The Near to Final Stretch

9 Days left.
I'm coming down to the final part of the semester. I wanted to do something special within the last few weeks, but there's not time. I have tests and papers and things to do. I don't have time for special things. The fact that we're now under the 10 day mark is impressive. it came quickly and I know that in no time at all I'll be at home with family in the cold snow and ice of the midwest.
I almost don't want to come home, just because coming home means going back to normal, going back to the old places that I miss but now kinda resent for being there to pull me back to reality. Spain isn't reality, Spain is Life outside of normality.
I don't know if that explains anything to you. If that makes any sense. But here the only responsibility I have is class. But the responsibilities I have at home are Life. It's living, it's confronting reality. Going back to a place where I haven't changed in the minds of my friends. Going back to a place that has changed but not in my mind. Back to work, back to school, back to a country that's cold at the moment, back to the reality of the economy and politics. BACK. Time to dive in. but at the moment I'm still trying to catch my breath.
I am looking forward to coming back to a warm house and bed, to a car. Back to a family that loves me and friends I miss desperately. Back to assigning my own meal portions and exercising. I really miss exercising. Back to my viola! (I'm pretty excited about that, but I couldn't think about it much this semester because I've missed it too much. I couldn't constantly remind myself that I was missing that part of my being). Back to Tennis. Back to the english speaking masses. Back to church communities. BACK. I feel like I'm ready for that.
This week.
Today is a holiday, everything's closed, like saturday. There was actually this awesome kinda like farmer's market at the Alcazar this past Saturday, but it wasn't farmer's products it was nun's products. Tasty things like cakes and cookies and marzipan and jams and jellies and things to that effect. All natural without preservatives (o and by the way, don't say preservativos in Spanish if you mean the things that keep food from going bad, that's converantes, the other one is the thing that prevents babies from being born. . . Think about it. I didn't). So I got a few Christmas goodies to share with the family (those of you in my family will just have to wait and see what I got and those of you who aren't in my family can ask if you really care to know) Sunday everything was open which is very unusual and I did a ton of walking in a direction I've never gone before, Toward the Betis stadium. there was a game going on yesterday and it was interesting to see all the people and stuff on the streets. Tomorrow I have classes again. just 3 days this week though. Then we have another long weekend to study for our test next monday and tuesday (I also have a test this thursday). Then we have no school next wednesday and then early next thursday (it's strange that I can already say "next thursday") I'll be on a plane, flying home. Missing Spain, and Eager to be home. My plane will be getting in at 2pm central time in Chicago. I'll be back in NE by the weekend. Just two weeks and I'll be back home. then the next week is Christmas. Today, the 9th, Christmas is just 16 days away. from Right now.