Ineku (I’m sure I have to correct the spelling of this name ;) – both engineers), Asier and Igor (the later one being chefdesigner) and Ana, the secretary. It is an awesome office, with a large workshop and a library, a black room for conferences and brainstorming, and a lot of light coming in. Very modern and tidy. I can even see the cows from my window^^. I can’t talk about the projects, but I may say that I like working there… I think I can integrate quickly… ah and I am the DJ of the office – I sit at the PC that’s connected to the sound system. I think I have to show them some real Austrian Hadern…

So far so good. Donostia, as the Basque say to San Seb., is the most expensive Town in Spain, before Madeira and Barcelona… but hey.

I have a great supermarket around the corner, but it’s awfully expensive as well… but they have a great Fish and Cheese departement, the first being really cheap here.

I live now in Calle Matia 35 1°E in San Sebastian, Spain. Awesome.