Warning: This post consists of an entire week's worth of posts and is really long... I'm sorry.
So I left for my study abroad program early... It starts on May 31st (tomorrow). I left on May 24th. I know I probably should have updated and posted about this past week's shenanigans earlier, and I'm sorry. This post is coming in way late but I figured I should at least get this out there before tomorrow - when shit gets real.
But first...
HOLY @#$%! I'M STUDYING ABROAD IN SPAIN FOR 2 @#$%ING MONTHS!
*Ahem* so um...
Leaving for a life abroad happened faster than I expected. Packing felt like it was moving at a glacial pace. But as soon as I put my bags in the car, in the blink of an eye, I was on a flight through Iberia Airlines from Chicago to Madrid - which was probably one of the most interesting flights I've ever had.
Perhaps it was the nervous excitement I felt, or the intimidating expectations running through my head as I worked my way through the airport telling me to not screw up (don't worry, I didn't screw up). Well, I guess it was a mix of the two. But mostly it was the charming oldie sitting next to me that made this flight quite the experience.
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| Mary, a 63 year old bad ass. |
This is Mary. She is a 63 year old lady who has retired and gives no fucks.
I'm being serious.
Although, before the whole "IDGAF, I'm gonna do what I want" period began in her life, she of course had her share of teenage experiences, life changing moments of a young adult, the good and bad times in marriage, and life threatening times when growing older. The two of us shared our life stories and it was magical! This lovely lady is so bright and I thoroughly enjoyed her stories. Especially when she talked about her young-adult-lets-get-fucked-up-sex-drugs-rock-and-roll-party-life in the 60s and 70s.
Now, she uses her retirement fund to travel the world. No retirement home. No kids (I don't think she had any). Just the her and the world. I asked her why she doesn't just buy a place so that she has a home.
She laughed at me and said, "Why would I do that? Home to me has no boundaries. The world is my home."
So here I am, World. I'm ridding myself of boundaries and making myself a home in your parts unknown.
We landed in Madrid, Mary went to baggage claim and I continued on to my connecting flight to Málaga... I never got her last name, number, or email. And I honestly can say I've never met someone that I hoped I would see again.
I really hope I'll see her again.
Finally after I arrived in Málaga, I got my luggage and met my mom outside of baggage claim and we made our way out to the car. It seriously was a terrible and embarrassing walk. We pushed my baggage cart onto the moving-floor-verticalator-whatever-that-thing-is... Long story short: The cart hit the metal on the right and went sideways; spilling all my luggage over me and mom, crushing our feet, thus making us fall backwards, causing everyone behind us to run off the moving walkway (yeah, I googled it) in the opposite direction - away from the tidal wave of two screaming filipino ladies being crushed by lots of baggage.
It was sad. So. Sad.
... Actually I'm totally kidding about the people behind us running away. There was no one behind us, thank God. But there really was a tidal wave of two screaming filipino ladies being crushed by lots of baggage. That part was real.
Moving on...
After an hour and a half drive, we arrived at our summer home in the mountains of Benahavís! My parents repainted the whole house, did some renovations to the backyard, and added some new furniture. I must say... This house just gets more beautiful every time! I'm in love with our new table! And the bench. The almond tree. The sunshine. The flowers. The... view. Oh, my god. The view.
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| Daytime! |
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| Night time! |
On a really clear and sunny day, you can see Africa in distance. In the daytime picture, if you squint into the blue a little bit, you can see the silhouette of Gibraltar! Here are some more pictures of what my parents have worked so hard for:
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| The whole backyard |
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| Beautiful table! |
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| Our adorable almond tree |
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| Our lovely little pool |
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| My family's summer home in Benahavís, Spain |
I love you both. And I truly can't even explain how thankful I am for everything you have done and what you have provided your children with. I'm not saying this because you guys bought a summer home in Spain. I'm saying this because I've seen you both work hard for the success you wanted, and what you wanted us to have. It was love that got you here and I'm so proud to say that you two are my parents.
So, lets get out of here and go to Córdoba...
On the second day, my mom wanted to go to Córdoba. Wait, actually, she wanted to go to La Rambla. That was because our neighbor, Christian, told her that every summer there's a patio festival to celebrate everyones patio and roof gardens in La Rambla. So, we drove off in the late afternoon to La Rambla, only to find it dead, a ghost town, without a single soul in sight. There was no festival... So my mom sadly turned the car around and we started to drive back. But I had to use the ladies room pretty bad since we drove 3 hours straight (I swear I was going to burst). So we took a pit stop and grabbed some tapas. My mom was still hung up on not finding the patio festival, so we asked our server about it. Turns out the festival is in Córdoba! So we drove off again, for another 2 and a half hours, to Córdoba. I actually was REALLY excited, despite the drive, because I've never been able to explore Córdoba and I really wanted to see La Mezquita de Córdoba! But it was already late, and so the Mezquita was closed. But luckily we were able to catch the last bit of the festival. There were so many flowers in the streets, it was beautiful! My mom was happy, but then I was down because I couldn't see the Mezquita. Therefore, I felt the need to eat my feelings and bought myself a scoop of pistachio ice cream.
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| Sunshine + pistachio ice cream = a very happy Lily |
Haha, okay I really wasn't that shitty because I couldn't see the Mezquita. Although I really did want some pistachio ice cream, because ice cream makes any day a greater one. And to make it even better, we got to see the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos! It's open until 11:00 PM, but we were only there for about 2 hours. I'd really like to go back at night some time. I bet it's beautiful! It was so much fun running through the fort, climbing the towers, walking through the courtyards, and taking pictures. My favorite part was the garden... Once I saw the view of the gardens from the top tower of the Alcazar, I was eager to get there. There were fountains that stretched out one after another, pink, red, and white roses, purple flowers, orange trees, and rows of rounded cyprus trees all throughout the garden.
Something about me that I learned on this trip: I absolutely love gardens.
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| Afuera de La Mezquita de Córdoba |
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| Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos |
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| El jardín del Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos |
For the last two days we enjoyed southern Spain and hung out around Marbella. We also had a month early birthday dinner with our lovely neighbors! We ate at Zozoi in old town, and it was deeeeeelicious! Such a great dinner with our amazing family friends and my mom! It was cute, really cute, because my mom tried to "discreetly" tell our waitress that it was my birthday. And by discreetly, I mean covering her face with the menu, leaning over to the waitress, and loudly whispering "IT'S MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY!" *wink wink*.
Hey, is that cake? Yay! For who? Me? Oh, my god, it's for me?!?! Wow, Mom, I had no idea you told them it was my birthday.
But, seriously, thank you so much for the early birthday dinner. I love you!
My first week in southern Spain was wonderful; I already miss our summer home. I miss the ocean breeze. I miss the mountains. But yesterday I arrived in Alcalá, my mom left this morning, and my study abroad program starts tomorrow: CIEE - Alcalá de Henares Summer Program 2013.
Over these next two months, I'll be discovering new winds to embrace, mountains to climb, places to dwell, and a new home to love. It's time for my life beyond mountains; beyond places. No boundaries or confined spaces.
Life abroad: It's a sense of place, a sense of time.
So here I am, World. I'm ridding myself of boundaries and making myself a home in your parts unknown.
