Desde el Rincon de Navidad

Plazas draped in netted domes of colored lights.
Markets full of vendors selling nativity scenes and whoopie cushions in mass.
Roasted Chestnuts, Sweet Potatoes and Corn on every corner.

At last, Christmas has hit Madrid.

My own Piso 2 Puerta 6 even has a little decoration. Our Christmas corner is fully decked with a Poinsettia, table cloth, flashy tensile, and a crumbling remaining slice of Panettonne (which our fellow Italian has deemed "fake"). There is even an ambiance of candlelight, as only one surviving light remains in our overhead candelabras--- and when the computer is turned on, you can almost see.

I am, however, quite excited to come home. After a bout of the Madridian "gripe," which robbed me of my ability to correct pronunciation and bound me to the couch with the final Harry Potter book, I am ready for a rest. I am slightly concerned that the airport dogs will be sicked upon me for various illegalities, and I'm not sure I can request prayers for such deserved anxieties, so hopefully I will slide under the radar. I fly out the 13th, so any last requests should be submitted immediately.
Note: No room remains for nude beaches, Spanish women or tapas bars.

I realized today that I have been here for over 4 months, and overall it has been a pleasant experience. Much of the romance of living in Europe gets lost in the everyday humdrum of laborsome toil. However, it has certainly been challenging to teach at all levels and learn a new language. While I often feel a bit incompetent, I am learning a good deal, and at times I even enjoy the work.

As classes slow down due to holiday impatience in both students and teacher, and as the metros swell with people and packages, I will now bid adieu to this blog for 2007. Thank you all for your interest and comments, and I look forward to greeting many of you soon in English, barbecue-roasted, Wal-Mart bombarded and peanut-butter filled...Memphis.

Feliz Navidad y Ano Nuevo!