Wanderlust

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Having the "my abroad experience ends in a month, what is life..." moments frequently the past few days sends me through the biggest mix of emotions I could have. Every part of my life I love; living in Rhode Island to going to school in Vermont, and now my life here in Granada. This is what I can tell you about going abroad. You can skim through every other post I have put on my blog which will tell you all the amazing things and places you will get to see, but this is the main thing I can tell you: 

Being abroad is where you learn more about yourself, your comfort zone and how challenging yourself can be the most difficult and most rewarding thing you can do.  

There is a reason its coined experiential learning. Yes you have classes and are there for school, but the amount you learn outside of the classroom along with the material in them is far more valuable all together than anything. I could tell you all the history facts about the empires of Granada and the Catholic monarchs who took over the city. I have learned so much in comparison of Latin America and Spain. I have an amazing Spanish professor and class so I have learned a lot about the language especially inside and outside of the classroom. I will tell you that you will take more away from both in and out of the classroom doing a semester abroad than you will from anything you have ever experienced. I have been the most independent I have ever been, the most challenged I have ever been and most of all, I have never felt more like myself. 

You learn a lot from all the different adventures you have. I learned my body will never ever like foods with tons of spices but will never see the day that it doesn't love a chocolate croissant. I learned sleeping on the floor of an airport to catch a morning flight was one of the most minimal nights of sleep I've ever had, but it was one of the best trips and weekends with great company. I learned that I am not invincible still hobbling when coming to Europe after fracturing a leg, and that feeling of finishing a hike with views that are out of this world has never made me more grateful. I learned that putting myself in a culture where I hardly understood the language was the most challenging thing I could do to myself, and the most rewarding. 

4 SD memory cards and a postcard from every location, I won't ever forget the memories I have here. I don't want there to be a month left, time really does fly when you are having fun, and all good things must come to and end. Portugal I'm coming for you this weekend and here's to another month of bliss abroad, and an unreal adventure. 

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