The last five weeks... of this trip at least ;)

               And so starts the reality check of the 5 week mark. I’ve made it through 34 weeks already, which in all honesty feels like it happened in a day. At this point in time, while I still have some time left here, I’m going to do a little reflecting that I’ll let you guys in on. To think what I’ve done in these past 34 weeks is a little overwhelming. I keep thinking ‘I did all that?’ it’s quite extraordinary, actually, the things you can accomplish by studying abroad and the unexpected things that happened.

                Here’s a little summary of some of the most memorable things that happened or things that stuck out in my mind:

So far I have:

• -    Traveled to 10 different countries and to 2 continents

All the red dots are the places that I've been lucky enough to have traveled to!

• -        Played charades due to language barriers (sometimes better than other times) in 10 different countries and 2 continents

• -        Opened my 1^st bank account in Spain

• -    Had to use 4 different types of money

• -        Become a temporary student resident of Spain

• -        Had to actually pay taxes in Spain

• -        Moved into my 1^st apartment ever to live with españoles

• -        Haven’t taken any English classes since last April

UGR Centro de Lenguas Modernas --- The Center of Modern Language aka my school :)

• -        Made Granada a third home

So much love for this place

• -        Eaten enough Kebab for a lifetime (what up, Kebab King. Anyone that has ever been to Granada will understand)

• -        Watched the sunrise at 8am after dancing all night long

• -        Watched the sunset over Florence at the Michelangelo lookout with great friends

• -        Been able to go to the Cologne/Koln Christmas markets

• -        Made best friends that, at the moment, I cannot imagine living without (shout out, Rachel and Hannah)

True love

• -        Become a regular at a few tapas restaurants (and consequently, sometimes get some free goodies from the waiter-friends!)

• -        Taught social and natural science in Spanish to 7 and 8 year old kids at Colegio Caja Granada

• -        Realized that I will be returning to Spain in 2013 to hopefully continue teaching somewhere in Andalucía upon my graduation from Pitt

• -       I’ve been able to improve my Spanish skills immensely by studying and living here for an incredible, wonderful, eye-opening, everything 8 months

• -        Grown as a person in ways that are simply indescribable and incredible to me
  

What’s even more incredible is that this isn’t even half of it. I cannot wait to aprovechar –take advantage of- the rest of this experience and the 5 weeks I have left :)

Hasta pronto, queridos <3

Until soon, loved ones <3