Today marks two months since I ended my study abroad program in Barcelona.
That’s two months since I last had patatas bravas, arguably the best tapa Spain has to offer.
That’s two months since I last walked through the Anella Olímpica, one of the places where the 1992 Olympic games were played (pictured below) .
That’s also two months since I last swung through the air in my aerial yoga class.
In the two months since I’ve returned from Spain, I’ve thought a lot about my experiences and how much I have grown as a result. I think the most visible growth is my handle of the Spanish language. Whereas I could barely string together a sentence in Spanish I can now carry on a conversation, and believe me when I say that I do just that, wherever and whenever I can.
What might not be as visible is my increased sense of awareness of what’s going on in the world. Before studying abroad, I knew very little about the political atmosphere in Spain and saw Spain as a culmination of stereotypes. My culture professor, Cristina, helped me remove the rose-colored glasses I had on and see that Spain, like the United States has problems, such as the high unemployment rate among people my age.
Despite such problems, all the people I came across in still found ways to inject joy in their daily lives. Seeing them act in such a way not only made me want to do the same, but they also made me more appreciative of things in my life. For that, I will be forever indebted to Spain.
Our last days in Barcelona-one of my favorite photos