That's a wrap

I've been back in the States for two days and I've already fallen back into my old routine. It's funny how you can be in a different situation for an extended amount of time, then return to "normal" life and just pick up where you left off. In the shower, I subconsciously went through all the motions — though everything felt a bit extravagant after having experienced a huge range of hostel showers. Cash came to scratch my bed my first morning back (5:30 a.m., which was fine, as jet lag made me wake up at 4:30 a.m. anyway) and I picked him up and he licked me as usual.

Back home in Chicago!

There are other examples too — but they've made me worried that I'm going to easily forget my experiences in Europe, where life can be very different than here in the United States.

As you know, I spent most of my time in Granada, Spain, which is in southern Spain. At the end of the semester, Becca, Melissa and I traveled for an additional two and a half weeks, slowly making our way up the continent, eventually ending in the U.K. As we continued north, the culture and the landscape reminded us more and more of the United States. Overall, northern Europe is more modern and more "Westernized" than the rest of Europe.

For this reason, I'm very glad that I chose to study in an area of Europe that was very different and challenged me, both in the language and the culture. 

My running route with the perfect view of the Sierra Nevadas. :)

Speaking Spanish was a struggle. I have improved immensely, but I am nowhere near fluent. Learning a language takes an enormous amount of practice — much more than one semester. The frustrating thing is that as you continue to learn a language, you are more aware of the mistakes you are making. You have the tools to fix those mistakes, but it takes a lot of practice to avoid those mistakes. This is what I struggled with — at a point, I started to feel embarrassed that I was still making these mistakes, which made me clam up. I will have to seek out opportunities wherever I am to continue practicing the language, be it speaking, reading, writing or listening.

The Spanish culture was also a struggle too. I would not give back my experience for anything, but at points, I had a really difficult time. Southern Spain is very traditional and not very progressive, not to mention it has an unemployment rate of 36 percent in Andalusia (2013). Living with a host family was a good experience, albeit challenging. After living independently for a good portion of our college careers, many of us struggled with staying with a family where we didn't really have access to the kitchen, couldn't clean our own clothes, had to be conservative with electricity and water usage and occasionally had trouble communicating. Spaniards are also very blunt — many of us were told things by our host families that took us aback.

But all these experiences have made me a different and stronger person. Continuing to learn Spanish has continued to open the door to another world. Like learning music, learning a different language makes you look at words and structures differently, and not assume that your language is the "right" or "best" language (a very important thing for us native English speakers). Being able to find out information or solve a problem in another language is also a powerful feeling. The fact that southern Spain was so different for us than life in the United States made me realize that most of the world is very different than what we're accustomed to. Many of us do live extravagant and very modern lives that seem normal, because that is what we are accustomed to. We (and countries in northern Europe) live "Western" lives, which are what many countries would like to replicate. We strive to be the cleanest, the most technological, the fastest, et cetera. But that is not the case in most of the world. In Spain, life moved slower. We couldn't use our credit or debit cards barely anywhere, and were given dirty looks when we tried to use a 20€ note to pay for an 8€ purchase, something that cashiers here would not even bat an eye at. It took almost three weeks for the Wi-Fi to be installed and working in my host family's apartment, something that would take just a few days here. And those ways are not wrong — we're just used to other ways.

On another note, I now feel more comfortable in my own skin. I've discovered more of who I am and how I operate in certain situations. I often had to exercise humility — I asked so many people so many questions, many of whom were very helpful and others who I just shrugged off when they looked at me with the "stupid tourist" face. I've always described myself as more of a shy person, but now I feel like I can talk to anyone about anything. I learned I actually love dancing, whether it be salsa or to funk music in a club in Amsterdam. I feel most free and alive in nature — during hikes, while skiing or standing by a lake in the suburbs of Copenhagen. I love meeting people who beat to their own drummer — those with fascinating stories who lead lives that are off the beaten path. I don't like being restricted — I need independence and responsibility.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome!

I could go on and on here, but this post is already getting long and I don't want to lose you. So, I just want to say this: No one studies abroad to actually study. You never hear someone say, "Yeah, I want to study in Paris because I really like the classes offered there." AND THAT'S OK. I didn't study abroad because I wanted to take Spanish classes. Yes, I finished my Spanish minor, but I also practiced the language, grew as a person and traveled a ton. Some people scoff at study abroad because you don't really study. But that's really not the point. As the world is more global and diverse, we are coming into contact with more cultures than ever before. For that reason, it is so important to understand other cultures. It took getting out of the United States for me to understand American culture (barbecues and Target, that's Americana right there). But now I also understand Spanish culture, and there are so many others that I now want to learn, so I can understand why people are the way they are. Our culture is very much a part of us, and it can sometimes blind us to other ways of life. If we could understand other cultures, our world would be able to integrate more easily than it is right now. This is a challenge that we are now facing in this modern and connected world, and one that needs to be worked on. So, if you get the chance, study abroad. Challenge yourself and go somewhere that's a little off the beaten path. I have changed, you will change, and I hope that we can remember and hold on to those experiences for our entire lives.

Alex, on the left, is my mom's friend from high school,
whom we stayed with at her home in Waterloo :)

The lovely Mannekin Pis in Brussels.
Also, my travel buddies for the last two and a half weeks!

Some of the Danish family!

More of the Danish family!

Thanks for reading my blog! This at times has been an outlet for me to get feelings off my chest, and at other times just to share my experiences. It was never a chore — something I more so looked forward to writing. I hope you enjoyed it. :)