1st Week in Spain

 One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen!

Walking down to the sea~

June 29, 2014

To Plan or not To Plan--that is the question on my mind.

It’s been 5 days here in the south of Spain so far. I will be gone just over 5 weeks and already feeling like I need to plan something (not sure if it’s the teacher or Virgo in me). Or do I just take it day by day and see what happens? I mean, I’m on vacation after all.  

I’m alone, with nothing stopping me from going anywhere at anytime.

Sometimes these kinds of limitless states of freedom you encounter, (in very brief times of your life), leaves you feeling almost paralyzed.

No immediate responsibility? Unheard of!

You mean I don’t have to wake up early tomorrow and attend to a classroom of children? 

No dogs to walk or make sure I am home in time to feed them?

Ahhh….. J Freedom!

While I have just completed my 10^th year teaching, the VERY first day of summer always gets me. I’m happy of course, but always in a bit of shock.

The questions in my mind…how do I want this summer to go? Every year is different of course. And last year I was recovering from 2 surgeries…hardly a summer at all.

This is also the first summer EVER where I am not working or taking a class of some sort.

I am Healthy. I am Happy. I feel incredibly blessed right now. And I am thankful!

Spanish tortilla
Potatoes and eggs are a big part of the Moroccan diet but made, and taste so differently.

4 hours later…..

I have decided to make a plan.

I was in the center city of Malaga, which is quite beautiful and reminds me of Paris. (pics to follow)

There are shops everywhere and right on the beach; best of both worlds. There’s just too much to see here. I won’t go nuts…but I’m drawing up an itinerary and I bought a book of course to get me started.

I see Moroccan flair. 

Snacks poolside with the view of the sea and mountains…I like how my exercise bands are hanging in the background, while the food is front and center. :)

Today I met my cousin’s daughter Zoraya and her husband Hans. He’s German but speaks English! Ahhhh….a real conversation. J

He was able to translate to me a little bit of information I was curious to know. (pics to follow)

Primas~ First night out to a performance. 

How did my cousin a native of Colombia end up in Spain? Well, just like everyone else, she wanted a better life for herself and her children. In the year 2000 she said you didn’t need a VISA to come to Spain. Something about she has a Spanish last name from her father’s side, and well, she came as a tourist. Don’t know the exact timing of things but she got the papers and then brought her children here and now a resident of Spain.

The story goes she met her current husband the very first night she deiced to go out. She wasn’t expecting anything and just wanted to see what the nightlife was like. Her and her husband were describing to me, (in VERY simple Spanish AND acting it out) that after one dance, and 5 minutes, they were swept away. Awwww….I love those kind of stories! They are together 13 years now. Her husband’s name is Antonio, and born and raised in Spain.

Just on a side note, because I’m such a people watcher, it’s so funny to me to see how the different kinds of cultures act with one another. The Spanish are so loving and expressive in public, I love it. 

Having lived almost a year in Morocco it is just so incredibly different. You rarely see couples holding hands. Even husbands and wives walking together don’t have that giggly laughter and silliness about them.  It is much more serious, as kisses in public are frowned upon. I’ve never been a rule follower, and was tisked for doing so. “Hashouma” they call it. Oops!

When Antonio and Jael were telling me, well, more like acting out their story, it was done in front of Antonio’s mother. She is 77 years old. I turned to look at her a few times to see her expression as they showed me how they were dancing in the club the night they met..and then they just about kissed! (to explain the spark that happened on that very first night) We all chuckled as he slapped her on the butt, and she exclaimed, what most Spanish women do “Ah Papi!”….omg. I’m definitely out of Morocco.

After being more comfortable speaking with Hans I wanted to know his story. I instantly heard his German accent, and obviously he is fluent in Spanish.

Honestly, I love to hear people’s stories. Call it nosy, as my mother does, but it probably started years ago when I used to photograph weddings.

How do people meet? I can tell you this in the 10 years that I asked, it was rarely at a bar or club; even more rare from the Internet.

Even more interesting to me, how do people end up in the places they are in? Especially when they leave their home countries.

Naturally my own father was a case in point. He left his entire family in Colombia to seek a ‘better life’ at the age of 24.  People thought I was brave to leave the US for 2 years to seek a new opportunity where everything was set up for me! Hardly a risk in comparison.

So what makes people make the decision to leave everything they know, their families, customs, traditions, and even their own language?

The answer is always the same. Opportunity.

Let freedom ring!

Had to get the towel.

I'm surprised how much Spanish is coming back to me. Kills me that I'm not fluent! :(

Had I spent this last year in Spain, no doubt I could communicate!

So far I'm saying thank you's in Arabic and 'yes' in French….shocking to me, as I really didn't think I knew any language. 

Adios!