Buenas,
I'm happy to report that I made it back to Seattle safe and sound! It was a looonnngg trek home (31 hours to be exact), but I made it! Anyway, I'm going to really miss aspects of living in Spain as well as my friends and students, but I'm happy to be home again.
I've been trying to reflect on my time in Spain and had intended to write this right before I left Spain or right after I got home. I actually got home late last Wed night, so I'm a little behind. Spending time with family, friends, and my boyfriend has kept me busy.
Everything was so different in Spain that it's taking time to adjust to being back. Jet lag is always a little bit tough, especially with a 9 hour difference, but having been on a completely different schedule in terms of meals and sleep has also effected me as I adjust to being home. In Sevilla, I ate dinner between 9 and 10 each night when I returned home from work. I was up till 1 or 2 AM pretty regularly! It's hard to go straight to bed after dinner so I usually stayed up to chat with friends at home or watch tv. I think I do prefer the "horario americano", the Spanish schedule was not bad! I am surprised that I liked it as well as I did because I am not a night owl at all! The diet I ate there was very different from what I eat here but I really enjoyed it for the most part! The Spanish like ham, olives, olive oil, tomatoes, fried eggs, and cheese. They keep it simple! Of course they also have paella and sangria. I did enjoy the Mediterranean diet and have got to try to find some Spanish ham here one of these days!
Apart from physically adjusting to being home, I'm finding myself facing a little bit of culture shock and the realization that I still don't know what type job I want. Spain really is quite different from the US. On my way home, I ordered something for dinner in the airport in Boston. As the guy handed me my food, I immediately said, "gracias" in a Sevillano accent! Now I still find myself having to remember to speak English and not Spanish. There have been a few times when I have just sorta of blubbered because I could not get the right language out! I got really used to just hearing Spanish and mostly just using English to talk to people at home and to teach my Spanish friends.
I went to Spain to find myself in some ways and with the goals in mind of fine-tuning my Spanish skills as well as learning to teach English. I achieved those goals and did learn a lot about myself. Being far away and having to figure everything out for myself was a challenging and growing experience. I now realize just how gutsy I was to go somewhere new where I didn't know a soul and make a life for myself-even if for just 3 months time. After quitting teaching and going through a rough time, I was yearning for an adventure, and adventure I got! There were many times when I went off somewhere on my own, both in Seville and to neighboring towns. Being so independent felt really good and made me feel stronger as a person. It was not easy to just pick up my life in Seattle and leave and there were times when I wanted nothing more than to be home...but most of the time I was grateful to be there and to have the experience of living abroad. I'm proud of myself for going through with it and doing something I was afraid to do.
That's it for now. I find myself enjoying being home but not quite sure what to do with myself! I hope to find a good job soon so I can move into a new apartment and start the next chapter of my life. Thanks to everyone for your support while I was abroad!
Un beso,
Ashley
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