The last week of program the professors organized a trip to go to Venice and Florence for 5 days. We even made a pit stop to Pisa! Florence is one of my favorite cities, especially for shopping, but Venice definitely takes the trophy for best food.

The first stop was Florence, the location of our hotel was absolutely perfect. We were located right next to Il Duomo di Firenze. There was also an outdoors market that sold real leather along with little trinkets that you must check out if you happen to go Florence. NEVER EVER forget to bargain! If you are a fan of sweets especially ice cream, the Magnum Store is a must! You create your own custom Magnum bar with an assortment of toppings along with your choice of different chocolate shells and sauces and a choice of vanilla or chocolate ice cream. They even had rose petals as a topping. This custom bar is to die for. I also had THE best gelato here in Florence in Venchi. They had the most amazing mango gelato. Not only will you fall in love with the gelato, the interior design of the shop itself is heavenly. There is a wall that is a chocolate waterfall! It is a little pricey but worth the splurge.

Venice is a city more for lovers and older people. Murano Glass is a big deal there. Everything in this city closes at or before midnight. Venice is also known for a their squid ink pasta, which was delicious. It is a must try especially for the experience of turning your mouth black. The gondola ride was very relaxing and it was a beautiful way to see the city. It was interesting to see the little shops along the water.

Going home.

I miss my family, I can’t wait to hug and kiss them.

I miss coconut water and aloe vera juice.

I miss my usual name brand beauty products and reading English on labels in the grocery store (things get complicated in Spanish and I still get lost in translation sometimes).

I miss my comfy bed.

It pretty much ends there with what I miss about the states. I so wish I had more time in Spain. Possibly an entire semester would quench my thirst for this land but I’m unsure. I tell my host mother I am going to move here. She laughs. “Do you know how many students I’ve had in my home and how many of them have said the same thing? And not one of them has moved here. In fact, I rarely hear from any of them anymore.” I sigh and tell her I’m different, we’ll be neighbors one day! She laughs again and then remembers, “Oh yes, there was one student who met someone here, fell in love and came back. But that was one of sooo many students that I’ve had here.” I continue conversing with her with confidence to return one day but start to feel the reality of things as I see the sadness in her eyes of long lost students that have come and gone.

My eyes, have felt hazy since arrival. I’m telling you, it’s all been a dream to me. Seriously, this trip simply cannot be. I see myself waking up in the USA one day and writing about the most wonderful dream I could’ve ever imagined. I wanted this for so long. It hasn’t happened, no. I haven’t really gone to Spain to study abroad, have I? I have seen the squares upon the concrete sidewalks in Oviedo? Have I really tasted the Spanish olive and liked it? Have I been speaking Spanish consistently for a month? Wait, I had a political debate in Spanish with Spaniards!? ¡No puede ser!

Glimpses of this fantasy constantly go in and out of my mind.

I’ve lived in a city in Spain and walked to school every day. I’ve enjoyed Spanish bars upon bars with wonderful friends who make me laugh. I’ve tasted the strength of the Spanish coffee and the delicious tapas along with my vino. I’ve learned how to make a typical Spanish sauce. I’ve studied in an actual University in Spain. I’ve felt the Spanish sands and waves. I’ve waved hello from the top of a balcony where Spanish kings have been. I’ve walked inside holy caves and wandered the forests in Spain. I’ve watched the sunset over the ocean, knowing that my friends and family back home were out beyond those waters and had yet to see that same sun setting.

I love the walk from Calle Monte Gamonal to the Chinese Store even though I complained about the longest street lights in the world. I loved greeting my girls on the bench and running along the short red brick sidewalk that was still damp from being cleaned the night before.

I loved climbing two or three flights of stairs in school every day and complaining with friends about how out of shape we are when climbing the last flight.

I loved laughing out loud at all my professors’ jokes even when the rest of the class blankly stares at him.

I loved hearing my host Dad call me for each meal, “¡Tessa! ¡A Cenar!”

I loved bothering my host brother for stupid things and interrupting his video games.

I loved getting beauty and style tips from my host mother.

I loved having a host Dad who pretty much gave me a lessons in Spanish cuisine every day at lunch time.

I loved laughing with my host dad and brother that one day when we tried to communicate in English. “¡Oh what a fun day at lunch today!” My Dad replied, and we all warmly smiled at each other.

I loved missing bread the one day the family didn’t have it. I became a true Spaniard that day. I can’t eat without my bread!

I loved the melon with no name, just melon. I don’t know how or if I’ll be able to taste your heavenly sweetness ever again melon.

