The day after I arrived in Daganzo, I went with Egoitz to see the University of Alcala where attends classes. Egoitz was very good about speaking strictly Spanish with me even though his English was very good. We met up with some of his fellow Economics students and one of them, Berta, came along with us. It was a good day and a chance to see another great University in Spain. The University of Alcala was where Miguel de Cervantes attended. Not far from the antiquated buildings of the University is the house where Cervantes was born and lived most of his life. Coincidentally, where I was staying with Egoitz and his family was also the cite of one of Cervantes’ short stories, “Los Alcaldes de Deganzo” or “The Mayors of Daganzo”. It was a very historical beginning to my time abroad.

On a very serious note, the days, hours and minutes before flying out were very difficult in terms of preparation and emotional stress. While my family was very supportive, encouraging and reassuring, I never felt completely relaxed until the airplane tires left the ground and there was no turning back. The following 48hrs were a kind of enjoyable trauma where I could not believe what was happening and I can only compare it to a dream state. Within a short amount of time I am eating with my familiar biological family, then I am surrounded by people speaking danish then meeting other Americans on the flight and at the end of this roller coaster I am accepted by people I have never met within surroundings that are completely unfamiliar. It is quite like a dream because you find yourself in a situation where it is difficult or impossible to understand how you got there. Truly, I had to remind myself several times that I was going to study abroad in Spain. I am very grateful for the help of the family I stayed with for two days for their hospitality. I was not necessarily family but treated like it (they were family of my stepfather’s friend from college who lives in Madrid).

So the last week has arrived.  Finals are finished, I have moved all of my belongings out of the state of Indiana, and loose ends are tieds (at least to the best of my knowledge they are).  For me the semester abroad will be an exciting and challenging semester but also a send-off into the world.  The beginning of this journey marks the beginning of a longer walk into the unknown.  At Indiana University I have made many lasting relationships and the choice to study abroad my last semester acknowledges the reality that our paths will divide.  As I hope to stay in contact with those back at IU and elsewhere, my focus will be on what lies ahead this semester and into the future.

Arriving at the week before departure was not easy.  Already there were flights nearly missed, unforseen accidents, shipping addresses mistaken, deadlines pushed, lease agreements to solve, power adapters to find and most importantly people to salute as the next rendezvous is uncertain.  It is my hope that this blog will actively communicate with those back at home and those I will soon have the pleasure of meeting.