Some update about the 2 weeks or so....
I went to Madrid 2 weekends ago for a Rotary conference. Woo-hoo, Madrid! Yeah, that's what I though too...we were both wrong. I took the train from Gandia, a town around Benissa, to Valencia. Then from Valencia, to Madrid. I went with 7 other exchange students from Denia, which is another town next to Benissa. Everyone was really nice.
Then, we met up with a bunch of other exchange students and took a bus to about an hour out of Madrid to a town where we stayed in some type of school. All in all, there were about 150 exchange students and everyone was really cool. For the conference, we pretty much just had rotary meetings and went over rotary stuff, nothing really new.
It's not that the weekend was bad, it wasn't, it's just that since I went to Madrid last spring on vacation, I've absolutely fallen in love with that city (and the shopping!) and it killed me to be so close to the city and not be able to explore. Hopefully, I'll be able to go back soon to the actual city!
The rest of that weekend was pretty good, when I came home I went to a discotecha with my friends and the next day went to the Mediterranean with my family.
This past weekend I hungout with my friends, and we went shopping and then and saw the movie "Friends with Benefits" (in Spanish of course). I'm proud to say I understood, more or less, the synopsis of the story. Go me!
I can't even believe that it's October already...it has flown by. My one month mark in Spain has come and gone.....I remember it being August 25th and saying goodbye to everyone and bawling my eyes out. Then I remember being on the plane, trying to sleep, but I couldn't because I was crying and I was so scared and unsure of the future and what was going to happen.
It's such a great feeling to know that all of that is over...and I can look back and be proud of everything I've accomplished. I've gotten through some of the toughest days of my life. It's still hard sometimes, but it's getting better all the time.
My friends and family have told me that my Spanish is a lot better than a month ago, and I feel like they're right. I can understand more, speak a little better, and am actually starting to pick up words in Valenciano too! Even though I am still completely lost in school, and nowhere near fluent, I'm trying to focus on my small accomplishments and realize how much I've learned already.
This past month has really been a whirlwind...it's weird to think that 10% of my exchange is already done! It has definitely been some of the most challenging times, but also the most rewarding and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The time spent here has made me realize things about myself, and rely on myself more than anyone else, and that's a pretty great feeling. I feel more independent and in charge of my life than ever before.
I am loving Spain, and I am loving my exchange year. I know that as I learn more, it's only going to get better.
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