Bittersweet

Probably the most amazing time I've had here in Spain was the time spent with my boyfriend Matt. Before his arrival I literally conjured up the most rediculous worst case senerios of everything that could go wrong. As usual, in the end I was just wasting all that negative energy on nothing. Everything was terrific. We ate, drank, and walked all over Bilbao. It was fun running around the city showing my boyfriend a taste of what my new life is like here, but it was also great when we discovered new things together.

It was such a crazy feeling to have two worlds meet like they did. My new life and everything I do here, from speaking Spanish to using public transportation, is nothing like my life in Maine. Yet, magically Matt was able to bring a taste of home to me.

Come to find out we were both nervous about what it would be like to be together again, and if it would be normal and natural. It was like no time had passed... except our unfamiliar surroundings. 

Today I brought him back to the airport to see him off back to Boston. It was bittersweet because it was so amazing to see him, yet my desire to go home was getting greater. This country is amazing and beautiful and I think Matt would agree but home is where my heart is.

It sucks that in reality we don't know what we have until it's gone. And this goes for anything, material things, people, memories, you name it. I always wanted to be a free spirit, traveling around the world, living in god knows where, but I've learned that I'm just not like that. Not all people have the desire to study abroad. Not all people have the desire to learn about other cultures. But because I did have those desires I thought I should pursue them. Well now that I have, I'm okay with it. I'll be checking it off my check-list and returning home, not living randomly throughout the world. It's okay to be attached to your roots. As humans, why shouldn't we be?

See you soon America!

Photos from top to bottom: two chocolate desserts at La Mary's restaurant; eating pintxos (aka tapas) in Casco Viejo; sunny day on the boardwalk in Gexto