(no subject)
Adam has inspired me to relate some more interesting revelations Spain has given me.
One: Being good with money takes practice. I updated my budget today, and discovered that I am about 70 euro over budget this month. My expenses are a bit tight, and since I've never had to keep a budget before, I am not great at noticing exactly where my money goes all the time, and how much money I should spend on things like food and clothes. What I have discovered though, is that eating sure costs a lot of money. Easily 1/2 of my budget alone is literally eaten up. I also need to stop shopping. I like clothes, and I do need to update my wardrobe, but not all of it in the month of October.
Two: Food is more than a necessity. I love food. I love it more than I ever thought I could have. Since I have been in Spain, much of my time has revolved around cooking, eating out, looking up recipes, planning dinner parties, and resisting the temptation to buy ice cream. I use food as a way to relieve my boredom, not just eating, but also thinking about what I could cook and looking for new recipes. I actually cook rather healthfully, but when I go out to eat, I consume way too much food. I haven't gained weight, but I haven't really lost any either. Finally, one of the big reasons I am slightly obsessed with food is that it is something safe and comforting. I love to cook, and I am good at it, so when I have a bad day, I make myself feel better and more capable by cooking. Nothing ruins my mood like messing up a meal though.
Three: I am not good at taking it easy. I knew before I came to Spain that I am a person who likes to be busy, but I never realized how much of the excitement and purpose in my life comes from the number of things I do. In Spain I have a lot of free time to just lounge around which is great occasionally, but when I don't have a full day, I can't do anything. Take this morning for example, I should have gotten up and looked for a turkey, my spanish books, and gone to the bank, but instead I am still sitting in my PJ's messing around on the computer. I also generally feel more alive and excited about things when I have a lot to be excited about. While my time in Spain has been fun, I feel as though I'm only half living, and I think it is because I am simply not involved in lots of things.
One: Being good with money takes practice. I updated my budget today, and discovered that I am about 70 euro over budget this month. My expenses are a bit tight, and since I've never had to keep a budget before, I am not great at noticing exactly where my money goes all the time, and how much money I should spend on things like food and clothes. What I have discovered though, is that eating sure costs a lot of money. Easily 1/2 of my budget alone is literally eaten up. I also need to stop shopping. I like clothes, and I do need to update my wardrobe, but not all of it in the month of October.
Two: Food is more than a necessity. I love food. I love it more than I ever thought I could have. Since I have been in Spain, much of my time has revolved around cooking, eating out, looking up recipes, planning dinner parties, and resisting the temptation to buy ice cream. I use food as a way to relieve my boredom, not just eating, but also thinking about what I could cook and looking for new recipes. I actually cook rather healthfully, but when I go out to eat, I consume way too much food. I haven't gained weight, but I haven't really lost any either. Finally, one of the big reasons I am slightly obsessed with food is that it is something safe and comforting. I love to cook, and I am good at it, so when I have a bad day, I make myself feel better and more capable by cooking. Nothing ruins my mood like messing up a meal though.
Three: I am not good at taking it easy. I knew before I came to Spain that I am a person who likes to be busy, but I never realized how much of the excitement and purpose in my life comes from the number of things I do. In Spain I have a lot of free time to just lounge around which is great occasionally, but when I don't have a full day, I can't do anything. Take this morning for example, I should have gotten up and looked for a turkey, my spanish books, and gone to the bank, but instead I am still sitting in my PJ's messing around on the computer. I also generally feel more alive and excited about things when I have a lot to be excited about. While my time in Spain has been fun, I feel as though I'm only half living, and I think it is because I am simply not involved in lots of things.