Money, Money, Money - or lack thereof!

I knew as soon as I made the decision to leave my job in Aurora and move to Spain in hopes of finding a job, that I wasn't really making the wisest of financial choices. I had bought a semi-new car only a year before, had about $17,000 in grad school loans, and still had to pay off a significant amount of money towards a credit card. Although it would have been much wiser financially to stay in Denver, I knew that personally it was the right time to move abroad.

Thank goodness most things have turned out even better than I could have hoped! I found a great job working for a director who really respects her teachers and the job they do. I'm living in Spain - a country with beautiful weather, fascinating history, and some of the best tapas and drinks I've ever tasted. Most importantly, I'm experiencing a culture that values social time with friends and family more than anything else. The majority of people here work in order to live, not live in order to work. Overall, I feel the most relaxed I have in about 8 years!

But, there is one stress that I have never experienced to this extent before - lack of money. Although I've made many poor choices with how I've managed my money over the years, this past week has been the only time where I have actually felt panicked due to not knowing if I would be able to pay my bills from the US, my rent, and actually have enough money to eat. Wow! What a different perspective it is when you only get paid for the hours you work (cancelled classes, holidays, etc. = no money). This means my income is never consistent, even though the majority of my expenses are.

After an hour or two of self-pity followed by much more self-reflection yesterday, I realized that I'm so lucky to have only just now felt this kind of panic, especially in a time where people around the world are feeling it daily. In addition, I'm so lucky to have an amazing network of family and friends who would help me out with no questions asked (thanks, mom and dad!). I'm so grateful that I do have a job and feel that I am being taught a serious lesson about what is actually important in life. I would much rather spend the few extra euros I have on a trip to an undiscovered place or a drink with a friend than a new shirt or pair of jeans (although I desperately want a pair of boots at the moment!).

Needless to say, I'm learning many life lessons at the ripe old age of 29. As I walked around town today, all I could think was how amazing things actually are; I'm living a life that has truly changed my priorities. So, I'll most likely wear my clothes until they have holes in them, not get my hair cut for six months, and consume pasta once a day, but at least I'll be loving my life and learning many lessons along the way . . .

wonderful, but a little strange . . .

Emily headed back to Switzerland today after a wonderful week of visiting! It was SO nice to spend time with someone from home. Although I love my friends here, there's something so nice about old friends - not needing to worry about what is said, feeling able to totally be yourself, and talk about years shared. We spent many hours over coffee, tapas, and drinks reminiscing about Denver, teaching, our travels, and sharing the successes and struggles of our lives abroad. I loved every minute!

However, I have to admit that it was a little strange having a visitor in Spain! With Emily, it immediately felt like we were at 365 S. Williams - sharing stories, getting ready for a night out, etc. Yet, we were obviously in Spain! It felt like vacation, yet I still had to work. The reality is that I'm living here and somewhat scraping by, so I couldn't do some of the things I would normally do while traveling. (I also think the fact that the key to Spanish life is eating and drinking outside with friends made this even more difficult!)

I wanted to spend every day going out and doing something fun and exciting, but that's not how real life is. I amazed by the fact that it still doesn't seem like reality that I'm living here, probably because this reality is unlike any I've had before . . . As Emily noticed, it seems like vacation all the time!

Needless to say, it was a wonderful, wonderful week. I think I was really needing some connection to home, so the timing of Emily's visit was perfect. I wonder if the reality of my life will sink in sometime soon . . . ideally before my next visitors!

My New Favorite Way to Learn Spanish? Bodega Tours!

Emily and I have visited many a winery in our travels together and we continued that tradition in Spain this week! She and I, as well as two other friends, went down to Sanlucar de Barrameda to enjoy a little sunshine, scenery, and sherry! We visited the Barbadillo Bodega and it was one of the best wine tours I've been on. Barbadillo makes a fantastic white wine that I've had in Seville numerous times. They are also known for their manzanilla - a specific type of sherry that can only be made in Sanlucar due to the temperature and humidity of the region. After visiting the bodega's museum and taking many pictures with cardboard cut-outs (who knew a museum could provide so much fun?!), we started our tour. The tour was all in Spanish and our guide did a wonderful job of slowing down, gesturing, and adapting her language for us. I actually felt like I understood about 85% of what was said - it was amazing! After learning lots about the wine and seeing the old church and convent that were converted into the winery, we were able to sample as much as we wanted of the white wine, manzanilla, and desert sherry. It was fantastic! If only I could go on daily tours of bodegas to increase my Spanish abilities . . .

