It's so hard to believe that I've been here for 6 weeks!

With time flying by so fast, it's making me realize how much more there is to do, and how little time is left. I can remember thinking how long a semester seemed, and thinking that I would have enough time to do everything, see all the places there was the see, meet all of Spain, and of course speak spanish enough that when I came back, I'd be fluent and a natural.

Now that I've been here though, I feel like even a year wouldn't be enough!

Since I've been here, there have been many adjustments to get used to. I think one of the biggest adjustments was the general atmosphere. Coming from a lifestyle where I barely got 6 hours of sleep on a weeknight and had every minute of the day booked, I was used to the hectic, busy schedule.

However, since being here, I feel like I've been able to catch up on missed sleep from the past two years. The siesta is a wonderful aspect of the Spanish culture, and while it took a while to get used to, I have embraced it, and am thoroughly enjoying it.

It also took a while to get used to the different meal times. Lunch here isn't until around 2:30, and dinner isn't until 9:00 or 10:00. Of course I knew this before I left, but it doesn't really mean anything until noon comes and passes, and your stomach is empty.

Some other things I've had to accustom myself to are different sayings that are more common. Nobody says "adios" here, but instead its "hasta luego" - or "see you later!" or "¿qué tal?" instead of "¿cómo estás?"

Another aspect of the Basque Country that's made my experience here interesting has been the political activity. It has been interesting to see small demonstrations and protests. Also, the University of the Basque Country has a strong political science department, so there are a lot of students that are passionate than the issues within the Basque Country.

Of course, coming to Spain, I planned on traveling as much as possible throughout Spain and Europe. Although I haven't been able to travel as much as I'd hoped so far, I have visited some very interesting and inspiring places.

During a long weekend, I made a trip down to Madrid, and while there, took day trips to El Escorial, Valle de los Caídos and Toledo. While there, I did a lot of sight-seeing, and visited a lot of museums. In Madrid, I went to el museo de Reina Sofia and el museo del Prado.

Unfortunately, the Picasso exhibits were closed in the Reina Sofia, but I was able to see a lot of works by Miró, which was really interesting. I did a big project on him in high school, so it was really interesting to see a lot of the works I studied in person. At the Prado, one of most exciting paintings I got to see was Las Meninas, another painting that I have studied for many years in my various Spanish classes.

During another weekend, I made a day trip to a small town in France. It was still in the Basque Country, but it was interesting to see how different, but at the same time, similar it was from the Basque region in Spain. From France, I took a boat back to Spain, which was quite an exciting experience.

This past week, through email correspondence, my friend asked me what my favorite part of my 6 weeks here has been so far. After sitting there and thinking about it for about 5 minutes, I couldn’t come up with an answer. I thought about all the incredible people I’ve met, all the different places I’ve been to, the beach that’s a two minute walk away, my host family, the new friends I’ve made since being here, and I still couldn’t think of an answer. However, after having just been fed, I have to say that at the moment, the food here is probably one of my most favorite things. Of course it doesn’t compare to the once-in-a-lifetime experiences I’ve had, and the amazing people I’ve met, but it’s worth a mention. The food here is pretty amazing. I look forward to the meals my host-mom makes and to even something as simple as fresh bread with nutella.

6 weeks in and so far I’ve had an amazing time. It’s so hard to believe that 6 weeks has already gone by, but it’s harder to believe that I only have 2 ½ more months here! It really is time to seize the day!

Madrid

Palacio de Cristal en Madrid

El Escorial


Valle de los Caidos

Toledo

Saint Jean de Luz, France