1) Since I got to Spain, I am constantly hungry. There are very little vegetables here, and if you order veggies in a restaurant, you might get half a tomato. I think my body is craving some nutrition other than meat and bread.
2) Non-Americans don´t like America to a greater extent than I expected. I´ve had more than a few conversations with foreigners about this, and despite the Obama euphoria that many people feel, more people than expected are not ready to "forgive" the US of it´s sins (Iraq, torture, etc.). I was talking with a German woman last night and she refused to allow that the 50/51/48% of americans who voted for W and McCain in the past three elections could be, in fact, good hearted people with misguided voting habits (or even principled and well-spoken opponents of liberal policies). She kept harping on the invasion of Iraq, seemingly the most vicious act of aggression in recent history. I had to remind her - politely - that her country, and the rest of Europe for that matter, have been invading their neighbors for the past few centuries and beyond.
Well, the point is that I´ve been sticking up for America more than I thought I would. I´ve never been one to take America´s side, but I´m sticking up for the USA a bit more now. Yes, the US has done some abominable things in the past, but it´s too easy of an excuse to blame everything on America. It´s a cop-out and excuses taking responsibility.
Important caveat to this thought: 99% of the people I´ve met have been kind, reasonable people that are willing to have calm discussions on difficult subjects. These conversations are teaching me much about my culture and how it is different (in good ways and bad ways, and sometimes just different) from others.
3) Europeans and their long vacations. Maybe it´s the American in my DNA, but I don´t get how people can take months off from work to travel. I have to admit, I´m slightly envious of the number of vacation days that some Europeans get, though.
4) I am ready to give up wearing sandals. They do not suit me.
5) I want to start learning Spanish again.
6) Traveling solo. Traveling solo is about making near-constant mistakes (taking the wrong bus, saying the wrong thing, making a cultural faux pas) and then picking yourself back up, only to make even more mistakes. I love this.
Being alone gave me a system shock for the first few days. I didn´t really know how to not have email, phone, etc. constantly relieving any loneliness. It took a couple days for me to figure out a) how to be comfortable just by myself, and b) to be bold in meeting new people. These things have been great "growth experiences."
7) I much prefer meeting new people than just seeing stuff.
Interesting!
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