I´m laying here in a bed 5,000 miles from home and I´m still in complete awe that I won´t see home for over four months. The last month of goodbyes was definitely hard, but in comparison with trying to explain in Spanish to my host mother my family and what they mean to me over their photos in the yearly calendar my mother makes -it was nothing.
I´ve never really been in a situation where I´m completely at a loss for words -just ask my roommates -I´ll owe it to the fact that I had absolutely no grasp of any vocabulary because I floated through Spanish classes via on-line translators. In all sincerity though, I´ve been here only a day and I´m amazed at how a person can go so many miles from home, not be able to muster more that a few un-conjugated verbs, and still feel like the people listening are truly listening -not to the words, but to the emotions. And they do understand.
So it all became real two days ago when my mom came down to my bedroom at my sad definition of being ¨almost done packing.¨ She took the initiative of vacuum-sealing all of my sweaters and finally we filled two whole suitcases for my 4-month trip. I´ve decided I want to be able to move anywhere I want in only this space -it´s so liberating.
I woke the next morning still have to finish my carry-on and left for the airport around noon, stopping by my grandparents´ house before I left. We picked up my brothers early from school (you´re welcome, boys) and my last American meal was chicken McNuggets with Sweet´n´Sour. How charming, no? Finally met mom at the airport casually talking around the elephant in the room. The maternal grandparents came and it was nearly time to head to security. Ay. Reality hits and tears begin. Saying goodbye to all of my friends seems so easy now. My father doesn´t cry much, but he did his best to cover up that he was about to and it wasn´t easy to forget.
So started the fligh from hell five airports with only two hours in between each flight - a total of around 24 hours of time in airports and in the air! After the flight being delayed over an hour, I finally was chasing down my baggage and walking through an automatic door to a woman holding a sign with my name on it... no joke. Gene is my program director for my studies here and attempted to speak slowly and understand me -even saying I spoke well, ha. We drove to my new home and she dropped me off with a map and a calling card and introduced me to Lourdes. We hauled my suitcases upstairs and she forced me to eat 2 grilled ham and cheese sandwiches that were much needed after a day of airplane food. (side note: said airplane food came with red wine and a Miller Lite. No complaints.)
Lourdes helped me unpack and laughed at how much I had brought -especially underwear. I called home and talked to my dad to tell him everything would be fine but was overcome with emotion so I probably scared him. I went to my new bedroom and woke up the next morning finding out that I wasn´t dreaming.
Lourdes made me Nesquik hot chocolate and two pieces of toast with a homemade fig marmalade. I met her children Fernando, 31, and Vanessa, 27, who still live at the house. Their kindness and understanding put me at ease.
Today happened to be the day of the Reyes Magos, or the Wise Men who, in Spanish tradition, bring the children gifts and coincidentally remembered one for me. A little stuffed doll representing a traditional pilgrim of the Way of Saint James (El Camino de Santiago). We played games in the living room and Lourdes made paella for lunch. Afterwards we took a walk around town going to the Alameda Park with fountains and great views and palm trees! The sun was out and it was like a spring day with many people out and about because of the holiday. We walked to the cathedral and through all the squares and cobblestone streets filled with stores and cafes and music.
It all seemed so surreal. Sunset was gorgeous and light displays turned on with stars and sleighs and crowns. We sat at a restaurant and ordered drinks and had patatas fritas and aceitunas (potato chips and Spanish green olives.) Lourdes and I went to church and then headed back home.
It´s amazing to me how many conversations I´ve had today and how much I´ve learned. More amazing still is that it was all in Spanish. For someone who claims they nothing of it, I´ve come out alright with the patience of my host family. I find myself thinking of what to write and have to remind myself it´s not worth the effort trying to translate to Spanish. Wow...
Rachel and the others come tomorrow. I can´t wait to show them how beautiful our new home is -we´re never going to want to leave! Ciao!
How cute is that? I´ve come a long way from that moment. Part of it saddens me because I have lost that romantic vision of the cobbled streets and feeling of living in a dream world. I´d love to wake that up in me again.
Until next time, besos!
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