Off We Go!!

With two days down of Christmas celebrations over here and approximately three more to go (I think!) I find myself wishing that the days would go by much faster. I know I need to stop complaining about being homesick and all, but I can't help it! This country is beautiful, I know that, it's not as cold as Canada in any way, I'm learning a new language and I'm learning flamenco...but once again, I miss what's familiar to me! Having the girls that I take care of out of school and on Christmas vacation for 3 weeks or so is a little trying...plus they've been sick the whole time.

Tomorrow we leave for the family's country house, which is about a 2 or 3 hour drive north of Barcelona. The drive will be somewhat scenic, but I have a feeling I'll have my eyes closed and listening to my ipod the whole time! It really is a gorgeous house, from the 14th century I think and decorated just the way I like it, cute English country cottage, (the dad's half English) Also, I luckily get my own room and its on the opposite side of the house than the girls' room, so that means complete silence!
I took this picture the first time I visited the house in the summer and had been woken up by a rooster! Its the view from the balcony beside my bedroom. What I'm getting to with all this talk of leaving for a week is that I'll be miles away from the internet with only dried up cornfields in sight! My sole communication with my friends is via the internet, what am I going to do without a friend in sight and only 3 little girls?! I'll be reading, thinking up ideas for this here thing, and trying to get as much exercise as possible since I won't be able to go to the gym either! Hopefully all goes well, the days pass by quickly, and I get to relax without thinking too much about my internet-withdrawal. Since I'll be away for New Years I thought I'd share some amazing photos posted on The Boston Globes website, "The year 2008 in Photographs". There are 3 parts with some very gruesome photos and others you can't tear your eyes away from. Enjoy and ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!