Same room, different feel

That tiny sardine-can-of-a-room looks a lot different than it did when I first arrived. The walls are covered with maps, photos and Spanish advertisements, the bed has sheets and a pillow, my desk is littered with artifacts from my travels and a tiny zen garden is sitting on my windowsill. I cleaned the water stains months ago and despite its size, its proximity to the freeway and the dramatic changes in temperature at night, this dilapidated prison cell has come to feel a lot like home.

The changes to the room pale in comparison to the changes of the occupant. I've grown up a lot since I got here. My Spanish is better, my teaching is better, I've made Spanish friends, started drawing again and have come to know the city and culture extremely well. On top of it all, this is truly the most independent I've been in my whole life. When I went to college I had eight of my best friends come with me along with 60 others from my high school. When I went to Granada I had Aarika and two other high school friends; one of whom had been my Homecoming date a few years before and the other had sat next to me for two years of Spanish class. When I came to Badajoz I was alone.

It's interesting how that first day I would have given anything to go home and now I would give almost anything to stay. My fellow auxiliares, co-workers and Spanish friends have become like family to me and I've come to love my students (even though sometimes they make me want to take a power drill to my forehead). My apartment is a joke, but Juan, Carlos and Dani have been incredible. Juan has become one of my best friends and has showed me things I never thought I'd experience. It's strange considering I didn't understand a word he said on the first day I met him.

There's only a month left, but I want to record some of my last adventures. This blog will include present posts and flashbacks, photos and thoughts in general. I'm at a critical juncture in my life and hope that these memories will help clarify some things for me on a personal level. One thing is for certain; this has been the most amazing trip of my life.