como?

My IES classes ended last week, and I decided that meant my UGR ones would too, so I am officially done with my classes and have moved on to finals week (all this Spanish has brought back my awful passive-voice habits from high school that Dr. N and Mrs. A made me fix ... great.). After a semi-chaotic error in miscommunication I took my sexologia final on Friday, it ended up being an oral exam that we all took together, thankfully. Basically the exam (long story short) was our Prof, Jesus Florida, looking through Jackie's notes and asking us each a random question about them. And of course he managed to ask each of us questions from a class we hadn't been to -- I managed to mess up one of the easiest questions on this planet and somehow, despite all my Winchester and Haverford sharing and caring upbringing, forgot the word "transexual". At the end he looked at us and said (in Spanish) "Well that went badly, actually it couldn't have gone any worse. But the important thing is you came to class and took notes, so I'm giving you all 8/10s, which is a very good grade for Spanish students." Honestly I have never been so unprepared (as in didn't study at all) for an exam in my life, and pulled a low A on that final ... which is extremely helpful in motivating me to study or work for other classes. This Spanish education system is going to take its toll on my during the thesis process next year. Ugh.

Last weekend I went out with a bunch of the residencia kids to tapas, the Hipercore (huge outdoor area behind a shopping center that is one of the government designated outdoor drinking areas post-declaration that you can't drink in public) which was insane, and then Granada 10 for old times sake. Saturday we explored the tapas area near my homestay and got delicious tapas and amazing mojitos. Sunday Dio, Joya, Amanda and I took one last beach trip to beautiful Nerja. The weather was perfect, the water was freezing, and the sun was strong, so I've officially got a legitimate tan now :). I've been maximizing time spent outside and tapas-ing in Granada, which is taking a toll on the bank account, but its well worth it (sorry dids).

It's so gorgeous here right now, of course. My finals aren't lookin like they're going to be too rough so I'm spending as much time as I possibly can breathing in every possible last inch of Granada. It really is like an alternate reality here where the sky is bluer, the food tastes better, and life is just incredible. I woke up early this morning to go for a run and started to feel really sad that in a weeks time I would never be running on this beautiful trail, heading towards the Sierra Nevada's still slightly snow-capped peaks framed by palm trees, surrounded by Spaniards for a very long time. It's unfair how people and places can come in and out of your life so quickly, no matter how much of an impact they have on you it's still impossible to hold on to it/them forever, but it's really hard for me to let Granada go. I know I'm coming back here, but the thought of leaving seems unreal.

Tomorrow Joya and I are having lunch at Dio's homestay right after I have my first IES exam (CivLam, the bane of my existence). Thursday I have my Cine Exam and Amanda and I are going to try to get to the General Life gardens of the Alhambra and then the Parque de Garca Lorca, both are supposed to be breath takingly beautiful right now so I'm really excited. Friday's my Grammar Exam and then that night is the Goodbye Dinner/official end of the program. Monday I leave with Lauren for Madrid. Since when is it May 19? I'll be home in ten days ...

I'm beyond excited to see everyone i love back home, and to see my city and eat the food I miss, but I am not excited to pack up and leave such a beautiful place. My earlier post about my "being in a really good place" about leaving, you can completely ignore. I AM excited to be done with these tedious exams though, this studying is getting in the way of my making the most of my final week here. It's kind of fun getting to be a tourist again and take pictures of everything I've been taking for granted this whole time, in some odd way. Vamos a ver, see you all soon!