the home-stretch. literally.

the past few weeks have been insanely busy. i slept in today for the first time in weeks and didn't have to work yesterday so i started to relax. it hit me i am COMING HOME TOMORROW and it feels a little crazy. i can't wait to have chic-fil-A, to relax in a bed larger than this negative-twin sized one I have grown accustomed to, to have a nice shower with more than a small stream of water, never ending refills, sweet tea, 3G, long hour long chats with friends and the opportunity to crank out and finish up my law school applications. One of my recommendations has been processed and I am so thankful for that! Now, i just need the next one to come through so I can upload the essays I have spent months working on and be done with the first round. Please continue to keep this crazy process in your prayers.
I had been thinking Susan, a dear friend from UA, was coming Monday morning. Then, Saturday night, while I was getting ready to leave for a Christmas party, she called and said, "You know I come tomorrow, right??" Overjoyed, I skipped to the Christmas party with my roommate, had fun and woke up to retrieve my friend from the airport. Sunday, I did some work while she took a nap, we walked around Retiro, then we met up with Pedro and Beatriz and her kids to see Mission Impossible 924 and get some dinner. Monday, I drug Susan with me to work. She really loved my first class and wanted to slit her wrists during my second and third classes. I was like, "yes, this is my love/hate relationship with my job in a nutshell right here." It was so nice to bring her to the little village in the mountains where I work, show her what I do everyday and to have her join. The students were shy so they actually weren't the crazy animals they can be. Monday night, we made some dinner and my old flatmate came over with his girlfriend for some champagne to celebrate the end of the semester and Christmas and our friends in town. It was a nice time. Tuesday, Susan went all over the city to the museums and other touristy places with Gab's girlfriend and other Brazilian friends while I had the joy of working all day. We met up later that night and went to an Italian place after taking Susan to one of the most important sites in Madrid, El Corte Ingles. Wednesday, once again I headed to work and since I didnt have to work at my afternoon job, we met up for lunch. On Calle Princesa, one of the biggest streets in Madrid, we sat in the sun and had a very stereotypical meal- jamon iberico and queso with patatas bravas and tinto de verano. Yum. Just thinking about it now makes me consider walking back over there for round two. Unfortunately, instead of seeing the city this afternoon, I had to go to Aluche where Spain keeps the illegal immigrants as prisoners and also where you have to go to have your paperwork processed. Though not necessarily easy, I GOT MY NIE! This means I am officially legal to live here and I won't have anything to worry about to get back into the country in January, so this is awesome news. Wednesday night, I was pleased to get all my Madrilenos together at one of the most famous places for croquettas in the heart of the city. We did a tapas crawl, great food, even better wine, even better company. The night seemed to last forever but we managed to make it home on the metro and tell my roommate goodbye before her flight in just a few hours. Great success. Thursday, I was suppose to go into work but jumped at the offer that i didn't have to. Susan and i strolled around and got extremely lost in a maze of an art museum where Picasso's Guernica is hung. After my tour of Monet and his lillies in Paris, I really dont think I will be impressed with any art I come across for a long time. Today, I have absolutely no idea what Susan and I plan to do. Surely she isn't down for laying here all day, but sounds like a perfect day to me.
In just a little shake of a bunny's tail, I will be back in the great peach state. Whoohoo!