T minus 3 Tage

Just wrapped up my last weekend in Leon, went for tapas, celebrated a friend's birthday and Sunday was a nice recovery day with a morning workout, a coffee in town and a lovely walk by the river. In 4 days I will be sitting at a friend's apartment in Bochum, preparing for a 3 month German course. As this big change gets closer I think more and more about my time in Spain and on my walk today I realized how unique and unrepeatable this experience is. I have met people here from around the world that quickly became great friends, traveled, ate new foods, adjusted to a new culture, improved my Spanish ten-fold and most of all grown as a person. I have so much more confidence, I want to help others who are planning to go abroad and I have had experiences that would have never been possible if I hadn't come to Leon.

However, now is a time not only for reflecting but also for looking into the future. I am going to a country where I do not know the language, where I do not have so many friends (none that live in the same city as me) and where everything will be new. A fresh start both scares and motivates me , but I think all good changes in life scare us a little. I am very lucky to have a friend who will be helping me through the tough first 2 weeks of living abroad and a handful of others I can visit on weekends, so it-s time to make the most of the last 3 days in Spain and say Hallo to Deutschland.

A piece of Home

 Today I went to a new store in Leon called A Taste of America. I never thought that 40 euros of food could make me so happy. I got Tortillas, PEANUT BUTTER, cranberry sauce, KRAFT mac n cheese, strawberry jello,  dried cranberries, Goldfish, herbal tea that I always had when I was little, root beer, bagels,  refried beans, hot sauce , and 'capri sonne' which is German, but it tastes the same as Capri Sun from America :). As I sit on my couch and munch on these goldfish I realize how much the little things really matter.
 I talked to the owners for a long time while I was in the store and they told me about their travels to America and how it inspired them to open up this store in Leon.  This helped me to realize that no matter where you go , it is possible to find the things and people that make you feel 'en casa' . And of course, it helps to know that 1000s of other Americans will be eating the foods that I am eating  : )). Today's adventure has made me feel a lot more secure in my decision  to go to Germany at the end of this month because with some work, I know I can find the things and people I need to support me while I'm there. It also helps that my Jif peanut butter will most certainly be in my suitcase. Other than my amazing food adventure today I'm going to skype, study and make some bean burritos, all in all a good day. This coming week I have exams after after that , 12 free days in Spain!