With finals completed, some friends having already left for home, and my metro passes running out- the end of my time in Barcelona is officially closing in and I am having a hard time leaving. My month in Spain has been unparalleled, a cultural experience that surpassed any preconceived expectations. Living in an entirely new place truly helped me gain a different perspective on life.

No matter how cliche it might be for someone to say that traveling/studying abroad changed their life, for me it really provided the opportunity for reflection and growth. Being outside the borders of my life back home, there are certain aspects of my own life that I have had time to evaluate and decipher. Being abroad has certainly showed me things about the American way of life that I am not so fond of (i.e the driving culture, unhealthy food being much cheaper than fruits and vegetables, lack of social expenditure) but also some things that I take for granted (i.e good customer service, free water and bathrooms, less cigarettes everywhere). I also have been able to think about my life in terms of my future goals, and am becoming more comfortable doing things by myself. Ultimately in studying abroad thus far I have gained so much knowledge, the majority of which occurred outside the classroom setting.

As I start saying goodbye to my friends, my apartment, this city and essentially my life in Barcelona I have to express my fondness and appreciation for this opportunity. I have never appreciated my friends and family as much as I have being thousands of miles away. Living in completely different countries and time zones has let me reflect on my priorities in life and how lucky I am to have the people in my life that I do (I apologize for the sappiness of this sentiment). Barcelona has provided me the experience of a lifetime and I will apply my gained experience/outlook throughout my future endeavors.

I want to thank my host study abroad institute, CIEE, for exceeding my expectations. They included so much into my program that helped adjust us into a new culture, taking us on excursions, field trips, to cooking classes, and even appointing us ‘guardian angels’ (a few local college-aged students to accompany/organize events around Barcelona). Another appreciation goes to everyone who encouraged me to study abroad as there certainly were times leading up to my departure where I questioned not going. Finally, my parents deserve the utmost love and thanks as without them I would never be able to have done this, for this I am beyond grateful and blessed.

As I gear up to fly out I can say that 100% without a doubt, studying abroad was completely worth every single penny and was easily one of the very best decisions I have ever made and perhaps one of the greatest things I could’ve ever done for myself. Although I am saying goodbye (for now) to Spain, my European adventure is not quite over. I will be bopping around Europe for two more weeks before heading back to the U.S. I will miss this wonderful city, my home away from home. Until next time, I love you Barcelona.