Mi aventura at an end.

I have been back in the US for about a week now, and I am just now writing this final entry that I promised back in Madrid. I am not sure why I have put it off for so long. Well, that is not entirely true. I realized that I have so much that I want to say and yet very few words for it all. Classic case of writer’s block. Not to mention, I do not want to have to think about my life in Spain in the past tense. In fact, yesterday I caught myself speaking as if I were still there. Someone asked me, “Did you love it?” To which I replied, “Oh it’s perfect. I go to class and then spend the rest of the day at the beach…” Wait. No. That’s not right.

Cadiz was truly more than I ever imagined it would be. At the onset of the trip, I was praying to have the best experience but also keeping my expectations in check as to not set myself up for any letdowns as I did not know how difficult my classes were going to be, how I would get along with the other students, what my living situation would be like, or even if my level of Spanish was going to prove a sufficient means of communication.

After our bus from Madrid dropped us off in Cadiz for the first time, I was overwhelmed. Not because of the beauty of the city or the realization that I was actually in Spain, but because I could not understand a lick of what my new parents were saying to me. After a quick, internal panic, I set my mind to listening and learning. I did not talk much the first couple of days there, as I simply had no words to speak, but I was pleased with how quickly that changed.

Granted, there were a couple times throughout the trip that I wanted to speak English to my padres more than anything. Two times I remember specifically. The first time was because there was a cockroach in my bathroom, and I started panicking. For those of you who do not know, I have an unnatural fear of cockroaches. I am not scared of the very infamous spiders or snakes, but put a cockroach in my face, and you will have one less friend. Anyways, after I called for help, I wanted desperately to find the words to describe where the creature was without having to go anywhere near the bathroom. I could not find specific enough words and for whatever reason started ranting in English. Pepe just gave me a blank stare until I realized what I was doing and shut up. The second time was when I was sick and was simply too miserable to speak any words that required the slightest amount of effort.

Not only did I enjoy my home stay and my classes at La Universidad de Cadiz, but I made some of the best friends and we now have some of the very best memories. I am so grateful for every one of the 16 students who decided to spend their summer in Cadiz. If any of you are reading this, know that I love you so much, and I am so glad we were able to share that amazing experience together.

In all honestly, I could not be more pleased with everything that I did, saw, and learned while in Spain. I am by no means bilingual, but I know I will continue to improve. Next month, I will be volunteering as a translator for a medical-related service opportunity, and I am so excited. I pray that I will have many such opportunities in the future that will allow me to utilize the gift that Spain has given me.