Too many feelings. Too many lasts.
Last time I walk by the cathedral. This amazing building I’ve been blessed to have the pleasure of walking by multiple times each day for the past five months. I just want to reach out and hug it as I pass it by. I’m going to miss this beautiful city with the old buildings and the clearest blue skies I’ve ever seen. I wish it wasn’t goodbye.
Last lunch with my host family. My host mom prepares the same vegetable soup we eat each Monday. “Lunes=verduras” This is what my host mom believes. Lately, I’ve been complaining an awful lot about the food in my homestay and the food in Spain in general. Surely, I love American food and crave it so much. But today I don’t mind. I enjoy this last bowl of soup and the company of my host mom and sister as we watch the television (something else I’ve had to get very accustomed to in my time here). We’re commenting on what’s going on in the television all knowing that this is a big day. After lunch my host sister brings me a bag- a little goodbye gift. I bought my se�ora chocolates and wrote out a card thanking her for everything and for the memories.
I wish to keep in touch with Manuela and Maria. You get close to people when you live with them for so long. I asked my se�ora if she had a Facebook. She told me yes- and she was surprised that we also have “fac-e-book” in the US. Why yes, we do happen to have Facebook in the US… 🙂
My se�ora and Maria have to leave to get back to school. They help me down with my bags and my se�ora mentions for the second time to me how it feels as if it were just yesterday we were lugging these bags up the stairs. Five months later, five very quick months and we have to take them back down. Fuller than ever. Now containing all that I brought from the US in addition to all of the things I’ve acquired here in Europe. My se�ora is right. It does feel like just yesterday and it saddens me that this experience has to come to an end.
We have to say goodbye on the street when we part ways. We give each other besos and I start to tear up. Everything is becoming too real.
So much is running through my head. I think back to first arriving in Seville. I remember feeling terribly helpless in this city knowing nothing about it or about getting around it. I remember struggling for words and having the hardest time forming sentences. I was so shy and unsure.
Last walk through the city. Last chance to take it all in. Thank God I’ve had 5 whole months to take it all in because it’s just so beautiful I find myself overwhelmed in these last moments.
Last airport bus ride. Last time passing through the part of town David and I made our home for two weeks. Brings back such wonderful memories. On my way to the airport today I smiled proud- thinking how far I’ve come in these five wonderfully fulfilling months. Not only do I know my way around this city that was once so big and new- I’ve made it my home. Seville will always have a very special place in my heart. I’ve improved my language abilities so much as well.
Last time in the Seville airport. So many amazing memories here as well. Arriving with Emily. Finding Jessica and David after baggage claim. Flying out of here to Barcelona. Flying home to the US and right back into this airports open arms in one weekend. The amazing feelings flush back of when I checked the screen so many times when I was taking my first solo flight between Seville and Barcelona to meet Emily. When Jessica and I entered this airport and set off on our trip of a lifetime.
Oh, it’s so hard to say goodbye. So many wonderful memories that I would give anything to hit rewind and play back again and again. What helps me accept that this chapter in my life is over is the fact that it will always live on in my memories. I’ve had amazing visits with people I love, made incredible friends, and learned so much- about Spain and Spanish of course, about life and most importantly about myself.
This experience has changed me. I can already feel that as I sit here in the airport waiting to check my luggage back to the states. I know, however, that no matter how changed I feel in this moment I still don’t know the importance this experience has had on me. I think once I go home and settle back into my life I will do and see things differently. This is when I’ll know for sure how I’ve changed.
I’m in the airport. I was stressed out hoping my baggage wasn’t too heavy and that I could carry on all that I needed to. Luckily the woman at the checkin desk let my bag go even though it was too heavy. So far everything has gone so smoothly- and I’m really thankful. Now just my flight to Lisbon and 14 hours in the airport. I will try to pass the time reading. But mostly I think I will be reflecting and writing in my journal as I wait to board my flight back to my hometown.
I’m still in Seville now, though it already feels like I’m gone. I have one hour until my plane boards. Leaving it all behind…. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be.
My last cry here in Spain. The last time my emotions will get the best of me as I board the last plane- one that takes me one step closer to the end of this experience.
Goodbye, dear Sevilla. Thank you for the wonderful memories. I can’t wait to see you again someday!

