I have finally arrived at my destination in Spain and have
been having a wonderful time in the most beautiful country in the world.
However, there have definitely been some setbacks.
The plan ride from Washington D.C. was surprisingly
depressing and not as exciting as I had imagined. It seemed like halfway
between America and Spain it finally hit me that, “Wow, I’m actually going to
be in a foreign country for three months without my friends, without my family
and without the support system that I have grown accustomed to”. I am actually
on my own here. Luckily I had taken a Valium right before my flight so I
appeared a lot calmer than I actually was. If it hadn’t been for the medicine then
I probably would have started crying on the passenger next to me.
Day one was quite similar. I was experiencing somewhat of a
depressing phase, realizing that I wasn’t going to be able to return home for
another 90 days. It was all sinking in as I thought about all the things I was
missing out on at home. For example, Delta Zeta is about to undergo
recruitment, an activity that I was very much involved in last year and greatly
enjoyed. Missing this year’s recruitment is going to be sad, but I can’t wait
to meet all the new Delta Zetas when I return. I also realized that my family
is going to be traveling without me, something that we had always done
together. Not being able to be with my family for vacations and the
Thanksgiving holiday made me sad and made me wish I were back home. Also
realizing that I was not going to be able to see my best friend and boyfriend
for another three months made me feel left out and wonder how life was carrying
on without me. Kelly Picune, my best friend, text every single day about our
lives and every moment apart from each other is literally painful. So needless
to say not being able to see her for an extended period of time is quite
depressing. I love you, homey. I also wonder if three months without seeing
Logan will create a distance between us and diminish the closeness that we
experienced before I left. I often get paranoid about him finding someone else
and forgetting about me since I am halfway across the world.
With all of these fears, doubts and second thoughts I took
some time to myself during our second day in Madrid to reflect on my trip and
what I hope to accomplish during my time in Madrid. Walking around the building
and seeing all of the beauty that Spain has to offer really brought me peace of
mind and relieved all of the doubts that I had the previous day. I came to the
conclusion that yes, three months is a long time to be away from home and the
lifestyle that I grew up with, but being able to travel in Spain and Europe for
three months is a once in a lifetime opportunity and is literally a dream come
true. Yes, there are drawbacks but the fact that I am currently living in the
most amazing country, being able to study and work with Spanish children on
bridging the gap between Spain and American cultures is absolutely marvelous.
And once again, the butterflies of excitement were back and now I couldn’t be
happier.
Our ISA group spent the day in Toledo today, one of the most fascinating cities I've ever seen. The streets create a labyrinth that would be impossible to escape without a tour guide, and all of the roads are made of black cobblestone. The buildings are built on hills and there are magnificent churches, mosques and synagogues. We learned from this that Toledo, back in earlier centuries, was one of the only cities in Spain where Catholics, Jews and Muslims could all live in harmony together in tolerance and free of judgment. Toledo is an incredible city that I would definitely consider living in if the opportunity ever arose. With all the festivities in Madrid and Toledo, and with all my concerns and fears out of my mind, I look forward to the next chapter in my study abroad experience as we finally venture to Sevilla tomorrow morning.
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