La primera mitad de mi semestre ya esta terminado. [The first half of my semester is already done.]

Hello folks!

Last week marked the halfway point for us students studying here in Valladolid.  We had midterms before our break from the 17th-19th of March.

It was quite the intensive week, I must admit.  I had 6 exams during my week, along with attending classes regularly.  Needless to say, I was pulling my hair out before Wednesday even arrived!  Thankfully, my desk and bed only looked like a mess for a few days before I remembered to pick it all up!

Studying for literature, art, grammar, oral expression, and culture! Planning trips!  ARGH! I was so stressed! 

Overall, I would say the first half of the semester was definitely successful.  I can tell that my Spanish has improved a lot since I've been here.  Some days I think that maybe my Spanish speaking abilities haven't changed that much, because I still speak a lot of English...but then I remember how scared I was even to walk into a cafe in the beginning of the semester.  Either way, my confidence with my Spanish speaking has definitely increase a lot.  My host mom and Spanish friends keep telling us how good our Spanish skills are, and it's hard to believe them because we're constantly comparing ourselves to native speakers.  But after thinking about how much I really do know, I'm happy to say I can successfully function in a Spanish speaking country, without a translator!  :)  In fact, if any of you want to go to a Spanish speaking country, I'll be more than willing to tag along and translate FOR you!

Anyway, I'm happy to report that out of 10 points, I got 8.75 or higher on all of my exams.  Excluding my grammar exam, which was out of 40 points.  I received 35 points on that exam! Overall, I'm very happy with how I did.

When I think back on the first few days here in Valladolid, I can't do anything but laugh.  I was terrified of getting lost, nervous to talk to my host mom, shocked at some of the things I was seeing...and now with people visiting me (Chase and my parents) I'm sure they'll go through some of those same things.  Though they're not staying for 5 months, it doesn't necessarily mean they won't be amazed and weirded out by the things they'll see.  Chase is getting the chance to stay here at Maria Jesus's piso, she offered to have him stay with us, and we so graciously accepted the offer!  It was such a nice move on her part, she's already taking in 2 foreign students, but now she has offered to house my boyfriend for 2 nights as well...the more time goes on, the easier it gets to feel welcome here in Spain.  I'm really excited to show him where I've been living for the past 3.5 months and for him to meet my mamá española!

It's been a crazy 3.5 months, and I honestly don't know how to feel about that.  I do know, however, that this whole experience is going to end way to soon.  Before I know it, I'll be on a flight back to the States, and I'm actually terrified of that, too!  On one hand, I feel like it was AGES ago that I was in Madrid with the whole group, that we took a trip to Toledo.  Shoot, it even feels like eons ago that we took our placement exam in Valladolid.  On the other hand, it feels like I just got off the plane yesterday.

I think I can chalk this discrepancy up to different aspects of my adjustment here in Spain.  It feels like just yesterday in the sense that I'm still learning how the Spanish culture functions and where exactly my place is within that culture.  However, it feels like ages ago that I was spending the first night in Madrid because of the changes I've gone through while I've been here.  Being in Spain has taught me a lot so far, both about myself and the way that I interact in society.  I've learned a lot of valuable lessons here, and I honestly don't know if I can put into words what I'm feeling right now.  All I know is that being thrown into a completely different situation, and living in a different country for a period of time really shows you who you are at your core.  It strips you down to your insecurities, it plays on what you fear most, and it tests your level of patience.  But then, it picks you up, gives you confidence, and allows you to question things you haven't dared to question before.

I have now, a level of confidence that I can honestly say I haven't experienced before.  By being forced to interact with strangers who most of the time have NO idea what I'm trying to say, by meeting new friends, and by interacting with my familia española, I've changed.  Branching out, being on my own, and learning even the smallest things every day has really taught me to appreciate all that surrounds me.  It's taught me to look for the silver lining in EVERY situation.  (It exists, I promise you.)  I can now walk down the street, and find something new every day to appreciate.  Today, as I was walking home from school, as small and trivial as this might be, I witnessed two middle aged men stopped at a stop light in a bread delivery truck, laughing so hard they were crying.  I had no idea what they were laughing about, but still that made me smile.  Last weekend when my friends and I were lost trying to find our hostel, a caravan of buses drove past us.  We were sitting on the curb with our backpacks...we probably looked like a group of lost and/or homeless tourists.  Most of the buses drove past and either laughed at us or waved to us.  But one bus stopped and a woman on the bus motioned to us to get on, and asked if we needed a ride anywhere.  Here, a bus full of complete strangers, was offering to give us a ride.  It was one of the most kind gestures that anyone could have done for us.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that studying abroad has had so many benefits so far...not only the obvious (my Spanish is better!), but also the less obvious.  I'm so thankful I've had this experience in my life, and I know when I get home it will be difficult to explain it to my friends and family.  But I will try.  Because I want you all to feel, to see, to hear, and to taste what I'm experiencing.  If I could bring you all here so you could share in this experience with me, I would in a heartbeat.

Thank you all for supporting me, for being there for me on the rough "I miss home" type of days, and for your love.

It is with this post, I write a special shout out to my parents.  Without you, I wouldn't have ever had the guts to go through with this semester.  I still remember sitting at the kitchen table when we FIRST discussed my studying abroad, before I had even made the decision to go.  You were both so very supportive.  Then when I had my interview at International Programs, I was asked about how my parents felt about me going.  I was proud and happy to say that I had two wonderful parents who would support me in what ever I do in life, even if that included living in Spain for 5 months.

I love you and I know I wouldn't be where I am today without you.

Much love to everybody who has helped me along the way, friends, family, and strangers!

<3

Love,

Erin