As I close out my time in Europe and head home, I look back on everything that I have done this past semester. I came out these past few months a different person than I went in, and I believe it could not have happened if I had not gone abroad.
In the beginning, I had grand aspirations. There were so many things I wanted to do, and such little time to do it. I wanted to go all over Europe, not just the classic spots like Paris, Rome, and London, but places like Athens, Oslo, and Zürich. In looking back on my time, I have realized that, while I may not have been able to meet such high expectations, I truly gave it my all, and enjoyed every step along the way. There are many times in life where one may feel regret for how things turned out, or wish there were a means to go back and alter their actions. I do not feel that way about this trip. If I were to repeat the semester 10,000 times over, I wouldn’t change a single thing.
For those who come after, I raise you a challenge: don’t pressure yourself. Some moments will be grand, and those will always be the ones paraded around as if they are the norm, but most will be small, quiet, ordinary moments. Savor those intimate times, for while those big monuments, opulent castles, and envious destinations will always be there, the times that you hopped on the wrong bus, took the metro the wrong way, bought a last second ticket, met new people, and had no plans for the locations you visited, as those are the moments you can’t get back.
As always, I have included some pictures from Valencia, my final trip away from Madrid. ¡Adios!
