It’s really strange that we’ve arrived in Toledo. It’s not so much that this place is strange, or even that it is weird to be here, exactly. But more, it’s weird to not be in Valencia, and to know that I will not be going back there. Looking back, three weeks really isn’t that long a span of time, and it feels like it’s been far too short, but it also feels like I haven’t been home in years. It just doesn’t feel like this should be coming to an end so soon. I still remember unpacking that first day in Valencia, realizing that while the apartment I was going to live in was fairly large, there was not nearly enough space for all of our stuff. And I remember meeting my house mother, who speaks just as much English as I do Spanish – none.
It was then that I realized that this trip was not going to be easy. And there were many challenges. From getting stuck on the bus for an hour – twice – to not being able to speak to anyone outside of our group, I was faced with more challenges than I anticipated. And a lot of us were. Most of us didn’t speak Spanish, and so it was a struggle even just to order food. Between phone issues and getting lost over and over again, our group was forced to persevere. And we did, though it was hard at times. But as many challenges as we faced, this trip was also an incredible experience. I tried so many new things and saw sights I will remember for the rest of my life.
I met amazing people and ate amazing food. I learned more about myself and this place, and I have grown as a person because of it. I even traveled through Spain with just two other people, and climbed a mountain to a medieval castle.
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I am extremely sad for this trip to end. I don’t want to say goodbye to all of these amazing people who traveled almost half way around the world with me. Saying goodbye to my house mother, who I could barely communicate with, was hard enough. And these people, my Horizons family, were amazing. Everyone was so different, but those different personalities didn’t clash like they probably should have. Instead, we all got along and pushed past the problems and tough patches, and made this trip the most amazing experience it could have been. I could not have asked for anything more.
My roommate Emily, our house mother and I the night before we left Valencia.
One of the most beautiful things I saw was Casa Batlló, which was designed by Gaudi in Barcelona.
Castle in Xativa, Spain
Some of those amazing people I mentioned.
