I’m not sure whether to play the old Carol Burnett goodbye song or the Mickey Mouse Club song. I’ll let you guys choose. It appears we have reached the end of this experimental-writing-creatively-in-Spanish journey. It also seems as though I may have survived with the exception of a few frazzled nerves and newly enhanced bags under my eyes.

We started this journey in March to see if I could make it through an online creative writing course based in Madrid. Rather than me give you a play by play on what it was like, I’m hoping a few of my classmates who speak/read English will chime in at some time to give you their impression of the frightened kid at the back of the class trying not to be noticed.

Before I started this exercise, I loved writing! Now? Well, I love it even more. One of the benefits of writing in a secondary or tertiary language is how much easier it feels to return to your primary language and write. I sat down the other day and finished the 1st draft of an entire chapter in one day. Do you know what a miracle that is for me? I actually have gained the confidence that I could complete a chapter a day if I just sit down and do it. Oh, realize this… when I say I’ve completed an entire chapter that is not actually a completed chapter. It’s a rough, really rough, draft. I usually go through 8 to 12 drafts before I feel comfortable presenting my work. The exception to this rule has been this class with it’s deadlines and parameters.

What am I going to do now that the class is over? Well, I’m not going to Disneyland but a nap sure sounds nice. Ooh, a nice long, quiet, uninterrupted nap sounds sooo nice.

Thank each and everyone of you who decided to stick this journey out with me and read every single thing I threw at you. You are all officially saints who have earned an extra pair of wings to do with what you will.

Below you’ll find links to the last story if you’d like to download and read it. One in English and one in Spanish.

Quiero dar las gracias a todos, ojala que cruzaremos caminos el el futuro.

Besos y Abrazos para toda la vida mi gente.

Djeliba Baba the Storyteller

Unrequited (pdf.)

No Correspondido (pdf.)

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