Day 102 (or so)... My last day.

There aren't words to accurately express how lucky I feel to have had the opportunity to live in Spain for the past 3 1/2 months.  I have known since I learned about study abroad that I would go to Spain.  Originally I wanted to go to Barcelona, but I am soooo glad that I ended up in Toledo.  Toledo has been perfect for me; a smaller city, located only 45 minutes away from Madrid, with lots of history and so incredibly beautiful.  I remember how nervous I was about flying to a foreign country without friends or family, but all that nervousness seems silly now.  I credit my host family with part of why I stopped feeling nervous.  I was also very nervous about what they would be like, but I quickly learned they are a lot like my own family.  I immediately started to feel right at home, something that would continue throughout the whole time.  Towards the end, it got to the point where my "mom" felt comfortable enough with me to scold me for not cleaning my room or drying my hair after I shower.  I was struggling with everything one day and she even joked that my head is only for holding my hair.  Yeah, you could say we have a good relationship! :)  My "sister" and I quickly bonded over her English homework when she'd come ask me for help.  She will forever be Tom to me (I know that joke makes no sense to all of you...).  I will also never think of the word "hiato" the same again and I'm holding on to those Photo Booth pictures!  My "dad", I realized, is extremely similar to my own dad (corny jokes and all), creating an automatic bond for me.  One of my favorite memories with him was when we all went to wander around the local mall and while everyone else was shopping, we sat playing Angry Birds.  We got very into it!  And there was the time when we played Guitar Hero...  That was a lot of fun and quite odd for me, to play it in Spain.  And I, of course, can't forget about my "grandparents"!  They, as I'm sure you could have guessed, were also amazing.  It did not take them long either to treat me as their own granddaughter.  My favorite memories with them were sitting outside with my "grandma" and my "mom" before lunch in September and part of October (while it was still warm) just talking about everything and my "grandpa" always trying to stuff me full of food before we even ate lunch(!).  And being protected from bees, watching them try to kill the bees and flies.  That was hilarious!  Anyway... I could go on for hours and hours about my host family, so I'll leave at that for now.  Feel free to ask me any questions and I will (of course) be more than happy to answer!

I get so caught up talking about my host family that I forget there was more to my experiences!  There was also a school aspect to this whole thing... You know, the study part in STUDY abroad.  As a recap, I took Literature, Philosophy, Service Learning and Art History here.  My Literature and Service Learning classes were definitely my favorite ones.  Philosophy was HARD. Really hard, but I think I have at least managed a B (at least a 8'0 for those who don't use the ABCDF system) in that class!  Going to the Residencia for my Lit class might have seemed pointless in relation to our class, but it was definitely very interesting talking to my "abuela" for an hour each week.  The other experience I'm not going to forget is going to the school out in Polígono each Tuesday for my Service Learning class.  That was such an eye-opening (sorry for the cliché-ness) experience for me, to see how other countries learn foreign languages.  You'll have to go back and reread my blogs for the details on those experiences because there's a lot of them and I don't really want to retype all of them...  Art History was also interesting because we actually got to go see (in the morning) the buildings we'd talk about that afternoon.  Only one of many reasons why I love Toledo.

Another important part of the past few months have been my friends.  I have wound up in a different friend group now than when I got here, but I think it was all for the best.  Everything happens for a reason.  You stick any group of people together for a long time and there will always be drama, but I think it was kept more or less to a minimum.  While I'm sad that we weren't mixed in with Spanish students, I have met new people from all over the U.S.  Lots of new people to go visit! :)  I also learned that just because you are friends around Toledo or around school doesn't necessarily mean you are fit to travel together.  But in order to learn that lesson, you have to travel together at least once.  I love all my new friends I've made here and I sincerely hope that they won't lose touch when we all return to our "real" lives.  As cheesy as it is (and as "high school") as it may be, I'd like to make a few shout outs:

Kami - You have been my friend from the start here.  I'm really glad that we have stayed friends through the whole time! Thank you for being a good travel buddy and for putting up with me! :)  I'd better see you every once in awhile when we get back to school!

Elle - I am glad I met you and that we got the chance to go see Granada/Córdoba/Barcelona together.  I am sorry for whatever it was that happened with us, but I hope that we can still talk occassionally once we are both back in Denver!

