55 Hours and Counting

My father informed me a few hours ago that the 62-hour mark, where I began my blog, passed a few hours ago. It's now roughly 55 hours until I get on the plane that marks the beginning of my journey back home, back to America, back to Michigan, back to my family and friends and normalcy. I figured, in light of such an occasion, I ought to post something on my blog, even if I've neglected Rome and Florence and Paris (hey guys I went to Paris) and Feria and anything that occurred over the past two months. What happened was I went on those trips and got backlogged on stuff to write about and then suddenly in May I got slammed with actual schoolwork and a massive dose of reality and the whole blogging thing fell by the wayside. For the record, I still plan on writing posts about Italy and Paris and all that, they'll just be a little delayed is all. Okay, very delayed, but they will be written! I still want to be able to share those experiences with everyone who reads, so it will be done. Today, though, I took my final exam, finishing what I've been calling the longest semester I've had since elementary school. Seriously, I thought another one of the perks of turning 18 is that they're never allowed to keep you in school until June again, but maybe that's only in the States. Regardless, I'm now officially done with my semester school-wise, and in just a few days I'll be homeward bound.

Since I do want to write about those trips and trials, this isn't my last post, despite being the bookend to the first one. I still thought it appropriate to write a little reflection on things even if I'm going to do it all out of order. I'm only a few days away from leaving, and it's been an amazing, ridiculous, unreal, at times overwhelming, always unbelievable experience. I constantly feel as though I'm using way too many superlatives when describing everything I've done and seen here, but I can't help it. That's the only way to even come close to describing the study abroad experience.

I came here thinking that the most valuable part of this for me would be the vast improvement of my spoken Spanish. And while it certainly has allowed me to develop my skills beyond where they ever could've gotten without living in a Spanish-speaking country, I've found that language is only a part of the greater impact that these five months have had on me. You know, I always joked about "personal growth" as another benefit of the semester, writing it off as something overly sentimental only to be used in study abroad applications and scholarship essays. But to be honest, the amount of growing I've done has been substantial, and it's probably been the most worthwhile thing to come of this. I've become much more independent and, as a result, confident. My goals feel more clearly defined for me now. I have a much broader view of the world and a better perspective of where I come from and where I am in relation to everything else. Frankly, I've just learned a lot. And not even at school. In fact, school may be the place I've learned the least since being here. That and bars. Granted, that's probably an exaggeration, considering I can now name more influential French filmmakers of the Nouvelle Vague movement than ever before (thanks, Film History), but I do think the kind of learning I did outside the fábrica de tabacos is the most important, the kind that will stick with me. This is not new information; everybody knows life experience is almost always more useful than classroom experience, but life here is so different from everything else I've ever known that the experience is that much more powerful.

I could probably ramble about this for a long time, but nobody wants that, and you probably get the idea, so I'll just leave you with this summary: I've loved and cherished my time here, but I'm ready to head home. I'm going to really miss my host family, but I couldn't be happier to get back to my real one. I'm sad to leave a place where I've spent so much time and built a mini-life, but I know one day I'll be back. And if I don't eat anything made with olive oil for a while, I'll be okay with that.

Now, on to packing, the final goodbyes, and one long day of travel. America, I'll see you soon. Sevilla, it's been nice knowing you.

(Me, my beautiful roommate, and my beautiful city, at least for a few more days)