I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

Although in reality, many times it feels like I can’t. In the middle of finishing final papers and homework, preparing presentations, and studying for exams we are also all worrying about class registration and housing for next school year, spending precious last moments with our families here, and having one more shebang before packing it all up again... in 9 days. Ready, set, go!

I can’t believe we’ve reached the last week of class; the last times Alfonso and Ge (and for many, María Elena) will see our bright and shining faces staring back at them alert and ready to venture out yet again into that fantastic faraway place known as the World of Knowledge. But we’ll no longer have to worry about the videos not working in Ge’s class, or the computer asking if we’d like to have a chat in the middle of a lecture, or trying to hear over the noise of motos, firecrackers, and the songs of birds or elementary schools nearby. No more frantically trying to copy down notes before the slide changes. No more listening to Alfonso talk about “rollos”, or picking on Anne in 368, and no more complementing him on his attractive ‘salt and pepper’ hair. No more making up questions to take up time. No more trips to the Mercadona/Mercadillo in between Lit and History. No more tutor sessions... No more class in Spain. All we have left are the many precious memories we have made to take back with us. And of course we keep making new ones!

We had been planning to throw a surprise party for María Elena’s birthday a little while before (surprise!) she actually invited us over for a birthday/pool party at her bungalow. Nevertheless, we were determined to make it work, so on Friday when she was busy at the UNED we snuck over early with all of the decorations and food to get everything ready. All of the other students (well, except poor Kelly!) came to quietly await María Elena’s return in her living room. As she came up to the house, Neal called to her that we were waiting out on the back patio, but as she walked in, “¡Sorpresa!” we were all there to greet her. Following this we had a wonderful time of eating coca (like coffee cake), showing the video message we had made, and then María Elena had a chance to tell us each individually how special we are :) After that it was party time! Many students (locos) jumped into the freezing pool and we all ate, drank, talked, and danced to our hearts’ content.

We have an awesome group/network of people here, not to mention unforgettable experiences, so you guys at home will have to forgive us if at times it seems like life has been so much better in Spain. The truth is that the differences have been so good, it’s hard to imagine going back. So much so that I’ve had to make some promises to myself in order to keep everything focused in these last days: I promise to remain a good student; I promise to not completely cut off communication with my friends and family back home (although you’ll have to expect a little less out of me;); I promise to make the most out of each day; I promise to take more pictures and eat more Spanish food; and I promise to have A LOT of fun. ¿De acuerdo? ¿Sí o no? Vale. It seems like a daunting task to get so much accomplished in so little time, but I know that as with all things, through Christ who strengthens me, I can.

-Written by Hope McElroy (including some suggestions from other students)

So Little Time...

One more week down, and most of us can’t believe that we only have 16 more days here in Denia. It really has become our home away from home, and many of us have once again realized this after our last long weekend. We didn’t have class on Friday again, so there were places to visit, of course! A few of us stayed here in Denia, with a couple excursions nearby, but others found themselves out of the country yet again. Dublin, Paris, Morocco, Rome and Vienna were the five places outside of Spain visited, and Valencia and Benidorm were hit by others here in Spain. All in all, we had a great weekend and came back safely, although there are always travel issues. We have learned a lot about transportation during this semester, especially the fact that you really can’t depend on everything going as planned, which brings us back to a characteristic that we all promised from the beginning of the semester: flexibility. Many times we have found ourselves where we didn’t expect to be, or arriving or departing at different times, but we have ended up back in Denia safe and sound each time, thankfully.

So here we are back to our last full week of classes. The schedule from here on out is short and sweet. We have six more days of classes, with three days of exams after. Then, we have a weekend free to hang out with our new-found friends and our host families for the last time. The last Monday we will be thanking all the people who have helped us out this semester here in Denia with a farewell luncheon, and Tuesday we are having a little party for our host families. More on that later, I’m sure! It hasn’t quite hit us that we only have a short amount of time left to soak up the sun, swim in the Mediterranean, practice sports with the Spaniards, or hang out with our Spanish friends. Those goodbyes are fast approaching, unfortunately. And all of a sudden we will all find ourselves back in the United States of America, wondering if we really did just live in Spain for four and a half months…is it really almost done?!

-Written by Kaylee Veenstra