El fin

This is my last blog post! I want to thank everyone who read my posts and has been a part of my study abroad experience. I am forever grateful and I will never forget these last few months.

Para mi última entrada me gustaría dar las gracias a todos los que han sido parte de mi experiencia en el extranjero. Estoy eternamente agradecido y nunca voy a olvidar estos últimos meses.

To my parents-

Thank you for supporting me in my study abroad adventure and allowing me to explore the world. I promise I'll come home!

Gracias por apoyarme en mi aventura en la extranjera y permitirme explorar el mundo. ¡Yo prometo que voy a volver a casa!

A mi familia española-
Mar, Nando, Tata, Luis y Miguel - thank you for the roof over my head, the Spanish conversations, the laughs, and for making me feel at home.

Gracias por el techo sobre mi cabeza, las conversaciones en español, las risas, y por hacerme sentir como en casa mía.

A mis profesores, especialmente Angeles - 

Thanks for the life lessons, classroom lessons, and for reminding me that I am here to study too. I really have learned so much this semester.

Gracias por las lecciones de la vida, lecciones de la clase, y por recordarme que estoy aquí para estudiar también. En verdad, he aprendido muchisimo este semestre.

To my friends and travel companions - 

We will never forget these trips and I am so happy we have been able to experience Spain and Europe together. I can't wait to look back and remember this semester (even when everyone else is sick of hearing our stories).

Nunca olvidamos esos viajes y estoy tan alegre que hemos podido experimentar España y Europa juntas. No puedo esperar para recordar este semestre (incluso cuando todos los demás están hartos de oír nuestras historias)

And to my roomates - 

Stephanie, Liz, Dani, and Anna - I know the part I will miss the most is the time after dinner, laughing about anything and everything. Thank you for the laughs and the memories. It wouldn't have been the same without you, I love you guys!

La parte que mas echo de menos es el tiempo después de la cena, sentándonos y riendo de cualquier cosa. Gracias por las risas y las memoras. No habría sido lo mismo sin vosotras, ¡Las amo!

If I could rewind back to January 9th, my first day in Madrid, and start this whole thing all over again I would do it in a heartbeat.


Back to the U.S. I go, full of bittersweet emotions. But this gringa's adventures aren't over yet and I hope to return to Spain one day soon. As for now, it's on to the next chapter and off to Mallorca and Greece. Thanks for reading!

¡Hasta la próxima!

Time to Americanize

When I woke up this morning I signed on to Facebook and saw that just about everyone had updated his or her status with the news of Osama Bin Laden's capture. For the first time this semester I wished that I was in the U.S. today. With class over and finals underway it is beginning to sink in that I will be home in a very short time. It seems like I just arrived and have so much left to do! Just as I begin to feel like I live here it is time to pick up and move back to Minnesota.

Almost 4 months ago: my first day in Madrid with my roommates!

I am sad to leave the land of tortilla espanola and spanish speakers. I will miss the travel adventures, meeting new people and even staying in hostels. I will have to re-train myself to say "thank you" instead of "gracias" and "what's up" instead of "que tal." I am leaving the hustle and bustle of Madrid for the lazy summer days on Lilac Lane. Most of all, I will miss sitting around the dinner table with my roommates and laughing about our days.

But I am excited to see my family and friends and taste the glory of Chipotle again. I will attempt to drive a car again after months of riding the metro. The ease of reaching people via cell phones has become a foreign concept, I have almost forgotten that you can simply call someone in the U.S. to get a hold of them! Even though I know people will get annoyed with all of my "this one time in Spain..." stories I am still excited to tell them. It is going to be a challenge to "re-americanize" myself but I think I will fall right back into the swing of things.

All of the places I have been lucky enough to travel to this semester! (And the ones I will travel to before heading home)

I am coming home with many new friends from all over the world, a perspective of world politics from outside of America, and a great appreciation for Shakira and cold milk that is not from a box. This semester has been the most educational semester of my life and a majority of the learning took place outside of the classroom.

After my last final, I am taking off for Mallorca and Mykonos with my roommates Stephanie and Anna. It will be our last hoo-rah of our semester abroad. After our last jaunt around the Mediterranean its time to head back to the good ole U.S. of A. Here I come America!

¡Hasta la próxima! 

Cuando me desperté esta mañana y me accedí en Facebook yo vi que todos mis amigos habían escrito  sobre las noticias de la captura de Osama Bin Laden. Por la primera vez este semestre deseaba estar en los EEUU hoy. Con clases terminadas y el inicio de los exámenes finales, me doy cuenta de que voy a estar en casa en un tiempo muy corto. Parece que acabo de llegar y todavía tengo tan mucho para hacer aquí.

Estoy triste para irme del mundo de tortilla española y los españoles. Le echaré de menos las aventuras y viajes, encontrar amigos nuevos y quedarme en hostales. Necesito practicar diciendo “thank you” en vez de “gracias.” Pero más que todo, voy a extrañarle el tiempo después de la cena con mis compañeras de cuarto. Estoy emocionado ver mi familia y mis amigos y comer Chipotle. Va a ser difícil entrar en mi vida americana pero puedo hacerlo.