Hello 2013!

AKA: My gawd, have I really already completed 1/3 of this journey!?

On one hand, I can't believe it. On the other, I'm not necessarily shedding any tears because those first few months were somewhat rough. 

On the rough side of things, I dealt with the normal homesickness and physical adjustments with which anyone who moves to a foreign country deals. Whatever; I survived that. However, losing my passport (or having it stolen, since I still don't know exactly what happened) in October (and, subsequently, not being able to go to Barcelona and losing my 100 euro flight) and getting my wallet jacked as soon as I stepped off the plane from Portugal (yeah, I was that expat) have a way of taking a toll on one's spirit. Had I wanted to be completely melodramatic and indulge in one last pity party for the year 2012, I would've curled into the fetal position in my room and rocked myself while repeating, "There's no place like home" until someone saved me from myself and these effing pick pockets and got me on a plane back to Bama. But, I'm a big girl and after the wallet travesty (which had absolutely no cash in it, thankyouverymuch), I figured I'd pretty much hit rock bottom, so there was nowhere to go but up...right? That's what I'm choosing to believe. Those developments, plus work being work and, thus, tiring, equaled me being on survival mode until the holidays. Also, I had a startling revelation: I truly dislike Madrid as a city. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my life here; I've met great people, have a job (which is better than 26% of the population in this country), have an active social life, and appreciate living in a large city. However, there's nothing overly spectacular or beautiful about Madrid. It's not the pearl of Spain and could, in all honesty, be any large city in the States. Oddly enough, though, once I came to this conclusion and stopped trying to fight it, I was comforted by it. I realized that I don't have to be in love with the city just because I live here, and I'm okay with that. In any event, I survived it all, and these next six months are about to be epic. I claim that!

As for the holidays, they weren't miserable at all. I stayed in Madrid instead of going to southern Spain, which was my original plan with a friend, because, by the time I received my replacement bank card, tickets were way too expensive for me to go see cities I've already visited. In any event, I stayed here and spent time with other friends, which was really lovely.

I will always find a plate on a major holiday, regardless
of the city.

Christmas was really beautiful. I went to church on Christmas Eve with a friend and was able to be surrounded by beauty and the Spirit. I had dinner with friends on Christmas Day, which was really delicious. I also took great pleasure in sending the parentals a photo of my plate since I have a sneaking suspicion that they thought I'd be in my apartment alone eating soup, not that they would ever admit it. Spending Christmas without the fanfare of opening presents and having a tree has a way of making the reason for the season even more evident. As I've matured (that sounds a lot better than "as I've gotten older," right?), the true meaning of Christmas has become more evident. This Christmas spent away from blood family and spending time with friends who have become family really made me appreciate the gift of family and friends, health and happiness, good times and good people. It made me more cognizant of the need to thank God for all that He's given me, especially His only Son. Talk about a life lesson. 

I will say, though, that I still got giddy when I received my package from Santa and the 'rents (after getting completely belligerent and being downright ignant on Customs and the post office) that contained my tablet! A gal's never too old for Santa or gifts, after all :)

Santa and the parentals didn't forget me!

I never thought Hugh Jackman
could look so thoroughly
un-Hugh-like...until Les Mis

For the rest of 2012, I just spent time with friends. I saw Les Miserables. Quick review: it's long. Almost three hours long. The characters also sing through the entire movie, so if you hate musicals, don't go see it. Russell Crowe is an awful singer and his lines were just lame. Anne Hathaway was a decent singer and her role isn't as big as the advertisements led me to believe. Hugh oh-so-fine Jackman and those gorgeous brown-green eyes and that delectable Australian accent are in the movie. He's not a horrible singer, but I wasn't wowed by his voice either. However, I never thought anything could make him look rough, like...nothing. I mean, he's Hugh Jackman. However, at the beginning of the movie, I almost gagged. He looked absolutely haggard. Whoever did his make-up and costuming should surely be given an award for making such a fine specimen of man look so...not Hugh Jackman. Overall, though, I liked the movie.

In between spending time with friends and playing with my new toy, I slept. Words can't even express how much I missed my mid-day naps. Oh college, how I miss thee. 

Grapes for the New Year's tradition in Puerta del Sol

Fast forward to New Year's Eve. Wonderful night. I was actually productive by day! Washed clothes and my hair, went to the gym, graded papers, cleaned my room, and managed to get a nap in before going out. Upon rising from my nap, I did something to my still-wet hair, not that it mattered, since it was raining. After that, I met my friends at their apartment and, after corralling the troops (we were a group of nine), we went to the city center to ring in the New Year and eat twelve grapes. The grape tradition has existed in Spain since at least 1895 and consists of eating one grape for each of the twelve rings of the bell in Puerta del Sol (see dictionary). The twelve grapes are symbolic of the twelve months of the year and eating them is supposed to bring one year of prosperity. The actual ringing in of the new year and the sound of the bell chiming was somewhat confusing and anti-climactic, though. I was expecting some sort of mass countdown a la New York, followed by twelve clear rings of the bell. What I got, instead, were drunken people popping bottles of cheap champagne and awkwardly screaming Happy New Year as if they weren't quite sure if the year had actually changed. Le sigh; imma need Madrid to do better. However, I ate those twelve grapes and now have a year's worth of prosperity/luck/blessings. So, there, family, even though I didn't get my spoonful of greens (sad face) or black-eyed peas (praise break), I did something superstitious and, therefore, will be prosperous. After a little while longer walking around in the rain, I returned to my humble abode, called the 'rents and grand'rents, and went to bed.

The first day of 2013 saw me lay in bed, read a book, and write out my New Year's resolutions. I have about 15 of them, all of which I sincerely believe are attainable with hard work and faith. I'm not big on sharing them, but I will say that 2013 is about being free and becoming a better me. 

Regarding the next six months of my life, or the rest of the Fulbright experience, they will be better than the first four months, which weren't horrible, but definitely bumpy. I'll be doing more travelling, exploring, relaxing and, of course, blogging. :)

Happy New Year, folks, and I pray that 2013 is full of happiness, peace, joy, and blessings for everyone!