Questions from Veronica

At our last meeting, Veronica gave us all a questionnaire to think about our semester here in Spain...since I'm not taking any of my school work home, I'll share my answers with you all here. 

Returning Home

1. When I think of leaving I feel... Happy and sad.  I feel like I have done what I came here to do, so I can go home with a feeling of accomplishment, but I have absolutely loved my semester here, so it's really sad to leave this beautiful place.
2. My experience here has been... AMAZING and eye-opening.  I've gotten so much more out of it than I ever imagined, and I am so glad that I came.
3. For me, Spain has been... a taste of other cultures and the rest of the world, a great test of my independence, a LEARNING experience, and a great time.  
4. The things that I will miss are... my new friends and host family, the food, the relaxed culture...I have a list of more for you later :)
5. The things that I will be happy to leave behind are... Miscommunication, feeling out of place, missing family and friends...this is on the list for later too!
6. When I talk to students about leaving, then... I get sad because I have to leave them, but excited because I think most of us are ready to get home. 
7. When leaving a place I usually... cry.
8. The easiest point of leaving for me will be... getting home to loved ones.
9. Before I leave I really want to... spend time at my favorite places (the beach, with my host family, tapas, kebobs, shopping...)
10. The ways I think I have changed are... I'm much more outgoing, independent, open to new experiences, and I have found who my friends really are.
11. The most stressful part of leaving will be... packing up and getting all my stuff to Madrid by myself, saying goodbye, and missing everyone from Spain once I get home.
12. When I think of returning to my country I feel... like it will be a relief to get back to life in America.  I've gotten used to life in Spain, but it will be great to get back to the good old USA.  
13. The ways I think my friends have changed are... My friends here have grown in the same ways that I have...we've shared so many great experiences and have had such a great time.  I'm not sure how my friends at home have changed...we'll see!
14. I will be going back to... a summer of working, hanging out with Tom, family and friends, planning weddings, and I'll hopefully carry over some of the habits I've picked up here.  I've loved traveling, walking when I can rather than drive, keeping in contact with family, being social and spontaneous.  
15. I think my family will expect me to... give them presents. :)  I don't know...it probably hasn't been that different for them than any normal semester at Central...I'm usually at school all semester, and they've probably been able to keep up with me more here than there!
16. I expect that my friends at home will... get sick of me talking about Spain. :)  Hopefully I can use this summer to reconnect with them all, since we didn't communicate a lot while I was gone.  
17. I think the hardest part of going back for me will be... not really feeling "at home"...ever since I've started college, home doesn't really feel like home, and I think it will be worse now.  It will be hard to jump back into "normal life" after being here. 
18. I think the easiest thing for me to handle will be... not having to use internet and crappy cell phones to keep in contact with everyone.  I miss talking to everyone face to face.   
19. I'm really looking forward to... BEING WITH THOMAS AGAIN, working, spending time with my family and friends, learning to cook, having free time to do nothing, eating sweet corn and red meat...bahh...so many things :) 

This really has been one of the hardest, but most rewarding experiences of my life.  Thanks to everyone who let me do this and supported me along the way, and anyone who is considering doing it...DO IT!!  It's worth it.