seventeen

So here I am, one day shy of being 17. Where has time gone? Or is time the one that moves? Because I think people move. Time just happens. People learn. People change. People grow. People move.

And people, are most definitely the ones who make the world go round.

At almost 17 it's amazing to look back and see what I've done. Accomplished. Finished. Learned. It's amazing to look back and see the places I've been, the people I've met, and the things that have changed myself as a person. I feel like this is a marker on my life timeline. The significance? Not much. Just another birthday. But for the first time when I turned around to see what has fulfilled these 17 years, there was a different feeling. My time here in Spain has taught me more than I know. The little things that I have gotten used to, the lessons I've learned, and most of all- the people I've met. There is no explanation to describe some of the friends that I have made, and how grateful I am to have them. And with this experience I have confirmed one important lesson. It's not the places you go, or the things you do- it's the people.


People fulfill life.

Not places, or monuments. Not beaches, or mountains. Not money, not gifts. How boring would life be without being accompanied by our friends? The world is one, big place. Sure there are different cultures, languages, religions, or countries... but in the end, the world is our place.

Our one place, together. People are people. It doesn't matter where you are from.

I would like to point out how much I have learned from people all over the world. My friends? I have many. From Kentucky to New York. Massachusetts to Washington. Texas to Missouri. Minnesota to Florida. England to Japan. Thailand to Germany. Italy to Norway. The connection between the exchange students is incredible. Exchange students are the best people to talk to. They understand everything you are going through. Fortunately, I am lucky enough to have the best group of friends anyone could ask for. Saturday my awesome friend Caroline got a group of students together and we went to a theme park in Madrid. Not only did she plan the party, she brought a cake. An ice cream cake.

"And those are freaking hard to find in this country."

The thing is, we have these great ideas. But something always pops up that turns our "good idea" into a complete project or adventure. Like Caroline bought me a cake. But that required her taking it on the bus (which she had to sprint to for a heck of a long way) and then later on the metro, and finally to the theme park. Now, she brought JUST the cake so that required me 'borrowing' a knife from the Chinese restaurant we ate at. Getting the cake into the park required putting the cake (and the knife) in Mackenzie's purse. (picture above) We enjoyed our cake sitting on some nice green grass that had a 'DO NO WALK ON GRASS' sign. But of course... in Spanish. We then had no spoons/forks/napkins/plates to eat an ice cream cake. Therefore, this was the best ice cream cake experience I've ever had in my life. Oh yeah, we could at least wash our hands after eating. Phew.

But there were no paper towels or dryer, so...yeah.




Jake also has a really awesome blog you should read- he's one of the other students in central Madrid. He has another blog on the day too.

http://jakeinmadrid.blogspot.com/2010/10/afs-amistades-forjadas-para-siempre.html


That's all I've got for the night. I have another post coming soon.

Picture below credited to Jake




Hope your day is filled with a bunch of squirrely adventurous things as well


-mb