Location: Aeropuerto de Sevilla, Sevilla, España

Tonight, I said goodbye to Ana. My sweetheart of a friend who drove all the way into Seville from her pueblo to say goodbye to me. It was hard, as this was my first goodbye. We exchanged emails and she told me of I were ever back, I’d always have a place to stay with her. I encouraged her to come visit in the US as I would love to show her my world as she’s shown me hers.
After we said goodbye, she headed off back home and I walked across the bridge into the center of the city.
It was nighttime and I was supposed to meet some friends in the Plaza de Espa�a. One thing we wanted to do before we started heading home was see this amazing place at night. I ended up not meeting anyone- but being on my own and being able to reflect in my own head was just what I needed.
As I stood there basking in the beautifulness that that Plaza has to offer I started tearing up. For the first time, I realized that I’m leaving. I’m going home. I was realizing that my experience was over- coming to an end. All I had work toward. All I was looking forward to. It has now come and gone. All I had done here in the past five months made me feel accomplished and proud. I felt so very blessed that this amazing dream came true and it was more than I could have ever imagined.
I did it! I came to another country, lived on another culture and made this wonderful city my HOME.
This was incredible. Everything coming full circle for me.
I remember the first time that my experience in Spain finally became real was when I was shocked by the beauty of the Plaza de Espa�a for the first time. This was the place that I was most excited to show Emily, Jessica and Dave. So many emotions lie in this one part of the city. I had an amazing picnic with my best fried. I laughed so hard while my sister and I tried to row the boat around the river. I was swept off my feet by the sweetest boyfriend in the world when he carved our initials under the bridge so I would always have that to look at as a reminder of his love. Here, on my last visit everything came together. These incredible 5 months of my life.  I was truly able to appreciate everything I have done and accomplished and all of the memories I’ve made and shared.
I know Seville will always be very special to me. I am so glad this is the city I chose to come to in Spain.

Location: Plaza de España, Sevilla

The title means “A weekend of town and beach.” Pueblos are the small towns on the outside of the cities in Spain.

Last weekend, I went and stayed with my host mom’s brother’s family in a pueblo outside of Seville. I had been to his house before and loved it. I met his 20 year old daughter a few moths ago. Her name is Ana and she invited me to stay over for the weekend.

It was a really cool weekend. I was able to stay with another Spanish family. This family has a completely different dynamic. There is a mom and a dad and to me they seem like an amazing couple. They have both a son and a daughter- 17 and 20 years old. It was nice to sit on the couch and be a part of their family and to eat meals with them.

During the days, Ana and I went to the beach with her friends. On Saturday we went with three of her close friends and then on Sunday we went with her one friend and her friend’s little 4 year old girl. Both days were a lot of fun.

On the way back to Ana’s house on Sunday we stopped in El Rocio to see a famous church.
One of the best parts of the weekend was that I got to speak and hear only Spanish for three entire days. I also loved spending time with Ana, she is a sweetheart and we had a great weekend together. I hope that I have another opportunity to go back in my last month here.

Location: El Rocio, Seville

My boyfriend came to Seville to visit me for two weeks. It was incredible to spend this experience with him.

He loved Spain and was really interested in learning the culture. David was such a good sport trying all the food and he even spent time getting to know my host family. It was amazing to see him make them laugh even though he doesn’t speak Spanish at all. His genuine humor was not lost in translation. We got along so well and it made me so happy to see my worlds combine in this way.

One of the greatest parts of our time together was the fact that we rented a scooter. We had so much fun on this little 50 cc scooter. We were able to see parts of Seville that I never would have found without it. It gave us the freedom to drive around and around as much as we wanted and wherever we wanted. It was a new thing to be driving around this town that I’ve only been walking around for the last four months. I learned the traffic laws in Spain (there aren’t any, in case you were wondering!) and how gas stations work. Some of the gas stations are like pit stops along the road. You just take a little jug handle, have the attendant pump your gas and continue on down the road.

We did take a day trip to the beach in C�diz. I was happy that he got to see this city while he was here. It is a really pretty and traditional part of Spain with all of the white houses. And the beach was really pretty- the water was sparkling blue.

While David was here it was Feria. This “fair” exceeded my expectations in every way. Not only was it the most incredible carnival we had ever seen, a city basically pops up and everyone is dressed in their very best Flameno attire. This little city is made of “casetas” which translates as “tents” but they are so much more than tents. They are these little constructions (with plumbing) where the party of Feria takes place. There is streets and streets of them. Everyone is having fun and everyone is in the best mood. The food at the fair was great. We had some warm waffles with chocolate and whipped cream, bu�eulos (little donut shaped, funnel cake like bites), chicken, sandwiches (we ate a lot!). There were a ton of games (just like at our carnivals back home). We thought it was really funny when we saw the traditional Spanish jam�n being raffled off as a prize! Being a part of Feria was incredible and we loved every second we spent there.

My boyfriend is a firefighter and an EMT. He is really interested in all emergency services. While he was in Seville we toured fire stations and he loved learning about how things work over here and sharing with the Spanish firefighters how things are done at his station back home. It was great (but a huge challenge) for me to translate for David and the firefighters. It was so worth it though, because he really loved this. He bought a bunch of souvenirs from the Seville fire station and they even had some free merchandise to give to a fellow bombero!

