Day 8: “On Rainy Days Like This Both the Past and Future Dissolve Quietly Into the Air and Hover There”

Since I’ve been here, I didn’t particularly have any plans outside of what was given to me in a thick spiral-bound orientation booklet, and last week, that bothered me. But, for some reason today, I felt okay not having plans, and it just so happened that I actually had a couple things to do today. As long as I have something to do I don’t have to feel so clueless as to what to do in a city that I’m not very familiar with. Yea, so I had a Castellano this morning. I think it was the hardest morning to wake up to. I dunno. Maybe it was because it’s Monday. Maybe Mondays are just meant to be that way.

Well anyway, we learned slang. It was cool. We had to write a short story using those words. It was fun. XD It’s interesting how some words come to be. I will never understand the reasoning behind them.

After that, I stepped outside to find it drizzling. The city was a misty blur, and vents on top of the buildings billowed with steam. The cold droplets of humidity clung to my jacket, my hair, my bag, todo. Only moments of standing outside and my bag felt like a fridge. I didn’t feel as cold when I had to run for my life crossing one of the streets. So, I dunno about the street lights in the cities in the U.S. but here, they turn yellow before they turn green also, so I just happened to be crossing when it was yellow, to turn green. Wow. I was really scared half to death. Yay, for kendo feet. Hahaha. Pedestrians DON’T have the right of way here. Yea, it sucks.

So, I got back to the apartment, dropped my stuff off and carried my bag of dirty clothes over block and a half. They do everything for you! It’s insane. All you have to do is leave it with them and tell them when you want them done by, pay, and go. Interesting system. But, expensive also. One basket is $A 14. I had two. Unfortunately, this is the only way I can wash my clothes. Woo.

I walked back, and the doorman opened the door for me. I really feel bad sometimes when I’m going in and out, because the doorman always opens the front entrance for me, right when I’m about to put my key in. Anyway, turns out, in the 5 minutes I was gone, the elevator was being checked for maintenance so I had to climb the stairs to the 9th floor. I’m really out of shape, regardless of how much I walk everyday. I think I’ll use the stairs more often, just to keep myself fit.

Starting this week, checking my email is crucial. I’m still awaiting a reply from Mary about whether I can take the film track and get transferable credits for SUA. I’m getting kind of antsy not getting a reply from her, because registration for regular university classes starts this Friday. If I get a reply after Friday saying I can’t take the track, I would already miss one chance to register for classes. It’s really frustrating.

Well, the worst that could happen is I have to take Spanish when I come back from study abroad, and even though that’s a waste of credits that could be used for something else I WANT to take. Can’t do much when the higher-ups aren’t available to approve the classes you want to take. Annoying. Just annoying.

ANYWAY. I sat in the park and read the book I bought a few nights ago. The quote I used for the title of this entry is actually a quote from the English version of this book. I don’t quite understand it, but for some reason, I feel the atmosphere of the book. It’s very nostalgic. And this nostalgic feeling just left me thinking about my times at SUA, when I would just sit down on my bed, leaning against the cold concrete wall, cuddled under a blanket and reading book while the window next to me blew a calm breeze.

Today was just one of those days, it makes you feel kind of empty, kind of sad, but at the same time, it makes you feel warm inside. It’s one of those, in-between days where you’re just stuck in the present, unable to go back or forward. Everything comes to you, what the future holds, what the past brought, everything. Today was just today, like a snap of a finger. Nothing before. Nothing after. No past to think about. No future to worry about. Only now.