I've been absent from my journal for the last 2+ weeks because I've been on sweet, sweet vacation. Things have been happening faster than I can write about them. This will probably turn into "The Last Three Weeks" by the time I'm done. Anyway, here's my best attempt to recount my trip home to America, land of dreams, and then when my carpal tunnel subsides I'll write a post about Stevie and Scott's visit to Barcelona.
After work Thursday night (the 20th), Michelle came over and we had a sleepover of sorts, with not much actual sleeping. Luckily we had flights at the same time; unluckily they were both and at ungodly hour of the morning. We got up at 3:30 am, left my apartment around 4:30, and caught a cab with a fur coat wearing American girl who happened to be looking for a taxi to the airport at the same time. The 9-hour flight was pretty exhausting, but at least I got a seat between the window and someone who was just the right amount of chatty. I poorly lied my way through customs (Of course I didn't bring home any food or alcohol!), dodged the food-sniffing dogs who were after my spicy chorizo, and made my way to the luggage claim. At the Barcelona airport, they have a service where you can pay a few euros to have your luggage plastic wrapped all around to prevent theft and damage to your bags. I didn't read the fine print where they warn you that you'll look like a freak when you go to collect your luggage anywhere else in the world where this isn't offered, but at least my bag was easy-to-spot and well-preserved. I was met by the girls: my mom, Renee, Stepmom-once-removed Laura, and a poster-board bearing Kira. It was so good to see them, especially in my delirious jet lagged state. There's nothing better than returning home to find your family waiting for you. It's even better when your family comes with a hand-made Welcome Home Laura sign (thanks Kira!) and a giant coffee.
My desire to hang out with Renee that night kicked my desire to sleep to the curb, and I went to her friend Kathleen's fancy pants Christmas party in Newark, running on fumes. It was definitely worth it, since I got to see some old friends, and I ended up lasting a few hours until I dragged myself back to Renee's apartment across the street.
The rest of the weekend I got to catch up with some Delaware friends: I spent the night at Emily's house Saturday night and hung out with Bill, Craig, and Gladys in Newark the next. I even got a visit from (UMD) Emily, who was nice enough to drive up from Baltimore so we could get some quality time in before she had to start cramming for the GREs (high on the list of reasons why I fled the country). She also bravely and very patiently played photographer during the ill-fated and comical attempt to get a family photo of Stevie, Scott, Renee, and me for my mom's Christmas present. The only time we could all meet was right before a family pre-Christmas dinner. While my mom was in the kitchen, Stevie arranged the room across the dining room into a mini photo shoot, complete with a tripod and an improvised spotlight. In between our tuck-and-roll type maneuvers to hide every time Mom came by to set up the dining room, the camera battery died, then the lightbulb burned out, and we could hear Steve from the kitchen asking my mom, "Where are the kids?" But somehow we pulled it off just in time, and it came out looking as natural as a posed, color coordinated family photo can be. I still think it would have been better if we squeezed into the hideously loud sweaters we donned during our original family photo circa 1994 so we could have hung them up side by side. Maybe next year...
Monday was Christmas Eve, and I spent the first part of it in a diner with Gladys, Bill, and Leigh Marine (who's in the Marines! ha! That will never get old) eating some good American breakfast food served by a disgruntled waitress who was clearly not getting her time and a half. Afterwards, I ran a few errands, and met up with Renee to start the annual game in which we visit as many family members as possible before the Christmas spirit dies. First up, Laura, John, and Kira's place. They just put a new addition on their house, and we sat on the porch catching up, eating John's successful Food Network recipe onion dip, and watching Kira's little cousin be adorable. Dinner was delicious as always, and it was so nice to catch up with everyone and exchange gifts before all the Christmas madness officially began.
The next day was a blur. Renee, Steve, my mom, and I woke up at 8:15 to open presents. I got lots of goodies, like everything I need to make sushi (and eat it in style), the book Candy Girl by Diablo Cody (which I've already finished), some CDs and movies, and some big ones I had to leave in the states, like a sweet HSN-esque food processor. I brought Renee some things from Spain, like a Spanish cooking book and a hand painted fan, and she gave me the perfect New Year's sparkly top. Overall, it was a good year on both ends. I really enjoyed shopping for everyone this year since I felt like I could give some original presents. After cleaning up the paper and saving the bows to use again for the next 15 or so years, we headed up to the Bowmans' house in Wilmington.
