It's All Coming Together.

Last week, I was a wreck. I wanted to rebel against all things Spanish. I actually cried the bathroom of the university because I couldn't understand my literature professor and I couldn't find the correct library from which to check out books. Study abroad advisers warned us students that the rose-colored glasses would fall to the ground and shatter after awhile, leaving us with a period of backlash.

Then, they said, everything would be okay again. And this week, I am very glad to say that things have improved. Instead of rebelling, I've decided to accept and appreciate the differences between my new and old worlds. During this past weekend, I walked nearly all of Sevilla with my friend Sean. I began to appreciate the little parks nestled in between different neighborhoods, the people who almost hit you with their bikes and the narrow alleyways that lead you through a maze of apartment buildings and ice cream shops. Things are starting to click. The streets and sites are becoming familiar. I'm speaking and responding quicker. Spain is no longer a foreign place to me now -- it's home. To immerse myself further in the culture, I've joined a salsa class and I'm going to volunteer as a liaison between homeless people and agencies that can help them. And, of course, I'll continue to learn about the tasty Spanish food. My señora is calling me to dinner as I type. (Sigh.) I love Spain.