MADRID REVISITED, PARTE DOS

And continuing!Kiersten looking perfectly angelic over flan, horchata, and cafe

Then we went salsa dancing!! I was waiting for this moment my entire life (okay, maybe just this month), and it turned out... interesting? We forgot our I.D.s, but a lady who worked on the streets giving out flyers got us in and with a discount (8 euro for a drink and entrance)--guess I finally look older than 17! Yes! We got ourselves mojitos (I think that may be "my" drink because it was really good) and there was no dearth of men who wanted to dance. But I forgot how grimy they can be--it was a club with salsa music, and I thought it'd be more like a salsa social. Whoops! The music was good, and dancing with Kiersten was really fun (she's such a good lead!! And very courteous), and some of the men were perfectly polite, but then there were the others who touched too much. A whole bunch insisted on dancing forehead to forehead, and it was just too close. All in all it was fun, but the lobos (wolves, aka grimy men) were a bit much. We stayed until 4:30 am when we finally got tired and walked back to the hostel to skype with some friends. Then a nice guy from Canada chatted with me as I sat in the stairwell for a bit (I love friendly strangers! And I love hostels for being the breeding ground for nice encounters with such interesting people). I fell asleep at 6:30 am, and I finally felt like I had partied Espanol style. It's about time!

We got woken up at 9 am because we had to check out by 10:30 am which was a little rough, so we went to get some much needed coffee and churros. Then we went to a cidreria (a place that makes cider), and it was SO GOOD! Cider is my favorite--so sweet and apple-y! There were a lot of napkins on the ground there too, so that was a good sign before we even tried their goods. We got more patatas bravas, and they were even better this time. So good.

THEN we went to get more food at a place my professor recommended, but we were so full that we just got drinks. I love that we were able to just drink soda (or beer for her since she is a champ) without servers being angry that we were ordering so little or feeling like we aren't allowed to just sit for an hour in the restaurant. Since they don't work for tip, they're so much more relaxed! And generally Spaniards are really relaxed too. We never saw any bustling (except at the airport), and it was so nice. We were basically expected to just sit and relax at the restaurant! I loved it.Our server wanted to be in the picture too hahaha I liked him!

I forgot how much I missed talking to real friends--sure the people here are nice and sure, I skype and message my home friends, but it's so different having someone who really knows you right in front of you. Kiersten and I talked the entire two days basically and about everything (it took us a whole day to get to ballroom talk! yay!), and I missed it! We both were getting hoarse hahaha We both agreed that we don't talk very much in our respective European countries, so this was really wearing our throats out hahaha It's not that I'm a mute in Spain, but I find that I take on the role of the listener a lot more often in the relationships that I've made here.She said she's not going to miss me though. I think I will force her to. MUAhahaha

Then unfortunately I had to say goodbye for five more months to the love of my life. I dropped her off at the airport, and I was so sad! It was like saying goodbye to home for the second time. But I think it gave me a new viewpoint on my adventures here--I was really concerned before about my current relationships and friendships regressing as I left for half a year, but I remembered that the ones that are meant to be will be the ones that stick around, and those are the only ones that I want anyway. If friendships fade during this time that I'm gone, then I know those were the ones of convenience. I feel like proximity can disguise friendships as being stronger than they are, so I'm sure at the end of this entire European journey I'll be left with the ones who think that I'm worth the effort. And those are the friends I want!

So I'm not sad anymore! I can't wait until Belgium (even though I really should be psyched that I'm in Spain. I am, but sometimes I forget with all the excitement about Belgium!)fdkfsfjds Just have to get through these three finals first. Hope I survive!!