Month 9 has been one of the best months of my exchange. It was filled of traveling to Toledo, Alicante, El Escorial, meeting the Rotary International President, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and living my final days in Aranda to the fullest. It has also been one of the most emotionally-straining months with having to say goodbye to some of my best friends who aren’t going on Eurotour and all of my classmates, teachers, friends, and families here. Read on to see what I’ve been up to!
TOLEDO TRI-DISTRITO CONFERENCIA| TRI-DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Coming from all parts of Spain, my friends from all parts of the world came together in Toledo at the Tri-District Conference with special guest Rotary International President K.R Ravindran from Sri Lanka. We un-loaded the busses on Friday afternoon and began a session of hugs with all our friends we hadn’t seen since September.
In the conference, I got to carry the flag of Catalunya which got a lot of cheers but was interesting with all the controversial views of the current situation. The presentation was in English and Spanish and made me realize just how big and capable Rotary is of making significant changes in the world. It was a reminder of the greater purpose of exchange which is building international relationships and supporting world peace.
On Saturday we did a tour of the stunning city. It is surrounded by a river, beautiful hills and has amazing architecture. I’m really glad I got to mark it off the map.
On Sunday we headed to Madrid where we did a walking tour of the city. We went to el Palacio Real, la Puerta del Sol, and the Prado Museum. We said our final goodbyes to the people we may never see again (hopefully not) and wished them well on their ways. The people in the Madrid district went out to lunch and then headed back to our homes.
ALICANTE
When I first found out I was coming to Spain, the pictures that popped up on Google Images included the long sandy beach and mountains of Alicante, the white town of Altea that looks like it came directly out of Mama Mía, and these surreal places have been on my bucket list ever since. May 19th, Caroline and I loaded a bus at 12:30am heading towards Alicante. We arrived at 5:30am and waited until Yuli, the coolest exchange student from Taiwan who lives in Alicante, brought us to her house. There we met Aliya (Hawaii) and Bam(Thailand) who live in Madrid as well. At 9am we met up with the exchange students from Alicante, Ben (Canada), Brie (Ohio), Hannah (South Carolina), on the train to Altea. When we got there, Tessa who lives in Altea, showed us around her BEAUTIFUL town.
Every street looked like it belonged on a postcard with white walls and cobblestones leading to the Mediterranean or overlooking mountains. We stopped and got some súper rico gelato and sitting there, eating gelato by a cathedral with my best friends, in Altea, in Spain, in Europe, I was overwhelmed with happiness. It was a feeling of a complete fulfillment of everything I needed in that moment.
The expression on my face pictured above on the beach shows “Caroline, pulling an all-nighter to get here was well worth it.” We headed down to the beach where we took in some sun before heading to get lunch.
We went back to Alicante where we passed out at Yuli’s house, trying to gain back every bit of sleep we could get. Yuli made some AMAZING beef noodles for dinner. We headed to la Playa de San Juan and passed the night dancing, skinny-dipping in the sea, and having the time of our lives.
Saturday was a beach day where we literally spent all day/night at the beach. Ukuleles, henna, waves and lots of sun and lots of siestas filled our days. We ate paella for dinner which is a traditional Spanish dish with rice, seafood/meat/vegetables and is SO DELICIOUS. We passed the night dancing and swimming, enjoying all that we could from our time at the beach.
A couple of exchange students came from surrounding towns to join us Saturday/Sunday and we had so much fun together.
The beach day of course wouldn’t be complete without a group picture.
EL ESCORIAL
On May 28th all the Inbounds in Madrid went to the orientation for all the kids from Spain who are going on exchange next year. We got to share our experiences, meet the future exchange students (I met Adriana who will be living in Aspen next year so I will see her in December! and Maria who will be living in Kauai who I will see in October!), bring a little closure to our exchange, explore a little of the beautiful town that I had been to before but at night, and say final goodbyes to the exchange students who will not be doing Eurotour.
El Escorial is a monastery, museum, royal palace and a historical residence of the king. Bam from Thailand, featured below with me, and Aliya from Hawaii and I had to say our (hopefully not) final goodbyes.
