gracias por todo!

I started writing this letter in mid March, when a wave of kids were leaving Salamanca. Premature, yes, but I want to say this the best way I possibly can. I want to articulate this perfectly. As one of my final posts, this may be the most important post I write, at least for me. It is the most sincere thank you to everybody who has helped me accomplish my year abroad.  I am not being over-dramatic when I say that this year has changed my life.


As I write this, I am sitting at the end of my bed looking at my suitcase, zipped up and packed to the brim.  My pictures have been taken off the walls, and my shelf is clear of my books, lotions, and journals.  I have printed off my itinerary and I leave Spain in less than 48 hours.  This is unreal, but it's happening.  So here it goes: Thank you to all the people that have made this the most unforgettable adventure of my life.

Thank you Mom and Dad for believing in me and supporting me. You never once told me I should come back home, but told me the doors were always open if I chose to leave. The decision was mine, and no matter what I did, that would be okay. You never let me get too down on myself when I was frustrated and homesick, but you listened anyway.

Thank you to all the people that came to visit me; Dad, Melissa, Mom, Caleb, Grammy, Carrie, Sarah, Lauren; I am so glad I got to show you all my home, and it meant so much that you would come all this way.  

Thank you to ISA and DU for the constant support and unwavering presence.  Thank you to my host family for feeding me and housing me and putting up with my broken Spanish.

Thank you to all the friends I have made here in Salamanca. Whether were friends for a couple weeks or 9 months, ALL OF YOU shaped my experience. Each of you taught me something, whether I realize it or not.

Thank you to all the friends who hosted me when I traveled to Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway and beyond. Meeting you and your families and families was an unforgettable experience.  Know that you always have a place to visit wherever I am living!

Thank you to the lady from Madrid-Barajas airport who found my iPod and contacted me to give it back. Thank you to the intercambios I have met who have helped teach me Spanish. Thank you to the girl who drew my portrait on a train between Florence and Venice for changing how I think about people. Thank you to the people who read my blog and then emailed me and told me that I shouldn’t be scared, and that I could do it and not to be afraid.  If you’re reading this and I’ve never met you, thanks for tuning in. It has been awesome connecting with people all over the world through blogging.  

Thank you to all the friends who listened to me when I was sad and scared and upset and over-emotional and not sure what to do. Some of you cried alongside me while we went to get churros or kebobs, and others simply listened. 

To my ISA year-long friends: WE DID IT. We made it 9 months in this place. Not only did we make it, but we somehow managed to fall in love with this city. You guys are truly the greatest friends, and I’m not sure what Salamanca would be like without you. Look at us: we survived a year in Salamanca, Spain!

I believe in fate. I believe that things happen for a reason. We control what we do, where we go, and how we handle ourselves in the situations we face. But have no control over the people we meet and the circumstances we are put in; we only have control over how we deal with it. I still don’t know where I will be a year from now, or what will happen in my life, but I do know that I am so very lucky to have had this experience. I have no doubt that from living here and traveling, I will have the confidence and knowledge to go forward and follow my dreams.

And I cannot wait to see what's next!


ps: I'm in the process of making a short documentary film about study abroad, should be up in the next couple weeks!