Day 23 – (another Trevor guest post)

Well, it’s over. It was inevitable, predestined even. The culprits? Those pesky, annoying little pieces of yourself that you can’t see, and you can’t control. It’s a shame too, since they can certainly control you. Yes, I’m talking about your genes. Mine just stole my hair.

I guess I shouldn’t say that they just stole my hair. They’ve been shamelessly destroying my follicles and making off with their folly for years. It’s just that now, they’ve finally won the war. I can no longer fend off their advances. I can no longer cover up their plundering with creative hair stylings – they were fairly desperate in the end. I felt like the captain of a nineteenth century sea vessel full of cannon fire destruction and condemned to a cold water grave, still trying to convince my battle-worn crew to fend off the intruders to the end.

Now, here I am. Already the outsider in a foreign country. We didn’t really fit in at first, but we were doing better, learning how to dress (even what clothes we could buy to dress more homogeneously), learning what to say, how to act, etc. Alas, I’m afraid we have no hope now. Well, I should say I have no hope – Kierstin still has a chance. As if my blindingly white skin wasn’t enough, my shaved head is enough to gawk at. I look like a human Q-tip. Seriously. Tall, lanky, white, big-headed (literally).

I guess it is just another aspect of the challenge here. Another personal hurdle that I am meant to overcome. I think I can do it. Despite the fact that I now look like a giant personal hygiene device, no one seems to mind. Of course, they don’t actually gawk. Again, I am impressed with the Spaniards.

Check another few days of our foreign adventure off the list. Today we discovered that when Spain declares a holiday, it is really a holiday. Almost everything closed. Almost everyone relaxing or enjoying the day somewhere in the countryside. Next time there is a holiday, we will be sure to stock the pantry beforehand. I can’t really complain though. Yet again, I am in awe of the Spanish way of life. It seems like they really know how to live it, not just endure it.

Now, what shall we do tomorrow?