The most difficult part about being abroad, hands down, is leaving behind your life at home. It's a terrifying thought to pack your bags, say goodbye to your loved ones, and live the next few months with your base hundreds of miles across the Atlantic Ocean. There isn't a pause button to stop life in the U.S. as you travel to a new part of the world, and you hope that your relationships are strong enough to endure the next few months without your physical presence. Of course I was anxious about going to a new country by myself and having to navigate a new way of living, however, the re-entry part of my journey gave me the most anxiety. While I have studied abroad before, I was not too worried about my re-entry to the U.S. because my travel took place during the summer. This experience will be different because my travel took place during the academic year.

As reflect on my experiences abroad, I cannot help but wonder about life when I am back in the U.S. I learned very early on that everyone else's life does not stop because I am abroad, and this was evident in the stream of emails from my home institution and the Facebook statuses that appeared on my newsfeed. Within the span of nearly four months, there have been a roller coaster of changes and it was disheartening to not be able to witness these changes in person. I felt disconnected from my base at home and school, and it was a strange feeling. There was a sense of  loss of time, and I couldn't do anything but keep in touch and enjoy my time in Spain. So....why study abroad? “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”― Terry Pratchett

Regardless of how much I wanted things to slow down and wait for me, I knew that the best part of life is that it keeps going. I wasn't losing time. I was experiencing time in a new surrounding with new people!If I were given the choice again to study abroad or remain in the States, I would not have changed my decision. Yes, I am still nervous about coming back home and re-learning a new routine. Even so, I am ready to embrace the changes that have occurred while I was away. I won't come back empty handed! Of course, I will come bearing gifts and stories of my journey. But most of all, I will come back as a more worldly and independent young woman. I hope the U.S. is ready because I am! 

I am not one for roller coasters, bunging jumping, and cliff diving. Frankly, I am afraid of heights and I cannot swim, and those activities may in fact kill me! However, I am a thrill seeker in many other ways. I love trying new foods, talking to complete strangers, and I hopped on a plane to live in another country for four months without knowing ANYONE! Now, that is a thrill seeker! 

Since arriving in Sevilla, I have discovered so much about myself and I realized my growth. I have learned transferable skills that I will take with me for the rest of my life, and I have developed relationships with many people. I taught myself to read a map, navigate a new city, and ask for directions in another language. I met random strangers in a variety of cities who made my experiences more memorable. I reunited with one of my best friends in Granada after arranging my entire trip. I have consumed SO MUCH FOOD and most of which I do not recall the names! 

It's been a journey! It's been a long, wonderful, frustrating, and memorable journey. I have less than two weeks left, and I do not feel like a tourist anymore. Well, I look like a tourist. And on occasion, I have to pull out my map, which by the way is a GREAT indicator that you are a tourist. Even so, I feel like a local, and I felt so accomplished when a Spaniard asked me for directions, and I was able to direct her! Obviously, I look much more credible now.

I do admit I can still get lost sometimes, but that just means more adventures! Even though I have lived in Sevilla for almost four months, there are still parts of Sevilla that I haven't explored. It's HUGE! Regardless of how many times you see the Plaza de Espana, the Torre del Oro, Las Setas, or the Catherdral de Sevilla, you are still in awe by its beauty. 

Spain will always have a place in my heart, and I plan to come back to travel throughout the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of the world. With that takes courage and a small carry-on bag BECAUSE YOU DO NOT NEED to pack your entire room. To pack your entire life in a backpack (okay, and maybe a small suitcase) and immerse yourself in an unfamiliar part of the world is absolutely ridiculous! You can COUNT ME IN!