FIN DEL CURSO | LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
These twenty-eight people you see pictured above are the people I spent the majority of my exchange with. 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for 38 weeks I spent in class with my friends who have basically taught me all I know (all the Spanish I know). They never gave up on me, always reached out to me, and made me feel like part of a team. We sat bored together in class, chatted in los recreos (breaks), congratulated each other on passing exams and consulted each other when we failed exams.
I think maybe this is the first time I have never been excited for the school year to end. Its a lot of goodbyes to a lot of special people and good memories. To send me off on my way, my friends took me up to our class where I opened the door to all of my compañeros, food, drinks, the chalkboard beautifully decorated and a Spanish flag with signatures and notes. Giving hugs and two kisses I couldn’t help but start balling.
A los mejores compañeros en el mundo, os deseo muchísima suerte y todo lo mejor en el año que viene, el futuro, y donde la vida os lleva. Sois personas intelegentes, listos y amables y espero que sigaís trabajando y esfuerzando. Ha sido un placer enorme a pasar este curso con vosotros y quiero deciros muchísimas gracias por incluyirme en este equipo que tenemos. Me habéis impresionado con vuestro nivel de inglés y sabed que si queréis practicar, os podéis quedar conmigo en Colorado. Os quiero muchísimo y tenéis una parte enrome en mi corazón. Espero que nos veamos pronto. Un beso.
These are pictures from my last three days, from the fiesta, the day before the fiesta, and my last hour of class (pictures with my philosophy teacher, all the boys, all the girls, etc…)
ÚLTIMO FIN DE SEMANA | FINAL WEEKEND
Although I will return to Aranda July 4th with my family to grab my big suitcase, this weekend is my last weekend in Aranda. It started Friday after school with a picnic in La Virgen de Las Viñas (a cathedral and a beautiful garden).
Later that day I went out with my friends until 3am. I woke up Saturday and met with my best friend Andrea because she told me she had a gift for me. I went into town with no make-up and threw on the clothes I don’t have in my suitcase. We walked to a restaurant where I found all of my friends waiting for me for a surprise lunch. It was an amazing surprise and we enjoyed pizza, pasta and ice-cream.
After eating we walked around town and enjoyed the sun at a bar right next to the church, La Santa María, which just happens to be where I met Andrea and Irene (the two girls pictured above closest to me) for the first time on my second day of exchange.
These girls have been by my side all year and I couldn’t imagine what I would have done with out them (nor what I will do without them when I leave).
My last Saturday night has come around which is a hard thing to say goodbye to. In Spain, Saturday nights are the time of the week when the socializing in Spain happens. Everyone during the weekdays has to study or has sports practice, and during the days of the weekends everyone studies, but Saturday nights are when the most fun is had and the most of memories are made.
LAS DESPEDIDAS | SAYING GOODBYE
You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place…like you’ll not only miss the people you love but you’ll miss the person you are no at this time and this place, because you’ll never be this way ever again.-Azar Nafisi
Although I still have 32 days until I return to the U.S. as I am setting off on Eurotour and to go travel through Spain with my family, today is the day I am saying goodbye to the last 274 days of my life. 274 days of learning, friendships, home-sickness, independence, frustration, and happiness. 274 days of millions of amazing moments that will stay with me forever. 274 days of experiences that have changed who I am, my values, and my perspectives. Its been a long ride with many many highs and many lows, and the people who stuck with me during those points, who loved my and encouraged me, saying goodbye to them it is the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. And hopefully these aren’t goodbyes, just “I will see you someday somewhere”. I am going to keep this gooey, emotional section short so that I can go enjoy my last 15 hours here. I am SO EXCITED to set off on Eurotour where we will visit 9 countries, traveling for 19 days, and then reuniting with my family in Madrid and showing them around this beautiful country I call home.
Postcards from Spain 
Anne what a lovely thing to wake up to this lovely Sunday morning. You have given me a chance to view Spain thru your eyes and what a treat it has been. Thank you for sharing so deeply and lovingly. I’ll see you in September!
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SO proud of you Anne Marie!! Love you!!
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