Home Sweet Home

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I feel I should do one last blog, to round the year off, and tell you all what I did during my last month in Asuncion. I didn't have internet access there, which is good because it gives me a valid excuse, nay reason for why I haven't blogged, as opposed to my normal laziness.

As most of you know I am now back home, and I enjoyed seeing lots of you on Saturday at the BBQ, at which I am sure I consumed enough crisps and cake to more than make up for my year of weightloss. Good times. Although Ralph pointed out to me today that the reason I'm currently so permanently ravenously hungry is that my body is thinking "OOooh plenty! Quick, let's stockpile in case we have to go back to privation" In which case If I give in to it (which lets face it, I am) I'm going to end up a heffa fairly soon. Oh well.

My journey home was fine. I was so worried about it beforehand as my ticket was changed at the lats minute and instead of going via Milan I was to go via Rome. The day before flying I was round at Penny's house and she asked me if I had called to confirm my flights. I of course looked at her blankly so she took pity on me and called TAM and Alitalia to confirm my flights for me. Good thing she did as my first fight was leaving a half hour earlier than it said on my ticket. Not that I would have missed it, arriving 2 hours early and all, but still. It just made me a bit more confident that I would have a seat.
Rach and Elaine came with me to the airport, even though we went at like 2.30am in the morning and they had to be in school by 7am. Bless them. My luggage weighed a miniscule 14 kilos, meaning I should have bought far more presents back for people, I was really crap on the presents front and only managed to get stuff for my Mum and Sister, because I'm that mean and self centered.
On the first flight from Asuncion to Sao Paolo I was sat by the window and as we were taking off I had an amazing view of the city all lit up, as we got higher we saw from above a storm, and oh my gosh seeing lightening from above is just the most beautiful thing in the world. Whilst I understood why the pilots chose to fly away from the storm I must admit I was a little sad about it. God was really showing off that trip as then after the storm I also had the pleasure of watching a beautiful sunrise. Unfortunately there a was a price to pay for so much natural beauty, and that was sitting next to 2 brazilian guys who were probably a little tipsy, and who tried to feel me up. That was not so much fun.

I spent most of the day in Sao Paolo airport, which was well, arse paralysingly boring. I got a bit flustered at one point because there was no one manning the transfers desk 2 hous before my flight, so I went and asked someone and he said that at the gate they would give me the new boarding pass, so I went there and it was all fine. I was sat in an aisle seat on the long haul flight from Sao Paulo to Rome, so that meant more leg room. Yay. I was also sat next to a very sweet Brazilian couple. I watched 27 Dresses, Jumper and Enchanted. I wasn't very impressed with either 27 Dresses or Jumper to be honest. I'd seen Enchanted before, but dubbed in Spanish and so it was interesting to see it in English. I also managed to sleep for about 2 or three hours, which is a first for me.

Then spent several hours sat in Rome's airport, which was also pretty boring. Although I did make friends with some kids who decided to stick stickers on me. I somehow managed to get the seats in front of the emergency exit meaning I had oodles of leg room, which I appreciated by sleeping the entire journey.

Mummy and Daddy were waiting for me at the airport, which was lovely. Although I may have fallen asleep in the car on the journey back... Having a shower at home was amazing, especially after like 28 hours travelling! My cats were, as cats tend to be, thoroughly unimpressed to see me again. My room looked like a bomb had hit it, it was honestly the messiest I have ever seen it ever. I blame an elusive species known as 'Little Sister'. So since being home I've mostly just been sorting out my room, rediscovering my wardrobe, and seeing friends.

So describing my journey in such detail may have been a bit of a literal interpretation of 'travel journal'.

I should probably backtrack a little and talk about Asuncion. I mostly just read books, watched DVDs, socialised and did my essay (which I handed in last week). I also helped at a foster home 3 days a week. They have 5 kids; Joni, Jose, Gabriel, Mauricio and Romina and they look after them untill they get adopted. I basically just went and played with them each day. They're such lovely kids, Joni particularly found a place in my heart. He's clearly got some special needs, he doesn't act his age and he's really very rough but it's just the only way he knows how to show affection and play. I really wish I could have brought him home. I also babysat a few times for Penny and Murray and Patrick and Rosie. Luli, one of Penny and Murray's kids treated me as somewhat of a personal slave, although she did make me feel very wanted, as one day she burst into tears when I told her I had to go home. Bless her. She has this poor rabbit that she absolutely tortures, she tried to pick it up by it's ears and tail. She then had the cheek to tell me to be gentle with her!

One day we went to a place called Caacupe, just outside Asuncion. One fo the Paraguayan teachers in the school in Asuncion that Elaine and Rach work in invited us, as her parents have a seccond house out there. It was a lovely day, like a summers day in England (and this was in Winter over there! hehe) and the area is gorgeous. We all had a meal together and went for a walk around the area. Was just a lovely day out.

Yeah so my last month was fun for me but probably not that interesting to read about.

So yeah, if it weren't midnight right now I would probably do some kind of summary of the year, what I've learnt, how it affected me blah blah blah. But if I'm completely honest I don't even know half that stuff yet, I mean I think in years to come i'll still only just be discovering things I've learnt because of it, or experiencing new situations differently for having been there. I dunno, or something. I'm not great at introspection.

Whilst I might no longer be in sunny South America, don't abandon my travel blog just yet folks! For on Monday I am heading off to sunny Italy, in a last ditch attempt to save my degree and remember how on earth to speak Italian before my final year. It's a hard life being a language student, but someone's got to do it.

Ciao ciao.

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