It's the Little Things

I’m not quite ready to start wrapping up this blog because I still have about 7 more weeks to go before returning to America...but as the end gets closer, I’ve started to realize just how amazing this year has been so far. The first weeks after coming to Navalmoral, I doubted myself and wondered why I ever signed up to move to a foreign country, completely alone. But, after those few rough weeks, I started to love it. Besides the big things, like my trips and fiestas, that I’ve already written all about, there have been little, smaller moments in Spain this year where I have been so completely and totally happy about my decision to move here. Here are a few of the many:

1. Putting the food on the table during my “Fakesgiving”
I knew that one day, when I had a family of my own, I would have to start playing a bigger role in the orchestration of Thanksgiving. But this year, I realized that responsibility had come sooner than expected. Usually spending the holiday with a lot of family, I was determined to make the day in Spain special, so I wouldn’t feel so sad about missing home. After running from store to store and cooking for hours, II put the food on the table in front of my Spanish friends. Their “ooos” and “awws” of approval were only matched by their “mmms” after trying all of the dishes. I had completed a step in adulthood and made Thanksgiving! Very successfully, at that.

2. Elevator dance party in Salamanca
Early in the year, I went to Salamanca with two other auxiliares, who I didn’t know very well. Luckily, we hit it off. We had gone out to dinner and to a few bars, then went back to our hostel to freshen up before hitting the discos. In the room played some music to get pumped for the night. Once ready, we continued the party in the elevator ride down to the lobby. With “Give Me Everything Tonight” blasting from one of my friend’s phone and us singing along, we were so into the music that we hadn’t even realized that the elevator doors had opened. Standing in front of us were about 8 very confused Spaniards. But, instead of being embarrassed and quickly putting the phone away, we acted like it was nothing and kept on singing. Best part?...I caught the moment on video.

3. Understanding my cafe men
In my post about “El día del centro,” I touched on who these men are. They are all teachers who I hang out with in the cafeteria in school, instead of socializing with the women. I’ve been getting coffee with them pretty much since my arrival here, but one big thing has changed since then...I can now understand them. When I got here, understanding the garbled accents of the Extremeños was close to impossible. I was so frustrated at not being able to understand the language that I had devoted eight years of my life studying and that not being able to understand people meant that I was unable to form relationships with them. My cafe men were always very patient with me and most of the time, I would sit in silence as they talked and I would try to pick out a word or two. As the year progressed, I started to understand them more and more until finally, one day, I was able to contribute to conversations and actually talk to them. Most recently, I had a deep discussion with one of them about the educational systems of Spain and America and the improvements that need to be made. I’ve come a long way.

4. The day I put my mattress on the floor
My back is much happier now. Enough said.

5. Dancing in Mundo Pop (now called Soundclub)
Navalmoral used to be known as a big party town. These days, things are a lot quieter. But that doesn’t mean that the bars have shut down. One of my roommate’s favorite bars to go to is on the street that used to be the central hub of nightlife. Now, if we enter that bar and there are more than 4 other people there, we are amazed. But this place does serve its purpose. Whenever we go, we take advantage of the lack of people and we request songs (they always play older music) and dance like fools, with zero inhibitions.

6. Coches choques during Carnaval
I had an amazing time the entire week of Carnaval, but one moment stands out as my favorite. Dressing up in ridiculous costumes, going to party tents, drinking beer all day, and being around my friends were all things I had expected from the fiesta...but riding bumper cars was not. About 10 of us went up to the fairgrounds and paid the small fee to ride the bumper cars for two rounds. Our five cars made up about half of the people on the “track.” I laughed so much and sang along to the music (yes, “Ai seu te pego”) as we spun around in circles and crashed into each other. It was pure joy.

7. Watching a Madrid v. Barcelona game in Madrid
Being squished into a standing-room only bar, filled with Madrileños, during a game of intense rivalry could have been very overwhelming...but instead, it was a night I wanted to freeze in time. Drinking beer, eating free tapas, and cheering on Madrid with everyone made me feel like a true española. The two times Madrid scored were marked with such happiness, and the one time Barcelona made a goal, with sounds of disgust. When Madrid won the game, the energy in the bar was contagious. Also, the Spanish kids who were running around the bar were adorable.

8. Cata de vino
This wine tasting was a spontaneous thing that my roommate sprung on me. Completely free, we got to try four different wines and eat some killer tapas. Sitting there with three of my closest friends from this year made me realize how lucky I am. Laughing, gossiping, and drinking together, I couldn’t have asked for a better Monday night or for better company.

9. New Year’s Eve in Valencia
One would think that I would talk about the raging disco my cousin and I went to, or some outrageous story involving meeting a Spanish celebrity...but this New Year’s Eve, definitely my favorite one so far, was spent ringing in 2012 with 12 grapes, going to a few bars for a short time, and sitting in a park for a couple of hours with Allison, catching up on life...and I may or have not rapped a performance of “Look At Me Now” (and may or may not have it on video).

10. Families telling me not to leave
I teach private lessons to 7 different families. A few months ago, I told most of them that I was debating coming back to Navalmoral for a second year. Lately, they have been asking if I had made my decision. Telling them that I would be going back to the States for the next year, the families haven’t been saying “Good luck” or “Keep in touch”...but instead “Why??” or “Please come back! Our kids really like you!” Realizing that even though most of the time I feel terribly prepared for my private lessons, still, my kids have been learning and enjoying their time with me. I’d much rather the families be trying to convince me to stay, than sending me happily on my way. I’ve gotten really close to some of them and I will miss them very much. All of these moments, however small, are just a few of many that have shaped and defined my experience living in Spain this year. Let’s see how many more of them I can have in the next 7 weeks before leaving!