When homesickness hits

This past week has been a tough one.  As I said in the last post I was not feeling well in Morocco, but thankfully was only left with the sniffles (which don't seem to ever want to go away) by the time I got back into Granada.  Then a worse ailment hit: Homesickness.

I feel like homesickness always comes at the worse time, and that was certainly the case here.  It really made my two day week seem like it would never end.  For some reason I decided that this was the week to worry about the 3 papers that I will have to write for the end of semester, when really I only had to worry about having a topic right now.   The papers seem extra daunting because they have to be written in Spanish, and are still expected to have the same quality of any other college paper. 

On top of the self-induced stress, my Señora decided this was the week she would complain about the fact that I didn't eat my entire fish at lunch (which I guess was expensive, but I can't help it, as much as I have learned over here that fish isn't bad, I never crave it and still don't love eating it) and that my room wasn't clean enough for her.  I felt a bit unwelcome, and truthfully like I was back in high school.  Well, not even high school since my parents never made me clean my room, but you get the idea.  My roommate was going to Barcelona for the weekend so I was really worried about it just being the two of us in the house.  In the end, being just Juana and I has proved to be nice.  I find I'm conversing with her more, because often times Lily would dominate the conversation with questions. 

Finally, this weekend Caitlin, a really good friend from home who is studying in Madrid for the semester, was here to visit.  As much as I was looking forward to seeing her I think it just added to the homesick feeling.  It reminded me of everyone at home who I haven't seen or talked to in a while.  In the end, seeing her may have actually been the cure for my homesickness.  Though we didn't see each other too much (she was here to visit her boyfriend, who understandably dominated her time), when we were together it was just like being at home. 

After she left, I read for about an hour on a park bench until the sun set and I was only reading by the weak street lamp.  Walking home I found myself in awe of the city I was walking through.  It was as if it was the first time I walked down that street (which it was probably the 15th time this weekend). I felt lighter, I felt empowered.  I don't know what changed laying on that park bench reading Shopaholic and Sister but something did.  The homesickness disappeared.  Maybe it was the fresh air, maybe it was being around someone from home, maybe it was just time for it to go away.  All I know, is that I'm glad its gone.  It will probably return, but I feel a little more prepared for when it does.