My last week in Spain and my last university classes EVER

I don't even think this is going to hit me until I finally make it back home, but I have spent 4 entire months in Spain. I just have this weekend left--5 days--and then I'm leaving Alicante forever (okay, hopefully not forever).

It's hard to believe I've been here this long, because it felt like just yesterday that I got off the plane in Valencia, exhausted and completely lost trying to find the bus station from the airport. Since that first day forward, Alicante has become my home away from home. I have really enjoyed myself and accepted my situation here, even if that meant struggling with difficult classes and (some) difficult people for 4 months. 

I am very excited to come home to see my amazing family again, and of course my wonderful best friends and for all of us to celebrate together at the annual Komblevicz Christmas Eve Bash, but it's very bittersweet to say goodbye to Spain. 

After study abroad, I have a feeling Michigan is going to seem pretty dull and I'm going to forever have an unquenchable thirst to travel. I won't even be returning to a routine of classes and work since I just graduated with the Class of 2014! (which is possibly the best Christmas present ever)

No more university, no more studying, no more exams--just cracking down and working. If I could make it through college packing my schedule to the rim with full-time classes, 30 hours per work week, a part time internship, and was able to make time for PRSSA meetings and PR Central, then I think I can handle just working. Life may not be easy past this point, but I sure know it will be less stressful. I made it! 

In this last week of reminiscing of my study abroad experience, I'm going to share a recap of some of my favorite and memorable moments of Spain, but of course this blog would be 100 pages long if I shared it all. Hopefully this inspires some people to travel! 

Taking the bus from the Valencian Airport to Alicante and seeing the mountains for the first time!

Meeting the Josés, our directors at UA. 

Visiting the beach and the Explanada for the first time.

Meeting the entire U.S. crew! 

Trying my host mom's healthy cooking 

Looking out my bedroom window and seeing the beautiful landscape 

Seeing the Festival de los Moros y los Cristianos 

Studying at the most beautiful campus 

Visiting Alcoy with my new friend Jorge 

Halloween in Barcelona! (My favorite city I visited in Spain, by the way) 

The crazy island of Ibiza. 

Madrid 

Enjoying a drink--or two...or 10--with new friends. 

To sum it all up...I absolutely loved Spain and 4 months has definitely gone by way too fast, but that will motivate me more to return again some day!

Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream.

Day 2 in Alicante: Meeting my host mom and exploring the city

I arrived yesterday in Alicante! It was a long ride. The first flight from Detroit was in a huge plane with amazing amenities: free movies, TV, games, and music. I slept maybe two hours the whole way. My second flight flew out of Paris, where I hopped on this rickety, old plane to Valencia.  That time I slept in the entire way.

I had a few struggles getting from Valencia to Alicante. First, I read the wrong train schedule, so there was actually only three trains yesterday: one at 1 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. My flight landed at 12:10 so I definitely wasn't going to wait until 7 p.m. to leave Valencia. Instead, I took the bus, which was actually pretty cheap, but getting lost finding the bus station put me behind about 2 hours. I finally arrived in Alicante around 6 p.m.

I was greeted by Jose and Jose, and they were very energetic and friendly! They brought me to my host mom's house, Senora Prudencia. First thing I did was give her a great big hug and tell her I was glad to make it! My host mom is great, she is older, lives by herself and is retired. She cooks and cleans and offered to do my laundry. Sometimes, I feel bad but that's the culture here. The directors explained that the host moms will feel like they're being a "bad mom" if they don't do those things for us. Many times, children don't move out of their parents house until their thirties here! It's very different.

Mi mamá

Her "piso" or apartment (It's very cute!)

My room. I don't share it but sometimes family visits she said.

The famous Castillo de Santa Barbara, which I can see right outside her window!

After the long trip yesterday, I decided to unpack and take it easy. Today, my second day here, I met up with the other CMU students and had orientation. We all took a tour of the university and,WOW, is it beautiful. We stopped at the cafe and had drinks, then we set up Wifi (very important) on our laptops. I just ate lunch, which is their main meal, and now I'm relaxing and cooling down (the sun is muy fuerte) and getting ready for dinner with the group again, and am going to buy a SIM card so I can use my phone again!

Pictures of La Universidad de Alicante (it's even more beautiful in person!):