Oh how i miss...

Well, Ive been home for a little over 2 weeks now, and its so good to be home. My heart will never forget what an experience I had over there. Ive always had a heart for travel. I love diving into new cultures and i love everything about the Spanish language. Tonight a program came on about Spain. Apparently its a whole show about Spain and every time they do a different city. It was about Barcelona and it was fun to watch with my dad and let him see what a little of it was like. I miss it so much. I also miss all of my American friends that i made in the program that are all now dispersed all over in their home states. I hope I will see them again. The hardest part for me I think is that i feel like my heart is in two places. I went over there, built relationships, fell in love with the language, my host family, my teachers, the little city i lived in, the pueblo, the restaurants and night life. Life there is so simple. Americans are too materialistic. period. I know that there are materialistic people all over the world, but i love the fact that credit cards aren't very common to use, that most people live in small apartments, have small TVs, and (the older generation) calls cameras a "a little photo machine". I love that you can and have to walk almost everywhere. That people take the time of day to shut everything down and spend lunch with family. I love that kids there can be kids, and that parents play with them or stop in the middle of walking somewhere to play their version of ring around the rosey. I love everything. Ok, not EVERTHING. The food there is not so great, and everyone smokes, and people bump into you with out saying excuse me.
But my point is that over there, life is enjoyed to the fullest.
Ive always hated that phrase "live life to the fullest" but its true. Every single day there is interesting and relaxed. Its not GO GO GO. You walk, take in your surroundings, sit in the plaza, take a break for cafe or tapas or a glass of wine. Spend time with friends and family more. Its life, you only have one. And I'm not saying completely self indulge and be lazy, I'm saying enjoy it! Walk more, take a break for Goodness sake, eat with family and i don't mean in front of the TV.
I miss Spain so much, (i wonder how many more times i can say it), but I cant keep dwelling on how much i hate the fast pace life and materialism here and let it give me a bad attitude. I have to bring a little Spain to my own world. I know there's real life. I know there's hard workers, and things to accomplish. But in the end, none of that REALLY matters. Its the little things, and I am determined to find them here too. It may not be as wonderful or as quaint or original. But i will. Whatever that means.