Day 30: Timing

Thirty days of living in España, done. In almost every way you slice it we’ve been here a month (28 days = 4 weeks = one month; 30 days = one month; Arrival date: 21/8/22, Today’s date: 20/9/22). I’ve gone from answering the “how long have you been here” and “when did you get here” questions with days to weeks, and now, finally, I can simply say “one month” in response. It feels good, and I’m still working on timing.

We were early to Dream Coffee in an attempt to resume our routine even though we have Spanish class at 9:00 on Mondays. We were late to Spanish class yesterday because we missed a connecting metro (it was too full to board). I lingered a bit too long at a surprise outdoor market and coffee with our relocation expert. I was late to a brunch date because I underestimated how far a walk it was from point a to point b. We were late to our appointment to meet with our new landlord and sign our lease because busses and trams don’t run as frequently later in the evening. We got home well after midnight because, again, busses and trams run even less frequently after 00:15. For all that we’ve been without a car since May we’re still working on adapting to public transit/pedestrian timing.

But also…

We have a cafe we frequent often enough that we notice when they get new napkins.

We’re enrolled in a Spanish class, which we go to twice a week, and have begun to make friends with both our classmates and teacher.

I have local friends who message things like “who’s up for an impromptu brunch” and I say yes.

I live where there are street markets that are only a surprise to me and take the time to explore them when I find them.

I have figured out the navigation apps well enough to explore the city and get me from one barrio to another, and to get me home in time for work.

We have an apartment with a landlord awesome enough to get lost in conversation after doing the business side of lease signing and apartment tours.

We know when it makes more sense to call a cab than to wait for busses that may or may not have connecting busses running by the time we get there.

Timing is something that takes, well, time, to get right. And we’re getting there day by day or, as I can say now, month by month.