Am I a tourist

Am I still a tourist?  Will I always be a tourist in Spain?  At what point does the label get dropped?  I am a current resident of Spain the point that I have a NIE card (National Identification for Foreigners), I have signed a rental contract, I make a "wage", and I speak the language of the country at an advanced level.  I don't even take my camera with me that much anymore, but even when I took pictures in the Wisconsin, I wasn't a tourist.  Am I still a tourist?  I like to think that I'm past that point.  I'm a Bilbiano.

What does this mean?  Well, this allows me to not feel guilty if I spend a day or weekend in the comfort of my own home.  It's Carnival week here in Spain and we have a week off of school.  I felt guilty for not having anything planned at first so last night I brainstormed places to go; Bordeaux, Biarritz, Toulouse, Zaragoza, Pamplona, London, Paris, etc.  I spent 3 hours looking for places to go for under 100 euros for both Liz and I.  Fat chance, ha.  Roundtrip travel alone would be over 100 euros for the both of us, not to mention lodging, food, and sightseeing.  Needless to say, I made the economical decision to make day-trips from Bilbao this week.  And to be frank, I'm OK with it.

If you hadn't noticed from my most recent posts, I have developed a love for trekking or mountain climbing.  I have little desire to see anymore churches, castles, or museums at this moment in time.  I just want to explore.  I've realized its cheap, invigorating, and when its all over, I feel a since of satisfaction.  Not to mention, people don't look at me as though I'm still a tourist.  Stay tuned...

Spanish for Beginners:
Soy: I am

Advanced Spanish:
Me cobras: what do I owe? or How much? (Charge me)

Basque:
Gela: room

British English:
Fancy dress: dressing up in costume