Rough Patch

This week has not been my best here in Spain! I think that it's starting to hit me that I'm not just on vacation... that I'm actually going to be living here for the next couple months. Not that that's a bad thing, AT ALL, it's just starting to become more of a reality and less of an "I-love-everything-and-everything-is-beautiful-and perfect" study abroad trip.

I've been feeling a little frustrated about a number of things... (disclaimer: you don't have to read this, I just wrote it out to get it all off my chest!)
1. Registering for my classes for winter quarter. But, good news, the ever-fabulous Suzi O'Hare stepped up and registered for me on Monday morning since I was in class here in Spain-time during my enrollment. Thank you, thank you. So much weight lifted off my shoulders!
2. I have a serious addiction to chips. So far every time I've bought a bag I've finished them in less than 24 hours. Maybe I'm missing salt or something? Or am just obsessed? Not sure... In addition, I never work out. And I know I walk a lot but I feel bad about the ridiculous amount of carbs I'm eating, even though they are gluten-free, without actually MOVING throughout the day.
3. I feel like I'm missing out on so much with Chi O :( I got a little sister and a triplet, which is SO EXCITING but I hate that I won't be in Chicago for all those fun moments leading up to and after big/little reveal.
4. I feel like my Spanish isn't getting any better. I know I've only been here for three weeks, but ugh. All of the things I'm learning in my grammar class are things that I already know but when it comes to actually using them in my everyday life, I CAN'T TALK. It's so much harder than I expected to be in a bilingual environment... one second I'm speaking in English, the next I'm speaking Spanish. I know it's a good thing, but it's frustrating at times.
5. I miss alone time. I love that we have a big group of students that are here from DePaul and I love my roommates and my host mom and having connections to so many people that I have something in common with here in Madrid. At the same time, I miss the independence of being to go out with just one or two people- I feel like it always turns into a huge ordeal since there's so many people studying abroad. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, I'm just the type of person who likes alone time and small groups once in a while. So finding that balance has been something I've been struggling with too.
6. I miss my family. I miss my siblings and my parents.

And it's not that everything is horrible-- not at all! Like I said, I just feel like Spain is starting to become more of a reality and obviously, not everything can be perfect. I'm looking forward to this weekend, though. I have a lot of fun plans: Real Madrid soccer game, a huge flea market, maybe biking in the park, a tour of the city and a visit to the Prado with CEA... Good things to come :)