Halfway!
Halfway through my study-abroad experience! I can not believe how fast the time is flying. I have loved every second of my time here. Madrid is beautiful, especially now that it’s spring!
These past two months have been spent in my amazing classes, getting to know new people and traveling to new places. Learning more and more about Spanish culture has truly been a blessing, and I look forward to experiencing it for the remainder of my time here.
It is currently exam week, so I have had lots of time to reflect on my goals regarding academics and just in general. As far as Spanish goes, I am finally starting to feel improvement. I wrote about my classes in my previous blog, but I now feel as though the topics I am learning about right now are starting to stick. My grammar has improved! Speaking, however, is still not as smooth as I would like it to be, but I know I am moving in the right direction.
One thing that has surprised me about the culture here is the pace. I came here thinking that life would be much more “chill” and slower than life in the United States. And, while I still do get to take the afternoon naps they have built into their schedules, life moves surprisingly fast. People are very busy and on the move. The difference, however, is that the people living here seem to understand when it is time to slow down and just enjoy being with people. I love that. I have found myself needing to slow down every once in a while just to enjoy my time here.
I would like to highlight some of my favorite experiences so far (though there are numerous to choose from). One trip that will forever be remembered is to Sintra and Lisbon, Portugal. This was a long weekend trip that I fell in love with. I really appreciated this trip because not only did I get to visit the beautiful tourist attractions, but I was also able to listen to the perspective of a Portuguese local. He told us about their culture and history and took us to places that are often missed by tourists. We spent the whole day with him, learning about the Portuguese people and country.
Another highlight was that my boyfriend (now fiance) visited! It was surprisingly fun being able to play the role of a tourist, showing him all of my favorite places in my home city of Madrid. It was so nice to be able to share with him all of the things I love and have experienced here thus far. We were very busy with tours, traveling, restaurants, and experiencing Spanish life together. I was so grateful for the time we were able to spend together 🙂
We recently took a trip to Tenerife, a beautiful island in Spain. This was one of my favorite weekend trips so far because it was so warm, and we were able to lie on the beach all weekend. It was a much-needed relaxation vacation before I leave for a very busy spring break tomorrow!
One other goal that was important to me before coming on this trip was being able to travel on my own. This has not happened yet – however – I am making plans to make it possible! Everything has been so busy (many weekend trips to amazing places) that I have not had the chance to travel on my own. Making plans for this trip is very exciting for me because it will put me outside of my comfort zone. I really enjoy traveling with the other girls here, so making an independent trip will encourage me to rely on the Spanish I have learned. I have heard many people say that solo travel is very refreshing and peaceful, so I can not wait to see for myself. I do not have a place in mind yet, but Seville, Spain, is definitely on the list.
Something that I want to improve on in the next two months is intentionally putting myself out of my comfort zone. I want to make more friends, travel solo, and keep putting myself in situations where I am able to practice speaking Spanish, even if it is something as small as eating dinner with my Spanish-speaking roommates! I have gotten very comfortable here, which has been a blessing. However, I want to continue to learn. I want to make the most out of my time here. The biggest challenge that I am giving myself for the rest of my time here is to make a conscious effort to tell someone new about Jesus. I want to be a light for Christ while I am here. God has blessed me with this opportunity to study here among people who do not get to hear about Jesus every day, and I want to be the person to tell them about Jesus and His love for them.
Here are just a couple photos! I’ll probably write a separate blog about all my travels, and I will definitely add some more pictures to that one because traveling has been AMAZING.