Overall, being able to share this experience meant everything to me. It was the little things like sitting by the river and walking through this beautiful city together that I’ve lived in for the past four months. Not only was I able to show him the Seville that I’ve gotten to know, but we were also able to discover new things together and make the most of the time that we were given before he headed home.

Location: Hotel Melia Lebreros, Seville Spain

Even though the weather was not 100% cooperative, I still had a great weekend in Portugal. We stayed in an “aparthotel” so it was really great to have our own little apartments that we shared with a couple of friends. The best part was that we were able to cook!

The beaches in Portugal are absolutely gorgeous. They are like nothing I have ever seen before. Not only is the water crystal clear and a beautiful blue, but the scenery on and around the beaches make it even better.

This relaxing weekend was much needed and it was almost a dream! We just got to be at the beach all day then get ready and go out to have fun at night. I wish it would have lasted longer!

Location: Lagos, Portugal

Taking the Eurostar train between London and Paris was definitely worth it. Highly recommended. We got right into the city into a subway station. The woman selling the tickets to the subway had a sign posted right in her window that said “I don’t spek English.” Welcome to France! This was going to be the first time that I was in a country where I didn’t speak the language. A completely new experience.

Somehow Jessica figured out which train we needed to get on and we found it. It was late at night so we were just heading back to our hostel that way we could get an early start in the morning. Once we walked up the steps from the metro station Blanche, we found ourselves in the Red Light District. Straight ahead of us was the famous Moulin Rouge. We were a little scared to be in this area this late at night, but we made our way to our hostel (which was 10000x better than the one we stayed in in London).

We met our roommates who had been in Paris for some time. They were able to give us some tips- one being the 3 1/2 hour walking tour through the city. We decided we’d do that in the morning.

When we woke up we went downstairs for the free breakfast that our hostel provided. It was actually an unexpectedly incredible breakfast! There was this incredible chocolate granola cereal that had chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. It was more like a dessert, but it was delicious. (And of course no French breakfast would be complete without croissants.)

Then we made our way to the meeting point at St. Michele’s fountain. The fountain was beautiful and as we stood there waiting we saw a model and a photographer doing a photo shoot. That was pretty cool!

Our tour guide was named Arnaud (R NO) and even though he had a French name he told us that he was from California (his parents just happened to name him that). He’s been living in Paris for a long time with his Parisian wife and child and has been a tour guide for a while, too.

He gave a great tour of all the most important parts of Paris. We saw the Notre Dame cathedral, the great bridges, the Louvre, L’Orangerie, Museau D’Orssay all of the monuments, Champs de Lise and much more. Even though we didn’t go into anything, it was a great over view of the city. It was just what we needed since we would not be spending much time in Paris.

That night we decided to go on a second walking tour with the same tour guide. This time we toured Monmarte (which is where we happened to be staying). This section of Paris is so full of culture and history. We saw where Van Gough lived, where Picasso lived and even different restaurants that the famous artists frequented. Also, in Monmarte is the Sacred Heart Church which we went inside of. It was one of my most favorite churches of all the ones that I have seen so far in Europe. The artists square that still exists today seemed to take us back in time. This part of Paris was really incredible.

That night we went out to dinner with some friends that we had met on the tour. Afterward, we decided to go to Monteparsse (the only skyscraper in the city) to go to the top and see the view of the Eiffel Tower. We didn’t end up making it on time, but we still had a great night around the city with our new friends.

The next morning my sister and I went to the Louvre because she really wanted to see the Mona Lisa. Although we were warned that we would be disappointed, having this low expectation made us appreciate the artwork more. The Louvre is HUGE and very overwhelming! There are so many pieces of art it is amazing.

After this, we met up with our neighbors who happened to be in Paris at the same time we were! (Strange but great!) We went out to lunch together and tried escargot! I did not think I was going to try this EVER in my life, but it actually was not too bad.

It was awesome to see my neighbors, just another great piece of home to spend time with in Europe.

That night Jess and I actually made it to Monteparsse on time. We went up there when it was dark so we could see the famous Eiffel Tower light show. It was really beautiful and it really felt like a dream come true for us to see this. Since we were little girls we had these little Eiffel Tower statues that our grandmother brought back as souvenirs for us from her Paris trip. To see this infamous statue now in person was really something for us.

Unfortunately we did not have very much time in Paris. There was so much more we wanted to do but did not have time. I hope one day to go back and explore this amazing city again. One woman we met while we were in Paris was there for her seventh time. She told us she keeps coming back because she loves it and there is still so much more to see. Paris really is that great of a city. And I’m so happy that I was able to share an amazing experience like this with my sister.

