Good things about going home:

I've been keeping a list. It's motivational so I won't be sad about leaving. Mostly I am SUPER excited about being reunited with my family (even if for just one day!) and friends. So much so that it can't even go on the list! I really want to go homeeeee.
And! Here are more good things about going home:

1. My iPhone will have service. And when people call me I'll have the pleasure of hearing the ring tone that Jack Cottrell recorded for me :-) Also, I haven't sent a single text message since February 2.
2. Madrid's freakishly abnormal eating schedule/habits will no longer reign in cruel tyranny over my stomach.
3. Peanut butter.
4. Carpeting. Great invention. The Arabs tried to introduce it to Spain in the 700s AD but it never caught on, apparently.
5. EGGS FOR BREAKFAST. ACTUAL BREAKFAST BREAKFAST, NOT JUST COOKIES. Hmm, another one about food.
6. Hairdryer? What is that? Sounds pretty luxurious, whatever it is (the ancient little one I was using here died in March. Sad).
7. The cleaning lady won't move my crap around anymore and throw stuff away without asking. It ticks me off. And yes, I really do prefer to clean by myself. Don't touch my stuff!
8. I just really miss chilling at home.
9. Sayonara, creepers!
10. Being reunited with my books and the majority of my wardrobe
11. Bagels, cream cheese, grape jelly, pita chips, tomato soup, cornbread, making bread, baking, cooking in general, actually. Being able to use a kitchen. That would be nice.
12. Normal bedtimes.
13. Sporcle with Ali/Christy/Stacia/Mom
14. My lungs will appreciate freedom from second-hand smoke
15. I just really really really want to go home.
16. I AM GOING TO MAINE!!!!!

The lovely month of April

Springtime arrived and it’s been pretty darn fun. My friends and I kicked off April right with a trip to the Sierra Guadarrama to climb a mountain. Here’s a picture of me and my friend Lu taking a break and just enjoying the spectacular view. Can you spot us? (click on it to zoom in)

Then I spent the next weekend on a nice CEA excursion to Córdoba and Sevilla. Everything was really beautiful. Here's me and a friend in front of the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

We also saw a Flamenco show in Sevilla. They're very proud of their Flamenco. I liked the fan dance part.

This is one of my favorite photos from Seville. That's the world's third largest cathedral, by the way. And the largest Gothic cathedral ever built. Though the tall tower on the right is a moorish leftover, I believe.

Another weekend we had a nice dinner/birthday party at a friend's house and helped her cook Mexican food! Here's me learning to make tortillas. I was pretty thrilled.

Other than that, I enjoyed some great intercambios (I learn more Spanish that way!), visits to the Prado Museum, and lots of park-going (my friend is trying to see if she can visit each of Madrid’s parks this semester. Very ambitious, we’re maybe halfway there).
We saw some pieces of the Berlin wall at Parque de Berlin. That was cool. Another highlight for me was renting a rowboat and having some great conversations with friends while floating around a pretty little lake at Casa de Campo.

And we concluded the month with a shopping/ photo-taking trip around our favorite places in the city center. The photo below is me at the Plaza Mayor in Old Madrid. It’s been loads of fun and I’m too bored with talking about myself to write any more, so bye.