los últimos días / the last days
I was really worried about how this week was going to go when I got back from Valencia. I was kind of a mess on Sunday and Monday. I did not want to miss out on enjoying my week because I was upset, though, so I filled my calendar. In the end, I have had a great week. Some things were added last-second and others I'd planned on doing, but all in all, I found a way to push through the week and enjoy every second without the thought of going back home lingering in my head the whole time.
Monday
Monday was the hardest day, actually. I didn't have formal plans originally, but I also wasn't expecting it to be the hardest. I figured I'd just take a nap when I got home from work, since I'd been traveling over the weekend, but I could not relax at home. I thought about going to Camarma, but Pilar had to work late. I thought about going to El Escorial or Aranjuez for a half-day trip, but both palaces are closed on Mondays. I ended up going downtown and taking advantage of another free walking tour! I used Madrid a Pie. Unfortunately the only tour on Monday evening is a tour with history of the Spanish Inquisition. I was glad the tour would be in Spanish, but the Inquisition seemed like a tough topic to conquer. I actually ended up having a blast. There were only 5 of us in the group, not including the guide, so it was easier to understand in a smaller setting. All of the others were native Spaniards, and they knew I was American and helped clarify or explain words or concepts if I didn't know. We finished the tour around 10:30 PM, and I was exhausted from a combination of the emotional day and hard Spanish content. I am impressed with what I learned and comprehended but also with what I've retained and can still explain!
Tuesday
Tuesday has been my church day, and I stuck with that pattern. I met up with my American friend Caroline at Palacio de Cibeles. There we went up to the terrace of the building and had great city views. We stopped at a cafe and got smoothies on the way to church. The church group had a picnic, so we walked to El Retiro and picnicked on junk food and snacks. By total chance, I also ran into my friend Jessie from ECA last year and her Spanish roommate/sister, Alba. They just completed the Camino de Santiago and were arriving on train to Madrid and decided to stop by the picnic. I was surprised to see Jessie there, but Alba was a total surprise! I loved talking with them, even if just for a short bit. I said goodbye to those girls and to Caroline after the picnic and headed home in the metro pretty late, again exhausted.
Wednesday
As usual, I went to Camarma on Wednesday. I packed my small suitcase so I could go ahead and drop some things at Pilar's, so I went home after work to have lunch and then make my way to Camarma. Pilar and I talked for a long while when I got there, and then we went to her cousin's/uncle's house. I was there last year, too, so it was fun to see some people I recognized. Pilar's uncle has cancer so she has been visiting with them frequently. Her cousin that lives there lived in the US for many years and was married to an American! We planned to swim, but by the time we got there just before 8, I wasn't hot enough to get in the water, and the breezy air outside was pretty cool. We ate some snacks around the pool and didn't leave until after 10. Pilar and I talked more again when we got home.
On Thursday, I was going to work different hours. I worked 11-4 instead of 9:30-2:30, so I didn't have to get up super early to get the busses. We had breakfast and then Pilar dropped me off in Alcala on her way to work. It cut time off of my travel time, and I got to spend more time with her. Sleeping in a bit was great too. Even though I had a longer commute, I got to sleep longer than I do when I work at 9:30! Only a few stops after getting on the bus to Madrid, the driver stopped and was messing around with tools. I was surprised that we'd been stopped for so long, and I could feel everyone around me getting a bit confused and impatient as well. Something was wrong with the bus, so we actually had to get off and walk to the next stop to get on the next bus! I still made it in time, but it definitely added some adventure to my morning.
Thursday
Earlier in the week, the girls around my age from work invited me to go out to eat with them on Thursday! We went to Tierra Burritos that also was on my bucket list! The restaurant is Moe's or Chipotle style, except for you get way more food (queso sauce included for free!) for less money, even with the exchange rate. I got a burrito bowl with carnitas meat, and it was amazing. Not as spicy as what I'd be used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was fun to talk with the girls. Dolores just got back from a trip to the US (New York and Washington DC), so we talked some about that too.
Also on Thursday, I went to my intercambio group. I left a little early to walk around the city a bit before going to the group. Last night I talked in Spanish with a Spaniard, a Californian, and a Chinese. As usual, I left long before it was over, but I stuck around a little longer than usual before heading to the metro.
Friday
Today is my last day at work, and tomorrow is my last day in the city before I leave my apartment. I had coffee this morning with some ladies from work.. absolutely loved it and we all wished we'd done it sooner or more often. Tonight's plans are still a little up in the air. I have an idea of what I'll do, but it also could change! I think I'll go see the Madrid Symphony in a park, and I might spend some time before walking around downtown one more time. I have some packing to do but am basically ready aside from some laundry that's finishing up. Pilar and Fran will pick me up tomorrow around noon, and I'll spend the weekend in Camarma.
