So clich�, but really, I can’t belive it’s almost done. Spain, 4.5 months of my life, a new life, a new culture… only a week left. Wow. I’d rather not dwell on that at the moment. There’s a long enough plane ride home to figure out exactly how I feel.
For now, the fun stuff:
Yeah, that’s us in Madrid this past weekend. It was rainy (but we entertained ourselves).
Now, back to the books – 1 exam down, 4 more to go.
that’s what happens when I start writing papers at 6 p.m. the day before they’re due… at least I already did the research, and have a thesis statement. But it’s not totally my fault; I was in Madrid this weekend on our group excursion.
Favorite part? Obviously not the rain, or the gross hotel food we ate for dinner. Nope, I’m voting for the two things I did that weren’t scheduled with the group – the botanical gardens
and the Museo de la Reina Sofia.
(that’s Guernica, it’s a really big really famous painting by Picasso, and I saw it on Friday!)
::UPDATE::
This just in from the professor:
“Yes, you read correctly. You may have until the end of the semester for your papers.”
Excelente. My procrastination skills are about to kick in, because I now have over a week to finish this paper… and I’m already over a quarter of the way done!
– there are “block parties” with DJs and disco lights at midnight in the streets
– parents go out clubbing with their kids
– bars and caf�s can just close for a week or more for “descanso” (“rest”)
– streets are still packed weekends at 4 a.m. (larger cities only), small cities only til 1 or so
– it’s strange to see people eating dinner at 7 p.m. because it’s still “early”
– it’s normal, nay, encouraged, to topless sunbathe
– 30-year-olds can throw temper tantrums and it’s acceptable
– mailmen (and women) drive motos around town to deliver mail
Luis is my host mam�’s boyfriend who lives with us. So he’s some sort of “host” relation of mine, but it’s a little complicated to describe. Anyway, he’s rather funny. Some choice examples from the past week:
Luis: “So, your friend [who’s a massage therapist] needs a young handsome guy to give massages? I’ll do it!”
Pepita: “You can’t do it; you’re old!”
Luis: “When I die, just tie me up in a garbage bag and throw me in the sea.”
Pepita: “Even that costs money!”
Luis: “Spanish women are funny. In the winter, they cover themselves with clothes. But in the summer, they take it all off” (commenting on the news which showed all the madrile�os on the beach for the long weekend)
Yeah, I’m going to miss this place.
so, on Thursday I completed some firsts:
– first swim in the Mediterranean (I know, it’s awful that I’ve been here for 4 months and still hadn’t gone swimming in the Med)
– first nice sunburn (yeah, it hurts to move now)
That’s all, really. Today will (hopefully) be the first beach volleyball game that I play here. I’m excited.