Sunday

Typical Sunday in Irun:

Wake-up around 12:00 pm
Read or listen to music in my bed until 2:00 pm
Finally get out of bed, but only because my stomach is ready to eat itself
Make coffee
Eat "breakfast" (coffee, breakfast cookies, fresh-squeezed OJ, yogurt)
Go back to bed for a nap
Get out of bed again around 4:00 pm
Clean the apartment
Make dinner
Prepare classes for the week
Try to respond to e-mails
Read some more
And go back to bed around 11:00 or 12:00

Yes, my Sundays here are extremely difficult. :)

Some Sundays (usually depending on the weather or how late I stayed out the night before) I will venture into San Sebastian to have lunch with friends or will host lunch at my place. Other Sundays you can find me taking a walk (usually along the river to France). And some other Sundays you can find me in bed all day long, recovering from a massive hangover (last Sunday, for instance).

This past week I re-imerged myself into my 11 hour work week. Let me tell you...it was somewhat difficult! After 19 days of vacation my body was ready to be on a permanent vacation. I was excited to go back to school and see my students again but my brain was still sleeping. I couldn't think, let alone speak, in English. My students weren't exactly thrilled to be back either. Each day got a little better and by Wednesday night I thought: "Ok, I can do this again next week."

My Spring Break was incredibly relaxing and, honestly, quite boring. But I would not have changed one thing. Well, maybe one thing...the weather. It was horrible! It literally rained/snowed/hailed for 10 days straight. I had plans to take a few little days trip to some Basque or French towns that I haven't explored yet but the weather made that impossible. One day I got the courage to brave the elements and head to San Sebastian. I managed to make it to the train station (already soaking wet) only to find out that for some reason the train wasn't going all the way to San Sebastian. You could take the train only half way and then you had to catch a bus for the last part. This idea did not exactly make me excited to sit on a bus for 45 minutes so I decided to head over to the other train station to see if those trains were running. I left the train station and started to cross this bridge when a huge gust of wind came and took my umbrella, flipped it inside out and broke it. The rods of the umbrella literally went tumbling down the street. And although I didn't think it was possible, it started raining ever harder. So here I am struggling with my umbrella, getting even more wet, and trying to walk against the incredible wind. After I crossed the bridge, I found the nearest trash can, deposited my very broken umbrella and headed straight home. I didn't leave my house again for 2 days after.

During my days at home, I watched movies, horrible Spanish TV, read lots, cooked, cleaned and slept. It was amazing. I had the house to myself because my roommate went home to France so I could do whatever I wanted. I came to realize how important vacations are. During the last 2 years in Reno, I took one vacation. This past summer I went 9 weeks without one single day off from work. I literally did not have one day off for 2 months. And during my last semester at UNR, there was a period of 6 weeks and then a period of 7 weeks without a single day off. Not only did I go to school but I worked every day. What was I thinking? The saddest part was that it became normal in my life. I managed to convince myself that I didn't need a day to rest. I look back now and realize that I never want to do that again. Vacations are essential to maintaining a balance in life. If you have them, take them. Your body and mind will thank you.

Not much else has been happening. Two of my American friends and I have planned a trip to the island of Mallorca in a few weeks!!!! I am so excited. 4 days of tropical sunshine and the beach!! I'm catching a flight to Palma a day earlier than the other girls and am really looking forward to a day by myself on the island. The other girls will arrive the next day around noon...just in time for lunch and then the beach.

I suppose that is all for now. Enjoy your Sunday and remember to enjoy the moments in your life that are calm and filled with friends and family.

Besos a todos!!