Well here I am in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, taking a mini-vacation before heading over to Mahon, Menorca where I plan to be for the next 8 months. It truly is beautiful here. The town of Palma is quaint yet lively, with windy cobblestone streets barely wide enough for cars to pass through. Right now I’m sitting on a bench along a path that hugs the Mediterranean Sea. The shoreline is breathtaking, overlooked by classic island-style houses and mountains in the distance. The focus of the city is a gigantic cathedral that towers over the city. The cathedral (Cathedral La Seu) looks more like a fortress, with its gothic architecture giving it an ominous feel, strange for such a sunny place. (I know I sound like a guide book, but I’m just trying to do this place justice)
The flight over here went smoothly. One thing I noticed was that all airport personnel addressed me in Spanish, which of course made me think I had them all fooled. Not that I’m ashamed to be an American, but it does evoke a certain sense of satisfaction to know you don’t stick out like a sore thumb. Thus, given that I was clearly disguising myself so well, I was afraid Elizabeth would have a hard time recognizing me at the airport. Elizabeth is the other language assistant placed on Mahon for this year. We made contact late this summer, and arranged to share a hostel in Mallorca. We planned on meeting at the airport “by the baggage claim,” which we hoped would be specific enough for such a small airport. I panicked a little when I saw hundreds of people claiming their luggage, but nonetheless it took about three minutes for her to spot me. (I guess you just can’t take the American out of the girl. She said the Jansport backpack gave me away.)
Even though I liked Elizabeth right away, my first few hours in Palma were a little unsettling. I was feeling tired and homesick, and simply unable to appreciate all the beautiful sights. My emotions seemed to cloud my vision; an effect I hoped would subside. And it did. Within hours Elizabeth and I had unpacked, settled in, grabbed a drink and had a solid heart-to-heart. It’s funny, I feel like kindred spirits seem to surface at unexpected times, yet I wasn’t surprised to feel so instantly connected to Elizabeth. Maybe it’s because we have an unspoken alliance as 2 American girls taking on a small, unfamiliar island city. Or maybe because logically speaking we had to have some kind of common fundamental ideals in order to end up in the same situation at the same time. So we talked about our hopes, fears and dreams about the next 8 months, coming to realize that we were at a similar crossroads in life. I just got my bachelor’s degree and am unsure of what to do next, and she just got her master’s and appears to be in the same boat. I was surprised (and comforted on a selfish level) to know that Elizabeth has the same reservations I do about this trip. Honestly, I had expected to feel somewhat out of her league. (This is her third time moving to Spain, she has a master’s degree in Spanish literature, and has been teaching college level courses for the last 3 years). I thought she would be so breezy and self-assured that I would be left in the dust with my doubts and insecurities. However, like me, she really isn’t sure what she got herself into, and like me, she questions her decision to take on such a romantically impractical experience. We ended up resolving to take this experience day by day, determined to make the most of whatever comes our way.
After our talk, Elizabeth went off to finish some translation work while I headed out for a walk along the shoreline. It was amazing how much lighter my step was and how much more breathtaking my surroundings looked. I guess I just can’t deny my need to feel connected to people in order to truly appreciate life. Not to mention that I’m finding it very easy to feel at peace amidst such beautiful scenery. As much as I enjoy Elizabeth’s company, I was itching to get out on my own a bit, just to try to understand how I’m feeling. And right now I feel good. I don’t feel so alone, and because of that I can truly appreciate where I am right now – just an American girl (yet a potentially Spanish-looking American girl) watching the sunset behind a mountain in the distance, on a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea.
6 comments:
Hi Nat - it sounds beautiful there !
“Romantically impractical” seems to be a mischaracterization of this trip. The way I see it (and let’s get real as one of your best friends and a student of logic my opinion matters) this trip is incredibly practical.
Our souls, our consciousness, our sense of purpose and belonging are all different. Each of us is born into a completely unique set of circumstances which shape our character, yet most are only able to find comfort in their own skin by conforming to the ideals of complete strangers. Too many people have tried to identify their purpose in this life by following the leader… doing what others do. This common scenario presents an obvious logical disconnect. How can we exploit our individuality while simultaneously making the sacrifices to our individual goals, characters, and dreams that are necessary to conform?
Your decision to take on this job, this journey, is courageous. There is nothing impractical about walking the path that you choose rather than one that is chosen for you. It will serve as one individually determined endeavor (hopefully of many) that will lead you to enlightenment rather than content. I am confident that you will excel throughout this journey, and have only one concern… that you believe that spending what will amount to 0.8% of your life (assuming you live to be 75) watching sunsets light up the sky over the Mediterranean is somehow impractical when compared to the alternative of staring at the fluorescent glow of a computer screen in a cubicle.
Give yourself more credit than that… and take lots of pictures.
Miss you already.
natalie - great first entry - i love it. i really got a feeling for your experience so far.
Hi Nat, so glad your beginning to feel comfortable over there. Sounds like your mind is in the right place.
Natalie:
I feel like I am seeing these beautiful places through your eyes.
Love you,
Mamma Prill
Hello, This is really random I know but Im moving to Menorca in October as an Auxiliar and I haven't even heard of anyone being there before until I came across your blog after ALOT of internet searching. I was wondering if it would be possible to ask you a few questions by email? my email address is lauramaryleannacollins@gmail.com I would really appreciate any help you could offer :)
Laura
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