Moriko - I wish I'd met you sooner because you are so much fun to be around!  You are crazy and goofy and such an amazing storyteller.  You, me and Kami had so much fun in London, which is definitely been one of the highlights of my travels.  When you get married to the Rock, I expect a wedding invitation.  And when you buy your cubbord under the stairs, I expect an invitation to the cubbord warming party.  I also wouldn't mind meeting your giraffe (assuming he hasn't been eaten by your pet bengal tiger yet...).  Stay in touch, ok?

Grace - I'm sad we didn't get to hang out as much, but I enjoyed the times we did!  Fortunately, we go to the same school, so we can hang out whenever tenemos la gana :)  I'm still laughing at the statue by the way...  Each time I read your comment, I can hear you saying it as I read it!


To sum up my all of my experiences, I made a list of things I have learned while I was here (from my "family", from school, from my travel experiences... everything).  There's a lot of them, but I hope you enjoy them!
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Things I’ve Learned
 

- Buy slippers for around the house (bare feet = getting sick)

- It’s ok to change clothes when home for long periods of time

- All siblings are the same around the world

- Party doesn’t start until at least 2am (unlike the rest of Europe apparently)

- Food here is AMAZING!  My "mom" and "grandma" are fabulous cooks!

- Hugs aren’t unwanted… I just have to ask for them.

- Class schedules are so strange… 2 sessions of the same class in one day??

- Buy a hairdryer.  Wet hair = getting sick.

- Do not sleep with my window open.  Open window + sleeping = getting sick.

- Professors (mine at least), are much more lenient here.

- First impressions CAN be wrong

- Who your friends are makes a huge difference on your experience – find the right ones.

- Pay attention in class and do your homework and the tests are relatively easy. (which I guess is true everywhere...)

- I’m more confident in navigating strange airports and traveling (in general) alone.

- When traveling over a weekend, double check where the hostel/hotel is before booking it, sometimes price isn’t everything.

- Also, while traveling… Make a list of things to see (a.k.a. do your research) or else you won’t see half the necessary things.

- Public school education (at least what I experienced while volunteering) sucks in the later elementary school grades.

- Old people are fun to talk to.

- I am definitely in love with Don Quijote.

- No matter which way you walk in Toledo, you are always walking up hill and you will always end up in Zocodover.

- Toledo is a beautiful city and super easy to navigate by bus.

- Always leave 2 hours to get to the Madrid airport (Barajas) from Toledo for bus time and Metro time.

- If connecting to another bus in Madrid (rather than an airplane), make sure to double check what station you are leaving from.  Most do NOT leave from Plaza Elíptica (as I learned the hard way…).

- Always remember to bring address of hotel/hostel with you.

- Spaniards really love their boots.  (Yaaaaaaay boots!!)

- I was a Spaniard in another life.

- I love their meal schedule – I love eating a big lunch and a lighter dinner.  This surprised me since my favorite meal is usually dinner.

- It’s ok to sleep during the day. (Yes!!! Go siestas!!)  I may have adapted this custom a bit too much...  I get teased for sleeping so much!  My (biological) mom says (just like she does at home), "They only tease you because they love you!"  So maybe it's a good sign?

- I suck at planning trips.

- Travel with the right people – make sure all are flexible and can go with the flow <-- SUPER necessary.

- It is possible to be “home”sick

- I’m going to miss my host family

- My grammar is better than I thought it was (to start with)

- I can pass as a Spaniard if I remember to use the accent.  (GraTHias instead of GraCias)

- Computer is “ordenador”, not “computador”.  Cell phone is “móvil”, not “teléfono”.  Pen is “bolígrafo”, not “pluma”.  Car is “coche”, not “carro”.

- I struggle with pronouncing my “r’s” (something that has become something of a joke with my host family…).

- It’s ok (here) to have a drink once in awhile.

- London is beautiful in the fall

- I miss snow/rain.

- Cliques are everywhere, not just in high school or the United States.

- I don’t like philosophy.

- I really enjoy blogging (can you tell?? :P )

- I could totally live here.

- I don’t miss much about the U.S. (except for friends and family, obviously)

- They talk REALLY fast on game shows, but I can understand most of it now!

