Seizing Each Day While Studying in Spain
It is crazy to think that I only have one month left studying abroad in Spain! I wanted to reflect on the things I have done these past two months, from the hill climbing, to trying to learn a language in three months.
In the first three months it was really hard to adjust to the new culture. I had a hard time converting from English to Spanish, but as I kept trying it began to become easier and easier. It seemed as if the people started speaking slower and I started to understand bits and pieces of sentences. Although, I still am not able to understand a full conversation, it is simple because they use words I have not learned yet. Through the whole journey everyone has offered support and it seems everyone here wants to see us succeed and learn Spanish. I have started thinking in Spanish and sometimes I can’t think in English.
Last week Javier and his friends and I took a “short cut” through some fields so we could get back to Javier’s house quicker, but it ended up being longer and it took us two or three hours to get home! This would’ve been very frustrating except the view was spectacular; it made me feel like I didn’t care I was lost. We climbed hill after hill and stumbled upon some old houses and other weird things, but it seemed the more we climbed hills and trudged through tall grass the view just got better and better! We finally found Javier’s neighborhood and it was kind of upsetting because I didn’t want to leave the beautiful paradise we had found.
Since being here the saying “Carpe Diem” has really meant a lot to me, When I first got here it was crazy to think I wouldn’t see my family for ninety days, but I told myself “Carpe Diem” or (seize the day) and tried to take every moment to learn something. Trying to improve myself, to prove to myself that I can do this, to learn as much Spanish as I could in the three months I am here. When I looked at it as “wow, I have ninety days,” it was a bit overwhelming, but when I really tried to make the best out of any situation and have fun no matter where I was it made the days fly and helped make memories that will last a lifetime, memories that I can tell my kids when I am older.
Spain has been a blast and one of the best things I have ever done in my life! Although I am sad that this great experience must come to an end in only one month, I can’t wait to tell my family and friends about the life I lived here and everything I experienced.
