Mi vida después de mis vacaciones

I got home and crashed. It was nice to be in my bed again.

...

Actually, that's getting a little ahead of the story.

I got home and saw the gaping hole in our floor. Paulina was home and explained to me that there had been a leak and the people below us were complaining about the water coming into their ceiling. So the landlady sent a guy to fix the pipe.

I turned on my light and saw the damage on my wall. The drywall had started crumbling off in places and there was mold.



I didn't notice the mold that first night, so I was a little confused when Pau (who moved out that week I was in Italy to move back into her old place) offered her room to me for the night.

After that night, I've been sleeping in Pau's room but living out of my room. I haven't shut the window to my room, and I've just been waiting for it to be fixed.

The floor was fixed in about one or two days. The walls just got fixed this morning, and let me tell you, it really makes me such a happy person. I can't wait to wash my bedding and sleep in my bed again! My walls look so fresh and clean and I really just can't wait to enjoy the space again. I really have grown fond of my room and it's been sad to be avoiding it.

Also, to get my deposit back, I need to find someone to replace me in the apartment. I think I can officially REALLY start that process now, since I have a presentable space to show them.

My finals month looks a little something like this: Jan. 31: Morning: Sistema Político Español, Afternoon (or sometime the previous week?): Gramática. Feb. 3: Sociología de las Religiones. Feb. 15: Proceso Político Español. The first and last finals will definitely be the most difficult and Gramática will be really easy.

With the gap in my finals schedule, I might take a trip to the north of Spain with Jim and Lauren, my compañeros de vacación POR SIEMPRE. One last trip with two of the best people ever.

After finals, I'm also hoping to go to Barcelona, because, I mean, if I've been living in Spain for 6 months, I HAVE to go to Barcelona, right? Maybe even a Barcelona partido de fútbol if I can get cheap tickets!

I may have to only pick one, though, and in that case, it will be Barcelona.

Anyway, Lauren and Michelle and I went on a hike this week, as a study escape and a search for the best bread in Granada... but sadly the town we thought we were going to is actually about 12 km away from the place we wound up in after 2 hours of walking... so we will have to go by bus another day.

Last week, Lauren, Jim and I skiied the REAL Sierra Nevadas. It was epic.


I've had many nights in with friends, just chatting about life here, life at home, and our future lives... I am going to miss my Spanish companions more than I think they realize. I have found out so much about myself through them, and we have grown so much together in our own lives, and in doing so we have grown together.

I have been plagued with so many mixed emotions. I am definitely ready to be home. I miss home, I miss Mexican food, I miss the beach and taking notes in English on my MacBook...

... but in a weird way, I am NOT ready to leave. I'm not ready to say goodbye to Granada indefinitely. I'm not ready to say goodbye to my friends indefinitely. I'm not ready to leave a few behind and watch the others go away to their other UCs, far away from me.

It will be weird to call my old friends up to hang out instead of my new ones.

It will be weird going back to work.

It will be weird to be only taking in English.

It will be weird to drive and actually see the street signs. And to wait until the green light to cross the street.

I may never see this city again. I hope to, but it's very possible that I won't, and that is frightening to me. And so, so sad.

Granada has become another home to me, and in a way, it was MY first home. I had to pay rent every month. I lived on my own. I created my own life out of nothing... and now I need to leave it all behind.

I suppose this is just another part of the experience. I AM ready to be home... but I will miss everything here so much.

I just hope my friends here keep in touch with me after I'm gone.









These guys are awesome.