Sunshine Kingdoms and Rainy Days

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Sometimes we just have those days, when EVERYTHING seems to go wrong. I'll make the negativity as quick as possible because it isn't my favorite thing to talk about. I have been having some problems getting my visa for Spain and that has put a lot of stress on me and my parents. Tension had been building since the first "I'm sorry to inform you..."

Every sunrise is a
 chance for a beautiful day.

I've also been taking online classes so that I can be finished with my graduation requirements before I leave for Spain-- if I leave for Spain! (Only kidding, I know I'll get there!) Any way that has been a monotone routine of watching a nameless hair mass waggle through a lecture on economic patterns and why her love of food makes her a prime consumer, but by this point all I'm thinking of is how good spaghetti sounds and how much her hair resembles the delicious dish.-- See this is the kind of sidetracking that prevents me from succeeding in an online class, but I had made it to the Final Exam and giddy anticipation I clicked Begin and received "ASSESSMENT LOCKED PENDING APPROVAL"  Wait WHAT?! Soooooo I had been speeding through my classes only to be slapped with a stop sign. Grrr not the way I wanted to start my morning but ok the day is still young.

I was desperate for some redeeming factor in this way off day. My dad suggested a little kayaking trip-- umm yes! Time on the lake and a little sweat, my favorite combination! Sweet I can fix this day! Perhaps I spoke too soon. I'm new to the area and ended up parking on the wrong street meaning we had to run there in the 97% Texas humidity. But that was still ok, just a warm up. I rushed to the rentals window, excited to finally get on the water and forget the stress. "Do you have ID?." ID? What no, I ran here! I wasn't carrying a wallet?! So that kind of blew our lake day.

I was fuming and once again took a wrong turn getting us stuck in at least 30 minutes of rush hour traffic. GAHhhhHHHHH. I could not handle it. Remember when I said I'd make the negativity go by quickly? Sorry it's taken so long. Basically this day was destine to piss me off. And what do I do with anger, run it out. Just run until the blood is in my ears blocking out the thoughts of anything beside Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

Runner's High

A path in the woods can
take me anywhere.

Feeling like a warrior in my own mind, I charged forward into the sticky heat. Man was it hot, my own frustration was transpiring into the burning sun and stale air. My lungs were begging for something that wasn't dry and wasted, but being the "warrior" I thought I was I had forgotten to bring water. Don't stop just keep going! As the taste of pennies subsided and signs of cramping all gone, I reached that point. Pumping my arms banging my way down the street each drop of sweat took a little frustration out of me. The sky started turning gray and yes I heard it, Thunder. Rain is my absolutely positively favorite by-product of mother nature. I LOVE IT! So with each rolling rumble I sped up chasing the dark clouds. Come one rain come on! I stopped.

Liquid Diamonds

The sky opened up and there was a little pocket of sun, no clouds and would you believe from that gap in the gray came a mysterious sprinkle. At first I wasn't even sure it was rain. And then, down-pour. Hundreds of little lights falling out of the sky, I was so mesmerized. My heart had been pounding from the run and now it was pounding for the rain. I sprinted down the hot concrete until it turned to moist grass then slippery mud. It was so breath taking. I stood with my hands up to the sky, twirling in the wet diamonds that flew down and splashed into me. Drip by drop I felt reborn. I was jumping around like I was 5 again This is my sunshine kingdom. I ran, danced and happily fell to the ground. Closing my eyes I let the water drop in my mouth, wash over skin, pool in my belly button. Pretty soon I could feel the drops get smaller and the thunder softer. I sat up and looked out at the concrete path that I'd be taking back. The heat was claiming my diamonds, but this time in a beautiful way. It rose in mystic foggy horse, galloping up from the hot tar and swirling into the sky again. Despite feeling amazingly rejuvenated I couldn't explain how heavenly the water fountain across the park looked. The light was just playing off it's rusty metal, pulling me from my spot in the grass. I sprinted to in and, no water. Laughing I realized reality was back to bite me in the butt except I'd take it better this time.

Rain in Spain

I keep forgetting that this blog is supposed to be about my exchange but I find myself constantly going off on of tangents. Well let's see if I can make all these thoughts and emotions, all these tangents line up with preparing for Spain.

I understand how difficult next year is going to be. This anger I felt will come again, along with confusion, loneliness and I'm for a little while I'm going to feel lost. Hitting that low will be tough for me because sometimes I think I'm invincible, like being an exchange student makes me some kind of super hero and it does-- after I get through all the tough times. There will be many rainy days, the kind where I want to go out and dance in it and the kind where I want to stay in and hide form it all. When I concur it all, only then can be super hero and eve then I'll have a lot more rain to handle. 

There are clouds in the sky...

But still no rain..

Waiting on the Rain

I've been waiting to get rain like that day again, so I could snap a few pictures for the blog. I want you all to see the magic I was seeing. But sometimes nature is just to beautiful too perfect to be trapped in four corners. I guess my sunshine kingdom will forever stay a part of my memory. Then again, the sun is always waiting behind the clouds.

With a little patience, we all get that sunshine.