http://www.flickr.com/photos/alta_belleza_en_cadiz/

I uploaded some more pictures from last year.

Although I spent a lot of time last year in Spain, Cataluña will be a whole new place for me. New people, new styles, new accents, new food, new music, new traditions... well, you get the point. With many more years of school hovering over my head, I feel like it would be silly to pass up this opportunity. I'm somewhat hesitant to leave my job. Since coming home from Spain (the first time), I've been working full time as a bilingual residential youth counselor for a residential treatment facility that houses undocumented, unaccompanied minors. Although it's the hardest, scariest, most challenging job I've ever had, I love the kids I work with. The experience has been invaluable. What's crazy is that I juggled this job and a full time class load at the University of Washington... this resulted in about 9 consecutive months of 4 hours of sleep each night. I'm finally done, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Spanish, and I walk in the commencement this Saturday!

Back to Spain?!?

Well, it's been more than a year since I've blogged here. Studying abroad in Spain was THE very best thing I have ever done. The experience was humbling, exciting, eye opening -- no words can describe how much I've gained from living abroad. Following my studies in Cadiz, I spent a week "backpacking" Greece with my girlfriends, Maral Sabetti and Kirsten Ryan. We all split ways at the end of the week in Athens and I returned to Madrid to tour the city alone. Javi, who I completely fell in love with while in Cadiz, came out from Barcelona to show me the city. Reluctantly I boarded a plane for Seattle June 7th, 2009. Passport. Check. Boarding pass. Check. Carry on and luggage. Check and check. Wearing oversized sunglasses to conceal my tear streaked face while waiting at the gate for boarding call, I contemplated staying in Spain. Twice I stalled on the jet bridge to the airplane, calculating the risks I'd be taking if I didn't use my ticket home. As soon as I secured my seatbelt, the tears came like a river dam had broken. What was I doing? Was I really ready to come home? When would I get another opportunity to come back?

The plane stalled due to engine failure, causing us to return to another gate at the Madrid airport. (Yes, a lot of airlines in Europe buy airplanes that the United States gets rid of due to liability reasons). This was my chance and my heart was screaming "STAY!" But I didn't. I boarded that second plane to London-Heathrow and headed home. Connecting in London-Heathrow was a trip, to say the least. Because the first plane was delayed, I missed my connection. Running through the airport, I felt like a contestant on the amazing race and realized that's not an endeavor I desire to take on. Note: I would rather have had an emergency appendectomy than have had to stay overnight in London... I lied to the agent who helped me rebook my flight, telling him that I was in my brother's wedding that was scheduled for that evening. (It wasn't a complete lie - I mean I was a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding, it just happened to have occurred 3 years ago). Anyhow, I made it home on the next flight, and it was so so good to see my family and friends.

I have recently received an opportunity to return to Spain, teaching English in the region of Cataluña. I'm still weighing the pros and cons of going back, so this is where blogging comes in.