My semester in Spain is coming to an end. Because this has been a huge part of my life, I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts and feelings about the semester and going home.
First, I am very excited to see people at home. I am excited to see my family. I am excited to see my friends. I am excited to live with my amazing roommates. I am excited for Dutch Buddy Wednesdays and TNT's. I am excited to be back at GFU, and a part of all that is there. I am looking forward to Christmas time, and all that entails in the U.S. I am excited to come back different than when I left. I am looking forward to classes in English, being able to go to the store when I need something, having a car, eating what I want when I feel like it, and to be able to get by without spending a zillion dollars (or Euros). I am looking forward to hearing about what I missed this fall.
On the other hand...I am not ready to leave. I am not ready to leave my Spanish life, friends, and school behind. I have become extremely close to some of the people in our program (from the States, but all over). We have shared laughs, tears, trips, inside jokes, experiences, faith, and our hearts. We understand that no one at home can understand what we have experienced this semester. I will also miss my Spanish friends, who have been so amazing and welcoming. The realization that they will be half a world away is not an easy one. I will miss my Spanish family, Pepi and Enrique, and our little pizo on calle Juan Diaz de Solis. I will miss Pepi's amazing cooking. I will miss the European and Spanish lifestyles. I will miss siestas, eating dinner at 9:30 pm, and dressing up to go to class everyday (although some of those will probably stick, haha). It will be very hard coming back, and being constantly reminded of Spain, while not being able to talk about it (I mean, seriously, who wants to hear 'Oh, in Spain, they...' a dozen times a day). It will be hard answering the question, "How was Spain?" That's like saying, "Please, tell me about the 4 most amazing and trying months of your life, that included traveling to 7 countries, speaking another language, and having dozens of life changing experiences... in only a minute or two, because I'm on my way to class and don't REALLY want to hear it all." If you would really like to hear about the semester, let me know, and we can seriously have some coffee and talk. It will be weird coming back and having missed a whole semester of knowing what is going on in the lives of my friends, and at Fox. So please fill me in on what I missed. It will be hard being on the outside of inside jokes, while at the same time having ones that no one will get. I will miss having centuries of history, literally in my backyard. Seeing ancient cathedrals and towers on the walk to school every day is something I am not taking for granted. I will miss speaking Spanish. Speaking and living another language and culture every day is an experience, so it will be hard to just drop that and go back to U.S. culture at the end of a plane ride.
I feel like I have grown up a lot this semester. I have become more independent, something that has been needing to happen for a while. Spiritually, I know I needed this time away from everything I knew and relied on so that God could reveal things to me...or rather, so that I would listen. It wasn't like God gave me some epiphany, like I was expecting, not gonna lie. Rather he revealed so many amazing things in little ways. I realized that God is not bigger or stronger or more prevalent in Spain...He is the same here, in the States, and all over the world. He showed me some of my weaknesses, and reminded me of my strengths. He provided me what I needed when I needed it, whether it be a hug, a fixed camera, or Bible verses that brought me to tears. Most of all, he has given me JOY. So much more than last semester, so much more than ever in my life. It's not Spain though that brought me joy...it's Jesus.
So, in conclusion, these next few weeks will be a strange mix of emotions for me. Please be patient with me as I make the transition, your support means the world to me. And even though I love Spain and will miss it dearly, I am so thankful and blessed to have such an amazing life and people at home.
First, I am very excited to see people at home. I am excited to see my family. I am excited to see my friends. I am excited to live with my amazing roommates. I am excited for Dutch Buddy Wednesdays and TNT's. I am excited to be back at GFU, and a part of all that is there. I am looking forward to Christmas time, and all that entails in the U.S. I am excited to come back different than when I left. I am looking forward to classes in English, being able to go to the store when I need something, having a car, eating what I want when I feel like it, and to be able to get by without spending a zillion dollars (or Euros). I am looking forward to hearing about what I missed this fall.
On the other hand...I am not ready to leave. I am not ready to leave my Spanish life, friends, and school behind. I have become extremely close to some of the people in our program (from the States, but all over). We have shared laughs, tears, trips, inside jokes, experiences, faith, and our hearts. We understand that no one at home can understand what we have experienced this semester. I will also miss my Spanish friends, who have been so amazing and welcoming. The realization that they will be half a world away is not an easy one. I will miss my Spanish family, Pepi and Enrique, and our little pizo on calle Juan Diaz de Solis. I will miss Pepi's amazing cooking. I will miss the European and Spanish lifestyles. I will miss siestas, eating dinner at 9:30 pm, and dressing up to go to class everyday (although some of those will probably stick, haha). It will be very hard coming back, and being constantly reminded of Spain, while not being able to talk about it (I mean, seriously, who wants to hear 'Oh, in Spain, they...' a dozen times a day). It will be hard answering the question, "How was Spain?" That's like saying, "Please, tell me about the 4 most amazing and trying months of your life, that included traveling to 7 countries, speaking another language, and having dozens of life changing experiences... in only a minute or two, because I'm on my way to class and don't REALLY want to hear it all." If you would really like to hear about the semester, let me know, and we can seriously have some coffee and talk. It will be weird coming back and having missed a whole semester of knowing what is going on in the lives of my friends, and at Fox. So please fill me in on what I missed. It will be hard being on the outside of inside jokes, while at the same time having ones that no one will get. I will miss having centuries of history, literally in my backyard. Seeing ancient cathedrals and towers on the walk to school every day is something I am not taking for granted. I will miss speaking Spanish. Speaking and living another language and culture every day is an experience, so it will be hard to just drop that and go back to U.S. culture at the end of a plane ride.
I feel like I have grown up a lot this semester. I have become more independent, something that has been needing to happen for a while. Spiritually, I know I needed this time away from everything I knew and relied on so that God could reveal things to me...or rather, so that I would listen. It wasn't like God gave me some epiphany, like I was expecting, not gonna lie. Rather he revealed so many amazing things in little ways. I realized that God is not bigger or stronger or more prevalent in Spain...He is the same here, in the States, and all over the world. He showed me some of my weaknesses, and reminded me of my strengths. He provided me what I needed when I needed it, whether it be a hug, a fixed camera, or Bible verses that brought me to tears. Most of all, he has given me JOY. So much more than last semester, so much more than ever in my life. It's not Spain though that brought me joy...it's Jesus.
So, in conclusion, these next few weeks will be a strange mix of emotions for me. Please be patient with me as I make the transition, your support means the world to me. And even though I love Spain and will miss it dearly, I am so thankful and blessed to have such an amazing life and people at home.
Be home in a few DAYS! With my phone working. I look forward to seeing everyone! :)
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