And that's all she wrote...

This will be my last entry from Granada.

I just have a few more hours here. Hard to believe.


Yesterday I walked around the city and took it all in, getting enough memories (and pictures!) to last me until I come back. It's a beautiful place for sure.


I am so glad that I took the risk that I did in coming here. I did one of the things that scared me the most...and it turned out awesome. I would recommend this to anyone (and I'm honestly, not just saying that, it's an amazing experience that people should have in their life, especially in college)


And so it is that 20 weeks(!) and two extremely overweight suitcases later, I'm leaving this city behind.


See you all in a little over 2 weeks when I get back. Thanks for reading!

Marisa

retrospect

so it's over and done with. exams are done, papers are turned in, we have a farewell dinner tonight in the albaycin. i wasn't expecting this day to come.


it's weird...

and i find myself getting a bit blurry eyed, a little nostalgic.


it's funny. i look at the calendar and it says it's may 18.


may 18.


no. no. that's wrong. it's january 4th. i'm just stepping off a plane, scared and nervous and excited. fresh from celebrating new year's too hard.


-----
you do a lot of retrospect these last few days. you wonder where the time went and what happened these past few months. it's like that reaction you have when you get off a roller coaster-you step onto the ground and have to think for a minute about the ride you just took, to make sure it really happened because it went by so fast.

well, my feet just hit the ground and i'm thinking about the ride--it was amazing.

it took me to parts of the world i had only read and learned about in school. places that you see on tv but never really imagine that you are going to one day be there in person seeing it with your own eyes. i learned so much, ate so much, did so much.


but it's over.


that's the thing. you wish for this day to come but then when it does, you kinda wish it wasn't here.

the bus for barcelona leaves on saturday at 15:45 and i'll be on it. i'm excited to see my aunt. then i go to rome. then i go back to barcelona. then i go home. (hey, that rhymes :)


yep. i've been thinking about this day for a while now, but somehow i didn't expect it to come.

Finals are done!

Yippee!


All I have left is a beastly paper to write but it should be cake compared to the exams that's for sure.



Rome isn't looking as questionable now. All signs are pointing to "go". :0)



Rock on.

Do I stay or do I go?

I'm getting super excited about going home! I am almost ready to throw in the towel for Rome and just go back to the States sooner...

I know that you, my dear readers and fans, are thinking that I am nuts and that I should go and see Rome, but oh man, I can't wait to get back!



In the meantime, must...concentrate...on...finals. :0)

Feelin' hot, hot, hot!

Heh.

And rightly so...it's been in the upper 80´s today and it doesn't look like it's going to cool down anytime soon. They say that it's going to get warmer, in the 90's by Wednesday...yikes. I just looked up Portland though and you guys seem to be getting some warm weather yourself..."Record high temperatures expected today"...wow. I'm impressed.



In other news, I am getting so excited to come home. It must sound so silly, but you try being away from home for 132 days (as of today) and then come talk to me about how you aren't feeling excited to come home. :)

To be honest, dear readers of mine, I am considering coming back early. I know, I know, super lame-o but again, try being away for this long and then suppress your excitement about going back to your homeland. I still haven't decided but we'll see. Some french toast is sounding mighty tasty at the moment. :0) Heh.

So that's about it from here. We are currently in the middle of finals. Took my Civ and Culture one today and think it went well. Tomorrow is European Union and then Wednesday is History of America. Throw in a paper for lit and you have a magnificently exciting and fun-filled week. Nah, it's going fine and I'm actually not minding the studying too much because for the most part it's pretty interesting stuff. That European Union, man, it's a crazy system and I can tell you about it. :)

Anywho, this has been a very train of thought entry but I figured I have to mix it up a bit now and then. You know, to make it interesting. After all, my entries are coming to an end here pretty soon and I have to have some fun with this while it lasts.

T-minus ?? days and counting...

AHHH! :0)

The latest pics from Granada...

Día de la Cruz-the 3rd of May. A holiday typical of Granada where huge decorated crosses are displayed in public places (squares, plazas, etc) and people gather around them and socialize, of course with the ever present wine and beer. Nowadays it's turned into mostly a big botellon but it has roots in religion. Heh.



The first prize winner for the best cross in Granada. Check out the "mantons de manila" in the background. Very pretty.



Another cross, this time outdoors.



The crowd of people gathered around the cross pictured above. It was raining that day (reminded me of Portland!) but that didn't dampen people's spirits at all.



Another cross, a bit farther away from my house. Sadly, you can't see a lot of the decorations because of the plastic that was keeping out the rain.



The botellon forming near a cross



Last Friday, Chelsea, Diana and I went to Cafe Futbol for our last churros and chocolate of the semester.



Chelsea, ready to dive in to the plate of churros



The "after" pic :0)



After the churros, Diana and I went to see another Flamenco show at the CLM. I think I may like flamenco more now...









Then, last weekend we went on our last group trip to the little towns of Ronda and Grazalema in the western part of Andalucia...gorgeous. This is the Plaza de Toros de Ronda.



Views of Ronda






Artsy pic



Fountain at the Casa de Don Juan Bosco in Ronda



This is perhaps what Ronda is most known for, this massive bridge



While in Ronda I found Paco's long lost cousin, Pedro. :0)



Houses in Ronda...very "Andalucia"



Jeanette, Sarah, Diana, Rachel, and Chelsea



I love this pic



The view of Grazalema from our "casita". We didn't stay in a hotel this time...we stayed in little cabins that had great views of the town and of the countryside. It would be a great place to stay if you just wanted to relax for a weekend.



Diana, Katherine, Chelsea, and Colin on our impromptu hike up the side of a random mountain. Let me just say that we definitely blazed a trail...



Our goal was to make it up to this old, abandoned church on the side of this particular hill. It turned out to be quite pretty and we had some fun testing out the "self-timer" function of our cameras.



On Sunday we went on an 8k hike...check out this view



Hiking up the hill



Another great view



Who can resist swings? :)

i miss home.


now that the day to go home is getting close, it seems very far away.


they say that there is such a thing as reverse culture shock...i'm starting to believe "them" already.


i'm just feeling very confused about going home to be honest. i am excited but nervous and then i wonder why am i nervous to go home??? i don't understand. it doesn't seem to make sense to me.

it's late though and tomorrow we have this big standardized test to take. hopefully all will turn out alright. i have pics to post from the last week...so much happened. i will try to put them up here soon.


ciao.