Milestones

Today is interesting for many reasons.  One I´ve been in Spain for about 17 days and if I were really on vacation it would be around this time that I would have boarded a plane to return home.  So this is the end of my tourist mode.  As of today I move into resident mode.  And how appropriate that TODAY I move into my new flat!  It was not supposed to move until tomorrow, but Sarita called and said that I could move in tonight!  Awesome!  So I have been here over two weeks and some say that many things have happened pretty easily for me; such as finding an apartment so quickly and according to Anna easily.  I agree that this process has gone much smoother than I thought and I can say that I am deeply appreciative.  I was really nervous about wiring such a large sum of money to a virtual stranger in a foreign country but I am sure Sarita feels the same about renting her appartment.  The process was basically I met with her mother, Donnatella (beautiful Italiana) on Monday evening and fell in love with the flat.  It is large (relatively speaking) and reasonable for the neighborhood.  I will be living in Barrio Gotic which is in the city center near almost everything.  I guess a good place to start for someone still learning the city and barri´s.  Anna lives in Mont Juic and she thought I should look there.  We did see a great flat owned by her boss but it wasnt furnished.  Since I dont want to commit to buying furniture here it did not work. Mont Juic is less touristic so it is a good place to keep in mind once at the end of my lease if I decide to move.  I am happy to be out of my small studio.  I find that I stay in more there...odd but it makes me want to hybernate.  There are probably other factors.  I think also because I have been living out of a suitcase for the last six month; knowing that the studio is temporary has maintained the feeling of not being settled within me.  I cant wait to upack my suitcase...starting TONIGHT!  Tomorrow is a big day.  I begin my Spanish language classess. Four hours a day of speaking Spanish!  Very exciting!  Speaking of exciting...it has been a very exciting week.  I am still processing some of what has happened so right now I¨m not writing about it.  It¨s nothing horrible, just unexpected encounters:-)  Sounds cryptic!  LOL. 
So let me recap my milestones:
1.  Secured a permanent flat
2.  Surpassed the number of days that I´ve ever stayed in Europe
3.  Managing to comprehend more and more Spanish that is spoken around
4.  Have stopped mumbling in Spanish when I speak with people
5.  Enrolled myself in Spanish language classes
6.  Have spent time with two women that I can see a deep friendship developing
7.  Some of the fear that had gripped me each morning has lessened

Regarding the last point.  I acknowledged to Maru that each day I woke up gripped with fear of failure and uncertainty.  Those feeling were in mortal combat with hopefulness and excitement.  On some days fear and uncertainty won out and I did not leave my flat.  On others I was able to venture out and navigate the city with some success.  On Tueseday night I met Maru for a movie.  I travelled by train to a new neighborhood and arrived at the meeting spot a little early.  It gave me time to people watch.  I watched people waiting and meeting eachother at the metro stop.  I was struck at the joy the expressed at seeing eachother.  Real joy!  I didnt know if they had just seen eachother at work or had just had lunch with each other earlier that day...but at the moment they saw eachother I could have sworn that they greeted eachtohter with the joy one experiences from not having seen a friend in a long period of time.  I sat there smiling as lovers, friends, husbands and wives embraced.  At that moment I realized one of the reasons I came to Barcelona...the people here have a boundless joy about life.  They share it, arent stingy with the love and affection.  Just then Maru walks from the metro and comes over to me...two kisses to the checks...HOLA Guapa! she says...I am happy because I am apart of this joy!