Like a pair of new shoes... it's just the beginning

First and foremost, let me apologize to anyone who was planning on me keeping them up to date with a blog. Journaling and such "chores" have often led to procrastination for me, as do many other things. I guess too that I was embarrassed of the lack of anticipated excitement that has occurred. Have I done fantastic things? No doubt. Have I met interesting people? Absolutely. I suppose that I assumed that taking me an ocean away would instantly make me a different person, a person who was constantly excited, constantly motivated and constantly living the moments. Sometimes I try too hard and others not at all. However, I do find myself in a constant state of desire. I desire to meet new people (and really meet them, none of the small-talk shit we do in the US), see new things (not just see them, but indulge in them), try new foods (check on that), go new places, try on a new life. That's just what it should be I suppose, like trying on a pair of shoes or something. I might have to wear them in to be comfortable, but once I do, I can't take them off. 

So what have I done so far? The minute I arrived, I was immersed in this culture. More so, I was like the oil resting on the top of an unshaken bottle of dressing, obviously different in the mix but still supposed to be there. My family of wonderfully friendly and (more importantly) patient people took me to "la comida" with 25 of their friends. So intimidating but a great way for me to not be able to consider my nerves. I ordered whatever Luis told me to. I couldn't understand the majority of conversations. It was wonderful.

Speaking of wonderful, there's the group. I'll lay out the basic characters that are in this drama I call "Real Madrid", of course after the prominent soccer team here in the city. We have me, the socially reserved but often way too outgoing girl who probably is only good for a quick annoyance with her camera and frustrated persistence to speak Spanish. Danielle, who I have found to be probably my closest friend on the trip, is the more quiet one with the crazy host mom who owns two restaurants here in Villa (aka- free food and great places to chill for us). Sarah and Emily are the hilarious dynamic duo on this trip and I am definitely guilty of picking up their coined phrases of "absolutely not" and "cut me". My neighbor chica, Shelly, is quite the social butterfly and is constantly finding ways to surprise me with her cute rings and invitations to Lemon (a club where her host brother works). Ellen is the chill one of the group, always looking to have a good time but always going with the flow. Her witty comments crack me up. There's Daniel, the boy who lives in El Bosque (meaning "the forest", it's a part of town that we tease him profusely for living in). Phil is the only non-Eloner and is said to roam around in a red and white striped shirt with a cane to pose for the latest edition of "Where's Waldo?" (okay, not really but he could). He is quite the ladies man here. So here we all are in this little and tranquil town called Villaviciosa de Odon outside of a city known for its art, tapas, wine and all night parties. This should make for an interesting plot, right?

A quick overview of what I've done, but this doesn't do it justice. Met everyone in the group, ate rascon and chocolate in the cafe, finally got phones, visited Museo del Prado and Reina Sofia, had tapas in the city, bar-hopped in Villa, went out until 6:30 AM at a discoteca, ate ham carved from an actual pig leg (still in the kitchen as we speak), went to a traditional San Sebastian festival in town, did a live shot for Phoenix14 from my bedroom, planned future trips (to possibly Morocco, Paris, Rome, Valencia, Barcelona, London and more), met the international students at UEM (our university), been to a bunch of pointless Spanish and orientation sessions, felt great, felt horrible, been happy, been sad, experienced excitement, lost motivation, assumed, broke my norms, regained old habits, desired to start new ones, read, called my mom for her birthday and slept. And I am far from content...