When I was 21, I was just a girl living in Madrid, going to a foreign school and living in a foreign land. In my apartment homestay my room looked out to the building’s inner atria, communal clothesline, and ultimately- the sky.
It was here that I peered out each morning in the utter quiet of the Arguelles neighborhood we inhabited. It was here that I looked to see what the weather would be like (sunny nearly every single day), how late it was (if I was late for class), and any clues for what the day might bring.
When I stepped out the outer gate and turned my key, I might stroll past the neon green cross of the farmacia, or dodge schoolchildren coming from the colegio on the corner. If I was hungry, there was a Supersol or El Corte Ingles within a block.
But in the quiet mornings all alone in the apartment, I slowly savored my daily routine of mixing up some instant coffee (yes, and I truly enjoy the right kind of instant coffee), laying in my bed, and soaking in the little bit of light coming down through the high rise opening.
In this time, I reconnected with home. I read e-mails from family and dear friends back home and on their own travels, and I regrouped for the day. I listened to music as loudly as my laptop speaker would play for these brief moments when I had the place all to myself, and got ready for another day out in the world.
These pictures will always remind me of my time to myself, my time looking out the window, a sort of portal to those I love.
When you travel for longer periods of time, what keeps you grounded and reminds you of home? Do you ever feel homesick or create a routine to create comfort for yourself and unwind?
Get psyched up- as a tribute to the end of travel month, I’m planning a special 2 part weekend post to keep myself sated until the next travel month begins! Tune in tomorrow!
Meri
19 Responses to Window to the World