I'm back and a new year has (almost) started! I got back to Socuéllamos two days ago, on Wednesday. The journey wasn’t too bad, just long. I took the same flight as last time: left Kansas City at 2:17 (well, actually it was delayed until 2:39, then we sat on the tarmac for 20ish minutes…something about waiting for coordinates to match up…), got into Newark at 6:00 (or rather 6:25) and took off for Madrid at 8:40. I talked with a couple of girls in Newark, who are doing the same program. They said it was their first year, so I was able to help them with a few questions, being my second year.
The flight to Madrid was long, as expected. Again, we were delayed on the tarmac for a bit, but we were able to make up some time and landed in Spain by 10:15. By the time we taxied, walked to baggage claim (it was an abnormally long walk, I thought) and picked up our luggage, it was about 11:00. I took a taxi to the bus station and caught the 1:00 to Socu. Of course we had to switch buses with about twenty minutes left in the journey¸ so I had to haul my 85 pound luggage off again (and at this point, I was already really sick of hauling it around…my arms still hurt today).
We pulled into Socu at 3:05 and I walked the five minutes to our apartment. Aurora said she could come and get me, but not until 3:30, but at that point, I was so tired and smelly, I just wanted to get home. It actually took me about ten minutes instead of five, with my ridiculously colossal bags, but I finally made it! I thought I would just crash right away, since I was fighting off sleep on the bus (I didn’t want to have trouble sleeping that night). But no…of course I HAD to unpack and get everything all organized. And before that, Gunita had washed my sheets (which was really nice and unexpected!), but hadn’t had a chance to make the bed yet, so I did that too.
About seven o’clock I went to the store (yeah, it took me that long to unpack; I’m kinda anal about everything). I just got a few things, because after a day of lugging two ginormous bags around, I didn’t feel like hauling a big load. But I got the essentials: milk, fruit, juice, and I can’t remember what else now. I got home around 7:45 and took a shower (it felt oh SO good to be clean!). I couldn’t get to sleep right away after that, but I ended up crashing at ten.
I had told Aurora I’d be in either yesterday or today, but when I woke up at 8:30 yesterday still exhausted, I decided it’d be today. I got a drink of water and went back to bed. I woke up when Gunita left for work at 3:45, so I had a nice long sleep! I was going to go back to the store, but then I didn’t have any energy, so I didn’t go anywhere.
Today I got up at eight and was at school a little before ten. I guess I thought I was coming to meet all the new English teachers (they’re like all new except for Rocío and Fran! That was part of the reason for me wanting to come back here again, but whatever…). But no…Aurora said she was really busy, and apparently everyone else was too, so I sat in the office until eleven and read a brochure about upcoming classes offered at city hall. I met a few of the new teachers during recreo and caught up with some of the old ones.
There was nothing really left to do after that, so I left at 11:30. I went to the chino store to buy a few more hangers and then to the store again, for some more fruit, carrots and eggs. I’m just kinda chillaxing at the moment but it’s almost 2:30, so I think I’m gonna go make some lunch… I’m super hungry!
It’s good to be back…for an awesome second year!
Xoxo,
Court
