Green Thumb

Groovy things:
Between classes, if I have time, I get my 2nd morning coffee buzz at the cafe at the hospital clinic across from the university. I like it there because, one, there are only Spaniards there, two, the coffee is cheaper there and three, students normally don't frequent there... I don't know the names yet of the 2 wonderful people that make me my coffee, but I will soon... It's not customary to know baristas by name and for them to know your name until you've been a patron there for a while... I'm guessing that it will be soon because they already start making my coffee when I walk in... It's not "Olde Towne" but it's good enough for me right now...

I buy my lunch a lot at this little sandwich place called "La tienda verde" ("The green store"). It's a hole in the wall that the students and faculty and staff flock to because the sandwiches rock and it's cheap. It's like, if you took the Subway chain, made it into a mom and pop store of about 10x20 feet in area and then put it in Spain with a mix of pleasing the Spanish and American palates... That is the closest way I can come to explaining it. So you choose your bread (the bread is baguette-style bread) and then your filling and then your toppings, just like in Subway (kind of). There are 3 of the nicest ladies that make your sandwich ("bocadillo") to order and then you take it to the counter and this nice older lady rings you up... It's a happy place... I always get a "bocadillo pequeño con atún, tomate, lechuga y mostaza" (small (1/4) baguette with tuna, tomato, lettuce and mustard) for 1.95 Euros ($2.75)... Not bad when food in this town is uber-pricey... And there are so many versions of sandwiches in this country... You have your "bocadillo" (long baguette-type sandwich), your "sandwich" (your loaf-bread type sandwich) your "montadito" (small baguette) and "pulguita" (mini-baguette that looks like a thumb... or a flea... "thumb" in Spanish is "pulgar" and "pulga" is "flea"... I prefer the thumb theory though)...

Speaking of thumbs, I had a dream last night... I don't remember all of it, but what I do remember is that I had a gangrenous thumb (well, the tip of my thumb was gangrenous anyway)... Gross, yes, I know... I was grossed out as well, even in my unconscious state... Anyway, so for some reason the gangrene could be reversed by putting a band aid on it and taking care of it as you would a normal cut... But, I was, as customary, being bull-headed and ornery and refusing to put a band aid on it, even with warnings from others (I don't remember who) that the infection would go systemic if I didn't follow medical advice...
So, I think that the dream has something to do with my current emotional situation that I wrote about a couple of days ago (I am kind of embarrassed that I wrote about that now). Anyway, I think that the infection represents my recent frustrations, sadness, homesickness and negativity and my refusal to take care of my thumb is my refusal to work more on thinking positively and concentrating on all the good things going on... I think that the dream was a kick in the butt to get my energy to go up instead of continuing to sink down because if the energy continues to sink then it will "go systemic" and color my whole experience being here... So, I am going to (and am succeeding so far yesterday and today) work on stirring my energy to go ever upwards...

Medicos del Mundo called, speaking of good energy - which means that I get to start working with them with massage and complimentary therapy soon :) Yay :)

Also, I finished with the bulk of midterms and only have 1 next week and 1 the week after, so that is good.

Isabel (señora) will be working at the hospital again starting tomorrow, so we're going to a "Thai" (probably pan-Asian) restaurant to celebrate tonight...

I'm going with Karen to Toledo on Saturday and with Isabel (señora) for a hike outside Madrid on Sunday.

Happy Wednesday to everyone. Hope everyone is having a good week. Lots of love and hugs to you all.