despues Espana

So I remember thinking 1 month ago that when I got back to the U.S. I would continue to blog, and I would write tons of follow-up blog posts about differences between the U.S. and Spain, and how I adjusted back into the culture, etc. In reality, I have been doing nothing these past few weeks. Yes, I have a job babysitting, and I have been hanging out with friends and family, but it took me a full three weeks to get adjusted to the point that I would want to write. The weird part was, that it didn't happen slowly but surely, as I figured it would have. It just sort of hit me; I was readjusting, readjusting, readjusting, with the vivid memories of Spain, my Spanish family, and my Study abroad friends in the front of my mind. Then, one day, I went hours without thinking about speaking Spanish or of the past five months.
I guess I am fully readjusted, with random lapses when I recall laying out on the beach all day, or being challenged in one constant flow verses solid chunks (I'll explain that in the next paragraph). Being back in Indiana makes me realize that I love Indiana. I love driving and riding in cars. I love cooking my own food, and eating pancakes every day. I love texting (hate to admit that I still text as much as I did before, despite being without it for 5 months). I love spending time with my family and friends. I have enjoyed watching my brother and his team play numerous baseball games, and making it to state. There are so many great things here that I love, and there are so many great things there I love.
As I mentioned before, I miss constantly being challenged. I miss mi madre correcting my Spanish and being forced to study if I wanted to communicate. Now I have gone back to speaking English (thanks to my family labeling our entire house in English words, just in case I had forgotten them) and I feel like my Spanish might slip away. Of course I try to speak to Ben in Spanish when I can, but we always default back to English. I miss being challenged daily. Things might happen here that challenge me, don't get me wrong. These things are very different though; they happen all at once and I have to just deal with and move on verses seeing it as one huge 5 month long challenge. It's ok though, because me maintaining what I learned in Spain through studying, reading, and talking Spanish is something I am fully prepared and wanting to be challenged with.
I miss siestas though; I think the U.S. should try siestas out for a week. Wouldn't you all like a 1 hour nap after you eat lunch every day? It would make the U.S. and healthier, happier place... maybe we should try it.

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As many of you know, I have yet another adventure coming up soon! I am moving to Denver, Colorado for an internship through Samaritan Purse's Operation Christmas Child. After the application and interview process, I was asked and I committed to working a full six months with OCC, helping out with their Public and Media relations. I cannot WAIT for this job. I am going to grow in my faith, I just know it, not to mention I will learn more about the Communication field then I thought possible.
Since I am going away again, I will maintain my blog. I need to warn you all though, it will probably be a little boring without my European adventures and pictures to spice things up. Then again, maybe not, because I decided to take up rock climbing....