After being back from Spain for a little bit now, I can safely and confidently say that it was the best era of my life. Being as adaptable as I am, assimilating back into American culture has not been difficult, but there have been a couple little bumps. For starters, the prices of everything. In Spain, you could go to any cafe next to your house and buy a coffee for a little over two euros. Here, however, you have to drive to a nearby Starbucks and get charged six or seven dollars for a cup that is only slightly larger and without the authentic and delicious taste of Spanish coffee. Another thing was learning to calm down and bring myself down a notch in the sense of excitement and partying. In Oviedo, it was as easy as walking to a friends house for a pregame before hitting Calle Mon and partying until dawn or until you were dragged out by your slightly less drunk friends. The alcohol was a lot cheaper, we didn’t have to pay cover fees for most clubs, and the music was exactly what I like: Spanish. Here, I haven’t even gone out or consumed any alcohol apart from a couple beers shared with my dad (since I am still underage in this country). I did miss driving, however, as there are few experiences more enjoyable than blasting music with the windows down on a summer evening. Walking did have its charm though, and I will miss walking up that steep ass hill to get to class every day.
I will close with this advice to anyone who may be considering traveling abroad, especially to Spain: do it. It is an unforgettable experience and the memories and friends you make will stick with you until you pass. Nothing will ever beat the moments I had in this program. Thank you Rollins, thank you Oviedo, and thank you to all the staff who made it possible.