The time actually arrived- my last blog post written in Spain! The realization of it being our last week seemed to hit us in full force; we imagine it for weeks and then all of a sudden, suitcases are actually being packed. Now that the end is here, it seems to have gone fast. Keeping up constant contact with people at home has helped it not feel too far away, so somehow it doesn’t feel like I’ve been away for very long. However, I’m sure once I see the bare trees and brown grass that I left in summertime, my absence will be much more realized. Our absence from home has also been realized this week with our excitement to come back. Haley and I are both nearly fully packed and it’s only mid-week!
According to us and our other friends from the program, the things we are most excited to return to are a bit more abstract. Of course we are antsy for hugs from loved ones and a big Chipotle bowl, but many people have said they also are looking forward to getting some freedom back in food and accessibility. We have been very lucky to live with host mothers that prepare all of our meals, but many of us, especially those who enjoy cooking, are anxious to be able to cook for ourselves again and be in charge of what we get to eat for each meal. Living with a host mom was definitely the best case set-up for me, but it will be really nice to be able to cook my own lunches again or decide what I actually feel like having for breakfast. Most people are also excited to get back the freedom of being able to drive. I greatly admire Spain’s dedication to public transport because of its cost efficiency and its environmental benefits, and it does encourage me to consider public transport as an option more often. The traditional suburban American in me, however, is greatly looking forward to returning to the ability to hop in my car whenever and go wherever and not have to be crowded in a bus seat or regulated by the walking distance or ticket cost between two locations. Our American privilege is very obvious in comparisons like these, but they are still very specific freedoms that will feel great to get back. Another thing we all are excited to return to is related to the freedoms but doesn’t even require much action; going back to your comforts is one of the main rewarding things about returning from studying abroad. Deciding to study abroad for a full semester is a very big decision and involves the agreement that you’re going to be giving up all that you use to make yourself comfortable for (in our case) 3 months. That’s a long time! Of course there has been Facetime and handwritten cards and favorite well-worn pajamas, but when you use those in a very strange space, they don’t have quite the same effect. This semester allowed us to see amazing and beautiful places, so it’s a very fair trade-off, but being without typical comfort methods is very hard. So now with only a couple days to go until we’re home for good, I think that is the main thing everyone wants to be back to whether they realize it or not. Whether it’s cooking, hugging family, watching a movie in your comfy family couch, all of these are things that make us comfortable and safe. And after 3 months of being thrust into new places with new people, we all seem to be ready to feel that way again. This last week in Alicante is reflective, sad, nostalgic, exciting, and anxious all together at once. There will absolutely be things I miss and am starting to miss already, which brings me more comfort than sadness because it demonstrates to me that I really did have a great time and made the right decision. Missing Thanksgiving, a very family-centered and relaxing holiday, is tough as well but luckily this time change will have us sleeping through a big part of it! Both a lot and not much will happen this week but at the end of it, we will say goodbye to a beautiful place and hello to that comfy couch and those hugs and (most importantly) that big Chipotle bowl.
1 Comment
Keli Emmons
11/24/2021 04:56:17 pm
Hannah,
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