I'VE BEEN SPENDING TIME WITH PEOPLE I LOVE

I KNOW IT HAS BEEN AGES SINCE SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME, BUT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT ALL OF YOU.

Since my last post, the girls have traveled thousands of miles, struggled through many meals, and bought lots of leather bracelets.
Emily arrived first, Thursday afternoon. I could hardly make it through my mid-term, I was so excited. Then a friend took me to the market to keep me occupied until three-ish, when it was finally acceptable for me to head to the train station and await the 3:48 arriving train. I found her easily, worn-out and toting her well-packed suitcase (shout out to Jase for helping). After a short pit-stop at my apartment, we checked in to the hotel and went for the beach. It was perfect to get to spend some one-on-one time with the long lost sister. We shared a bocadillo and a coke while she caught some rays (trying to catch up with my tan).

Eventually we made our way back to the apartment, picked up Carmen and made for the train station; ROUND TWO.

As expected, we accepted a weeping duo. After a grueling walk back to the hotel, we had a great dinner on a plaza.

The following days were pretty chaotic. Here are some high and low points: walking to neat neighborhoods, dinner with my host family, a beautiful afternoon at San Juan Beach, finding food everyone liked, waking up, a free-rock concert until 2:00am, the Prado for free (even if it was only for 35 minutes), AND OH SO MUCH MORE.

Saying goodbye to some of the dearest ones in my life was of course difficult and gloomy. The following few days were weird. Re-adjusting myself to life here, separate from everyone else's was more awkward than having them here or saying goodbye.
BUT DON'T FEEL BAD, BECAUSE THOSE WEIRD FEELINGS DIDN'T LAST LONG.

Everything fell right into place for me to bus to Southern Spain and catch a ferry to Morocco this weekend. And guess who was waiting at the end of runway..PAIGE!

Tangier, Morocco is located really close to Spain. She took the train up and I took the bus down. I didn't have a very clear idea of what I was getting myself into, but knew she would take excellent care of me. We stayed in a hostel/home right downtown. The owner, Maggie, is an older Scottish woman who has lived practically everywhere, speaks at least four languages, and wanted us to see everything. The home was big, open, and decorated just like a Moroccan villa should be.

The lighting, tiles, and overall warmness reminded me so much of a place Uncle Jim and Uncle Don would have.
It was the prefect place for us to relax and feel like we were immersed even if we were sitting on the terrace talking (which we did quite a bit of).

We ate what I think were pretty traditional Moroccan dishes, such as shawarma and pastillas (also fresh donuts!). We wandered through the medina; saw fresh fruits, smelt fresh leather, and almost vomited from fresh meats.

Paige studies in Fez, further south in Morocco and a much larger city, but she could have fooled me that this was her home.
She new so many things about tradition, social norms, and the LANGUAGE. She ordered, asked questions, and even bargained with a shop vender, in the Moroccan dialect. She had endless stories about how her comfort levels have been pushed and what she has learned since living with a real Moroccan family.

I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time I was there.
It was a perfect 36 hours in Morocco.

Spending time with some people I love a lot, still thinking about everyone else I love a lot.
So lucky. So happy. Still exploring and learning. Still eager to keep doing it all!
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