oof...

...ps I have completely forgotten how to use a comma...and what a complete sentence is. I apologize. My grammar skills disappeared upon arrival, along with my vocabulary in Spanish and English. Good thing my charades skills are top notch ;)

nos vemos Córdoba

I'm having a difficult time with this concept of taking from my bank account without putting anything back in. I really prefer reciprocal relationships. Thus I've started teaching classes to the women in Córdoba. The class focuses on the difference between cute, heeled shoes that one can partake in a dance-off in...versus if-my-boyfriend-moves-one-inch-to-the-right-I-will-topple-over shoes.
Actually I'm starting to teach hour-long english conversation classes. It's a nice way to meet people and will pay for my extensive Spanish cuisine "research."


Tomorrow I'm leaving on a bus
for Granada. If I like it I will start looking for cheap apartments there as a base for my travels. I want to speak only in Spanish and enjoy my time here as an experience and not a vacation. It is difficult not to stay with my wonderful friends and run around Spanish cities without a care in the world...but I've got ants in my pants. Nervous but excited.

Córdoba...

Sensory overload is the only way to describe it-- beautiful architecture, cobbled streets, sun. Sloppy, tearful, wonderful reunion with Anna upon arrival. Vino and a cozy siesta together immediately. Lots of bars, too many drinks, spanish improving after each one. Gah I've so missed this language-- vibrant and full of expression.



Spent the week exploring and getting lost in the city during the day and tapas, vino, futbol games at night.

Awestruck at el Prado. So inspired to start painting again. Words cannot express. Rico. Me voy.

Coffees are very small...expresso shots...you don't want to know how many I order at a time.


Thursday evening Anna and I met up with her friends Pablo and Nico for beers and a very heated game of backgammon. Lost track of time...sprinted through the city to make it to the bus station on time. Boarded the bus to Córdoba one minute before it pulled out of the station. Qué gringa. This feels more like it :)
Arrived in Córdoba at 1am. Alone on the bus at night made me nervous at first but turned out to be incredibly peaceful. Traveling alone is going to be scary and lonely and reflective and wonderful.

I must have looked pretty frazzled though because the guy a couple of seats away gave me half of his sandwich. Gracias hombre!!

Oh dear God that was just like that Seinfeld episode...unfortunately after 24 hours without sleep I look more like Jerry than the model. Thanks to my wonderful father I was lying in a comfy chair in first class on my way to Madrid. A very nice man kept coming by to fill my champagne glass. The poor hombre next to me was trying to sleep but after all those beverages I had to pee every 5 minutes. I dont think he appreciated all of my "permiso, lo siento senor, otra vez lo siento" or the fact that he caught me picking my nose for a hot second.
Did I mention they gave me socks and hand lotion? Felt like Christmas and I was Queen Sofia.
Oh, and a 3 course meal? Large ice cream sundae.
Mimosa numero uno at 5:45 am...a little tipsy getting off the plane...as it should be.