We are sitting in a deserted airport terminal in Houston. The only noise is the quiet hum of the air conditioning and Maren crunching on her oversalted popcorn. In less than a day we will be in the heart of Spain, emersed in the Spanish culture and language, away from the states and all that is familiar. Everything will be new and novel, as if I were a child again, except Spanish this time and entitled to consume mass quantities of wine. It is odd to think that I will be gone for an entire year, but this will be an excellent adventure (just like Bill and Ted).

Ciao for now, more from Madrid later...