I have finally completed my last final exam here at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. In just about a week, I head back to Texas and now I can finally take a deep breath and reflect on my time here in Madrid. Above all, being abroad has allowed me to mature and grow as an individual. Whether I wanted to or not, I was forced to experience new things and adapt to a completely new environment. While scary at first, living in such a way has provided me with new friends, stories, and memories that I would have otherwise never encountered. As for my initial impressions of Spain and living abroad in general, I’d say they were bested by my actual time here. I came into this experience a bit hesitant. Living so far from my family for longer than I ever have before worried me. But, understanding that this experience was unique and limited, I allowed myself to enjoy the time I would have here in Spain. Good people can be found anywhere. I was able to find great people from completely different walks of life. Meeting new people was a highlight. I was able to travel with friends I had only just met a few weeks earlier. Relationships like that are one-of-a-kind and I am so glad I got to experience that. Everyone understood that our time abroad was special and limited so every afternoon in the city felt purposeful. This semester abroad was fantastic and I’m sad that it’s over so quickly.
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