So it is decided. After many days of sitting on pins and needles, I've finally done it. I've made a decision, and it was a very hard one for me to make. I'm going back to Vancouver.
There is a TESL course that starts there on January 4, 2010, and I'm going to throw myself into it like there's no tomorrow. I am choosing to do the course in Vancouver for two very simple reasons:
1) The course starts NOW and will be finished by the end of January. It will be super intense. The course here in Valencia starts middle of February and won't be over till middle of March. That would mean another 3 or so months before I feel like I'm actually getting going. And I didn't like that. Strike 1.
2) The course in Vancouver is in CDN dollars, not euros. The course in Valencia will cost almost twice as much after exchange. Damn euro! I didn't like that either. Strike 2.
And that basically sums it up. Plain and simple.
It was a difficult decision because I don't want to come back to Vancouver. I'm not ready. And I don't want to set foot on that cold continent called Canada any time soon. And I was holding out, being stubborn, letting my pride get the best of me. My time in Valencia, and Spain as a whole, has been nothing short of amazing. But I am coming back, and doing the course in Vancouver straight away ensures that I'm going to get my game on now, not later.
Valencia feels incredible to me - like an old sweater, it just fits perfectly and feels good, even though, of course, it's not perfect. Meaning: I can continue to try every month to try to get my work permit here, and it may very well never happen. I know that being an English teacher doesn't guarantee me anything really, but it's a better option than what I have now. And it gives me all the reason I need to choose this route.
But we shall see, as Ries says. We shall see. And on the topic of Ries, I know many of you have been wondering, so I will tell you: He is nothing short of amazing. I am in love. And that is all I can say right now so please don't ask. We don't know what the future holds. We shall see.
And wouldn't you know it, just as I've now decided to go back to Canada, things are starting to look even better here in Valencia. I met a handful of people at the Metropolitan Christmas Party (truth be known my main reason for going was to get out and meet some Valencianos), and I've been out a couple of times just in the last week and have seen even more of this very cool city. So I have a few connections now. They are all good people. And you know what? WE SPEAK SPANISH!! Yep. Me. Speaking Spanish. I'm loving it. Like I said, I'm still not very good, but I'm at the point now where I'm really enjoying making an attempt to speak properly, learning more vocabulary, and actually hearing the words now. Such fun! I've always been really interested in languages.
So this afternoon I am preparing my bags to head to back Barcelona on the 26th for a few days before I fly to Vancouver on the 30th. I've got my room in Barcelona still, and it needs packing. I hate packing. I am too comfortable here to pack. But I came into my room this afternoon resolved to get a head start on it. What happened instead? I almost had a melt down is what happened! Good grief! What the hell am I doing??? Did I make the right decision? Will all go well? What if what if what if what if??? So instead of packing, I've come to my computer once again, to my blogspot, to pound it out on this keyboard. AND I've put on the latest Armin Van Buuren cd. I thought it would make me feel better, but instead I'm having flashbacks to my weekend in Amsterdam with Ries and missing him now even more. Am I really taking myself way the hell over to another continent, even farther away from him? Well shoot. I guess I am.
The weather here is awesome. It is raining a bit, but super warm. Last night, get this, I was out for a cerveza in the University district (such a cool barrio!) and the temperature was 20 degrees! That's right. It was December 23 and 20 degrees. I had to take my coat off, and I sat outside like it was a regular summer evening, I did. It's not like that every day, but what I'm trying to say is that the weather patterns here are so different than I'm accustomed to in cold, rainy Vancouver. There have been a couple of really chilly days, days that make you seriously curse the Spanish for not building apartments with central heating. But then you get a nice reprieve and it'll heat up to 20. Today it's 17, high clouds, and it rained a little this morning. My umbrella got slightly damp. ha! I think I can handle this, don't you?
I know I can.
So this is my final respect to Valencia, the city that became my home. A city that I wasn't even aware of before October. The city that did nothing but encourage me, strengthen me, and enlighten me. Whose people did nothing but show me warmth and kindness, and whose hearts are as warm as the Catalan sun in July. Well, make that the "Valencian" sun. I will be back!
Feliz Navidad a todos!
Charleen xo
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