We're back home now ... happy and sad, invigorated and exhausted, richer and poorer.
Here are a few random thoughts:
- Spain! What a gorgeous, marvelous, evocative country!
- Spain! The skies are so blue! No clouds at all, just blue skies.
- Spain! Flowers, history, architecture, religion! I could live there for the rest of my life.
- Except ... (and I wince as I admit this) ... I did not fall in love with the people.
- Spaniards (with many exceptions, and we only visited the cities/towns listed above) are not particularly warm.
- The Spaniards we met generally did not smile.
- Or relate to us with a happy attitude.
- That part of our trip was difficult.
- The exchange rate was horrible and everything was expensive ... after eleven weeks, MasterCard and American Express love us.
- They love us because they know we will have a mutual relationship for some months to come.
- Sigh.
- My Spanish did not improve one iota. Andalucian Spanish is unique ... and uniquely difficult.
- In addition to the warp speed and particularized pronunciation of the local language, see 5-7 above.
- I also wince as I admit that I did not love Spanish cuisine.
- The wine was cheap ... a good thing. Water was expensive ... a bad thing.
- Tapas ... good occasionally, but not every night.
- Pork, pork, pork, pork, pork, pork, pork. Pork.
- Pork.
- Also octopus and squid.
- I loved working in the archive. Handling actual documents dated from the 1540s and 1560s was so thrilling to me, I practically cried. I knew I was holding a precious treasure in my hands every day.
- Every morning as I walked to the archive, I walked past the incredible gothic cathedral; past beautiful horses lined up to pull tourists in elaborate carriages; past hundreds of flying swallows which swooped and cawed overhead.
- I got to see Corpus Christi in Sevilla from beginning to end, and I will never, ever forget it.
- I met a Franciscan friar and a Franciscan nun ... which thrilled me.
- I saw two mind-blowing flamenco performances.
- Bullfights ... a very complex subject. I hated it; I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
- I saw the coast of Africa!!
- The patient and good-humored people traveling on space-A were soberingly inspirational. I have so much ... I should never complain about anything as long as I live.
I am so thankful for this unforgettable summer. Ten years ago if anyone had told me that I would be poised to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in History after having spent the summer living in Sevilla, Spain, and preparing to begin an M.A. in the fall, I would never have believed it. But ... here I am. My cap and gown are hanging in the doorway and gold honor cords, signifying summa cum laude, are draped over my bulletin board awaiting my graduation ceremony on July 31.
I think I may be the luckiest woman in the world.