Leaving Sevilla 5/17

And here ends my semester in Sevilla. I can’t believe that it’s over and I’m not really sure whet to think or feel. I lived here for 4 months, which seems like a long time but went by much too quickly. I can’t believe that the life I carved out for myself here is ending and that I might never see the people who were a part of my daily routine for a very long time, if ever again. Saying goodbye is always hard, no matter what the circumstances are, but saying goodbye without knowing if/when you will say hello again is the hardest. Leaving my host family was very strange. They have had so many students staying in their house; they can’t get too attached anymore. We had a good semester together and I hope that they enjoyed having me in their house as much as I enjoyed being there but they weren’t terribly sad to see us go. I know that chances are good I’ll never see either of them again, but Maria asked me to leave some photographs of myself behind and told me that if I ever come back to Sevilla I always have somewhere to stay. Spaniards don’t say goodbye, it’s always see you later. So that is the attitude with which I leave my city behind – someday I will return, to walk the streets and take in the sights again in a new stage of my life. The friendships I’ve made, people I’ve met and experiences I’ve had will stay with me forever; they are a part of me now and have left their mark. This semester has been an incredibly ride, so much more than anything I could have imagined. I have learned so much about myself, and my place and purpose in this world.
I am so sad that my life in Sevilla is ending, but in life there is always so much to look forward to. So here begins the next stage of my journey…