I did it.

I did it. We did it. As I'm sitting here for the last time in my kitchen, drinking my last morning cafe con leche, about to leave for the airport in an hour, I can't believe this time is coming to an end. It is such a weird mix of feelings I'm not sure I'll be able to write them down. But I'll try.

Don't get me wrong, I am excited to see my friends and family. But saying goodbye to my friends, my Spanish family and this country is one of the hardest things I've had to do. It's apart of me now, apart of my life that I will never forget.

This experience itself is so hard to put into words and I'm rushing to put them down because the clock is ticking and before I know it I'll be on that plane back to the States.

I am so fortunate enough to have so many great memories here. Really, nothing bad happened during my stay here. I didn't get robbed (except if you want to count the couple of times someone tried to rip me off at a store or restaurant because they thought I was a tourist, but I set them straight), all my trips outside of Madrid went smoothly (don't want to jinx it now), my host family turned out to be amazing (we were their first exchange students, and to be from America, now that's pretty tough), and I made some absolutely incredible friends from all over the world. There are countless moments where I would be in a situation and sit back and say to myself, "Is this really happening to me? Look at us, sitting here from all parts of the world from different languages and backgrounds, forming a bond that not many people will understand."

Really the only downsides were when I got strep throat and of course, the university. CAUTION: UEM may cause laziness, lack of motivation, nausea, depression but most of all you probably wont learn very much.

I found myself in situations that were straight from a dream. Like star gazing on a roof in Granada, walking the Plaza de España in Sevilla, meeting up with old friends in Germany, England and Ireland, sitting on a beach in Mallorca and so much more. Having my friends from the States here too was really special to me as well because they got a glimpse of my life here.

Well there are really a whole bunch of things that I would like to say, but ahora I have to embark on that gran, strange journey home. This truly has been, a journey of a mad white woman.

Hasta luego.