I can’t believe I’m saying this: I come home next month.
When I arrived here, time seemed to stop as I adapted to the culture around me and absorbed the history that Salamanca has had to offer—but time had other plans. It has continued on at lightning speed and before I know it, I’ll be jumping into my mom’s arms at JFK Airport.
Time is funny like that. When I was homesick the first couple weeks of being in Spain, it slowed to a crawl. Every hour seemed to pass by slower than the previous one as my frightened self wondered if it would ever get better. Better doesn’t even cut it.
I’ve seen as much of Paris as I could ever wish to see, I’ve explored the rural province of Zamora and sipped wine alongside new friends in Toro, I’ve ventured through the vast cultural hub that is Madrid, and I finally got to learn what all the fuss is about with churros con chocolate (let it be known that there is absolutely a fuss to be made). I’ve had the time of my life the past five weeks and I owe it all to Spain.
But with about a month left to go, the FOMO (fear of missing out) is setting in.
Have I traveled to as many different countries as I could? Have I spent enough time experiencing Spain and all it has to offer? Will I regret not doing more?
The answer lies in this one phrase: who’s got the time?
Who’s got the time to travel to countless countries in one semester while trying to appreciate the country that you have made your home?
Who’s got the time to travel around the entire country and back while still studying?
Who’s got the time to regret anything about their study abroad experience?
Not me, that’s for sure. I think the most important part of having a study abroad experience is not regretting anything about it. There will always be more time to go to the places I didn’t get to see; there will always be time to come back to Spain and explore the regions that I only ever learned about. But I’d be wasting my last month here if I thought about all the reasons why I could or should have done more.
As a matter of fact, I’ll be spending part of my next month doing one of my favorite things in the world: decorating for Christmas. The holiday season starts about now in Spain due to the fact that Thanksgiving is not actually a “thing’” here. No one can shame me here for blasting Christmas music too early! But come Turkey Day I won’t forget to be thankful for everything I’ve done and every place I’ve seen while in Europe as I say grace over homemade turkey-balls and baked potatoes.
The bottom line is, you have to live without arrepentimientos and spend more time planning new adventures instead of thinking of ones that could have been. Oh! And felices fiestas Huskies!
Nice Kate! I would love to visit Spain!