22 Years

Well, today marks another year of my life. A lot has happened this past year. Monday the 14th marks one year since my dear friend Heather died. I had never before experienced such loss and despair. It's always hard to lose a loved one, but all the more difficult when it happens without warning or explanation, to someone in the prime of her life. Back home my friends have organized a little ceremony, dedicating a little memorial of pictures and a plaque in the Linguistics Department at the University, where we all met and became so close. Part of the memorial is a webpage with an epitaph for Heather in all of the languages we know. I helped write the Spanish version.

If there's one thing such great loss has taught me, it's the value of the people in my life. I will never again take for granted my friends and family. Nothing else matters more than them and I cherish them today and everyday, knowing tomorrow I might not get the chance.

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This year has also brought a lot of joy. I had some amazing times: visited every city on the west coast with the best of friends, threw parties for Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, and every other occasion you can name, and of course have the amazing opportunity of living in Spain and learning every day more of the language I love.

With regards to more recent fun, last weekend I visited Madrid.

Metropolis Building

Puerta de Alcalá

Puerta del Sol. With my friend David, who goes by "Monky".

Illuminated at Night

We stayed with Monky's friends Javi and Patri (above).

It is a a really lovely city. There are tons of beautiful buildings and it was all lit up for Christmas making it especially lovely (though some streets had a rather odd modernist take on Christmas lights...). It was really just nice being in a big city. Oviedo is fairly small, and I had serious Cabin Fever. Madrid was just what the doctor ordered. Like all big cities, it has a very large immigrant population. This is so refreshing. I really enjoy being surrounded by diverse people and languages, choosing between Thai or Moroccan for dinner, passing by street performers juggling fire and playing the Djembe (African drum) on our way to the Prado fine art museum.

This is a poster in the metro. It's just so very illustrative I had to snap a picture. Bolivians residing in Madrid are encouraged to vote for Evo Morales. And it's very easy to do so, as they simply have to go to this metro to cast their vote. Bolivians can vote from Spain! This is just crazy to me. Needless to say there are a LOT of Latin Americans in Madrid.

And also, there were all the downsides of big cities. It was EXTREMELY crowded. It took five minutes at times to walk one measly block there were so many tourists and elderly people sauntering about. And when it started raining and all said people opened their umbrellas, it was outright chaos; impossible to move.

And it was very expensive. A drink in a discoteca can easily cost you 15 euros. THAT'S OVER 20 DOLLARS!!! We found cheap places to eat, but it was quite common to see 50 euro dinner platter "specials" to share.

It was a fun trip. But it's good to be home. I guess Oviedo does feel a bit more like home now. Nonetheless, I am EXTREMELY excited for Christmas. My family has given me the incredible present of a plane ticket to be with them. In Hawaii. I feel so fortunate, I just can't believe I will actually get to see my mom and dad, Kyle, and Hannah. Plus, I'll get to be with my cousins, aunt and uncle, grandma, the whole lot! Some of whom I haven't seen in probably three or four years. It is truly the best Christmas and/or birthday present I could ever ask for. ^_______^ (Asian-style smiling face, for those not familiar)