Friday, Jun. 24, 2005 - 9:52 p.m.
Itīs a strange thing, time and being away from your homebase.
I guess I should say "being on vacation," but I think what Iīm feeling would be the same for whatever reason I were gone.
It feels at the same time like loads of time has passed and like very little has passed. Like time is moving too quickly and very slowly. I notice it when I think of how long Iīve been away from work and responsibilities.
When I think of having been a whole week away from my job and from jobhunting and apartment hunting and trying to get things written by some sort of deadline, it seems like Iīve been gone forever.
When I think of the amount of time I get to spend with my friend, it seems like Iīve barely been here at all.
The week has been full of interesting things and ordinary things. Touristy things and everyday life.
It has been very rainy (hurricane season - perfect timing on my part), so I havenīt really gotten a tan at all...and yet Iīve still managed to swim more than I have in the past few summers.
Iīve been surrounded by Spanish and realize that with some immersion and effort I could pick it up at a decent pace. (Iīve also been given dirty looks here because I donīt speak it...or perhaps because Iīm white).
Iīve been trying hard to journal my visit, and been so tired most nights Iīve not managed...but still managed to sit up talking to Maria.
In two days Iīm headed home where I just hope the stress doesnīt bombard me too quickly because it took almost a week for it to completely dissipate and my thoughts to relax.
So, today I spent the morning at the Universityīs pool, the afternoon having lunch with some of Mariaīs friends (Mary and Merriam and Isa), and the later afternoon shopping -
- This is what Iīm going to miss. It is a rare thing for me to enjoy shopping, perhaps because I so seldom do it with another girl (although I donīt think thatīs entirely the reason - I think it also has to do with it being the right personality of girl). But today, I had fun shopping. Trying random things on and assessing the things Maria and Isa tried on. Itīs because in Maria Iīve found a kindred spirit, so even in shopping, she makes sense to me. -
- and the evening watching Isa prepare food for tomorrow.
Tomorrow we will hopefully be able to hit the beach (for the last time for all of us) and then we will go to another party thrown by a bunch of Cubans they know.
And then, I will prepare myself for goodbye and heading home.
