And it's times like these.

And it’s times like these that you don’t ever want to miss, or yet let go of. Can’t believe I'm leaving Spain in exactly 1 week from today. I know I constantly talk about it, or at least I feel like I do, but I seriously cannot believe I'm leaving in ONE week! I am SO sad. It’s a bittersweet feeling because I can’t wait to give my family the BIGGEST hugs ever but at the same time I don’t want to leave yet. I just keep thinking have I really almost been here for 7 weeks already? While it seems like such a long time, really it’s not long at all.

The people you meet, the memories you store along with make, and the lessons you learn both good and bad that help SHAPE you as a person are all such a blessing. I could not be more thankful for everything I have received out of this expensive trip of a study abroad, because it has all been so worth it. I cannot tell you how much my eyes have been opened either to EVERYTHING since I’ve been here. How I’m still so AMAZED. How there are so many people like you and me exactly the same just on a different part of the world, with a few different cultural customs, and a different style of dress! Its funny how we think just because someone lives on the opposite side of the world how they’re gonna be so different or alien like to us. If you always have a CLOSED mind about everything then yes, they may seem so different to you, but if you actually enjoy new things and see life with an open adventurous mind, you’ll figure out real quick we’re all just people, living in different locations, on this small world of ours.

Tomorrow is my last day in Sevilla, Spain. 

We took our final exam- part 1- on Friday and tomorrow we have the second part of our exam- listening and speech- to finish off the course before a day in Toledo and 3 days in Madrid. There’s that lucky number 3 again. Hopefully our test grades from Friday are decent, after all I would really like to make an A in this course- who wouldn’t- to be beneficial to my GPA; so we shall see. Not exactly too worried about tomorrow because at this point it is what it is and there’s no point in stressing yourself out over something you have no control of anymore.

 

What you have missed out on is this last weekend and Lagos- which I guess I could inform you about. Lagos, Portugal was UNREAL. Like I said before, it was many students favorite part- definitely held up to its standards. 2 nights in a 4 star hotel with legit breakfast and all expenses included except for going out couldn’t have been better. 

I chilled on the beach for 2 days straight to soak up the color I had been lacking while many others did their own thing as well. I had the chance to see the caves of Lagos and actually go in them to get to the other beaches by the cliffs and oh, chill by Brad Pit and Angelina’s house too- yeah I chilled on the beach right below their house, tell me that’s not cool.  

Met beyond enough Auzzies and English fellows and chicks and practiced my English probably for the first time in public since I've been out of the states all summer- that was slightly weird not gonna lie. Going from speaking Spanish every day in public to complete English was a curve ball- definitely felt stupid a couple times because it was automatic to ask for my basic necessities in Spanish haha, Lagos was crazy- we all made a pact that what happens in Lagos stays in Lagos. 

Although, I did cross off another accomplishment on my list of things to accomplish while in Spain- tan topless on the beach European style. It was an interesting experience but one that just had to be experienced in Spain- I mean after all you are only in Spain ONCE- or for right now at least- might as well live a little. On the way home from Lagos we stopped at the “end of the world” where Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand thought was the farthest piece of land and beyond that point there was no more- that you would just fall off the earth. Quite windy and chilly we climbed down the rocks to the edge of the cliffs just to see what it was all about. 

LIVED a little more and did a handstand on the side- just had to do something to remember- I'm sure a couple people thought I was crazy but to me I was just living without creating limits to my life. I don’t want to look back and ever say I didn’t try something or experience something because I was too scared or because I put limits onto what I thought I couldn’t do in my life. If you’ve never choose to live your life without creating limits on the things you think are impossible you should try it sometime- you’ll be amazed.

Not to switch subjects so fast but, this weekend is our last weekend in Sevilla and to me is super sad. Some people are beyond excited to leave this place and others like me just didn’t seem to get enough time here. Having a final Friday we decided to relax. Starting the weekend off right, we went out to Torre del Oro Friday night and then to Calle Betis for the festival, followed by of course a discoteca for the rest of the night. Sleeping in the next day- because it was the FIRST Saturday we’ve had off the whole time being here- we took advantage- or at least I did- and slept all day until it was time to go eat dinner for Candra’s REAL birthday DAY. After dinner we headed to our favorite ice cream shop- all natural homemade- got our picture on the wall and everything, and then to Calle Betis again to celebrate the rest of Candra’s “REAL” birthday. I would say it was one good night after hanging out with everyone and enjoying the rest of the night at another discoteca- my fav.

To end this fabulous last week here, I went to the pool for my first and last time at the hotel- received a nice slight butt sunburn because you know I’m all about trying new things and decided to be European for a day and pull my bathing suit a little up- COOL. I slept in Sunday again, got up and did a couple things, then got ready to go to church in Spain, the last thing to accomplish on my list- only to find out church started at either 8 or 9 pm instead of 7 like my house mom said, so all dressed and ready waiting at 6:30 I was just too early- at least I tried. Had an amazing heart to heart with my girl CTRU- Caroline- then headed back home to review some last minute vocabulary for my last part of the final tomorrow. I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE I’M ALMOST ABOUT TO LEAVE THIS WONDERFUL, MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE I LOVE SO SO MUCH. 

I'm still SO sad :( Only goes to show you how fast time really does fly and how we should cherish EVERY moment we get. My life is so blessed, everywhere I look I find another little something to be thankful for about myself and my family and the people that bring me up in my life instead of down, along with having the right foundation, and knowing my priorities, and where I stand, what matters and what doesn’t, and after this trip, a nice change of scenery will do me well- that’s for sure. It goes God FIRST, me SECOND, family THIRD, and everything else if it matters will fall into place- IF IT MATTERS. Mom and Dad, if you’re reading this, thank you more than you know for raising me right, that is one thing I cannot be more than grateful for in my entire life. So much of what you have taught me the RIGHT WAY is never seen in the world anymore and although sometimes I can feel like the only one who knows how to act, knows manners, chivalry, CONSIDERATION, and kindness because it comes from the heart, thank you for giving me that gift because it is SO great to me, even if I'm the only one standing- I’ll keep standing until the end.

To believe without seeing what tomorrow may bring is one of the hardest accomplishments to actually accomplish in life- its called Faith. To take the lessons people tell you, teach you, do around you, and show you from their actions of what you should and shouldn’t do and who you can choose to be and who not to be, comes from being open and actually taking those lessons in- whether given or not- and learning from them- its called Wisdom. And to care unconditionally over and over again no matter how many times someone has hurt you, continuing to LOVE because you have hope things will eventually change- its called having a HEART. But in time there comes a point when you take a step back and look at your life and all you have to offer, and the goodness within, and realize that for better or worse, its time to part from everything that brings you down and to just do you because all along that’s what you needed to do- no matter how hard it may have seemed then or how hard you thought it would be for other people you cared about so much or those who were just in your life because in the end none of that matters. Its just God, You, Family, and like I said IF IT MATTERS, all else will fall into place. Its not being blunt- its called being truthful because it is what it is.

"... Bad company corrupts good character." -1 Corinthians 15:33

America- I’ll see you in a week.