"Clean"

After three weeks in the US of excessive eating and drinking and basically three years of the same in Spain, I decided something had to be done! I'd been contemplating the idea of some sort of detox/cleanse for awhile, but hadn't decide which one to try. Luckily, Sarah Killion came to the rescue yet again! She'd heard about the book Clean, a current NY Times bestseller. It proved to be perfect reading material for a long flight back to Barcelona.

After just a few chapters, I was sold! SO many of the symptoms listed in the book were ones I've been dealing with. There were lots of connections to Eastern medicine, which I also loved. And most importantly, this was something I felt I could actually do.

Although the ideal time for the cleanse is 21 days, one or two weeks was also supposed to make a difference. For me, ten days was ideal and the most realistic due to upcoming plans and visitors. In a nutshell, this program is all about cleaning the toxins out of your body and resetting your digestive system. The biggest way to do this is to have a liquid meal (shake, juice, or soup) for breakfast and dinner and a solid lunch. This allows your body time to digest these meals more quickly and have extra time to clear out what hasn't been cleaned out before. All of these meals are made from a specific list of foods - basically no wheat, gluten, dairy, acidic fruits or vegetables. Not surprisingly, caffeine and alcohol are not allowed.

In the interest of time, I decided to jump right in! The first two days were rough - particularly due to headaches from lack of caffeine. But, within three days, I began to feel really good! Although hungry at times, I adjusted pretty easily to the meals. Gone were cravings for any sort of unhealthy foods. Instead, I really looked forward to healthy meals with lots of fruits and vegetables (the book said this would be the case, but I didn't really believe it!). Even the no alcohol was a welcome break. The hardest part was adjusting social plans, the majority of which include eating and drinking in Spain.

I type this entry at the end of day 10 and I have to say I recommend this program to anyone who's thought about doing some sort of cleanse before. My body truly feels different - my skin is firmer, the whites of my eyes are whiter, puffiness is gone, and I've lost 2.5 kilos. More importantly, my thoughts about eating and drinking have shifted a bit. No part of me wants to eat or drink excessively. I want to continue having one liquid meal a day and only eating when I'm truly hungry.

The true test will come this weekend and when Linsey and Chris arrive - hopefully I can remember how I feel now and have the self-control necessary when faced with all of the amazing food Barcelona has to offer. I think I can! But regardless, I'm really going to enjoy my cortado tomorrow - it's well deserved. :)

Home

As expected, my trip to the states this summer was fantastic! Barbecue chicken wraps from Gov's Park, Chipotle,  air conditioning, Target, driving, amazing professional development, English - just a few of the things I loved experiencing again. But without a doubt, the best part was spending quality time with family and friends. Whether it was time at home with Mom and Dad, family dinners, walks with Indy, lunches and dinners with best friends, or drinks with friends I hadn't seen in awhile, it's the people that make the trips home wonderful. As always, once I'm with great friends, it's almost like I never left - I love it. (With that said, the changes in little ones is making that aspect a bit more difficult!)

However, on this trip, it became more clear than ever before how much I feel like I don't fit in in the states anymore. It's a really weird sensation! It's been three years now since I left and although the people still feel so right, the place so doesn't. I found myself constantly freezing in air conditioning and bundling up, just like the Spanish do (yikes!). By the end of the trip, I was longing for smaller portions and meals that included sitting and relaxing, not being eaten in a rush. The feeling of over consumption seemed to be coming from all directions! I couldn't take the thought of spending another penny on transportation or food or tipping. And I missed the sound of Spanish desperately.

I know some extenuating circumstances, such as attending conferences in expensive cities like Boston and New York, contributed to this. Like I said, seeing everyone could not have made me happier! But by the end of three weeks, all I wanted was to be back in Barcelona.

Arriving back in my city felt so right! After unpacking, visiting my favorite coffee shop and corner store, and speaking Spanish to my neighborhood guys, I started to feel at home again. Once I walked by the La Seu cathedral and went for a run by the beach, I couldn't have been happier. I was again reminded how something about this city just suits me.

I vividly remember the post I wrote about "home" the first time I returned to the states two years ago after my year in Seville. I still feel that Indianapolis is my home, as well as Denver. Yet, it's becoming clearer and clearer that Barcelona is where I feel most at home these days.