Happy Thanksgiving!

After surviving the horror that was Spanish midterms, I made it to Thanksgiving day, which feels nothing like Thanksgiving since there's no family to spend it with nor is hardly anyone else in this city celebrating. Of course, going to class on Thanksgiving doesn't make it feel like a holiday either! Not spending the holidays with some form of family is a sure recipe for feeling home-sick! At least I get on a plane to come home in 24 1/2 days!!! (There's not a countdown, really there's not! ;-) )

During the last 2 weeks since my last post, there truly hasn't been that much to update on in reality. The people at two different Starbucks knew who I was from spending so much time there studying. I also slept on friends' couches a few times since the metro had closed by the time our groups finished studying together at..oh...4 or 5 am only to wake up at 8am or so to review and then go take the test! And no, we weren't goofing off, we were studying the entire time. I think my body is still going through coffee detox and I haven't had coffee for....4 days! There are still times when I randomly feel jitery! No coffee for a while for me!

On Monday while reviewing before a test, I happened to overhear a few friends saying that they were going to go to Rioja, one of the Napa's of Spain, this weekend. Me being me invited myself along since I love wine, which you should know if you know even a part of my background! So I leave tomorrow at 5pm on a bus with Nina, Mike, and Mike's friend, Ryan. We will be in Rioja all weekend, wine tasting and the like and then coming back at 4pm on Sunday. I am already planning to bring a larger than necessary suitcase/bag so that I have room for the wine that I plan on buying!! Now I can find some good wine to bring back with me! Needless to say, I am just slightly on the excited side for this trip!! Plus, doing something this weekend might help with the fact that I have no family to sit around with and watch football or just hang out!!

It's definitely chilly over here, at least I get holiday like weather! I was checking the weather for Newport Beach yesterday and weather.com said that it was going to be 26 or 28C, which I believe is the high 70s or low 80s!! That's not holiday weather!! Even though Thanksgiving doesn't feel like Thanksgiving over here, at least I have the proper weather!! (Neener neener neener!) Haha

Even though it's not the most exciting holiday, being alone and all, I have realized how much I love and miss my family and close friends by being over here in Spain. That's not to say that I didn't realize it before I left, but you really become thankful for the people that you don't have close to you when you don't get to see and talk to them all the time.

Normally for Thanksgiving with the Farmer clan, there's a candle lighting ceremony where we say what we are thankful for the past year. Even though I'm not sure if that's going to happen since it's not at the Danville Farmer's house this year, I'm going to take time to verbalize what I am thankful for. It holds even more meaning for me on the opposite side of the globe.

 "This year, I am thankful for the amazing opportunity that was made possible by Grandma and Grandpa for me to study in Spain. Through this experience, I have become even more thankful for those close to me. I am also thankful for my amazing boyfriend, Brian, with whom I couldn't love any more, even though the distance can be trying at time. I have amazing family and friends who I can't wait to see when I get to come home at Christmas, another opportunity for which I am extremely thankful. I love each and everyone person in my life and am thankful for the impact that they have had in my life."

Happy Thanksgiving to all and please take a moment and remember what you are thankful for in your life this year. In the blink of an eye, it could be gone so remember what you have while you have it.