Monday
Monday was the hardest day, actually. I didn't have formal plans originally, but I also wasn't expecting it to be the hardest. I figured I'd just take a nap when I got home from work, since I'd been traveling over the weekend, but I could not relax at home. I thought about going to Camarma, but Pilar had to work late. I thought about going to El Escorial or Aranjuez for a half-day trip, but both palaces are closed on Mondays. I ended up going downtown and taking advantage of another free walking tour! I used Madrid a Pie. Unfortunately the only tour on Monday evening is a tour with history of the Spanish Inquisition. I was glad the tour would be in Spanish, but the Inquisition seemed like a tough topic to conquer. I actually ended up having a blast. There were only 5 of us in the group, not including the guide, so it was easier to understand in a smaller setting. All of the others were native Spaniards, and they knew I was American and helped clarify or explain words or concepts if I didn't know. We finished the tour around 10:30 PM, and I was exhausted from a combination of the emotional day and hard Spanish content. I am impressed with what I learned and comprehended but also with what I've retained and can still explain!
Tuesday
Tuesday has been my church day, and I stuck with that pattern. I met up with my American friend Caroline at Palacio de Cibeles. There we went up to the terrace of the building and had great city views. We stopped at a cafe and got smoothies on the way to church. The church group had a picnic, so we walked to El Retiro and picnicked on junk food and snacks. By total chance, I also ran into my friend Jessie from ECA last year and her Spanish roommate/sister, Alba. They just completed the Camino de Santiago and were arriving on train to Madrid and decided to stop by the picnic. I was surprised to see Jessie there, but Alba was a total surprise! I loved talking with them, even if just for a short bit. I said goodbye to those girls and to Caroline after the picnic and headed home in the metro pretty late, again exhausted.
As usual, I went to Camarma on Wednesday. I packed my small suitcase so I could go ahead and drop some things at Pilar's, so I went home after work to have lunch and then make my way to Camarma. Pilar and I talked for a long while when I got there, and then we went to her cousin's/uncle's house. I was there last year, too, so it was fun to see some people I recognized. Pilar's uncle has cancer so she has been visiting with them frequently. Her cousin that lives there lived in the US for many years and was married to an American! We planned to swim, but by the time we got there just before 8, I wasn't hot enough to get in the water, and the breezy air outside was pretty cool. We ate some snacks around the pool and didn't leave until after 10. Pilar and I talked more again when we got home.
On Thursday, I was going to work different hours. I worked 11-4 instead of 9:30-2:30, so I didn't have to get up super early to get the busses. We had breakfast and then Pilar dropped me off in Alcala on her way to work. It cut time off of my travel time, and I got to spend more time with her. Sleeping in a bit was great too. Even though I had a longer commute, I got to sleep longer than I do when I work at 9:30! Only a few stops after getting on the bus to Madrid, the driver stopped and was messing around with tools. I was surprised that we'd been stopped for so long, and I could feel everyone around me getting a bit confused and impatient as well. Something was wrong with the bus, so we actually had to get off and walk to the next stop to get on the next bus! I still made it in time, but it definitely added some adventure to my morning.
Thursday
Earlier in the week, the girls around my age from work invited me to go out to eat with them on Thursday! We went to Tierra Burritos that also was on my bucket list! The restaurant is Moe's or Chipotle style, except for you get way more food (queso sauce included for free!) for less money, even with the exchange rate. I got a burrito bowl with carnitas meat, and it was amazing. Not as spicy as what I'd be used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was fun to talk with the girls. Dolores just got back from a trip to the US (New York and Washington DC), so we talked some about that too.
Also on Thursday, I went to my intercambio group. I left a little early to walk around the city a bit before going to the group. Last night I talked in Spanish with a Spaniard, a Californian, and a Chinese. As usual, I left long before it was over, but I stuck around a little longer than usual before heading to the metro.
Friday
Today is my last day at work, and tomorrow is my last day in the city before I leave my apartment. I had coffee this morning with some ladies from work.. absolutely loved it and we all wished we'd done it sooner or more often. Tonight's plans are still a little up in the air. I have an idea of what I'll do, but it also could change! I think I'll go see the Madrid Symphony in a park, and I might spend some time before walking around downtown one more time. I have some packing to do but am basically ready aside from some laundry that's finishing up. Pilar and Fran will pick me up tomorrow around noon, and I'll spend the weekend in Camarma.
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