Sunday, July 27, 2014

"Find the joy in the journey" -Leaving Spain



I have officially completed my month of studying abroad in Alicante, Spain. I would sum it up as a success. It has been a big dream of mine for a long time, and I was so blessed to have had the opportunity. My whole purpose was to study Spanish, live the culture, and earn credits for my minor in Spanish.

I wanted to start off with some suggestions for my readers or just people interested in traveling/studying abroad:
-         -Bring a water bottle (It has helped me a lot! In Spain, water supply is few so a water bottle is a necessity.)
-         -Travel to other cities or countries if you can! My motto was “You can only fit so many souvenirs in your bag- so spend your money on travel & make memories.”
-         -Take more photos (the more the better, right?!)
-         -Write or blog your moments (I believe some day when the memories are growing faint, I can read my blog or my journal and be reminded of the awesome experience.) 
-         -Don’t take all the room in your suitcase for clothes (You will want to shop & bring back new clothes or other souvenirs.)
-         -Bring toiletries that you can throw away (again, you will want space traveling home.)
-         -Have a translator! Google translate, dictionary, etc. (I used it every day!)
-         -If in Spain, learn how to shower in eight minutes or less because the water supply is slim.
-         -Be prepared to walk everywhere!
-         -It is very hot- dress appropriately & extra deodorant.
-         -Ladies- I suggest a cross-body bag & a bigger shoulder bag for books and other things
-         -Eat lots of ice cream! It’s even better in Europe!
-         -If you’re ever in Alicante, you will not need any rain gear. It NEVER rains.
-         -Do not buy sunscreen in Spain- bring it with you (it is about 20 euros a bottle!!)
-         -The tram or metro is best (I never felt safe in a bus.)
-         -Make friends! The amount of diversity is amazing. (Personally, I think it is awesome to have other friends from countries all over the world!)
-         -You will be surprised at how many hand gestures, reactions, body language, and context will help you understand a foreign language.

      It was a bittersweet moment this morning when I boarded my first plane departing from Alicante. I thought about how the city had been my home for a month and how I really have gained so much from the whole experience. It was very hard to say goodbye to my friends last night. They are all from different parts of the states, so there is a very slim chance I will ever see them again. But I call them angels- from the Lord.
Finally, to sum up the trip:
-        -(He aprendido mucho) I have learned a lot! It was a struggle at the beginning with my classes being a little overwhelming. It took me a week or so to adjust to life in Spain.
-        -The life/culture is very different than the states, I would say that eating lunch at 3 P.M., dinner at 10 P.M. and night life until 2… very different than how I spend my days in the states.
-        -I never went hungry in Spain, but I sure did miss my sweet mother’s cooking.
-        -I really am so blessed to have met some of the most amazing students in our program. They were angels, and I don’t know if I would had made it without them.
-        -I came to Spain with good grammar and weak conversation, but I am leaving with better grammar, I can speak more comfortably, and my vocabulary has grown exponentially.
-        -The whole trip was an eye opener! If you have read my previous posts, I mentioned how Spain is NOTHING like Mexico or the Spanish culture we are exposed to in the states. Also, even with 7 years of Spanish in school it was a slap in the face to be thrown out into this foreign country & it’s like “now it’s time to really learn.”
-        -It was a challenge, but I am so thankful I was forced to learn and forced to appreciate another culture. It was 100% worth it! I learned so much, and now I appreciate my own culture & heritage even more.

Thankful for the land of the free and home of the brave.
I miss my wonderful country.
-Hasta Luego Spain!

& Hello USA!

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