I miss and yet value my time over there every day at some point. It's interesting though because I know that things are going well here (job, new living situation as of March 5, etc.) and I am so grateful. The first few months I was home were quite frustrating in a way. I felt...alone. I felt bad talking too much about my time in Spain and my 15-day adventure-packed tour of Europe with 49 strangers that eventually became my friends. I was on Facebook constantly checking for all my new friends' updates, pictures and latest happenings. I thought that if I talked too much about my last 3.5 months to friends here that I'd be "bragging" or sound haughty. I cried at night many times that first month home. It just helped I guess. Crying just gets it all out and when you have nothing left, you just sleep. I also was having weird reactions to eating here again. I threw up 3 times in the first month for no apparent reason. My body literally rejected our American diet of preservatives and who-knows-what. I don't even eat badly!
I miss that Spain (and well, most of Europe) way of life. They enjoy life. They are passionate. You have all read this in my previous blog posts about how much my eyes were opened to how much stress the average working American is under. Where have our values truly gone? All the stereotypes of Europe/Spain being "too socialist" or "wimpy" is crap in my mind. From what I experienced they are a more happy culture. Simple as that.
In February I sent Mario and Julio a bunch of gifts. I had gone to Target one evening looking for something mundane and found myself in the kids' toy and party favor section just tossing stuff in my cart to send them. I found Valentine's cards too. Once they received the package, Silvia wrote me and said "there was quite the revolution tonight when your package arrived..." My heart was happy.
In March my sister flew to Spain to meet up with her boyfriend who's studying in Zaragoza. One her way to fly out of Madrid, they were able to go to El Escorial and have lunch with Silvia, Maria (Alberto's mother), Mario and Julio. Alberto was out of town sadly. They got to see my family's home and have all the AMAZING Spanish food that I miss so much! Nicole said going there and seeing my "old home" was the best part of her trip. Silvia said one thing they loved about me was how I loved all the food and was not picky like British girls can be ;) hehe
I just caught up on one of my au pair friend's blogs. She's been in Paris with a new family since September. She might go back to Spain after. I would be lying if I said that going back hasn't crossed my mind - although I think that Dallas is where I will end up before the end of the year.
I write all of this to say that those 3.5 months will always have a deep and special meaning in my life. Every single person I came to know in that time was brought into my life for a reason by God and I am so thankful.
I don't know why it's taken me so long, but I am finally going to start a new blog! I must keep up on my writing so that it does not fail me and you all can have a good laugh (at my expense of course ;)
It's also time to start writing a new chapter :)
xxx
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