Home 8,000 Miles Away From Home

Hello! My name is Naia and I'm spending my Junior Spring Semester abroad in Seville, Spain. Time has flown by and I only have 2 months remaining in this beautiful place I call home. While I am excited to reunite with my family in America, I am dreading the day I have to leave my Spanish family and life behind.

I still remember the fear I felt to meet my host family and feeling of complete, utter confusion during my first weeks here. I'm not going to lie: it's frightening. Inevitably, adaptation is difficult. The entire process is frustrating, yet, by throwing yourself into an uncomfortable situation, you are forced to adapt, to overcome, and ultimately learn about your surroundings and the people around you.

These past three months have felt like a lifetime (in the best way possible!). It is mind-boggling that my friends and family here are the closest people in my life now. Since arriving, I have been surrounded with so much love and support from my CIEE friends, my classmates, and the strangers who have become my family.

Life has drastically changed since arriving, but the best changes are the ones you do not want to leave behind. I am so excited to have two more months here in Spain, my home 8,000 miles away from home... but even two months does not seem like quite enough time.

Challenge yourself, you never know what you'll discover.

Hasta Luego!