About two and half years ago, I created a list 30 things to do before 30. There were things on there that were easy to cross off and not so easy to cross off. I made the list and worked really hard at completing the tasks on it. I was in Spain at the time, didnt have too many friends so I stayed home bound with my 60 year old roommate. I was content studying all the time and giving private english classes but missed being with friends. New year=new friends. Alot changes in one years time, or rather one summers time. I had spent the last 8 months with a group of friends in Fuengirola but after a birthday bash, someone thought it was funny to spike my drink and after standing up for myself about it, I was kicked out of the group. I was starting new this time, (Oct 2010). So I made the list. I had dropped it when I finally met Nandi, a California girl with attitude. She was too much for me at first but as time went by, we became really great friends. Nandi and I spent a lot of time together, and thought we would spend the next year together but I lost my job and felt I needed to go home which I did. One of the things on the list was passing my nursing boards and reuniting with Milda in San Diego. I knew it wouldnt happen unless I came home. I passed in December of this past year and before I knew it, my birthday was coming up. I had forgotten about the list.
I got really sick before my birthday so I didnt want to get a tatoo, which was at the top of my list, until I was better. I planned a birthday trip to Rome and Venice, Italy in September and now I needed to really get my game face on about studying Italian. I planned a birthday party here in Dayton, Ohio for myself and invited friends and family. A few members of my family showed up with a lot of my friends. It surprised me to see so many people show up. No one had contacted me that much during the whole time I was here. Since I got home, I tried reconnecting with people but it was hard since I worked on night shift. No one called...My boyfriend of almost a year broke things off in February and I was left to deal with lonliness birds in my heart. An american boy came into the picture and kept me company until now. He and I spend alot of time together and my lonliness birds slowly flew away. Having one friend kept me sane. I just didnt understand why it was so hard making friends or catching up with the old ones. I had gone away for over 4 years. Things change, people move on and dont really want to reconnect.
Turning 30 was hard for me. I thought I was old, a year out of the 20s, a heaviness of feeling like I should be married or having kids at this time overwhelmed me. The knowledge of not finishing my 30 list made me upset with myself. Another great friend of mine from New York decided to come for my birthday. We met in Spain, Christina I called her although her name was Christine. Corey was also an awesome friend who influenced me positivily. Corey, Christine and I hung out every month when I went to Malaga. We all had spanish boyfriends and hung out every month with each other, a dinner, salsa dancing, bar hoping, and hanging out. It was the highlight of every month. I felt complete. I had two great friends and also my boyfriend. We had rooftop parties with wine. It was so classy, I felt like I was in a fairytale. Of course things change.
Christine came for my birthday and chased my 29 blues away. Twenty nine was a really hard year for me. I was seperated from the culture I fell in love with, I was dealing with my boyfriend breaking my heart and changing my views of love and the american boy who came into my life for a short time to heal my wounds from my spanish love who hurt me in the meantime without meaning to. On the upside, I passed my nursing boards this year but the first year of nursing really made me crazy. It was frustrating and hard, like any job. I had been away from nursing for four years so for me, it was even harder. I was ready to kiss 29 by. Christine helped me change my attitude and look at life differently.
