Submitted by Jaclyn Roman on the 2012 spring semester program in Granada, Spain…
And just like that, I find myself with only a day left of my study abroad experience. The sun is shining in Granada and all carry on with daily routines, as do I, but from a more mindful perspective. How can it be that I’m making the same daily walk through the city for the last time? Views of the Sierra Nevada, street graffiti and Spanish niños that have always accompanied my environment will soon be memories.
The past week has been one filled with good-byes. I volunteered for the last time at the elementary school today, and all of the drawings and small gifts the students presented me with brought tears to my eyes. I bid farewell to all of the teachers who had so graciously welcomed me since day one. On Tuesday night, we had an end of semester party with all of the members of our program, and although united for an unfortunate reason, it was a beautiful celebration of all we’ve experienced these past few months.
Tomorrow morning at 4AM, I will be en route to the USA, and truthfully, although I am excited to see family and friends, the departure ceases to hit me. I am least looking forward to the good-bye to my host Mom who has had such a huge impact on my life here in Spain.
Most of all, in these last few moments I’m trying to embrace all that I’ve gained from this experience. Without a doubt, my time abroad has been the most rewarding in my life, and I expect this to forever stand true.
Thanks to all of those I include in my Spanish family, I have discovered myself even more throughout this experience. It has changed my life and opened up a door to a world of endless opportunities I never even imagined possible before.
Although this chapter of my life has to come to an end, it most definitely will carry on for a lifetime. I will maintain contact with all those important to me, and I am confident I will be back in Granada in the nearest future. Words can never express how study abroad has transformed me, but I am eternally grateful to have had such an incredible opportunity as this.
