El Dia Final

Tuesday, August 2

My last day in Spain.

(I never count travel days.)

I had no idea what to do with myself today. I sat around my room and read for a while. I walked a few blocks and tried to window shop and just soak in some Madrid, but it was too hot to be comfortable outside.  I came inside to use the internet, but even that was making me restless.

I guess my body just knows it’s almost over, and doesn’t want to give up without a fight.

My final plan for Spain was to go see the Flamenco Ballet just a couple blocks from my hostel, and I’m incredibly grateful I did.

The show was Carmen, the Spanish opera, but only the dancing was performed live.  There were traditional Spanish costumes. There was fan dancing, castenettes, matadors, and really just all things Spanish.

The show was fantastic, and it was a perfect culmination of my stay.

It was just so Spanish, for lack of a better phrase. And it was a beautiful show that captured my attention through every minute and had me holding my breath in the final scenes.

I’m sure the girl sitting next to me thought I had a nervous tick, because I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to stomp and clap along with all of the music, since Flamenco is (roughly) a Spanish version of tap dancing.

Overall, it was just a perfect way to end my night, and I’m so glad I went today instead of another day of the trip.

From here, I’m just going to call it a night early, since I’m planning on leaving my hostel at 7:30 tomorrow morning to give myself plenty of time at the airport.

And oddly, I’m not that sad to be leaving.

I don’t want to go - don’t get me wrong. But I think I said my Spanish goodbyes to Oviedo, and Madrid has just been a method of transitioning myself back to the real world. I’ve started getting emails about work and school, and I’ve spoken to my family and friends about plans for when I’m home, and really everything has been preparing me to leave Spain.

I think also, that I’m not worried about leaving because I know it’s not goodbye forever, just adios for now.

I’m sure I’ll be back.

Whether it’s a year from now, five years, ten or twenty, I know I’ll be here again, I’ll be traveling again, and this will not be a once in a lifetime experience. Though it has been worthy of the phrase, I refuse to allow my trip to be only once.

I don’t believe anything should be shut into a box like that, wrapped up in the neat little phrase “once in a lifetime.”

Because if I never expect something this amazing to happen again, what am I waiting for?

Instead, I’ll call it unique. And wonderful. And fantastic. And fulfilling and adventurous and beautiful and eye-opening. 

And fun. Most of all, fun.

But once in a lifetime? Maybe for some people, but not just once in mine.