So, I did those things. I woke up to faux christmas, a fully decorated living room and dining room with sparkles and Jesi and candles and the poinsetta I gifted the fam. Leaving the house to meet Kate for some lastminute activity, I hit up a belen, a nativity scene that my senora had been yapping about for at least a week, nagging us "did you go yet? did you go yet?" I was expecting some nice statues of baby Jesus and Mary and an ox. Kate and I found a huge basement room with dramatic Indiana Jones music, mood lighting that changed to reflect day and night, and thousands of tiny figurines replicating Bethlehem. One house even had a little menorah in it! They were all Jewish...
The belen was so cool I was compelled to dump my little one and two eurocent coins in the donation box. Win-win for me and the monks of Hospital de San Juan de Dios, who make this insane display every year. I ended up going back a second time that day, on a shopping adventure with Anna and other Kate. We played in Corte Ingles for a last time, where I picked up a CD of Spanish guitar and flamenco for my dad. I also bought myself a nerdy typewriter necklace to remember how much absurd typing I did during this entire semester. This blogbook is going to be a thousand pages, I think. Order yours today! Justkidding.
I stopped by the gym on my way home to say goodbye to my adorable trainers and get a quick picture with them. You can tell just how motivating they are by the fact that they convinced me to come to zumba an hour and a half later. A final gymming hurrah! I can do this in America!
I came home and finished packing my tchatchkes, a whole bunch of tickets and knicknacks and other memorabilia from my time abroad. As I started writing my final note to my host family, Courtney and her parents arrived! Elise and Bill were just charming and we all enjoyed a blowout dinner of tapas and paella. My senora even got me to try some chicken - I couldn't not eat it after she said, "You eat it today, you can confess tomorrow!" Not worth explaining that that's not how Kosherness works, I gave in to the curry paella kick of spices and nommed on what southern Spain is all about. Worth it.
We took a long family photoshoot with the Christmas decor, American and Spanish flags, multiple moms and dads and siblings, and a lot of laughter. Courtney's dad Bill, a total baller, carried my suitcase downstairs for me and then the night was over.
I gave the family my note, "Living in your house is like living in a dream. I will never forget you all, and all you have taught me. I am incredibly grateful to have had an experience unlike anything I could have imagined. A thousand thank yous. See you soon."
And I do hope to be back soon. That whole "Mi casa es tu casa" saying? They mean it, and I felt it every day for four months.
My day ended with a group meetup for beverages and so-longs around the corner.
No comments:
Post a Comment