How was Spain?

Spain was overhwelming and maybe a little awkward at first. However, the uncomfort I feel (in my stomach, and overall) is due to the fact that I know that I might never have an experience at all like this again. Spain, and especially Granada, is a place that I feel especially connected to (maybe its the mountains? laid back lifestyle? food that i can´t get enough of?) Anyways, the thought of leaving Spain deeply saddens me, much more than I anticipate I will feel leaving Lewisburg. I never expected to be this attached to a place, but I now know why.

Having a hands on experience of spanish culture (and seeing a few others while being here) has had an large effect on me. My favorite part of this trip has been the random discussions and people we have met in Spain, and in other countries. And mostly, it has been so interesting to finally see how I reacted to living in a foreign country. Coming from the United States makes traveling to Europe that much more powerful. For example, I´ve spent 12 hour car rides and where I ended seemed moer or less the same as where I came from (culturally). Living here has allowed me to view hands on how Spain´s culture today is affected by their history, geography, etc. These outside the classroom experiences are extremely different than Bucknell. As an international relations, the contexts of what I learn in class hardly seem to make sense when I step outside the classroom while staying in the Bucknell. Therefore, seeing the diversity of Europe has therefore made this experience so interesting.

However, sometimes studying abroad also makes you realize how much you don´t know. That being said, I tried to be especially observant of the changes around me, and also why I was taking note of certain things based on my background and the culture and life I have lived until now. These kinds of things are extremely important (to reflect) but also can drive someone a little crazy to be honest because there are no answers.

With all that being said, I think Spain has been an amazing learning experience, as most study abroad participants would surely say. I´ve learned so much about myself and how I can continue to view the world around me with the knowledge I have gained from this experience. These are things that one can expect from studying abroad, but I never realized how much of an effect this experienec has had on me (and might still not truly realize).