I haven’t written in a while! I can’t say I’ve done anything too exciting
except been outside enjoying the Madrid sunshine. Today has been a gray rainy day, so I have my
cup of coffee, window open, and thought I’d do a brief catch up.
Part of my time outside has been rock climbing with Danica
(friend who grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same high school, and
we had no idea until we saw each other on a street here) worked at the White
Water Rafting center and is a climbing instructor. We’ve gone around to some of Madrid’s free
rock climbing walls and spent the afternoon trying to “boulder.” She still does pretty well, I on the hand,
need to step up my game. I try! But climbing is all about strength, and if
you haven’t built up those arm muscles, you will feel it the next day. I enjoy it though! A little bit of much needed exercise to my life.
Another new activity I have done in the past few weeks is
camping. I had never been camping (girl
scouts doesn’t count…) with my family before because most of our vacations
transpired in the cozy houses of my grandparents. In college I never went camping either, just
being in Boone, North Carolina felt wilderness-y enough for me. So I went with a few friends to the outskirts
of Madrid to have my first camping experience.
On this trip, I realized just how much like my parents I
am. This may seem like an obvious
statement, naturally I am like my parents since they raised me. However, when it came to packing, I knew what
I needed to make myself comfortable and able to bear the elements. I brought so many “just in case,” items,
“emergency food,” and took charge of meals for the group because no one likes a
hungry-Jamie, or a hungry-anyone for that matter. All in all, I would do it again! I did end up bringing too much food because
the campsite was fully equipped with a grill and little food shop. Now I know that going camping does not
necessarily mean a 3 day trek into the wilderness with no connection to
civilization…
The school year is winding down, and my students are
starting to prepare for their cumulative exams.
Some auxiliaries are choosing to take a paycut, and leave a month early
for various reasons. Unfortunately two
of my very good friends, Tracy and Danica, are doing the same thing. So this week has been full of “last minute”
Madrid things, mainly being food. They
also took me out for an early birthday celebration as they won’t be here on the
actual day, but let’s face it, nobody likes you when you’re 23…
At this point in time, I have 40 days, and 44 minutes until
I arrive in Charlotte to be home for the summer!!! I can’t wait. I have definitely been homesick recently and
can’t wait to be back.
