[Taken from my blog at madridmemories.wordpress.com]
Crazily enough, I’ve now lived in Madrid for 3 months, and it’s time for a trip home for the Christmas holidays!
After a nice flight chatting to a fellow Brit I met on the plane about our experiences living in Madrid, and then meeting some people from my uni at the airport (small world, eh?!), my dad drove me home in time for dinner. To my surprise and joy, Santa was outside the house when we got home. Well, it might not have been the real Santa, because the real Santa totally wouldn’t have ignored me waving at him. Either way, it was a great touch to my homecoming (I mean, he was clearly there for me). OK, just in case any clarification is in order, this was a Santa sleigh-float that goes around the neighbourhood every year in December, greeting the children (apparently not 20-year-olds), collecting money for a cause, and being fed mince pies by lovely old ladies who have been baking.
Since being home, I’ve had a few thoughts – I think some will be shared by other people who have come back from abroad, and others by students in general:
1. England is cold (not that cold, though; we seem to be having a mild few days)!
2. The Christmas tree in my small home town is the definition of underwhelming after living in Madrid.
3. I understand most if not all stuff that is said to me – I appreciate this more after having lived abroad.
4. Mince pies exist! I had forgotten about these for the year until my neighbour gave me a home-made one during aforementioned Santa excitement.
5. The washing-up gloves at home-home are rather luxurious.
6. Everything in the house works.
7. Food.
I look forward to spending the rest of the holidays meeting up with friends, listening to Christmas music, watching TV repeats of films with family, and maybe even doing a bit of university work. Possibly.
Merry Christmas, reader, and have a happy new year!