- I am now addicted to Spanish TV shows: Águila Roja, Homicidios, El Barco, Pasapalabra, Atrapa un Millón, Sálvame, etc…  I will continue watching them in the US, but online! :)

- They scream/argue a lot on talk shows.  About the same topics.  My favorite was when they spent a good hour talking to a woman about why her ex husband didn't invite her to his wedding.

- The TV is always on.  While eating, studying, working… basically everything except while sleeping (and sometimes even that, but not on purpose!).

- Sizing uses the same letters as the U.S. (S, M, L, XL), but they are always actually one size smaller than labeled.  Or so I have learned.

- There are a lot of (seemingly) random holidays.  I don’t mind, but it would be nice if my school would actually observe them, too.

- Summer weather is HOT.  Too hot…

- Winter weather isn’t too cold (for me), but it is for them.

- I am treated like one of the family.  For example, being scolded for not dressing appropriately for the weather and being told to pick up my room.

- Bus drivers are usually very nice if you forgot to recharge your bus pass (not that I’ve ever done this…): they’ll let you ride anyway.

- Heels + cobblestone = bad idea.

- Rain + cobblestone = slippery.

- Heels + rain + cobblestone = near death.

- Buses never come when they are supposed to.

- Always leave 30 minutes before class starts (for me), leaving time for the bus to be late.

- Early morning flights suck.  And never count on public transportation to the airport to go exactly as planned.  It won’t.

- When someone is yelling, it doesn’t always mean that they are angry.  Sometimes they just like discussing things in loud voices.

- Sometimes they do get angry, though.  It comes on really quick, but they get over it just as quickly.

- Finals week sucks more when abroad.  More distractions and things you’d rather be doing… Like traveling.  Or SHOPPING! :D

- Telling a "family" member something means telling everyone.  Which I don't mind, but it certainly took some getting used to!  It was always disorienting, at first, to walk into my "grandparents'" house and have my "grandma" ask me about something I knew I hadn't told her.

I'm sure there are many more things I've learned since I've been here, but those are the ones I can think of.  Check back occasionally because I'm sure I'll be updating it as I think of more.

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The word "bittersweet" has a new meaning for me.  I've never been so torn to go home before.  I miss my family a lot, of course, but I feel like I want more time here.  I half expect to wake up Friday morning (my first morning home) thinking the past few months have been a dream, but when I automatically start speaking Spanish, I'll realize it wasn't...  I honestly could not have pictured a more perfect way to study abroad.  I have some great new friends, new experiences and I am definitely better for it.

"Strangers are just friends waiting to happen."  In a lot of ways it's hard to believe that only a few months ago, my host family and I were strangers.  That has definitely changed and I know that I have made friends for life in them.  We may live far apart, but I fully intend to stay in touch with them and visit when I can.  One of the most touching moments for me was when my "grandma" said to me a couple months ago something along the lines of, "You know you will always have a home here, right?"  I was so touched that everyone let me into their hearts so quickly.  I knew leaving would be hard, but this is way harder that even I imagined.

I just want to say thank you Spain, from the bottom of my heart, for teaching me so much and for being such an amazing country.  Please don't forget about me when I leave because I will never forget you and everything I've experienced this semester.  I promise to come back and visit as soon as I can.

¡Hasta la próxima!

Sarah <3

P.S.  Enjoy some of my favorite photos from my time in Toledo!  I didn't include my travel photos or else this blog would go on forever.  Maybe that could be a metaphor for me wanting my time in Spain to go on forever, if I don't want to end my last blog?  Hmmm....

My "abuela" from the Retirement home (the Residencia) and me at our end-of-semester celebration!

My completely and totally amazing host family (minus my "brother" and "grandparents").  This picture was taken at my "grandparents'" house.  My "mom", Belén, my "sister", Belén, and my "dad", Antonio.  I am unable to describe how much I'm going to miss them when I leave tomorrow.  I have their Facebooks, so I'm sure we'll stay in touch :)

A beautiful shot of a sunset from Madrid while at an outdoor mall with my host family.

Shot of Toledo from a lookout point during our tour on our first full day in Toledo!

Zocodover Plaza at night.  It's even prettier during Christmas time with all the lights on the trees :)

Probably one of my favorite pictures of my host sister and me.  This was our first outing the local mall and my host mom told her to take me through some of the stores.  We agreed that she'd try on anything I suggested and I'd do the same with anything she suggested.  I'm definitely going to miss spending time with her!