For these reasons, as well as many others, I have been itching to get back ever since I left. As the months passed, I kept waiting for the "perfect time" to return; that is, until I realized that there was no perfect time. There never is. If you want something, you have to go for it. So I jumped on a $600 flight that I stumbled upon a few months ago. And just like that, I landed two weeks in my favorite city, with zero plans. I found this to be slightly terrifying, but mostly exciting.
Currently, I have a few more plans: a bus ticket from Madrid to Granada, a place to stay, and lunch on Thursday with my wonderful host family. I also hope to connect with the Spanish friends and professors that I have kept in touch with, and perhaps take a day trip to the mountains or coast. But I'm not tying myself to anything. I left my white coat at home for this trip, so I want to remain open to--gratefully--take advantage of any opportunity that comes my way.
Since this will be my second time in southern Spain, I will not be playing tourist nor creating a list of everything that I want to see. When I returned to Argentina last summer, it was a completely difference experience from my first visit. Last summer was lower key, where I felt comfortable assimilating into the culture. Similarly, this time in Spain, I want to fly under the radar and immerse myself into the laid-back granadino way of life. Hopefully then I'll be able to rediscover the easy-going mentality that I lost amid the chaos of pharmacy school. Will I feel the same connection and love for the city that I did four years ago? Only time will tell.
So, what do the next 24+ hours hold in store? Pittsburgh, NYC, Lisbon, Madrid. If everything goes smoothly, I will be in Granada at this time tomorrow night. If not, I will adjust accordingly, with the intention of maintaining an attitude of,
"no pasa nada."
