God I'm tired. I am ALWAYS tired. And no it's got nothing to do with a poor diet - I am very healthy here, it's just that my body clock has become Spanish. I cannot go to bed before 1.00 am! But I still have to get up in the mornings for university - how the spanish cope with this severe lack of sleep I don't know. Or is it a myth that they stay up all night? Instead of being eyebag ravished zombied commuters, people look quite awake and healthy on the metro in the mornings. Either they have an incredible eye cream or they do actually go to bed at a civilised hour. No, staying up all night must be just a young/erasmus thing. I'll be 22 in 3 weeks, think it might be the age to start maturing and slowing down? hmm...nah, not yet.
I have 6 weeks left in Spain. I am still in utter disbelief. Where have these last 9 months gone? I think time does seem to pass more rapidly when you have settled into a life here and have a routine. January was just 2 weeks ago in my book. But as my birthday nears some people (mainly my mother) tell me that it is a symptom of getting older - time passing more quickly and before you know it your sitting knock-kneed, all gummy smiles and making senile remarks; forgetting which grandchild is which. bliss.
I am torn in my opinions of going home. I can't wait really - I miss the vibrancy of London and the uniqueness of Brighton but at the same time I will desperately miss my friends and life here. Or will I? one wonders if it won't be an 'out of sight, out of mind' situation. I will probably miss the ease of life here -there's no stress really. Next year will be one big Year Abroad hangover. I don't mind - I like libraries and that is probably where I will spend 78 percent of my time from October onwards (the rest will be spent in bed or, having lost the plot, rocking back and forth reminiscing about Spain and tapas to seagulls)
As for the here and now, this week has been a bit stressful and frustrating as exams loom and work has to be handed in. Naturally the best vent for this stress is to blame everything on Spain. I have openly proclaimed how much I dislike Spain on facebook this week (only to take it back) -much like a tiff with one's wife, we kiss and make up eventually. Still, the waitress who gave me an utterly (and unprovoked) filthy look whilst handing me my disgusting greasy food this week tested my patience in a country where 'haute cuisine' rarely figures. My god, I must sound like a self-righteous tosser! I'm just tired and weary. It's been a long and eventful year and I'm telling you living abroad is not always easy-going. As my father says "just stay at home" but thankfully he ignores his own advice and so do I - one must always explore and expand! (both literally and figuratively)
Now, I am off to a Tapas Festival - no doubt there'll be hundreds of people pushing each other for free rioja and nosh. I'll be one of them. Ciao
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Thursday, 22 May 2008
The End Is Coming...God I Really Don't Want To Go!
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.
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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