On Dec. 18, I packed up my few belongings that I wanted to take back to the states (you know, those things that I brought thinking I was going to use/wear that sat in my drawers for 4 months) and my Christmas presents for friends and family (killing 2 birds with one stone: Spain and X-mas) and headed back to the good ol´ USofA with Jordan. Our plane ride back was rather uninteresting, minus the fact that we had half of the Harlem Globetrotters on our plane heading back home to their families after their European tour. After making it to Atlanta, we had our four-hour layover turn into a 7-hour layover because of snow in North Carolina (thanks, Charlotte). But it was okay, because I was able to eat some airport Qdoba as I savored being back in Eastern time.
It was great to see my family, my friends, and of course my dogs while I was home. The next few weeks were spent traveling, eating loads of deserts (my mom made food as if I hadn´t eaten while I was in Spain), and catching up on what I´d missed the past four months (including Jersey Shore. thanks MTV for your amazing trashy TV). Here are some of the highlights of my visit home:
1. Of course, seeing my family and getting to spend time with them. This includes great Christmas memories with both sides of the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
While I have no pictures actually with my family, I thought our Griswald-style front yard was worth noting here.
Catching up with some high school friends.
While I have no pictures actually with my family, I thought our Griswald-style front yard was worth noting here.
Catching up with some high school friends.2. Archie, my amazing puppy. Well, he´s not really a puppy anymore, but I have spent more time away from him than with him since he wondered onto our fraternity porch last December, cold and malnourished. Now, he´s living the royal life at home with my family.
3. Spending lots of time hanging out with the great Jaffe family.
4. Going to not one, but two UK basketball games at Rupp Arena. One with Rebecca (thanks for the tickets, Layne!) and the other with Nelson. With Nelson, we got there 3 hours early and waited in line for tickets to the Erupption Zone (normally the student section, but sold for $5 on the day of to anyone during the break). We were numbers 180 and 181 in line and the guy said they thought they had around 175 tickets. Fortunately, they had 184, meaning we were able to get in and see the game from 10 rows back.
Our view from the 10th row or so at the UK game.
Our view from the 10th row or so at the UK game.5. An amazing New Year´s party at Layne´s house. In attendance were all the guys I wanted to catch up with and see while home (minus Ryan, who unfortunately couldn´t make his way up from his wilderness job in Texas) and some of the girls.
The whole gang at New Year's.
The whole gang at New Year's.6. A sad defeat of UL by UK in the annual rivalry game, but another good afternoon spent with friends from school and Archie´s playtime with TC´s new puppy, Wrigley (who dominated Archie, even though he´s about half his size. apparently I have a wimpy dog. all bark, no bite).
7. Getting a much-needed haircut. It´s amazing how much hair can grow in 5 months. I feared getting my haircut in Spain and ending up with a ¨Spanish¨ haircut, aka a mullet or something equally as hideous.
When I first got to Spain, I thought that I would stay around here and travel over Christmas break. I don´t know what I was thinking! It would have been so hard to be away from the states and all of the comforts of home for that long. Don´t get me wrong, I am enjoying myself here in Spain, but it was great to go home for the holidays.
In conclusion, Nelson Heard trying to mean mug. Oh, and look at the score in the background. Can we say blowout?
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