I loved having my family offer me fruit or yogurt each night and then to see how they don’t waste even the bruised fruits.

I loved being less wasteful in all I do and use in order to match the Spanish lifestyle.

I loved watching ‘El hormiguero’ or the news after dinner each night with my host family and trying so hard to understand it all.

I loved having to carry a sweater and umbrella around almost all the time because in Oviedo, even the weather man/woman can’t predict the swift changes in weather.

I loved having my Dad show me around the city as if I was his daughter and always making sure I was okay before leaving me.

I loved how the windows could be pulled up and down and black out the room. I loved how the windows could always be open and have no screens. How the current of wind would sometimes slam doors and spook you. I love how there aren’t many bugs. I loved hearing the train randomly rush by my window and looking into their windows imagining what the lives of those people were like.

I loved seeing people hang clothes so much more than using dryers.

I loved how the prices here are so much less than in the United States for almost everything!

I loved taking siestas. I know I’ll even miss the stores being closed in mid-day and weekends.

I loved discovering what Spain has to offer each and every day.

There will never be another time like this for me, I know it. I can only hope to return and simply cherish every moment I’ve had here.

The time has come to go back to what I knew before Spain. It is a bitter sweet feeling. I didn’t think this through. How did I not consider how in love with this country I would become? If I could take my favorite parts of the USA and bring them here, life would be complete.

I never really want to wake up from this Spanish dream. But, well, everything has its season and time. Yet, my eyes still feel hazy…

¡Hola! ¡Buenas!

My first few weeks in Oviedo have given me the tourist perspective of things. As time has passed, I’ve understood this area more and more. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel solely with people from Spain and thus, I’ve had a very unique experience.

The mannerisms of the Spanish around here are absolutely adorable. They frequently say “Sísísí” in a long slur and also you may catch them pause when explaining things, and begin their next sentence with a “well, it’s that…” I adore the Spaniards in Oviedo. My friend and I have had to ask for directions probably hundreds of times already and everyone here is always very kind, helpful and giving, especially with their smiles. I love feeling safe on the streets at night and walking in an almost sparkling clean city (compared to New York anyway).

I suppose I must mention the elderly man who hit on me one afternoon when I was lost on the outskirts of the city. He told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world and asked how did I ever get here? I played the “I don’t speak Spanish” card but he wasn’t having it. He wouldn’t leave my side until I took a random turn to get away. It was really creepy but I haven’t had an episode like that since then. So what I guess I want to say is that Oviedo definitely is a very safe city but you will always have your creeps no matter where you live.

In contrast, one day I happened to come across a large and beautiful building up upon a hill one day. After discovering that it’s a hospital we decided to go inside for coffee and see what it looks like from within. There was an elderly woman in front of me on the line and we helped her carry her tray since she had a cane and it seemed like a difficult task for her. After chatting a minute or two, we wound up having coffee with her. Teresa, as it turns out, has lost all her family: children, brothers, sisters, parents, etc. All except one son, who was now sick upstairs in the hospital. Our hearts broke as she told us her story and we shared ours as well. We talked for about an hour or so about life, the electronic age, pets, marriage. She gave us advice on the beauty in Asturias and we thanked her for spending her time with us. We took a picture and exchanged numbers before she had to go back to her son but it was such a wonderful moment that I’ll forever cherish from my time in Oviedo. It’s times like these that sometimes get overlooked and forgotten. This is only one of several experiences I had while I was here. The people are ever so kind and friendly.

Well, after finishing classes once and for all it was time to try and travel during the last few days in Spain. Many students were off right away as well, all going to different parts of the country. I had plans to visit San Sebastián aka Donostia, a huge tourist attraction located in the Basque Country, 20 km (or 12 miles) from the French border.

Saying goodbye to my host family was really difficult for me. They had been there for me when I was feeling really low, took care of me when I was sick, rejoiced with me during my successes, helped me with my homework, guided me throughout the city time and time again, gave me heavy fatherly and motherly advice, always made me feel welcome and supported and had taught me so much about Spain, I just didn’t know how I was going to leave them. I was a ball of tears when the moment came. My host mother, always smiling and my host dad, telling me not to cry now because I am grown and it won’t help much. My heart broke that day, I truly hope I can return to see these wonderful people one day. They have touched my life so much more than they know.

