Spain wasn’t perfect. The culture has its flaws and I made my share of mistakes but overall, I knew that the Spanish way of life and I were destined to be together. So as I packed my suitcases, said goodbye to my loved one and took off from O’Hare on my return flight to Spain, all I asked was, “God, please let this moment last forever.”
Well when I arrived I knew that I had a lot of hard work in front of me but I also knew that I wanted to share my experiences, good and bad, with other American students. Therefore, a few weeks prior to my return to Spain, I contacted my university and told them of my plans. They put me in contact with the professor that would be leading the summer study abroad group in Toledo, and I offered him my assistance. I found out that the summer program would begin in late June for only 5-weeks, but I still eagerly awaited their arrival. I made plans to meet with them at their first group meeting; however, as chance would have it, I was called in to substitute some classes in Madrid just hours prior to the meeting. I sent my apologies and hoped for a second chance to meet them.
One night following, Dani and I decided to go to O’Brians (a local irish pub) to watch the USA vs. Brazil soccer game with another American he had met prior. As we walked in and did our introductions, I met Cory, one of the OU summer group students. He had heard from their professor about me, and I was glad to finally start offering my help. The same night, as we watched a heart-wrenching Brazil comeback in the late second half, I noticed an odd assortment of Chicago baseball caps. Feeling a little South Side Pride, I ventured over to say hello. Turns out there was another summer group from Northern Illinois University studying in Toledo. I told them my well rehearsed speech about studying here prior and loving it so much that I returned to teach English… blah blah blah.
A few minutes in, I started asking where exactly everyone was from in Illinois. I got a wide range of answers until I got to one guy, Kevin, sitting in the corner. He said he was from the South Suburbs; I said me too. He asked me where; I said Orland Park. Suddenly a shocked expression arose on his face and he said, “No way, I’m from Oak Forest!” I think within milliseconds my mouth dropped to the floor as I screamed, “Oh my God, I went to Oak Forest High School!” Both of us just stared at each other in amazement as we discovered that we both went to OFHS and he had graduated just one year after me. Sure enough in the days following when we became ‘Facebook Friends’ did I discover how many other friends we had in common. Writing this now, my body is covered in goose bumps. It’s moments like those that make you realize that the world isn’t as big as it seems. I also spent a long time talking to another one of the NIU guys, Dave. Like me, he was working on getting a European Union passport through dual citizenship. Even though his group had just arrived in Spain, he knew he wanted to come back in the future to live for some time. I told him about my struggles and any pieces of advice I could offer that he immediately absorbed. As I unwillingly left the bar for the night, I knew that I was in for one crazy summer with all these students.
the night I met a fellow Bengal
The next weekend, Dani, Ana, his roommates, other friends and I went to La Peraleda in celebration of Dani and Ana finishing their exams. While lounging around the table, I bumped into Cory and Matt (another American student). Luckily this time Cory came with more of the OU students that I was so excited to meet. We talked for awhile and I put in my two cents about what to watch out for and the best places for tapas. We walked around and danced as I got to know each of them. I could tell right away that this group had a much better connection than the group I had studied with some quarters before. I told them that if they ever needed anything, day or night to call me, and we made future plans to meet up another weekend.
With my insane work schedule and their busy travel plans, we all finally met up a couple weekends later. I invited them to my apartment to pregame before we returned to La Peraleda. This time, the rest of the OU group was there so I got to see how everyone interacted with one another. Though they all had different personalities, they complimented each other very well. We sat in my apartment for a bit, drank, snacked and watched a fire breakout in a nearby field; they asked me about my life here and back at OU. I shared some of my funniest stories and some of my scariest experiences, and I listened as they complained about some of the culture differences and reenacted some of their craziest moments here so far. That was probably the best part of the night for me because I saw in them the same expressions and emotions that I had experienced when I studied here. We caught a few cabs and spent the rest of the night exploring La Peraleda, drinking and dancing. For the first time in a long time, I remembered what it was like to be in college again.
the OU summer study abroad group
The next few weeks went by quickly as my work got busier and busier. Before I knew it, it was the OU and NIU’s last week here in Toledo. I had tried to meet up again with the NIU group prior to their last week but couldn’t with both our crazy schedules. So when they invited me out on a Tuesday night, I went even though I had work early in the morning. We stopped at a few bars and went back to my place for after hours. We talked, drank and watched Kevin pass out. I saw the sun come up that morning and woke a few hours later to teach a full day’s worth of class, but it was worth it. That Thursday was the OU groups last night to Toledo. So once again, I met up with them, went to a few bars, met some other Americans and had an amazing night. Then I did it all over again on Friday for the NIU groups last night too.
some of the NIU summer abroad group
That week was one of the most tiring yet best weeks I’ve had in Spain. It made me realize a few things about myself; I am older and can’t party as hard as I used to in college, but in retrospect, I’m okay with that. I had my 4 years of keggers, late nights and bad decisions. However, I’m not in college anymore and I do have responsibilities. I also realized something that has been bothering me since I’ve been back in Spain. I don’t feel the same as I used to when I was here for study abroad. Those emotions of magic and mystery have now been replaced with feelings of routine and familiarity. It saddened me for a long time that Spain wasn’t the same for me anymore. But being with these study abroad programs, I realized why.
Spain is a magical place to be especially coming from America. The buildings and monuments are older than our entire country. The culture is rich and empowering. The people are unique and inspiring. You see this for the first time and you are mesmerized. However, these emotions themselves are fleeting. The reason why these emotions are so powerful is because you know that they will not last. You know that as soon as you board the return plane home, your adventure is over. So you spend your time basking in the majesty of the amazing things you experience because after you take that final exam and sip on that last café con leche, you return to normalcy. I know I did. So when I walked off that plane in Barajas for the second time, there were no angels singing from the heavens, no mirages of a Spanish paradise. I was no longer that foreigner looking in from the outside. I was on the inside looking out. Spain is now my life and my home.
People, especially Americans that I’ve talk to here always tell me how much they envy my life and how incredible it must be. I love my life here, there’s no denying it. I know that I made the best decision of my life to move here. However, the truth is that I’m the one that envies them. I envy the looks in their faces as they walk through Toledo for the first time. I envy their naïveté about the cultural differences. For them Spain is still a magical place to be and that’s how I wish it would have always remained for me. But it didn’t. I was sad when I realized this at first. I knew that I would never feel they way I did when I first arrived in Spain with the study abroad program. However, I know now that I have something even better than that; I have the opportunity to be apart of the magic. And I’m starting to think that that’s even better.
So to all my study abroad groups- past, present and future, all I can say is enjoy it; soak it all in and never miss an opportunity to experience something new. Because once you get back on that plane to go home, you are leaving not only Spain but the magic of your time here!
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