The First Rain

Yesterday, I sat in the kitchen with my host family eating paella, a traditional Spanish dish, while listening to the sound of la lluvia. And I started to tear up. It was an odd moment for me; I could not understand why I wanted to cry because nothing physically happened that made me feel sad, I was just eating my comida!

I decided to call my mom after lunch, even though it was almost seven in the morning back in Houston. She answered right away and told me how she had trouble sleeping because of the ongoing storm.

In that moment, I felt this odd sense of comfort. It was raining in Granada and in Houston. I couldn’t help but laugh at this small coincidence, but I also realized it was the sound of the rain in Granada that triggered a rush of emotions about missing Houston.

I know I have only been in Granada for one week, but I am starting to realize I feel a sense of homesickness in the smallest of things. The rain reminded my subconscious that if I was back home, I would most likely be in my room, cuddled up with my dog while watching Netflix. That is not my case in Granada. Instead, I was getting ready to go walk through the Albaicín, even with the pouring rain!

A week ago, I left everything I knew to enter a whole other world of culture and I have loved every second of it, despite the small waves of homesickness. I have definitely walked way more than my body is used to (about 13,000 steps a day), I’ve enjoyed a wide amount of tapas, and I learned that my “American bubble” of space is a lot bigger than the typical “Spaniard bubble.” Seven days in Granada has been more eye-opening than my 20 years of living and traveling in the States. From how Spaniards greet each other, to the amount of time they spend “eating” at a restaurant--it is clear to see the way of life here is focused heavily on community. I have noticed how much smaller everything is here, from the streets, to the cars, and even the hallways in my homestay! The smallness, however, does not take away from the fact that Granada has so many hidden treasures. I still have so much more of this city to explore, and I hope you will come along with me through my posts!

I know there are more rain storms to come, and hopefully I won't grow nostalgic during all of them, but if I do, I will not let myself feel guilty about missing home while in Spain. The pitter-patter of the rain is a gentle reminder to myself that it is okay to miss my old routine, but instead of sitting in my room and watching Netflix, I’ll grab my umbrella and venture onto un paseo, to discover what else this beautiful city is hiding.