Today, like last Saturday, I went to the farmers market in Kingston, NY where I live. There's a man there from Cordoba called "Chef Ef" who runs a paella stand, proudly flying both the American and Spanish flags. Last week I spoke to him and got some paella, which was heavy on seafood. This week I got chicken and sausage paella, a much better choice for me. As he scooped my paella out of the giant wok, I heard a faint melody. I was taken back to The south end of Calle Asunción to the first row of tents at La Feria. My friend Raul Gomez, winner of the Spanish Singing competition tv program much like American idol, called me to see if I was there so we could meet up. We found each other and he led me and some friends to a tent. There I had a typical feria drink, and tried to dance Sevillanas with his Spanish lady friends. The next day I went to the Feria with my school, and we found a large public tent where we ate, drank, and danced. It was in one if not both of these tents that I heard that song before, and had tried to dance to it's fast rhythm. I then asked Chef Ef, "¿esta música es sevillanas?/is that Sevillanas music?, to which he replies "siii", as in "of course". It felt good to hear that music again in a setting other than Spotify in my May-term dorm room.
I officially miss Spain. Not everything, but lots of things. I miss the wonderful food. I've tried to make tortilla española, but can't quite get it. I miss the freedom, and deciding what I was gonna do, where I was gonna go, and when I did what. I miss the people. I miss the American friends I made, and I miss my spaniard friends. I am so grateful to live in an age where I can keep in contact with all of them whether we're a state or and ocean apart. I miss the beautiful, exotic architecture. I miss the passion in Sachez-Pizjuan during a Sevilla FC game. I miss being able to speak in Spanish. I miss going for a run in the Plaza de España, seeing tourists and thinking "ugh, tourists." I miss the adventure of exploring new places with new friends, like going to Paris armed with nothing but the Apple Map app and 2 phrases in French.
This list is incomplete, but it summarizes the big idea.
I never thought I'd feel this way, but I really miss these things. I really miss Spain.
