PERI: Return to the USA

        This is going to be a long blog kind of wrapping everything up, so I figured it would be a little easier to read if I broke it into sections.

Trip Home:  Well, today is Tuesday and I landed in good ol' Boise, Idaho at about 10:30pm on Saturday night and I could NOT be more thankful!  I was originally supposed to go to Geneva, Switzerland from Friday until Monday and then fly home today, but (thankfully) that is not how things panned out.  Elizabeth, Kelly, and I showed up to the airport Friday morning with our backpacks full and many layers of clothes on, prepared to visit the lovely Geneva.  We stepped off the train and up to the information monitors to find out that our flight had been cancelled.  After MUCH frustration dealing with a number of EasyJet employees, we figured out that all the flights to Geneva that day were cancelled due to snow.  We decided that we would not risk going on Saturday because of the chance that we would not get back to BCN on time and hence, home on time.  We went to our respective airlines for the trip home and tried to schedule something for later that day, but to no avail.  5 hours after this process started, we finally took our defeated behinds home.  We were all really upset that our trip had not worked out and we were not able to get home.  BUT after a quick nap, I learned that my mom had worked a miracle and got me on a flight home the next day!!!  So I said my goodbyes to my host family and Elizabeth and got to the airport at 8 o'clock Saturday morning :).  Just by chance, Mitzi and I were both on Delta getting home and our flights were supposed to leave about 45 min. apart from each other so our gates were right next to each other!  It was great to be able to start this trip with her and end with it too, I was so happy :).  Saturday was a very long day... all flights were very delayed and hectic because of the weather conditions all over Europe.  But like Mitzi said, it was hard to feel anything but nostalgic.  Nevertheless, we both made it home on the same day, and it could not have been better timing because all of my program mates that are still in BCN are stuck there and who knows when they will make it home.

Feelings about being home:    Being home feels fantastic: it looks and smells and feels like Christmas and I appreciate being with family and friends so much.  Mitzi and I had a little bit different experiences with our feelings at the end of our programs.  But before I elaborate, I have to say first and foremost that studying abroad is the best thing that I have ever done for myself.  I learned so much about myself, my Spanish speaking improved exponentially, and the experience of living in a foreign country is something that has changed me for the better and I think everyone should experience at one time or another.  Like Mitzi said, I learned a valuable lesson about the things that are important to me in life.  I learned that traveling the world is something that I love to do and want to continue throughout my lifetime, but also that I don't enjoy it as much without the people that I love: it is something that I want to share with them.  My time abroad has confirmed to me that my life at home is exactly the way that I want it to be. Now that I am home and feeling like myself, I realize how much I did not feel like myself.  I would never say that I was unhappy while in Spain, but the instability of situation and emotion did take its toll on me, and it feels good to feel like myself again :)/

I always heard that the reverse-culture shock was going to be a weird, cross-cultural experience in itself, and let me tell you, it is.  I find myself accidentally saying things like "Perdon"(pardon me), and "gracias" and other everyday phrases on accident.  I notice every little difference between Spain and here and immediately want to talk about it (something that our program reminded us of is that people are going to get very tired of our "Well in Spain..." stories, so that is something that I am trying to work on).  It is strange to hear English 100% of the time.  Comfort foods of home are a very welcome change.  It is strange coming home to driving, big homes and rooms, consistently hot water, American time schedules, and so much more.

Looking back:    My perspective of this experience is much clearer now that I have stepped out of it, and I can honestly say that it is something that I would recommend to ANYONE.  It was the most rewarding thing that I have ever done, but it was also the most difficult.  Contrary to the beliefs of some, it is not a whirlwind of jet-setting, euphoric fun, and financial freedom.  Although yes, the jet=setting and euphoria are the high points that are some of the best times in my life, there are extreme lows as well.  It is difficult to be away from your home, your family, and everything familiar, and at some point in the semester, everyone hits a lull in the excitement of being abroad.  That is enough with the negative though, because I don't regret a moment of the last 4 months and I know how much I have learned and grown from it.

Study abroad tips:   I cannot say enough how valuable this experience was for me and would be for any student.  Studying abroad is one of those things that if you say "I will do it someday", it will forever be pushed back until tomorrow and never happen; it is time to take the plunge!!  With some hard work on scholarships, putting money away, and a little sacrifice, it is something that can be afforded... and the experiences that you will have are INvaluable!  Imagine hopping a plane to Paris or Manchester or Prague for $30.00!  As a study abroad veteran, there are a few things that are must-haves and must-knows.

Must-haves:  
--A good, reliable camera
--A blog :)  or journal.  It is important to record your experiences as you go along, otherwise details become fuzzy
--For Europe, boots and scarves are a must :)
--I hate to sound materialistic, but honestly an iPod touch was one of the best investments that I made before going: you can pick up internet on your weekend trips without taking or needing a computer, access email when you are looking for those directions to your hostel, text your friends and family in the US (for free!), use translating apps for those side trips to other countries, GPS apps to find that hole-in-the-wall restaurant you heard a recommendation for, etc. Long story short, it was a life saver!

Must-knows:
--A little street smarts: you may hear that petty crime is very high in Europe... in some cases, this is completely true, however if you keep vigilant and always are using your street smarts, your odds of being pick pocketed are much lower
--A good idea of why you are going abroad.  Are you going to learn a language? travel? party?  Do you want a tranquil location? metropolitan?  I loved Barcelona, but I wish that I would have done a little more research on how it would meet my objectives.  Barcelona is great for people looking for a bustling city, great nightlife, and tons of Catalan culture.  But with these things that are seemingly great, there are consequences such as being expensive, an overwhelming nightlife, and lots of Catalan pride and close-mindedness to the rest of the Spanish culture.
--Keep an open mind:  more than likely, everything that you are accustomed to is going to be different, which is not necessarily bad, as long as you are open to it.  I know that my tastes in food broadened a lot while abroad just from trying different things.  Also customary traditions, preferences, timelines, etc. may seem strange but just go with the flow!

Well I am all out of advice for now but I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in studying abroad :)  I can be reached at pbolts01@gmail.com, and I will do my best to answer any questions that you may have!  Thanks for reading our blog, I hope that it was informative even though it is a bit cumbersome.  ¡Hasta luego!