Querida España,
There aren’t words to explain how much you’ve taught me, how much I’ve learned and grown as a person this semester. I’ve spoken about all of this at length, but now I just want to say a simple thank you. Thank you to Cristina for being such an amazing resident director and friend. Thank you to Fausto for knowing everything about everything and always making me laugh. Thank you to my professors for teaching me so much and bearing with my less-than-perfect Spanish. Thank you to whoever created tortilla española because it’s my absolute favorite. Thank you to the guy who owns Maimonides for always giving me free tapas and greeting me like a daughter. Thank you to my host mom for treating me as her daughter and giving me all of her love and support. Thank you to my host dad for making fun of me and reminding me to laugh at myself. Thank you to my host siblings for helping me through every step of the way. Thank you to this glorious place for making me so much more. Thank you to the whole idea of study abroad for bringing me here and introducing me to such amazing, wonderful people, Spanish and my fellow Americans. Thank you for this language and culture that I’ve fallen in love with. I could go on and on without end, but there just isn’t the time. I leave tomorrow from what has been a singularly marking experience upon my life. All I want to say is thank you. I’ve never felt so blessed. Spain, you will always be my home away from home; all that I’ve learned here will be part of me and build and shape me forever. I can’t thank you enough for that. Four months passes by in the blink of an eye. And now, I embark on the next great adventure of culture shock and the excitement of seeing all of my family and friends that I’ve missed so much. Such a great life I’ve had here; such a great life is waiting for me on the other side of that plane.
All I can say is, Spain, this isn’t an adios. It’s an hasta luego.
Besitos y un abrazo fuerte. Hasta la próxima vez.