I walked the two miles home from school day in the pouring rain and wintry breeze, sans umbrella. Despite the rain, despite the wind, despite my drenched shoes and despite the fact that I never seem to bring my umbrella when I need to, it couldn't have been more perfect.
This morning, at 10:58am, I bubbled in my last answer of the last test of my last semester of the last year of my undergraduate studies. By all means, I'm officially done - not just with Deusto and not just with Spain. I'm done with school....for now.
The creeping fact that I'm still what most would consider "unemployed" isn't ruining this for me...yet. I'm done with exams, I'm done with school and I get Mexican food next week for the first time in five months. Nothing, not even joblessness or the fact that NOBODY seems to be hiring, can spoil that. I've got way too much to relish at the moment and there's still so much going on around here that I don't want to stress about it until the plane touches ground in Houston. Better yet, until after I savor every crumb of that Mexican food.
For one - Aupa Athletic!
Even though I had two back-to-back exams this morning, there are some things you just can't miss. For the first time in I'm not sure how long, the Athletic Club Bilbao (Bilbao's soccer team and the pride of País Vasco) played in THE Copa del Rey (a Super Bowl of sorts for Spanish soccer). The game was in Valencia, but gigantic screens were splattered about the city for those who stayed in Bilbao. Two of which were in Casco Viejo, where most all of us met to watch the game last night at 10pm.
Keeping in mind that I've been in the Longhorn Band for four years, including but not limited to 4 Red River Rivalries, 1 National Championship, 4 victorious bowl games and I don't know how many ESPN Game Days, I still don't think I've ever seen so many people crowded into such a small area with such team spirit. I loved it. It really and honestly reminded me of home, where if you're not screaming your throat raw after Shipley just ran in for the TD, you're not a true fan. If you're not out of your seat when the defense stops the third down conversion, you're not really in the game. THAT'S what I love and THAT'S what I saw last night with the Club Athletic fans. They had their jerseys, their faces painted, their beer, their kalimotxos, their cigarettes, their marijuana, their bufandas, their flags and their banners. They flipped off the screens when the refs made a bad call and screamed Spanish obscenities when it didn't go their way. Just to be in the middle of all that, to be crushed in the middle of this entangled mob of fiery fans, brought me back to mosh pits and high school. It was awesome.
We brought our wine, beer and good spirits and passed the night with our big group of friends in front of the two big pantallas, or screens. I probably should have studied just a little bit more, but meh - soccer pretty much defines Spanish culture so that's just something you can't miss. We had the face paint, wore our red and white and cheered with the crowd, but in the end Barcelona kicked some serious ass and rose up above Bilbao 4-1. But even though they lost, that's an experience I wouldn't miss for anything.
*I forgot to bring my camera, but Lina took some great pictures and I will try to edit this post with them as soon as I can steal them from her on Facebook.
Cade's probably about to finish his last exam as I'm writing this and as for the rest of this week, we have so much to do! Enjoy liberation today, final farewell dinner with all our friends tomorrow, pack and leave on Saturday, London on Saturday and Sunday, Dublin on Monday and Tuesday, Houston on Wednesday (this is where the Mexican food comes in) and Austin on Thursday for graduation.
Hook 'em Class of 2009!
-Bana
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