Voy a Extrañarte Granada - Semana 5 en Granada
FAREWELL GRANADA
Folding my clothes as tightly as I could, I shoved them into my suitcases. I walked around my hostel room five or six times, making sure I hadn’t forgotten to pack anything. Slowly, I rolled my suitcases out the front door of the Hostal Meridiano for the last time. I couldn’t believe it had been five weeks since I first moved in, and now, I was saying goodbye. Two nights before, our dear chef, Antonio, told me and my classmates (who have now become close friends) that the residencia would be our home forever. I felt tears form in my eyes. It really had become our home in our short time there.
On our last day together, my classmates and I took one last walk to the Albaícin. We watched the sunset and took some pictures of the Alhambra. Leaving our late-night study sessions, crowded dinner tables, heated card games, and midnight dance parties is going to be really tough for all of us, but we’re already making plans to get together back in the States!
Before my trip, I told people that I was going to study abroad in Spain. For the past five weeks, I’ve been able to say that I am in Spain. And now, I can say that I’ve lived in Spain!
After traveling to Morocco as well, I can also now say that I’ve been to four different countries on four different continents. This trip has made me miss my family and appreciate them more, but it has also given me the excitement to keep traveling. The idea of traveling by myself was something that really scared me initially. I didn’t know what to expect. Yet, every step of the way, I learned something new; every step closer to my destination was a green checkmark on my list of accomplishments.
In Granada, my classes were intellectually stimulating, and the topics we discussed stayed with me after we left the classroom. It’s crazy how leaving the United States can give you a better view of the world. I never knew much about the Spanish Civil War until coming here, but I learned how the aftermath of the war still affects people and resurfaces painful memories. There are still Fascist groups that look fondly on Franco’s dictatorship (1939-1975) and want to return to that time.
Our classes also gave us space to have meaningful discussions about race and immigration to Europe and the Western world. I will continue to remember these conversations as they relate to and differ from my own country's circumstances. When I come back to the United States, I’ll have many stories to share about the topics I’ve been studying, but I’ll also have stories of my own to share.
Thanks for following me as I embarked on a new journey. I hope my experience has motivated you to travel, try new things, learn more about world history, and, if you’re a student like me, to study abroad. It might be one of the best things you choose to do for yourself!
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