España, hasta siempre

*Disclaimer: this isn’t my final reflection for class*

After a week of recovering from jet-lag and a harsh, yet somewhat sweet, reality check, I finally decided to sit down and reflect on my overall experience in Spain [& update everyone on my last adventures!]

First – a summary of my final adventures: final exams, graduation, leaving my host family, Madrid, a lot of 100 Montaditos, Toledo, a Daddy Yankee concert & bittersweet goodbyes.

Travel truly changes you, even just vacations do. But, study abroad travel is a different story. Not only do you have the opportunity to travel and “vacation,” you actually submerge yourself into a completely different country, a different culture, basically a different world. I was away from my family, my friends, and my home for a month, creating a life and opportunities for myself that I dreamed of since I was in middle school. Every single day was a dream, and every single day had some sort of challenge.

I learned how to travel on public transportation (which is 100x better in Spain), which was something that was terrifying to me when I first arrived. I never would have thought that I could navigate and function in a world completely different than my own. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in the world knows English, as much as we assume that people do. And trust me, you don’t want to be that person that doesn’t even attempt to blend or fit in with the native culture. Every place I traveled to, it was obvious that we were American students. Many times, we were praised for trying to speak, or trying to explain what we meant. My confidence in speaking Spanish has grown immensely, something that truly never could have happened in my classes in Akron.

On top of expanding my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, which was solidified in both of my classes abroad, I created bonds with my host family that resulted in happy goodbyes, and a “you always have a family here in Spain.”

Everyday, I paid attention to small details around me, and reflected on myself as a person. I learned that I love structure, a routine, somewhat of a plan – but I also love spontaneity. Each day, I learned that you can make time last forever, but time flies in the blink of an eye. I observed that people abroad truly appreciate the people around them, and that material items have less importance. People are what make their days move, and the unity of family and friends is of utmost importance. I learned to truly appreciate every little thing, and to be aware of the items that I am so quick to throw away because they aren’t good enough. The non-existence of stores like Target and Giant Eagle makes me appreciate local businesses and shops even more than I did before: who needs a Giant Eagle when there’s a beautiful market with everything fresh? I learned that personal growth comes when you allow yourself to face fears, take a step, a leap and jump [and sometimes, a hop across the pond], and truly allow yourself to be vulnerable – allow yourself to be the foreigner, the outsider.

I absolutely love Europe, and I will return [but next time, I’m bringing one of my bestfriends along with me]. Hasta siempre, España.  Thank you for all of the memories, laughs & lessons. I’ll be back soon, you stole a piece of my heart.