Pause

I'll have been home from Spain for two weeks tomorrow.

I've been too busy to miss anything other than my friends so far.  In the past two weeks I have:

• eaten half a jar of peanut butter in a week, all by myself
• re-read all the Beka Cooper books
• rock-climbed for the first time
• drove 9 hours through rural Indiana, by myself, also for the first time
• ran eighteen billion errands around campus
• finished classes for the semester
• carried a lot of boxes
• seen a whole lot of friends (though not enough; it's never enough)
• gone to formal and had a blast
• gotten very far behind in my journal
• cleaned out my entire closet

If this is any indication of what this summer is going to be like, it'll be a busy, fun one.  Last night I finally got my first full night of sleep since before leaving Spain.  

Since this is a travel blog and I'm now home for the summer, it'll be quiet around here for a while, I imagine.  Hopefully someday I'll have reason to travel-blog again, though.

Special Lady

On our second day in Edinburgh Mariah and I spent our day with Irene.  We had the best time just walking around the city.  We wandered up the the castle and took in the view from the top of the wall, then wandered to the National Museum.  We also had breakfast outside the National Gallery, and a midday snack in the National Library.  She was so nice and fun to be around.  I'm so glad that we got to spend time with her; the day we spent with her was definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

Necessities

If you plan on ever living in Spain, especially in a home stay, you will need a pair of slippers.  This sounds strange, because if you know me, you'd know that I hate wearing slippers.  However, from my experience most buildings aren't heated consistently here, and therefore the floors are very cold.  The host mothers also get mad if you don't wear slippers around the house.  They see wearing slippers as a way to keep your socks cleaner.  The last student who stayed here left these slippers, knowing that American students generally don't think to bring them.  I feel kind of bad, because I have larger feet than she did, and so I've effectively half destroyed them already.  I may just have to buy a pair to replace them and take these ones home...

Someone make sure she sees this, please

This is the third year in a row that I'm missing my sister's birthday.  It makes me a little sad, tbh.  MY BABY IS GROWING UP.  Anyway, happy birthday to my favorite sister!  Love you!

Maybe someday we should take pictures where we aren't making ridiculous faces?  You know what, nevermind.  I like our faces.  

Time Zone