On to San Sebastián….it was the longest drive ever. We wound up in Santander the first night, looking for somewhere to stay. Needless to say, we weren’t it Oviedo anymore. While the city was beautiful and they had carnivals and clubs like Oviedo and the beach looked magical, we even considered staying here for a bit before travelling to San Sebastián right away. However, we walked around asking hotel after hostel over and over if there were empty rooms and all were full. It was during this time that I noticed how the streets weren’t clean like Oviedo, and the people in the street seemed either grumpy or out of their minds. I had been warned to keep my passport on me at all times in this area since gypsies or thieves may break into the car. I felt very uneasy. It was time to go. Although Santander looked beautiful at first glance, it was time to keep it moving. Hopefully we’d have time to visit Santander another day! After a nap in the car, we were back on the road.

The road to San Sebastián wasn’t easy. We thought we were lost and that the GPS led us the wrong way. We wound up in a small town near a shore in which there was some sort of bicycle convention. There were people on bicycles everywhere!!! Even when we tried to get more sleep here (we thought Santander, being such a large city during peak season was the reason all hostels were full), the hotels were all full too due to this huge bike convention we hadn’t heard of. Apparently, people come to this area from all over the place for the bike convention. ¡Qué raro!
Forced to continue on, without sleep, we continued on the road. It was a beautiful day and we tried singing and eating to keep our energy up. We hit Bilbao next, quite briefly though. It looked nice from the distance but we knew San Sebastián was close.

My eyes couldn’t stay open any longer as we approached our destination. It all looked so pretty, the shore, the streets, it even looked clean like Oviedo again. I just simply couldn’t keep my eyes open to enjoy it at that point. Once we parked, I was out like a light. Due to some miracle, when I woke up, we had a place to stay for the next few days! The neighbors there were especially kind too. An older man named Angel talked our ears off as we yearned to lay on the bed and sleep. Angel would later take us to breakfast in a gorgeous café nearby and take us around the old town a bit. However, he must’ve recognized the tired in our eyes finally and told us to sleep well so we could talk more later. And so we did.

San Sebastián is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain and will be the European Capital of Culture in 2016. Knowing this now explains why the prices are also the highest I’d seen in Spain thus far. It is absolutely gorgeous here. The beaches are super packed but super clean! The beauty is almost indescribable as it is in every corner of this city.

Funny thing is, as I searched for more souvenirs to bring home to my loved ones in the states, I couldn’t seem to find much of anything that had Spain written on it or even represented Spanish culture. Everything had simply San Sebastián written on it and the crest of the Basque Country. Well, as I came to learn, the Basque Country doesn’t really consider themselves to be Spanish. They are the Basque Country. They speak their own language and have a very distinct culture. I always somehow thought that the various languages in Spain probably sound similar to Spanish but when I heard the Basque language I was floored. Not even close to Spanish, at all. It’s called el euskera and I’ve been told has its roots in Latin and/or Greek languages. One thing they do have in common with the Spanish though: their pride.

Most I can do now to show the beauty out here, is provide pictures. See below and enjoy!

 

Hello!

I am writing this post from my couch in my very own house. This is my sixth day home since getting back from London. It seems surreal that I am finally home and I have mixed emotions about it. I was unbelievably happy to see my family. They greeted me with a bouquet of flowers! When I saw them in the airport waiting for me, I was so happy I could have cried. I haven’t seen my boyfriend yet because he left for Myrtle Beach the day I arrived home, but I miss him so much and I am so excited to see him this weekend. When I came home, he surprised me with a bouquet of flowers in my room that he had dropped off (I know own a lot of flowers…). I had a lovely reunion with my dog, who seemed to miss me the most out of everyone. I have hung out with my friends a couple of times and it was fun sharing my experiences with them, especially since a lot of them studied abroad themselves. Yesterday, I went into the pizzeria where I work to see all my friends and it was so nice talking with them!

HOWEVER…I miss England. Everyday in London I felt like I was doing cool things. I was either going out for dinner and drinks with my friends, or spending time in Central London. I got used to going to Shakespeare’s Globe for a play every week. I miss Sainsbury’s (the local grocery store), and I miss taking the tube wherever I wanted. I even miss using British currency and walking everywhere. There were small things I got used to doing in London that I can’t do here. I liked having all my friends in my apartment building or in the neighboring one. I miss all the people I met, and I look forward to seeing them again.

I know that even if I go back to England it won’t be the same experience I had this past month. Never again will I be given the opportunity to live in London for a month without having to work or go to school full time. I consider myself extremely blessed and lucky to have spent the past month at Kingston University. I have memories that will last a lifetime, and I made friends who made those memories even better. I look forward to traveling in the future: I have caught the “travel bug” and now want to go everywhere!

But for now, I am happy to be home with my family and friends and that I am able to tell them all about my experiences. I am ready for the semester to start in two weeks. And for now, all I can do is look forward to the next time I travel. Until then…

~Maddie 🙂