Nightlife

When I got back to Madrid I really thought that I wouldn't be able to handle the nightlife here.  Not like I did last time.  When I was abroad I was rarely out until 6 AM (when you catch the metro home because the metro reopens at 6) but was often out until 4 AM.  You fall asleep by 5.  If you get 8 hours of sleep you're up at 1 but most likely you're up even later because you were drinking until 4 AM, and then you meet up with friends for lunch.  So by the time your day is about to get started is 3 or 4 PM and the day is kind of shot.  I told myself I couldn't handle that lifestyle anymore because I'm "old," and mature ... or something.

I was wrong.

I woke up this morning around 9 AM and realized it was the first weekend since I got to Spain that I had a full night's rest and was up early in the morning to do things I needed to do before starting my day.  So this morning I've cleaned my room, the rest of my apartment, did a load of laundry, and made food for the week, all before 11 AM.  And I feel great.  It's also because I fell asleep at 11 PM with the lights on, watching tv on my computer.

For the last few weekends I've been out until 4 or 5 every Friday or Saturday.  I think part of the issue is that it's light out until after 10 PM (which I always thought was a myth and an exaggeration ... but it's not) so it doesn't feel like dinner time until 11 PM so you eat at 11 or 11:30 and go out to bars at 1 AM.  In DC, I'm often on my way home at 1 AM.  And then drinks are extremely strong.  And we're up in the mountains.  So then you've had more to drink than you intended and it's almost 5 o'clock in the morning before you even feel tired.  I thought that I was adapting well to the Spanish lifestyle, except being so accomplished this morning makes me realize how awful I feel waking up in the afternoon and doing nothing with my day except eating lunch and resting before starting the Spanish nightlife all over again.  I can see how this would have been great in high school when I slept all day anyway, but now I just feel bad about myself.  I waste my life away when I could be doing other things.  Like cleaning.

So fret not, friends, when I come home I won't be partying until 5 AM (unless it's my birthday... 3/16/2012. Sammy and I are already planning) and I'll still be waking up bright eyed and bushy tailed to start my day.  And texting you way earlier than you like because I don't realize that other people sleep in (Sorry Sammy).