I’ll begin this last Journal at the very beginning--my first day in Pamplona. I was excited to be living in a new, different country and for all of the experiences I would have, but I was also a little nervous. Would I be able to learn the language? Would I make friends? Would I miss my home back in Chicago?
Now, towards the end of my time here in Spain, I have some answers to those questions I had that first day. Yes, I would most definitely be able to learn the language by talking to people and being immersed in Spanish. Yes, I would absolutely make new friends and a new community here in Spain. And yes, I would miss my home back in Chicago every once in a while, but my friends and family back home were just a phone call away.
I will be leaving Spain in a few weeks to return back to the United States, and I’ve been encouraged by all of my mentors here to reflect upon my time. I’m sure when I go back home, I will have to answer the question, “How was Spain?” from all of my friends and family. So, I think it’s best to do some reflection and try to come up with an answer.
Spain has been, first and foremost, a learning experience. I learned about the geography of Spain, the different mountains and deserts and rivers and bays, by traveling all around Spain.