I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for the tranquilo and slowed pace life of Spain. Our last few weeks in the states seemed suffocated with social obligations, planning, training, moving, packing and squeaking out all the last minute details in between. Life starts to feel a little like a circus, and it’s not until we stopped here in another country that I felt I could take a clear look at the entire process and start to get something out of it.
Since we’ve been bunkered down in Daila and Chris’ awesome guest house here in Catalunya, we haven’t been to one bar, and only have been out for one night of socializing. It’s been so nice to slow down the fast pace we had set in the US and get all cultural (read chill); Spanish style. Apparently my body was ready to stop too, as the sickness I was anticipating pre-Spain, hit me as soon as we fully relaxed here in our casita. Nothing can really slow you down more than getting sick. I’ve done my best not to stress about it and let my annual cold take over. Laying helplessly in bed a surrounded with snot rags made my bed look like a bit like funeral procession, and made me remember that sickness may be the sweetest surrender. You don’t have the strength to fight back really. So why even try.
During my pre trip crazed state I made a point of downloading a million movies and shows. I got the new-to-me-but-maybe-not-so-new-to-everyone-else show Portlandia. I couldn’t help but relate to the show’s whole spin on those dreadful technology holes you find yourself in. There’s a scene where the main character is texting, then IMing, then downloading, then calling, and then texting, then IMing and then downloading repeat… And it’s so true. It’s a crazed state I’ve found myself in a million mornings sitting in the US. I can’t even think straight, and in the end I’m pretty sure I don’t actually get anything done.
It makes me think of some of my first times in Spain when I got super annoyed with what I felt was a lack of technology. These days I’m pretty sure the lack of FB obsession here isn’t so much about people not being privy to the technology and more about them not really giving a f*** about it. Over all it’s pretty calming. It’s that feeling you have when your plane to the EU is about to take off and you know you’re not paying for that exorbitant international plan, so this will be the last text messages you send and last fb updates you’ll make without wifi for awhile. You kinda wonder how you’ll do at your next social outing without looking down at your phone every 45 seconds to check your Instagram comments or fb friend request. Turns out you’ll do just fine.
Enjoy the rest of the shots taken during my birthday in Vegas, family holiday in Winthrop and a few states in between.
