No hablo Español.
I don’t speak Spanish, I’ve never been to Europe, I know no one in my program, I am about to embark on my first international travel alone, and I have every right and reason to be nervous, but I’m not.
Technically this isn’t a pre-departure post as it is officially 1:34 AM on my 4th day in Barcelona… whoops. Sorry about that. But the three day late pass, the six hour jet lag, and my second cup of “Buenos Sueños” tea this evening has contributed to a more developed perspective as I reconsider how I felt upon leaving. I wasn’t worried about not making friends or being away from home for six weeks, my only real concerns involved learning the language without the help of a tutor and the benefits of Accessible NU. In retrospect, it feels ironic that the language is one of the few things I feel comfortable about right now, and the first twinge of homesickness has hit after my few days here. As a transfer, I am familiar with the struggle of having to make a whole new group of friends in a new place as quickly as possible. Fortunately, I am a Northwestern transfer, and my peers in Evanston and Barcelona are among the friendliest people I have ever met. I met my primero amigo abroad on our departing flight. I do believe that the relief of making friends quickly and reaping the benefits of cultural immersion will outweigh my newfound apprehensions.
The tea has kicked in now, so until my next posting, buenos sueños, amigos.