Mercados

In hopes of changing my diet a bit, I stopped at the market a few blocks away. I LOVE the variety of foods there! You can buy everything from cheese and swordfish to fresh flowers and wine. It's relatively inexpensive and a nice change from the store. I will definitely be doing a lot more shopping there in the future. I thought the colorful fruits and vegetables deserved a photo . . . .

My Current Love/Hate Relationships with Seville

As most of you know, I definitely love just about everything in regards to living in Spain. However, there are a few things that I simultaneously love and hate at the same time! At the moment, they include:

*Leisurely Pace of Life*

I love that no one is in a rush and in general everyone takes their time. It forces you to relax, which for someone like me is a really good thing. However, if you ever are in a bit of a hurry (when walking down the street, at a restaurant, or in a store), it can be a little frustrating!

*The Double-Cheek Kiss*

I love that this is the way Spanish people greet and say goodbye to one another. I think it's very warm and personal. Unfortunately, it's my own awkwardness that makes me hate it sometimes! I'm never quite sure if it's going to happen (i.e. greeting other Americans) or where I should put my hand (do I still shake hands? put it on their arm?). Hopefully I'll get the hang of it soon!

*Lack of Environmental Awareness*

I'm constantly amazed by how people throw trash on the streets, don't pick up after their dogs (right next to my bedroom window), and urinate everywhere! It's not that everything is dirty, but it could definitely be cleaner - ugh! I suppose I love the street cleaners, who are like none I've ever seen. Almost everything is picked up within 24 hours, but it could so be prevented. The US has definitely got Spain beat on this one!

*Smoking*

There's nothing I love about smoking, but part of me loves the Spanish attitude about it. As a Spanish friend told me, "I'm healthy in all other aspects of my life - smoking is my vice and I love it." This definitely seems to be a consensus in Andalucia - there are tobacco shops everywhere! I hate to be around it (and the way it makes my lungs hurt), but I don't mind it nearly as much as I thought I would.

*Dressed-Up Women*

I love how put-together women look here. They often literally look perfect from head to toe. However, they always look this way! At 8:00 in the morning, at the grocery store, going to the gym. It's a lot of pressure - especially for someone who prefers to dress-down most of the time! Needless to say, no Target cotton shorts are allowed out of the house . . . :)

*The Weather*

I love that it's October and I can still wear shorts and a tank top during the day. People are still enjoying cervecitas on restaurant patios and never need jackets. However, after the hellish heat in August and part of September, I feel very ready for some cooler temperatures. I've never wanted to wear jeans and long-sleeved shirts more! Especially because I know in the US it's fall, football is on, and ski resorts are opening . . .

"Expat Flu" - so true!

Chris sent me a link to this article which I SO identified with! At the moment, I'm definitely stressing about finances (I have enough money for October rent, but will I have enough money to eat?) and have many moments where I miss family, friends, and Indy terribly! Reality has certainly set in that I'm living here, which is absolutely amazing, yet sometimes quite terrifying . . . I was so glad to know that what I've been feeling is quite normal! And I feel lucky that overall, I'm really, really happy. If you've ever considered living abroad, I highly suggest reading this first!

http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2009/09/why-expats-fail-to-make-a-go-of-a-new-life-abroad/

Barcelona

Four of us went to Barcelona last weekend for two nights and two days of fun. I loved it there! It was actually the first time I've really missed the city of Denver. Barcelona was so green and hilly, which is very different than Seville. The addition of the Mediterranean Sea was pretty fantastic, too! Some things I'll definitely remember include:

*La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell - wow! I've never seen anything like this! Guadi really impressed me.

*Catalon is so different than Castellano! I think I would love living in Barcelona, but not until my Spanish has improved immensely. Trying to interpret two languages would have been a bit much for me right now . . .

*Merce '09 - talk about a crazy festival! Firecrackers, scary monsters, and bandits - and that was just the kids parade! I think it was a great celebration of the end of summer.

*Great nightlife

*Beautiful weather

I will definitely be visiting Barcelona again in the future!