7 days?

One week?

It's so weird to me...I've lived in Madrid for almost 4 months, 16.5 weeks, 1 semester. It's so weird that it's all coming to an end. I've thought about May 13th for so long, and now it is only a week away!

I had lunch today with one of my good friends Gina, who is a grad student here at SLU Madrid and works in the campus ministry department. While most of the people I've traveled with and hung out with here are from SLU's Missouri campus, I have made a few wonderful friends that I will dearly miss when I leave for home (Gina being one of them). Anyways, it got me thinking about what I am excited to do when I go home, so I decided to make an official "Top 7 things Liza will miss about Madrid" and a "Top 7 things Liza is looking forward to doing when she goes home" in honor of the 7 days I have left here in Spain.

So...the top 7 things Liza will miss about Madrid

7. Being able to use the metro every day and utilizing public transportation
I can get anywhere in the city, and really anywhere in the greater Madrid area because of public transportation here, without asking anyone for a ride of having to inconvenience any of my friends. It's kind of liberating, having freedom to go wherever you want for only 30 euro a month. That is way cheaper than what I pay for gas every month at home.

6. Hearing, Thinking in, and Speaking Spanish every day
One of my life goals is to someday be completely fluent in another language. Living here has definitely improved my Spanish skills, but I definitely wouldn't consider myself fluent-- I understand a lot, but not everything all the time. I'm still trying to figure out how to remedy this when I go home, as none of my close friends or family really speak Spanish either.

5. The fact that I feel like I'm on vacation while I actually go to school
Being abroad gives you this weird sense of, well, being on vacation while still going to class. And I don't think I ever really got over it...academics were never quite the top priority for me while in Spain (don't worry, mom...my grades are still OK!) :) Not having class on Fridays didn't help this situation. But honestly, when you are so close to so much of the world, you have to take advantage of it.

4. Hanging out with the Young Life staff in Madrid
It has been so much fun to hang out with Jim and Barbara since I arrived here in January. They so graciously opened their home to me and going to Thursday night Bible study with other YL leaders was so fun. Plus, it was interesting for me to see what Young Life looks like on an international scale. It's definitely different from the states. Having Jim and Barbara here has allowed me to stay connected with a ministry and savior that I love.

3. Paloma's cooking
OK, so this might seem kind of strange, but it is SO true. I seriously never went out to dinner EVER in Madrid because I always wanted to eat what she cooked. There was only one thing that she made this semester that I didn't like and didn't eat...and if you know me you know that's definitely saying something. I'm trying to get her to teach me how to cook her paella, spaghetti, and croquetas, my 3 favorite recipes.

2. Paloma, my host mom
I was so lucky to get placed with such a great host mom. She did my laundry, cooked my meals, and basically accomodated me in any way that I asked her. I have no complaints about living with Paloma and really, really hope I can see her again after I leave.

1. Easy and cheap traveling
Traveling is SO easy here...I can get a round trip ticket to almost any major city in Europe easily for 30 euro. When was the last time you heard of a $40 round trip ticket to anywhere in the United States? There are thousands of hostels all over Europe that are comfortable to stay in and cost anywhere between 11-25 euro a night. I've never stayed in hotel in the states for that cheap, ever. Why doesn't America have airlines like EasyJet and RyanAir?

And all good things must come to an end. But, with every ending comes a new beginnig, and I am looking forward to beginnig my summer back in my beloved home state of Ohio...so...

Top 7 things Liza is looking forward to doing when she goes home

7. Novelties of American restaurants...aka seperate checks and free refills
Again, this might sound kind of ridiculous, but it is so true. You would not believe how annoying it is to walk into a restaurant, order your food, get the check, and then have to figured out who ordered which drink and how much it cost and how much the tax per person AND THEN realize that everyone only has a 50 euro bill and nobody can make change. So frustrating.

6. Having my own room.
This really doesn't have anything to do with my roommate, but more of not having almost any time to myself. Ever. I've loved living with Paloma and appreciate everything she's done for me, but I share a very small room with someone in a very small apartment. It will be nice to have my own room and have more access to time by myself.

5. Being able to use all of my electronics with out a converter
Currently, I can only charge one thing at a time because I only have one converter to use. This isn't so much a problem now, but when I was traveling and had to charge my iPod and my camera and use my computer to finish up some last minute things...you get the drift. Plus my converter is really heavy and clunky and weighs a lot, and is really annoying to take wherever I go.

4. Not having to pay for any kind of phone call to talk or text my friends
Skype has been awesome to be able to video chat with my family and friends, and granted it costs something like 2 cents a minute, but it is still money. Plus I miss getting random text messages from my friends about funny things that have happened to them, and having a phone that is easy to text on. I will happily and dutifully return to my Verizon Wireless contract when I return.

3. Having at most a 1-hour time difference between myself and the people I love the most
This has perhaps been the hardest part about living in Spain, especially during my first few weeks here. By the time my friends get out of class or family gets home from work or school, it is close to midnight or later here. It is difficult to have a meaningful conversation when you are practically falling asleep while talking to them.

2. Hanging out with my friends again, in Ohio and back at SLU
You have NO idea how excited I am to go back to SLU in the fall...especially because I get to start my year off with Welcome Week in Oriflamme and then immediately move into recruitment with my sorority! So much is waiting for me back in St. Louis, and I cannot cannot CANNOT wait to go back. Plus, a lot of my good friends are going to be home in Dayton this summer, which will give us ample time to hang out and get caught up on the last year of our lives. I am ecstatic about the next 4 months of my life...I can barely stand it :)

1. Seeing my mom (and whoever else may accompany her...hint hint) at the airport in one week
Everytime I think about this, I inevitably start to cry, so I will just say this...it's been four months since I've seen my Mom and hugged her, which is the longest I've gone without seeing her my entire life. And now I only have one more week to wait until I can hold her in my arms again.

So there you have it...the thoughts and feelings as I enter my final week here in Europe. As of right now, I've finished one final and have a speech to critique tomorrow, a history final on Friday, and then my last Spanish final on Monday. Tuesday will be used to pack everything up, and then Wednesday I start the long journey back to the USA.

If you haven't figured it out...I can't wait to see you all again :)

all my love--