This will in all likelihood be my last post from Barcelona, however, I’m planning on adding some final thoughts on my experience abroad once back in the States.
These last few weeks after getting back from Morocco have been exam-filled and only since this past Friday have I been a carefree woman. The initial stress of taking four exams in Spanish and of not knowing what to expect was fortunately mitigated by, for the most part, easy exams themselves (and the promise of celebratory beers in the university cafeterias!)
One of my closest friends at Brown, Kelsey, came to visit this past weekend and seeing her and showing her Barcelona was a fitting way to end my time here. I had fun taking her to Park Guell and just chatting for hours in cafes or tapas bars. I think it also helped us start to transition back into the “real world” of Chicago and Brown as our conversations naturally revolved around our college friends, helping us to re-orient ourselves, so-to-speak.
These last few days have been crummy, rainy weather, which put somewhat of a damper on my plans to walk around and take everything in one last time. My room is a disaster zone with clothes and open suitcases strewn about and it’s hard to believe that I came to Barcelona with my life in two suitcases and I’ll be leaving that way too.
It’s also such a mix of emotions to be leaving. I know I’ll miss Barca when I’m back in the cold/sleety weather of Chicago or Providence but now it feels like it’s truly time to come home. Home for the holidays. I’m nervous watching weather reports expecting bad ice storms in the Chicago-area. Since I’m not scheduled to fly home until Christmas Eve, I could potentially miss Christmas if I had issues with my flight. I’m honestly just hoping at the minimum to make it to New York (my flight to Chicago goes via JFK) and then take it from there…
I feel like I should have some pretty strong feelings right now but honestly in the chaos of getting ready to leave, I don’t know what or how I feel and I’m sure it won’t be manifest until I’m either on the airplane itself or getting off the plane at O’Hare.
See ya in the States.
