According to the countdown on my iPod, I have five days, four hours, 34 minutes, and 28 seconds until I take off on the first plane. That's insane. I basically have everything planned out that I'm going to be doing until then though. Being busy is nice, because it keeps me from thinking and freaking out too much, plus I know I'm making the most of my last days here.
On Sunday some of my friends threw me a going-away party! I thought we were just going to be chilling out at my house for the afternoon, swimming in the pool and such. But it turns out they had all written me letters and brought food and gifts. It was an amazing day. I taught them how to play the card game "Spoons" and it was a hit, no surprise -- amazing game. We even made smores and Rice Krispy treats!
Thanks so much Virginia, Lucia, Elaia, Ana, Georgia, Irina and Sergio!! Os quiero muchooo!!! <3
I'm not sure what else to tell you all. I don't know what to tell myself actually. One moment I'm living on exchange with "the end" off in the distant future, and the next moment it's in my face and I don't know how to react. How did I even get to this point? I can't believe it. At the beginning, 10 months seemed like so long. And at times, exchange was long, because it was difficult and testing. However, now I'm at the end and I say to myself, "Yeah, it's been ten months." That much I can believe. My sense of time has been distorted time and time again this year, but it's not a misleading sense of time that baffles me now -- it's the realization that this year is really over. That soon, I won't be an exchange student, living abroad anymore. That in less than a week, this particular experience in Spain will come to a close.
I will return to Spain, but it won't be like this again -- as an exchange student, living in a normal house, immersed, living life as any other Spanish teenager. Being an exchange student is such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This year has probably been both the best and the worst year of my life, and I'll miss it so much. I would do it all over again. But what can I do now but enjoy what's left and pray that I can return as soon as possible?
Lots of love,
Josie xoxo