One is the loneliest number....

Courtesy of Limp

One: The number of days I have left in the beautiful country of Spain.

Last night was the last night Sarah, Evelyn and I got to spend together in Spain.. they flew out for Italy this morning.. they decided they wanted to do a little more traveling before they headed back across the pond.

It was also last night that I had my last intercambio with Rafael. Let me just tell you, went out with a bang.. sorry.. no embarrassing stories.. from me at least. He told me about this new experiment he was doing with women when he passed them on the streets. He explained to me that women will walk straighter and have a "cold" look on their face as to say "Don't even think about looking/talking to me" [I didn't tell him I understood this behavior... I've also done something of the same sort.. it worked] So with that said, Rafael said that experiment number 1 was to stare back at them... I'm not sure of the results, but I'm almost positive they were not positive ones. Experiment 2 took place (apparently) in a really big building when him and a colleague were attending some sort of workshop. The experiment went like this: Rafael and female friend are very obviously lost in this large building and Rafael sees a woman who is a part of the workshop. Rafael then proceeds to say to the woman "I would like my mother, can you show me the way out?".. apparently you only say that to your really close friends here in Spain.. I say you never say it. Whatevs.. cultural difference. I'm not really sure of the results.. he was too busy cracking up. I told him to never do that in The States.. he'd get the cops called on him. At the end of our session, Rafael told me I would be hard to replace... he then told me about a time when one of his intercambios tried to hit on him and how another one would only say "si" and "no" to him... I felt pretty good about that. Ha.

After my intercambio date, I went and met Sarah and Ev at the BK Lounge and went out for tapas. I didn't really eat the tapas due to the fact that MC made me about a 13in bocadillo for dinner along with bananas and yogurt. While walking back from tapas reality hit me... I'm about to go back to the United States. I told Sarah, "It's going to be like turning off the light in one life and turning on the light in another". She then proceeded to one-up me and say, "It's like you are stepping out of the closet from Narnia into your old stupid life."... dang. Why couldn't I think of that.. so much better than dang light switches.

So today...

I took my very last final. Spanish culture and civilizations... Prior to the test I realized how many friends I had. I was sitting in the "student lounge-ish" area when a few girls ( I don't really talk to outside or during class) showed up and were like, "Oh hey Courtney! So.. what's on this test [big smiles]" I chuckled a bit and gave them my review and they were like, "Oh em gee! where did you get this!?" I politely told them that I went to the review session our teacher held and they replied with a, "Oh yeah, totally wasn't going to go to that." I laughed and slightly relished in the fact that they were squirming a bit while looking at the review. :D In reality.. I didn't mind giving them my stuff...I knew they weren't going to do better than me. Ha! (totally kidding).. It's not like they used me or anything.. I was just in the right place at the right time. Lucky them. :)

It's approximately 8:05pm.. approximately 8 hours until I have to catch a bus to the Granada airport I've got my boarding passes all printed out.. I. am. ready. to. go! Cuh-razy. Colleen has already checked out of the MC Manor and is spending her last few hours here with her bf.... so it's just me... and MC. So.. what are my plans for tonight? Journaling, reflecting, blogging, jamming to music, finishing up packing... nothing too terribly exciting. I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight.. even though it would make the morning come 100x faster... I'd rather sleep on the plane... maybe it will help my jet-lag.

It is approximately 8:37pm and I have finished my "Last Supper" with MC... well.. with MC watching me/the TV. As I sit here in this tiny room, in which I have learned so much more than the Spanish language or the Spanish culture, I come to the realization that I'm actually going to miss this cramped space. I'll miss being surrounded by cold tile, 4 yellow walls, and Colleen. She's gone and I already miss her.. I feel so useless.. usually every second she is telling me about one of her problems and I just sit there offering a word of advice, encouragement, or silence... you know how you just need to vent and don't need anyone to say anything. Yep.. I am officially a little sad to be leaving Spain. As of a week ago I couldn't have been more ready. Funny how things change.

I would like to end this blog entry with an appropriate song thanks to Dan T. Drake, and Neil Diamond of course:

Coming to America

Far

We've been travelling far

Without a home

But not without a star

Free

Only want to be free

We huddle close

Hang on to a dream

On the boats and on the planes

They're coming to America

Never looking back again

They're coming to America

Home, don't it seem so far away

Oh, we're travelling light today

In the eye of the storm

In the eye of the storm

Home, to a new and a shiny place

Make our bed, and we'll say our grace

Freedom's light burning warm

Freedom's light burning warm

Everywhere around the world

They're coming to America

Every time that flag's unfurled

They're coming to America

Coming to America indeed.

With that said, I would like to congratulate y'all on BTHO Finals and....

Daniel Sanders and Dan T. Drake want to wish YOU a Merry Christmas!

See y'all on the other side... of the Atlantic

Dos Besos,

Courtney