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So, let me just say, Christmas break in California was amazing. I celebrated my favorite holiday with loved ones, got to soak in ridiculously glorious 86°F weather, caught up with lots of friends (and realized that, with true friends, no matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen them, your relationship is just as wonderful as it once was), ate tons of fatty American food, slept way more than I needed to, and, overall, had a basically perfect time.

Grandparents, siblings, and cousins on my dad's side of the family on Christmas (note my brother's "I ♥ Sevilla" shirt!)

As much as I loved it, I am glad to be back in Spain for another 5 months. I’ll admit that the last time I was in Spain, this time of year, the post-Christmas-break-in-California-now-back-to-Spain period, was one of the lowest times of my life (which doesn’t really say much considering how blessed my life has been, but still). The weather was miserably cold and gloomy, break hadn’t lived up to its expectations, impending final exams were stressing me out terribly (finals have never worried me very much, but I had no idea what to expect in Spain), and I was still feeling lonely and isolated in a foreign country. So, sure, there’s a chance I’ll fall into that same slump this time around, but, hey, so far so good, and I have a lot of things going for me that I think will keep me just as happy as I’ve been.

All right, so returning to snow in Madrid after Christmas break in 2010 was kind of exciting, but it definitely got old after a few weeks.

The weather here is cold compared to the summery weather I had in L.A. the past few weeks (let me clarify that it’s in the low 60s mid-day, but, hey, that’s cold in comparison), but there’s plenty of sun. Plus, this time around, I actually have a window to see said sun! Oh how I took windows for granted until I didn’t have one. Break did more than live up to its expectations. I have no exams, papers, or projects to worry about. I’m comfortable and happy here. Plus, I have some fabulous things to look forward to!

For one, springtime in Andalucía is going to be absolutely brilliant. The warm, sunny weather, the smell of flowers pervading the city, the countless springtime festivals around the region. From what I’ve heard (and the little I’ve seen from spending a day at Semana Santa and Feria in 2010), Andalucía completely bursts with life in the springtime. Plus, my mom and sister will visit me the first week of March, and I just booked a flight to Istanbul for Semana Santa! How awesome will that be? And I’m totally thrilled for Feria in April. In the meanwhile, I have lots of fun outings with friends, good days at work, and hopefully more trips to look forward to.

Feria! And it looks like I'll even have my very own traje de flamenca to wear!

How was everyone else’s holiday season? Are you as optimistic about 2012 as I am? Let me know!