New Home

One of the best and reassuring feelings of your new/temporary home is when you come back from a trip, and upon reaching your new home after a weekend away or even a day away, hitting your bed in your new room gives you a feeling of "i'm home". It doesn't matter if Cartagena has only been my home for a week or a month or a year, that feeling reassures that this is where I'm suppose to be. My new bed, room, piso, it feels right. 

Homesickness from my experience comes in waves. Some days you wake up excited and ready to take the day on, other days you want to hide in your room reminiscing over memories that seem forever ago.  I wonder if my brother is experiencing homesickness being away at college, but he'll be home in a month for Thanksgiving. Anyway,

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change." -Charles Darwin

I tried remembering that quote last night, got most of it. CHANGE, who can't get used to such an inevitable thing? I think it's better said that some cope with it better than others, yet we are all constantly changing as are our surroundings and the world as a whole. Keeps life interesting. 

I've been trying to make time to write in my personal journal, but it's difficult if you don't have the urge to. Just have to wait for that push. Life has been busy, still trying to get into a routine here. In order for a new home to feel like a new home, you must get involved. Jobs and school are great, but something more. Sports, clubs, hobbies. Easier said than done huh. It's so easy to just lay around. Tonight and every Monday night there will be free salsa classes, which I definitely will go to. Planning to join a gym, or at least a boxing class. Because here unfortunately, you can't join a gym with classes included. So I think I will just do the classes. But the people working the front desk of the gym don't really pay attention, so I think I could just walk in. Either that or use the gym before/after the boxing class. I though of taking up Zumba again, but I figured all the walking i'm doing is enough plus the dancing on the weekends. Because unlike Arcata/Humboldt County, dance clubs are not a difficult thing to find here in Spain.

I need to start cooking again as well. As stereotypical as it is for a woman to cook, for me it's kind of rewarding and meditative. It's exciting! Especially since you get to eat it afterwards! I have Pinterest pulled up right now. It's difficult though, coming back from 12 hour days and thinking about cooking. Especially when there's so many delicious tapas floating around every corner. One day after work I stopped at a place that looked good and sat drank a caña and ate some tapas. Walking home was beautiful because the entire sky was pink from the sunset and the people were going about their lives, kids playing in the streets, old couples enjoying an evening walk. People live for the night in this country. 9pm bedtime? Forget it.

I must admit I've gotten subtle feelings of homesickness. Mostly thinking about the length of time I'll be here for, which is crazy. Although, I know it'll go by fast and before I know it I'll be on that plane back to the U.S. probably crying because I won't want to leave! It's also nice knowing I have 8 months to travel and live, so there is no rush to do everything all at once. Already went to visit a small pueblo near here called Mazarron, next weekend possibly Almeria in Andalucia, and the next weekend Valencia! So actually I am traveling a bit...but afterwards I will not so I can save money and enjoy the city I'm living in!