BACK ON BIG TEN

I'm sure that at some point I have mentioned some of the things I miss about my home in the land of ice and snow- Stan Jones, Music, flat land (for a change)-but it wasn't until recently when I returned from my ten day adventure traveling through Andalucia (in mainland Spain) that I had a chance to realize what I will so dearly miss about Tenerife when I leave at the end of June.

Flying over the mountains and city space which I have come to know so well, I suddenly got such a feeling of pride and excitement; like this is my home- I know this place-I can speak Spanish-I'm training in Europe! Being away from the language, my family, the ocean, my bike, and school gave me a much needed break. I got to step back and take a bigger look at my experience here- and I've felt a sort of renewed ambition to make the most of things and enjoy it while I can because when I leave my whole year here will fade into distant memory.

Virginia, the program director, spoke of our return to the U.S. at our reunion in madrid. She brought up and interesting point- which was that our first week home we will be big news; we'll be the novelty of the week. All of our freinds and family will want to know about our year in Spain. But after the initial excitement fades, life will sort of slide back into the normal swing of things. There isn't going to be anyone at home who can really identify with where you have been for a full year, who will understand what that time has fully meant to you. So thats another phenomenon that's given me a renewed dedication to making the most of things here.

Also, the two friends that I traveled with, Tobi and Amelia, had a stronger vocabulary and spoke better than I did in Spanish. (It doesn't help that Antonio insists that we speak English one week and Spanish the other). This pissed me off- which has given me a another spark of initiative to get things going. I've got to ask more questions.

So yes, I'm back. Yesterday and today were school-free because this week is Carnival, which is like Mardigras except bigger and crazier. The Carnival here is second in the world only to that of Rio de Janero (spelling?). I think tonight I'm going to one of the celebrations with Poli (we have to dress up like girls), and tomorrow with Carmen, Toño, and Pedro.

Monday I go back to school, three weeks later Lucy and Jac arrive for a week (there is no way I'm going to school then), the following week is free for Saint Week, and then I'll have about 5 weeks left of school. I get out about the middle of May and have about a month of beach time and bike riding que te cagas. Pops comes to meet me in Madrid, we travel around fro a week, and then its back to 3216 for the summer. So there's your overview.