Although Louisville is home to me, there is one place in Madrid that I call home. Two summers ago, I lived with a woman named Soledad (Sol, for short) and her daughter, also named Sol. She has been a host mother to American students for the past eight years and with the arrival of three new girls today, she has hosted 43! For two and a half months, she was the closest thing I had to family. The two of us became very close, especially during the last six weeks, when I was the only girl living at the house. We stayed up late, talking in Spanish, and watched Pasapalabra, my favorite Spanish TV program, every night at 8 pm. Over these past two years we have kept in touch, through email. Every few months I have called her, mainly on important days like when Barack Obama was inaugurated as president (I discovered on my first trip that Sol, like the majority of Spain, are huge admirers of Barack!), on Mother's Day, and when Spain won the World Cup. Sometimes I would just call to say hello. I really do consider her my other mother, because this is the woman who took care of me for a whole summer. We met as strangers, but said good-bye as family. I was supposed to live wth her originally, but many of you know that my journey to Spain has been a game of "I'm going, I'm not going, oh wait, I think I am going," and the university placed three girls with her during one of my "I'm not going" phases. Sol just arrived back in Madrid last night, so today was the first day I had the opportunity to visit her.
I was so excited when I called her this morning and told her I was on my way. I was even more giddy when I walked into the apartment building. When I rang the doorbell and heard her footsteps coming towards the door, I could hardly contain myself. We both kind of squealed and then embraced in a long hug. Tears were shed on both ends. It was one of those moments where you cannot put a price on its worth. In the living room, she gave me another hug, and then again when we sat on the couch. She said she couldn't believe that I was back again, and neither could I. I believe I am only the second girl that has lived with her that has come back to Spain, although I could be wrong.
We sat on the couch and caught up. I asked her about the new girls and we were laughing hysterically as she tried to learn and pronounce their names correctly. I was so relieved that I was able to carry on a conversation with her in Spanish, without making many mistakes. I had been so upset the other day, thinking I had forgotten everything I had worked so hard to learn. She made fun of me, because the last time we talked, my Spanish was absolutely horrible. In Sol's words, it was fatal! She and I then ate lunch - Sol is the best cook in all of Madrid. She had prepared a pasta, similar to lasagna, salad, bread, and we had tinto verano, a traditional summer beverage in Spain.
Shortly after that, the girls woke up from naps and I introduced myself to them. They are all students at Saint Louis University in the states. (SLU has a campus in Madrid, and that is where I am taking classes. Many students from the St. Louis campus spend a semester in Madrid.) I also feel so old! They are 19, 20, and 21. We sat around the table, eating polos (popsicles). They were eager to ask questions and I was glad to offer my help. I also did a lot of translating between Sol and the girls, which boosted my confidence even more. I took them on a walk around the neighborhood, pointing things out like Estadio Bernabeu, where Real Madrid plays, the metro station, the store that stays open late, etc, etc. They kept telling me how glad that were that I came over. I explained that I was nervous and scared my first few days in Madrid (okay, maybe my first two weeks!) and I didn't want them to feel so overwhelmed and that I was here to help out whenever. Tomorrow I am returning to Sol's and will show them how to take the metro to school. Sol has a phobia of being underground in the metro, so I told her I would take them so she didn't have to make the trip. After we got back in the house, Sol had fixed dinner. I shouldn't have been hungry, having only ate a few hours prior, but somehow the smell of Spanish tortilla and a tomato salad, awakened my senses and I suddenly had an appetite! The funny thing is, the first time I was at Sol's, she prepared so much food for us and I actually lost weight! I remember one day in particular, when Jessie (one of my roommates) and I were eating lunch at the house. Sol had prepared chicken that was lightly fried in aceite (olive oil). Although it was just the two of us, she had cooked something like 8 pieces. Jessie and I were ready to stop after piece two, but Sol kept filling our plates and saying that we had to be hungry!
Little Sol (the daughter) arrived home around 8. Sol told me to hide on a spot on the wall and she came over and blocked me. Sol the daughter, didn't even look my way. She went straight over and met the new girls. It was only after she sat down that she got a hint and asked, "is that all the girls?" I then popped out and I had another hug fest. She was so excited to see me, her hermanita (little sister). Vicky, Sol's other daughter and my other "sister" also called the house to talk to me. I cannot wait to see her again and meet Santiago, her son.
The timing of my visit to my "home" was just what I needed and the timing was impeccable. The first few days are always the roughest to me. Although I know Elena and the kids, I still feel like a stranger in the house, because I have never lived with them before. It's a bit uncomfortable, but I know that feeling will go away. It's also been different adjusting to living in a house with small children, who at the beginning, burst in your room at any given time. I'm sure it's quite a change for them also. I have to admit, I was getting tired of having the same routine - waking up, eating breakfast, passing the day at the pool. I don't think I could have taken another day of it! Spending the day with Sol was perfect. There is nothing like the comfort of being with your Mother. Since my real mother is not here, my other mother works just as well. Sol has that maternal instinct and I feel it when I'm in her presence. Today was such a great day for me. Sol, the daughter, also commented that my Spanish is still very good after two years. And people are right - home is such a sweet place. And it's always good to know that no matter where you are, there are still people at home (in my case, in two countries) that love you and are there for you no matter what.
Quote of the Day: "Love is a great beautifier"- Louisa May Alcott
RHOM Update: For those of you who are following this real-live soap opera, I really don't have anything to report. Last night, they stayed out well past ten o'clock. We could hear them cackling and gossipping during dinner. The doctor was at the pool yesterday and he spent his time running and jumping into the pool, trying to impress a group of kids, ranging from 0-7. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself, I guess! The more I look at him, the more I have to agree with Elena. He really is unattractive. Oh, and I've decided who Big Bertha reminds me of. Remember the movie The Parent Trap? The original one with Hayley Mills? (I'm pretty sure that's her name.) Well, there was the one lady on there who was named Vicky. You know, the father's girlfriend. She seemed like such a dragon lady to me. The kind of person who thinks she is better than you and seems much older than what she really is. This belief was confirmed when she reappeared in the remake of the film with Lindsay Lohan. She talked down to the girls at the pool saying, "But you can call me Vicky" in that voice that seemed to really be saying, "I don't like you but I'm going to act like I like you". That's who Big Bertha reminds me of. So I guess let's call her Vicky, shall we?
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