| How do you eat an elephant then? (The whole | | | | person to them. |
| ELEPHANT?!?) The correct answer is, "You eat it | | | | Step 4. Take a small child with you. This will |
| one bite at a time for a long time!" The way to | | | | probably involve borrowing one from a friend or |
| complete any large task has basically the same | | | | just off the street and pinching them to make |
| answer, "One step at a time." Taken all together, | | | | them cry every now and again. It will get you |
| it really is formidable. Chunk it down into parts, | | | | bumped up the queue too. |
| steps or sub-tasks, and each one of these is | | | | Step 5. Dress smartly. One of the important |
| much less formidable. Your specific steps can | | | | points to note here is that Spanish civil servants |
| each be not at all hard, something that's no | | | | respect authority so if you look like an |
| problem, which can be done. And when you have | | | | authoritative person you will get treated better. |
| completed all the steps, you suddenly realize that | | | | The reason this is very important is that you will |
| you have come all the way up from the beginning | | | | stand out from the other people in the queue. |
| to the end of completing the whole, huge project! | | | | Step 6. Take water with you. Very important in |
| That's just precisely how it really is with how to | | | | case you have a long wait, which you always will |
| beat Spanish bureaucracy. Here then is how you | | | | have. |
| can approach the elephantine task of beating | | | | Step 7. Be patient. If you aren't you will get bitter, |
| Spanish bureaucracy, in 7 easy steps. | | | | twisted and frustrated. Great! Now you're almost |
| Step 1. Take every piece of official paper you | | | | there! Keep in mind, the civil servant dealing with |
| have ever owned. With these you will need to | | | | you probably won't need much of an excuse to |
| have copies available too. If you don't do this or | | | | ignore you or fob you off so make sure you |
| neglect it, you can expect to be asked for the | | | | keep on track and follow the steps. |
| missing copy. | | | | If you stick to the steps established above, |
| Step 2. Be nice. (This step is very important | | | | step-by-step the enormous elephant-challenge you |
| because the people working in the offices are | | | | were facing will be "consumed", conquered and |
| extremely stressed out by constant complaints ). | | | | finished off. You'll complete your project, succeed |
| Step 3. Offer them a chewing gum. This will mean | | | | and be able to take pleasure in the benefits and |
| that they feel more compassion for you. It will | | | | fruits of accomplishment and victory! Kudos to |
| likewise signify that you are a similar type of | | | | you personally! |