Long time no see, my dear readers! It feels strange to be sitting in front of my computer in Cuenca again typing my blog. Christmas and New Year went by, as usual, in a dizzying whirl of family gatherings, soirees with friends, big meals, too much alcohol, not enough sleep and general merriment. Being back in England after three months of la vida española was like slipping into a particularly comfortable and worn-in pair of old shoes: familiar, reassuring and very satisfying.
Predictably, it was all over just as quickly as it had begun, and I found myself on the Stansted Express at 5 o’clock in the morning, sleep-deprived and emotional, wondering if I’d accidentally been leaning on the fast forward button for the past two and a half weeks.
After a frustratingly delay-free – albeit long and tedious – journey (why is it that whenever I’m desperate for a smooth run something goes wrong, yet when I wouldn’t mind an impromptu strike to buy myself a few more days in England, everything runs like clockwork?!) I arrived in Cuenca dazed and disorientated, wanting nothing more than a good night’s sleep. And so, of course, insomnia ensued.
My body seems to have no problem with letting me sleep during daylight hours, but at night? Forget it. I knew my first week back after the festive period would be no mean feat, what with the inevitable January blues and withdrawal symptoms from all things English, but I must admit nothing could’ve prepared me for just how bleak it would be.
A big fat dollop of exhaustion combined with the tail-end of a nasty cold and a dash of homesickness resulted in full on Back to Reality Syndrome. It hit me like a ton of bricks, culminating in an excruciatingly embarrassing mini breakdown in the staffroom on Wednesday morning. Luckily, I don’t think many people saw, but nonetheless I couldn’t wait to get home, close my blinds and curl up in bed where I could humiliate myself no further. I took the rest of the week off school and cancelled all but one of my private classes. There was only one thing for it: I needed some ‘me time’.
And, touch wood, it seems to have worked. I’ve made it through the week and not only that, but the proverbial fog has lifted and I’m starting to feel more like my usual happy self. Of course seeing my lovely friends last night for vino and tapas in our favourite bar, Quinto Pecado (just for a change), followed by generous amounts of homemade mojitos courtesy of Jaclyn’s flatmates definitely helped. In fact, this week has made me realise just how many people care about me here in Cuenca, and for that I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.
Anyhow, enough about my fleeting brush with depression. On a cheerier note – and because I’m aware I haven’t got much to talk about what with having spent most of my week in bed – I spontaneously booked flights to Australia on Monday! Yes, to celebrate the end of my placement in Spain and maximise my free time before having to go back to the stresses of final year university life, I’m jetting off to Oz on June 17th with Becky, a friend of mine with whom some of you may recall I hitch-hiked to Budapest in March last year. And that’s not all: after cruising down the east coast (which I’m aware is currently almost entirely under water, but let’s not talk about that right now) for one month we’re then going to New Zealand where we’ll spend another month before returning to UK soils. I’m incredibly excited to say the least!
In a similar fit of spontaneity (it must be my new ‘thing’ for 2011...) the girls and I have organised a trip to Valencia next weekend. Sun, sea and world-famous paella would surely be enough to banish even the worst case of January blues. Rumour has it that today in Valencia it was 28 degrees and people were sunbathing on the beach (although, as Elena put it, ‘obviously just foreigners’!).
In fact, it is uncharacteristically warm for this time of year and today in Cuenca was no exception: nearly 20 degrees, brilliant sunshine and not a cloud in sight. I met Elena, one of my teachers, for a stroll along the river to blow away the cobwebs and pump myself full of endorphins (something which my dear mother will no doubt be delighted about). A spot of shopping in the rebajas (sales) and the Chinese pig-out that followed were the icing on the cake.
Well, my New Year’s resolution is to keep these posts short and sweet, so here is where I shall leave you.
¡Hasta luego!
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