Location: Paris, France

Arriving in London late? No problem. Arriving in London late then waiting in line for passport checks for over an hour before taking an hour and a half bus ride into the city? Without having any clue where the hostel you’re staying at is located…? Slight problem.
We grabbed a map at the airport and used this once the bus dropped us off in the city center. It was around 2-3 am but London was still so charming. The only vehicles on the road at this hour were the red double buses and London’s classic black taxis.
We were walking for a long time. We were on the road that our hostel was supposed to be on but we didn’t know how much longer we would have to keep walking. Finally, we gave in and hailed a cab. Within minutes we were outside of our hostel. The meter in the cab said that we owed �4.50 but as I handed him the money the driver said not to worry about it! It was the sweetest thing!
Eventually we got to our hostel. We walked into the room we were supposed to stay in which was a 20 person shared dorm. Very fortunately for us, every bed was already full so we got put into a 4 person room for the night without an extra charge.
The next day we decided there was no way we wanted to stay in that crazy 20 person room in the shady hostel so we upgraded to what they had available which was an 8 person room.
When we woke up in London, we knew what we wanted to do. A double decker tour bus!! We bought our tickets and got on a bus right away. Our first stop was to take a Harry Potter walking tour. Before the tour started we went looking for something to eat. We found this quaint little diner with the best breakfast sandwiches. We took them to go (or in London- “to take away”) and then met up for the tour. It was really cool to see the different places in London where scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed (nerdy I know but this was one of my favorite parts!) We stopped in a classic London sweet shop- one that sells many candies (muggle-version) of the ones in the movies. I got a chocolate frog and it was delicious.
We hopped back on the bus and toured the rest of the day (both bus and boat). That night we went on the London Eye. We went at the perfect time- right around sunset. This way we got a great view of the city in the light and also at dusk with all the pretty lights.
That night we headed to a pub for  dinner. I ordered the classic fish and chips which was delicious.
After dinner we decided to take the tube for the first time to get back to our hostel. To purchase the oyster card (many people recommended this option) the machine needed us to pay all in coins. A kind employee was working with us and decided to let me pass through without a card and buy one from the station on the other side. At the next station, we explained the situation and I was let through by the employee. They were so understanding and sweet and made our lives a lot easier.
Monday morning we got back on the tour bus since we bought two day passes. The traffic was insane, however, so we got off of the bus as soon as we could and took the tube over to Buckingham Palace.
Luckily we got there in time for the Change of Guard ceremony. It was really cool to see this happen in front of the palace. The guards are all very talented and the ceremony was great.
We spent the rest of the day making our way around London. We saw Westminster Abbey, shopped a little at Regeant’s and Oxford street and went in Hamley’s toy store
I loved London for all the charm and I was upset that our time passed so quickly. I was so glad, however, for all we saw during our short stay.

Location: London, England

Landing in Barcelona was a different story. At this point the strikes were in full effect and there were no buses running from the airport to the city center. What did this mean for us? Get ripped off by a taxi.
We got in a cab that took us “close” to our hostel. He charged us €40 which is not that bad considering the circumstances.
We had  walking directions to get to the hostel we were staying in. Following them did not lead to where we needed to be. Eventually (somehow) we found our way. Our hostel was situated RIGHT on the beach in Barcelona. We were thrilled by this. It seemed like a dream come true.
We were tired from wearing ourselves out in Seville so when we saw how amazing and relaxing the beach looked, Jess said this was like “the vacation from our vacation.”
We didn’t spend too much idle time on the beach, however. While in Barcelona we saw the Cathedral, walked to for over an hour then toured the Sagrada Familia, walked through Gaudi’s Parc Güell and toured Gaudi’s house, saw the major fountain show in Monjüic, and even went salsa dancing.
One of my favorite things about Barcelona was that my sister and I figured out the metro system. It felt so cool to be able to figure out and get where you need to go. This is something I would have never thought we would be able to do, but we did it. And we did it well!
One of the most annoying things about Barcelona is the constant selling of things up and down the beach. Women walking around offering massages non stop. Men waking around selling “agua, beer, coca cola, water, cerveza…” amoung other things like mojitos, blankets… Really anything you can think of. I’ll never forget this. Jess and I were thinking “Whatever happened to the ice cream man on the beach?!” We prefer that much more.
Eventually, it was time to leave Barcelona. But before we said goodbye, we stopped for a huge and delicious lunch at the Hard Rock Café compliments of our grandmother (thanks gmom!). The Hard Rock brought back memories from home both because of times we had went before (Annie!) and because of the delicious American food.
Off to another airport. Onto another plane. Off to our next destination!!!!

Location: Barcelona, España