There, we played the gift exchange game where one person opens an anonymous present, then the next person can choose to open a new gift or steal the previous one. And so on. We had everything from board games to extra strength magnets to kitchen appliances and ceramic hands you could mount on your wall. All of it together was like a time capsule to demonstrate the quirkiness of our family. I contributed Sangria and these traditional Spanish Christmas desserts called torrones, which Renee ended up with. After a very nice (if not borderline cheating) attempt by my mom to ask everyone to take mercy on me and my limited space for Christmas gifts in my suitcase, I ended up with some sweet DVDs, all that come with Spanish subtitles! Renee and I were the only non-married ones there, which worked out to our disadvantage in the game, but I think everyone ended up happy. After some delicious food and singing carols outside in the middle of the morning, the Schofield-French clan took off for Christmas celebration #3.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Renee and I made a trip to my dad's house to celebrate there, then met up with everyone else at our Stepdad's sister's house. The big news there was that our cousin Carly got engaged (!), and we got to meet her fiance and ogle the ring. Now that Katie, Shelly, and Carly are all engaged and/or married, people will be looking at Stevie and me to see who's next, but I think the biggest plan either of us has right now is to travel Europe together this summer. After a great but exhausting day, we drove back to Elkton to relax a bit.
But, the next day I got up, had a dentist's appointment in Wilmington (no cavities!), met up with KC for lunch at Charcoal Pitt since I really needed a burger, and then drove down to College Park. Strangely enough, the first person I saw wasn't one of my friends from college, but a psychology professor I worked with during three semesters, Dr Tyler. He's the sweetest old man with so much insight and life experience. we arranged a time to meet so we could catch up and I could ask him some advice about grad school. Plus, the book I helped him edit got published, and he wanted to give me a copy of it. I chatted with him and his wife for a bit, and he gave me some great tips about narrowing down a grad school program. When I looked at the book, I saw he had included a really nice message to me and Rhea, the other girl who helped out, saying that we made the book more interesting and intelligible. So, my name's in print! After leaving the Tylers', I drove to meet my friend's for dinner in DC. It's difficult to find good Mexican food in Spain, so Sarah, Erin, Karen, Mallika, and Marianella, and I met at a great Mexican place and I got the fajitas I'd been craving. It was amazing to catch up with everyone, and I felt really lucky that we could all get together, even for such a short time. I spent the night with Karen, keeping her up way too late on a work night watching ridiculous videos on the world wide web. The next morning, I met up with Ashley, who luckily got the day off work from serving German food to gay men. We spent most of the day at the mall catching up and buying unnecessary things like identical snakeskin black boots (except hers are in a human size). That evening I drove back up to Elkton, then got up the next day to journey to my Grandfather's living community to chill out with him and his lady friend. Despite the depressing ambiance of the place, they have a really good buffet, and it's always a confidence-booster to hear my Grandpa's girlfriend Marge insist that every guy in the place under the age of 63 "likes my looks," even if it's just the waiter refilling the water. On a side note, in BCN I bought a black leather bag with silver studs, despite my worry that it might be too punk rock for English classes. Well, that notion was crushed when a sweet elderly lady tapped me on the shoulder during lunch and told me she liked my bag because it was sparkly like me. I'm not even badass enough for a nursing home!
My flight was the same evening, but I didn't have to go it alone: Stevie and Scott came back with me! Leaving was really hard. I thought it was reasonable to go home for just a week, but it was more than a little tough to see my friends and family for such a short time before having to say goodbye. I felt like I had no time to relax and really catch up - just as I got over the jet lag and the Christmas paper had been thrown away, I was on a plane back to Spain. But I was really lucky to be able to go home for Christmas, and even luckier that I have people in my life that I miss so much when I'm away. I love you all - thanks for making my trip home so amazing!
