Beautiful Texas Sunshine

Howdy.

I'm sorry I didn't write anything for my last weeks in Madrid. I've been home for awhile now and I miss Spain tremendously. The people, the food, the accent, and of course the dog poo on the sidewalks. Ok, so I don't miss that last part as much it sounds. But things that got on my nerves in Madrid have now become endearing back in the comfort of my own home. As it is with most things, I suppose. That's how the 'good ol' days' become the 'good ol' days'. Everything seems sweeter when you're looking back on it.

My last days and hours in Madrid were filled to the brim. Trying to squeeze in one last coffee with a friend, buying last minute souvenirs, having one last...fill in the blank with everything, and trying to soak up all the Madrid-ness possible. I remember in the last few days I would try to physically stop and listen and smell and take note of what was happening around me. Try to remember the taste of a fresh cafe con leche or the way my friend would say "hombreeee...". I don't know how successful this memory-making attempt was but I hope some things stick.

It was incredibly sad leaving. Saying goodbye is something that I'm not too familiar with and it was harder than I expected to leave these friends behind. Because, when I thought about it, I've never really had to do that before. Friends from high school or college, I didn't really say a final goodbye because the possibility still exists that I would see them again. We still live relatively close, most of us, in the same country at least, and there's more of a chance you can run into them at Wal-Mart or a wedding or something. But saying goodbye to friends that in all likelihood, I might not ever see again, is a weird experience. I don't recommend it. I hope that I see some of my Spanish friends again and although I will try to stay in touch through emails and things, it probably won't ever be the same. And I guess that will have to be ok.

Being back home is good. And strange. And sometimes boring. But it is fantastic to see my friends and hang out "en plan tranquilo". Sometimes Spanish just fits better than English. Now, it's getting even better because we're past that initial hang out where you have to try and catch up on the last three months. Now we can just be normal. Or whatever that is. I'm moving into my new apartment next month and I am really excited. I just started this new job working at a school for the summer and it's depressingly boring. Most of the time it's just me alone in the school getting calls from parents with questions that I don't know the answer to and I hate not knowing what I'm doing. But I'm praying that it will get better.

Which, if anyone knows any good churches in the Haltom City/ Watauga area I would love to know. I'm in the market.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this, but if you are, thanks. Thanks for sticking around. Or maybe this is the first post you've ever read. And to you, I apologize for it being pretty uninteresting.

I'll keep you updated.