Estoy Aquí

Estoy aquí.

Direct translation = I am here.

My ticket is good through July 9th, 2012. Today is September 21, 2011. This is a very long time to live in an area away from everything I am familiar with. I love to travel, I love Catalonia and the people I have met so far, but I will not lie; these past couple of days have been hard.

Traveling to foreign countries and living there for long periods of  time sounds glamourous to many people. After all, it is an opportunity to travel and an experience to cherish during a very important and transitional time of life. What people need to understand, however, is that being a long term exchange student is not a year of nonstop partying, neglect of studies, and overall vacation from the real world. There are difficulties and lessons to be learned. At the moment, the two main things I am doing are:

•  Overcoming a language barrier. This one is tricky. Although I can still communicate, more or less, it is difficult to understand complex conversations (and at times, even simple ones). This means that right now I'm documenting the important topics I want to learn more about in depth, so I can ask questions when I eventually am able to understand the answers.
• Attending school. Although I don't need good grades here, class still requires a lot of concentration. So far I either don't have to do the homework for a class, or I have to spend a bit more time translating and learning the different work that the teachers give to me. 

I am extremely grateful to my parents for allowing me to travel and continue to grow in a place so far away. I am extremely grateful to Rotary for allowing me to have this opportunity to travel, and for encouraging a motto that has long been my mantra: "Service above self". I am extremely grateful for the families that chose to let me live with them and help me with my cultural education. And last but not least, I am grateful for the people who flash me smiles at school.

I miss my friends, but I am making friends. The only thing is, right now it has been a short time and I don't yet have close friends here. Patience is a virtue which is often thrust upon those who need it. Poco a poco, Día a día, I continue to grow.

On a lighter note, tomorrow I head out to Madrid for the all district Rotary Youth weekend! All of the inbound Rotary Exchange Youth will be there and I am super pumped to meet everyone (as well as swap pins). You can guess what my next entry will be about :D I am also now capable of uploading photos, so I should have a few posted with my next blog.