round two...

So after a lovely Christmas break in the United States during which I constantly doubted the reality of the legitimate existence of my life in Spain because from my impregnable plaid couch in Lexington, KY it only seemed a fleeting dream. But now that I'm back here... I'm questioning the veracity of my time spent back home. If it weren't for the presence of a few new American articles littered throughout my piso, I wouldn't be so sure. But, de verdad, time at home with family and friends was precious beyond words.

After successfully making my passage through five aiports, I arrived in Sevilla late Saturday, January 6th without luggage or a euro to my name and no way to get any considering the cash machines were out. Problem solving process... long story short... grace of God I got to my piso that night. Thank God that jet lag is worse traveling west rather than east, so I wasn't too bad.

A couple of funny things... going back to school was actually such a joyful thing... Spaniards are so warm, and I've never received so many "dos besos" and "feliz años" as I did that first day back to school. Also, a group of professors confessed that they "googled" my name over the break and stumbled across this blog with pictures of me and Sevilla. Haha... awkward.

So... although, not gonna lie, I had a decent bit of a break down before heading back... I am enthralled to be here now to "take the bull by the horns" this spring. I feel like when I first came to Spain, I arrived on my knees with the rug having just been pulled from under me not knowing where I would live or what my job would be like... but now that I have much more of a grasp on my life here... I am meeting it head on. Bring it on, life. :)

But... this had an absolutely wonderful start. The Monday night after I arrived, Mari and Sylvia came home and we had our own Christmas from which we took this photo. Note the Kentucky t-shirts we are all wearing and the matching coffee mugs bearing our names which I painted for the liters and liters of café and té which we drink on a daily basis. Gaaa, I can think of no other word aside from precious to describe our time together as it definitely ended in tearful expression of our gratitude of one another... cheesy, yes perhaps admittedly yes, but completely authentic and from the depths of our little hearts. I know I say it a lot... but I honestly don't know where I would be without Mari and Sylvia... their encouragment... their advice... their ears... their abrazos... their LAUGHTER... beyond words they are... at least those in English. They are una pasada.

Sylvia told me that every time she returns to our piso after being away that it feels more and more like home. I couldn't agree more.

I like this. It's only just begun.