Final Thoughts and Memories

As I sit in the airport in Amsterdam, it's hard to belive that my time in Europe is finally coming to an end. After almost 12 weeks in this amazing part of the world, I'm glad to say I have learned so much this summer!

When I first borded the plane in Detroit in mid-May, I had no idea what to expect. I had never traveled by myself before and I was very concerned about simply transfering planes and getting to Europe (and with all my stuff!) But somehow I managed...I learned how to use the metro system in some huge cities like Paris and Madrid, how trains and buses work, and more.

When I first got to Spain, I was also very nervous about the host family situation. At first, it felt very akward to basically walk into someone else's home and start living there. I quickly got over this however, and felt very blessed to have been placed with someone amazing like my Señora and her family. Rosa is an amazing person and whenever I see someone cooking tons of food, I will definitely think of her! Her family was also awsome and it was a great experience being there for her family reunion with her family from the Canary Islands.

I also feel very lucky to have been able to take some amazing classes at La Universidad de Salamanca, both with teachers from UM and some from Salamanca. One of the coolest parts of my classes, for me, was meeting people from all over the world. I had classes with students from Brazil, various parts of the United States, China, Japan, France, and more. I also meet many people from all over the world on weekend trips, like people from Germany and the Netherlands. For me, it was also great practice when my professors and classmates did not speak English. It forced me to speak Spanish and not rely on English so much, like I can do during my classes in Michigan. Overall, my classes were great and I learned a ton, whether it be about Spanish art, the government and history of Spain, or the culture of Spain.


Finally, I am really glad I meet such amazing people during my time in Salamanca. I know that when I return to Ann Arbor, I will continue to meet up with my friends from Salamanca and, although it will not be the same as in Spain, we will hopefully continue to live "the dream."

For now, I am back in the States and back to normal life, but I know that one day I will return to Europe, I place that I feel in love with in only 12 short weeks.

¡Hasta Luego!