I have to do two (yeah I think two) blog posts during my stay in Spain that reflect on the trip, personal feelings, events, etc. So I guess I'll jot down my thoughts and feelings now and translate if needed later.
It has been twenty-four days since the flight from the United States and it will be one week until my departure from Spain. It has been more than twenty-four days since I have seen my friends and family back home. Luckily my parents offered to give me a ride to the airport before I left the country so that I didn't have to suffer the tragedies of the MBTA. But that seems like so long ago after residing in another country. Maybe it's the jet lag that went into remission or the few reasons I use to convince myself to enjoy myself here. I do admit that I miss having an income, since my bank account balances are slowly dropping without any signs of changes. Right now I am riding on my last forty Euros and being stingy with credit card use. Despite that, I am just aiming to enjoy myself for the last stretch and getting the most out of the program.
Today has been a highlight for myself though. Throughout the trip, at each of the places we resided, I would find a local place (usually parks) and bring my guitar. Because I know that listening to someone practice guitar, all the wrong notes, scales, voice cracks, etc., is absolutely bothersome. Moreover, it being on repeat like a broken record. Also I acknowledge that everyone is not on the same page musically; we all have our own preferences. Yet I digress and shall return to ex-Spain'in my trip. In Madrid I would find myself on the walk-out balcony in the Hotel room, playing randomly throughout the day. While in Valencia I would trek out a five to ten minute walk (possibly twenty when caught in the sea of Italian adolescents) to a park a block away. Usually I would sit or stand by a wall in front of a drinking fountain, which had the perk of hydrating me because I grazed it with my presence. That was sarcasm, most others on the trip could identify all my words by never being true or reliable. Also, for the few days in Granada I would walk down the street to a park along the stretch of the canal (or whatever the waterway we were by was called). In brief, I was the one traveler in the group that burdened himself with bringing an excessive piece of luggage that provided him with relief when needed.
However, that was all explanation and filler, various times through the trip my peers would ask if I was even playing or using my guitar and I would tell them to ask anyone of the fellow guys that were unfortunate enough to be roomed with me. Regardless, some would ask me to bring my guitar to the beach one day or play for everyone sometime, which I would usually give the responses "I don't want sand in my guitar" or some other answer to divert conversation. But today when I was returning into the dorm Ana, Michaela (Mick), and Liz were sitting out by the stairs attempting to avoid the heat in their rooms. They stopped me and asked for me to play for them and I couldn't really refuse since I didn't have anything better to do. Slowly more of the group came and gathered around and on the stairs as I played and everyone sang along to songs I could draw out of my repertoire that everyone knew. This lasted for a decent amount of time until everyone retreated to their beds.
Personally, I would not mark this as a highlight of Spain's impact on myself, but more of the bond that developed between everyone throughout the trip. Honestly I think it is inevitable people can grow to hate the littlest of things of other people, but for the brief time encapsulated in a song people can overlook that. Our commonalities are just harmonized common words to our favorite songs.
Which in some cases are just guilty pleasures of mine.
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