I was given the gift of time today. A piece of work that I thought I would be consecrating this weekend to does not actually have to be in until the 16th of June. So phew, I can breathe...
It has been a hectic few weeks and I have felt the strain at times. My mother left yesterday and I am hoping just to have a quiet period and make the most of socializing in Madrid - seeing my friends here before we all go back to where we came from. You know, it's less than 7 weeks now!
As it's nearing the time to go home I have made my peace with Spanish idiosyncrasies, with those annoyances that now I just laugh at or shrug aside as I know it's near the end. I'm sad it's near the end, Madrid is such a lovely city and I can see so clearly the glaring imperfections in aspects of British culture when put up against Spain. Society here is on the whole a lot healthier, people spend time together, families in the parks - here it is important to be with those close to you. There are no problems of public drunkenness and people don't work such long hours and have such huge mortgages. Life here just seems a lot easier than in Britain and I can see why it's appealing.
I will miss living in Madrid because it is such a livable city. It is built around it's people - the bars and restaurants all allude to socializing and enjoying life which makes it so nice. I mean, isn't that what a lot of life is supposed to be about - enjoying it?
I have spent the whole year saying I would never live here, perhaps because I was still getting used to it all and settling into the new surroundings but now I have been here for almost 9 months, it's familiar and I have a life here - a lovely life. It's one I will greatly miss. I will miss the weekly Tuesday tapas nights with Lizzie, Carmen, the Australians and Stephane. I will miss my flamenco classes (cliched I know - when in Spain!) I will miss the lack of stress and freedom to just immerse in the culture and enjoy life. This year has been about enjoying life and I will remember that fabulous youth of mine - before I left the comfort of university and could really take pleasure in the exploration of the new - this is what it's about being 21 - not having to face up to all the harder sides of life just yet and being able to just sit back and ENJOY yourself.
It will be strange going home. I will be nostalgic for Madrid, I may be desperate to turn around and come back but without the wonderful friends I have made here to enjoy it with, it would never be the same. Onwards and upwards is the way - ready for a new chapter with a whole new flavour.
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