Por la ultima vez

I have come and gone. Things I have seen and things I have done. I’ve seen the world but the world’s just not the same when you’re missing something, someone you’ve left behind. As I walked along the last 7 days in Sevilla, there were a lot of “lasts” that I really uniquely experienced in Sevilla:

• I will miss the 3 block walk to the bus stop and the 20 minute ride to campus. I’ll never be able to do that back home. I’ll miss jaywalking with cars running in the streets, walking home from anywhere and random walks in the park. You don’t have those things where I live.
• I’ll miss UPO, the school that looks like a prison, complete with its own watchtower. UPO has rekindled my love for (beach) volleyball. The people I have met there helped me grow, and forced better Spanish to come out of my mouth. I also think having a beer tap in the cafeteria is awesome. No need for Ids there. I wish I knew what campus beer tasted like.
• I’m going to miss 3pm lunch times and 10pm dinner times. Not really. But I’ll miss the family I have come to enjoy being with, whose constant love for me like a son cannot be compared to any other hosts other than my blood parents and very close relatives. Thank you for helping me understand you and for understanding me. You encouraged me to be a better speaker and not be afraid to express my thoughts, in Spanish.
• I’m going to miss Tuesday nights at Rodilla talking about Jesus. Thank you for being my community away from home. You have encouraged me to have a heart filled with humility as I try to embrace other faiths and beliefs. For in God’s eyes, we’re all his children. I appreciate the thoughts that you have shared and the laughs you’ve made. Ladies should always be encouraged. You should not throw sugar across the table and always remember that Jesus is in everyone.
• I’m going to miss flamenco, tapas and churros (very early in the morning). Midnight snacks/early breakfasts are the best pick me up from a long, tiring day. Who knew that 8 euros can get me full. $20 can’t get me full in Calgary, and that’s 4 meals already. Sevilla, thanks for the great cultural ride.
• I’m going to miss the unique faith of Sevilla, from its love for Mary to the beautiful altars that praise God in what he created. Glorious can’t even compare. Macarena, La O, Esperanza de Triana, El Gran Poder, you are all awesome. We did it till dawn that one time.
• I’m going to miss walking from Prado to centro almost every day and seeing the odd tour group, random Asians popping out of nowhere, bikes riding on train tracks, the laid back Andalucian style, maybe even the horse poo you try to avoid stepping on the street. I’m going to miss hanging out by the river to see random people in swimsuits tanning, teens and locals carrying plastic bags of beer to drink in public. Things you find so random but so normal, it’s awesome.
• I think I’ll miss the beach the most. Being an island boy at heart and being landlocked in Calgary truly makes me sad. Mr./Ms. Atlantic Ocean, I loved dipping in your waters, jumping from heights and being on an aquatic vessel on you. I will see your other half, the Pacific, by the end of the year.

To all those I have met along the way, it’s been a wild ride. I have truly enjoyed your company. Thank you for sharing all this time with me and putting up with my stupidity, my friends will tell you they got a good break from it. I have made fantastic friends here, whom I hope will come visit me in Calgary. I’ll visit you after I’m done school, after December, sometime then. With belief or unbelief, I see God in you and I will continue to pray for you. Your hearts have spoken true to me and I hope mine has run true to you.

Truth is: People have places to call home. Even if we work far away, called to mission, living a dream or being away on a whim, home is a different feeling. As much as I love Sevilla, it is only a temporary home. My true home is not here. My true home is where my heart is, where I left it.

Sevilla, I love you. I’ll return to you, with my heart next time. But for now, I’m on my way home. I’m coming home, to my heart, as fast as I can.

The Blues of Driving

People drive. It’s a necessity. Wait, is it “truth is” yet? No, it’s not. Still, people need to drive. They don’t intend to, but they just suck at it. I’m not the best driver, but I know that there are others who need to definitely work on it. The five things that I hate about driving are five different kinds of people.

5. Drivers who can’t decide which lane they want to be in. In their indecisiveness, they choose both. If you can’t decide, stay off the road.

4. People who drive under the speed limit IN GOOD DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IN THE FAST LANE. Sometimes I wonder if they’re in it just to tick the hell out of people, because I am. They’re better off pushing a shopping cart.

3. Tailgaters. They are one of the worst people I know. I am still a relatively new driver and I can’t help but feel pressured when you’re in front of them. Since they suck at driving, my advice is to just pass me. I’m in the slow lane, too!

2. People who don’t signal. Honestly, they are moving and very dangerous hazards on the road. People are not mind readers. They can’t do anything about you sideswiping them after you moved when you clearly indicated no warning beforehand.

1. Finally, people who drive ultra small cars. There is nothing more annoying than finding a seemingly free parking spot after a few minutes of looking for one when you find a really small car parked in it. I hate smart cars! You honestly can’t see them until you’ve decided to go in only to find that the seat’s already been taken. I think they should have extendable bumpers that go out when parked. I drove a Honda Fit for a week once, I hated it. No offence to the owners.

Truth is: Driving is a necessary evil. People need to move. They don’t mean to clog the streets, pollute the air and destroy natural resources to pave the way for infrastructure (not intentionally). No one is perfect but we could use better drivers on the road. So folks, get off your cellphones, take off the loud subs, stay on your lane and please drive responsibly.

Hello, it’s me.

Lily Aldrin said this about her other apartment, “It’s like fat pants. You hope you never use them but you’re glad they’re there.” This is the way I feel about this blog. I’d never thought I’d use it since Xanga has been a place to scratch my head for the past 4 years. I never realized how much of a home that was for me until I left. I will still cherish the posts that I subscribe to: NthApostle, Cakalusa, Gracey411, Richie73 and everyone else. However, it’s time for a new homecoming.

I’m glad for the move. It’s an open change and something that I’ve had mixed feelings from the start. I hope that I can write the same way I left Xanga and look forward to writing better, more well thought posts here in the future.

My truth is this: Everyone needs fat pants, but when you use them. Don’t regret ever buying them. They’re not an excuse to get fat. Just a precaution that becomes a welcome change. Aren’t you glad they were hanging in your closet?