Monday, August 30, 2010

Agridulce

I've been back in the States for almost two weeks now and there is no more appropriate word to describe my feelings other than "bittersweet." Unless, of course, we're speaking Spanish; in that case agridulce would fit just fine.

Although I was sad to leave the beauty of Spain and the friends that I made throughout my stay, I couldn't help but recognize the presence of a yearning to get home where my family would be waiting with a Tony's pizza hot and ready on the table.

My seven week vacation (I'll be honest with myself - I don't think I'll ever get another month and a half getaway) was hard to leave, but I think it would have been harder if I didn't have something(s) to look forward to when I got home. As soon as I arrived in the states I spent time with family eating and sharing souvenirs, my best friends came over to hear me tell my exhausted stories, and I spent the next few days preparing myself for my next move into College Park. The excitement pre- moving into my new beautiful Commons apartment, starting two new jobs at school (to replenish my depleted bank account) and gaining back a normal routine, made the absence of daily tapas and mediterranean beach days bearable.

I can't think of a better way to express the bittersweet feeling I've been enduring for the past two weeks, than to clearly lay out the conflicting aspects of being home and not being in Spain than a pro/con list.

Bitter/Agri:
- Gelato withdrawal
- Missing the beautiful landscapes
- Not being able to speak Spanish to everyone
- Being 20 and not being able to order alcoholic beverages (in moderation, of course.)
- All I want to do is talk about my experiences, but everyone around me definitely has agendas that include things other than listening to my worn-out stories.

Sweet/ Dulce
- Being with my family and friends
- Working ($$$)
- Receiving flowers from my handsome boyfriend for no reason at all except for the fact that now he can :)
- Calling friends/family/boyfriend whenever I want - email is great, but too impersonal after awhile.
- Access to fresh produce, and avoiding the frozen food and excessive olive oil aisle I fell prisoner to in la casa de Rafaela

Move in went smoothly and I've spent the past week here decorating my new room with carefully selected photos from Spain in attempts to merge the sweet things of my summer abroad with the awesome time I know I am going to have in College Park for the next two years. Now that I've been to Europe and back I have a feeling it will be difficult to ever actually leave it behind.
I can't wait to get back to Europe, but I'll admit I am pretty damn lucky to be where I am now.


PS - Kristen, I wish I had something more exciting to write about for your Birthday Blog Post - but for now, Happy birthday and let's cheers to the fact that this semester will lead to many thrilling things to share :)

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