WHAT'S UP WITH KYLI?

thetimeistudiedabroad:

(Source: leilockheart)

unfortunately, i feel fully reimmersed into american living. yes, unfortunately. i desperately wish i had maintained my spanish lifestyle and attitude. before i jump into the real world, though, i want to make some final concluding thoughts (although if you see my post on lessons learned, they’ll basically tell you everything you’ll need to know in terms of my philosophies on life)

i admit that studying abroad isn’t for everyone…but i really believe that it is for a lot of people. i really do completely understand the whole staying close to home and comfort thing even though my actions speak otherwise. in fact, there’s always a part of me that wants to stay where i’m safe. at the same time, studying abroad has been one of the most life-changing experiences i’ve ever had (in my short life, i admit). it changes the way you think about your relationships, your views on the world, your daily habits, yourself. even if only for a short time, you’re…forced to think. about everything. you’re forced to challenge your ideas, your thought patterns, your norms. it can be hard at times. but it’s also so rewarding and eye-opening. it’s, if only temporarily, literally life-changing. it sounds obvious, but i suppose you need to experience it to understand. at least for me it was. and it brought about good change.

octopus tentacles in blank ink sauce is not for me. 
cow blood is not for me.

i’m probably going to live in america when i grow up, but i do want to continue traveling. wanderlust is a good thing. it teaches and allows for discovery. 

my host family was beyond great. i miss them a lot. i’m aware that i liked them more than they liked me (spanish families are much more closed-off and close-knit than american ones so i don’t have hard feelings). my host mom was the sweetest, my host sister and brothers were great (although i could see the older two coming of the age where they become brats and idiots in spanish culture), and i learned the most about and from my host dad. renata, my host cleaning person, was a doll. she cared about me most i feel. we spoke the most; i was lucky because i basically got two host moms because of her. they were thoughtful, caring individuals, each of them. big hearts to my spanish family. 

fitting in is hard. moving to a new place is hard. making friends is hard, and maintaining the relationships is harder. even though lots of things in life are difficult, they’re not impossible. just because something seems daunting gives you no right to deny the challenge. 

even though the grass always seems greener on the other side (i.e. ‘i wish i were back at school’ …2 months later… ‘i wish it were summer again’), it’s necessary to stop every once and a while and enjoy where you’re at. this is one of the most difficult things for me to do, personally. just for a minute, try not to think about the future, the past, your next meal, who’s dating who and why, or your paper that’s due next week. just take a minute and realize what it is that you’re doing and genuinely smile or change what you’re doing so that you can. 

besos bring people together. 

watch your step, you could be walking into dog poo. 

venice views. 

Reflecting on the countless new experiences and ideas presented in the last 4 months, I’ve come to appreciate more, worry less, and see some things a bit differently. Like my first semester away from home, this experience has hopefully changed me for the better. I know you didn’t take this trip with me (although I wish you had), but if you trust me at all, maybe you’ll take these tidbits and make them your own, too:

1.     (Academic) all-nighters are never worth it. Not in the least. Why ruin your sleep schedule for the next week in order to turn in a paper (or take a test) that you’re probably not doing your best on anyway? It’s too late to make it the most insightful and impressive piece your professor has ever read. Do what you can, but when you’re ready to reach for that next red bull, go ahead and grab for your pillow instead. Who knows who you could meet, the opportunities you might receive, or the challenges you might encounter that might require a good night’s rest and an energized you in the morning.

2.     You can always make more money. Opportunities don’t always come back to you. If there’s something you want to do but might not do only because of the financial aspects of it, just DO IT! Money will always be there to make. There will always be options to help you along the financial road. Opportunities, as much as we wish they were, are not infinite. Want to go on that road trip? Go. Who knows what gas prices will be next summer. Who knows if the same group of friends will have the same availability again. Unsure about getting the more expensive dress or video game? It might not be there in 10 years when you’re settled and you finally have the financial security to splurge. I’m not saying you should buy out the store nor should you go on a three-year hiatus from your homes and jobs, but I am saying that you shouldn’t let money get in the way. You can always make more.

3.     Never assume. This goes for everything. Don’t assume your ideas are the same as your teacher’s, your mother’s, your best friend’s views on the world. Obviously everyone’s experiences are different, but the way they affect us often also affect how we see everything. Never assume you and your friend will be on time. Never assume person X will get the message. Also, never assume your host mother knows what foods you do and don’t like, and don’t assume she knows how to cook things the way you like them. Host moms are great, but sometimes they over-fry or undercook the meat.
**I’m not speaking about mine (she was bomb) but based on my friends’ experiences, food is a tricky subject.

4.    Always bring shower shoes when you travel. Flip flops are ideal. Those foam-like ones from Old Navy? Invest in a few pairs and keep one in your travel bag.

5.    Don’t worry; evaluate & plan. First and foremost, it’s important to do your best not to give yourself an ulcer worrying about things that could happen. I’m not saying you should just shoot the breeze and not care about Job Y or Test G, but there’s only so much you can do, and at some point everything is out of your hands. This is clearly a cliché, but I have an amendment to it: instead of worrying, think logically about Problem D and determine the odds of that Worst Possible Scenario you’re expecting to happen. I know it probably won’t make you worry any less, but at least you’ll have a better idea of how irrational you’re being. If Issue T is still at the stage during which you have some say in the outcome, go ahead and help your case. You can do it! If you don’t try, you’ll shoot yourself for it later. Stop being lazy. Which brings me to my next point…

6.    Stop being lazy. Get up and go! There is so much world and so many ways to go see it! Whether it’s going across the country or across the street, there’s no better time than now. A small visit to a neighbor could change your life. A vacation to Turkey certainly will. We are creatures of habit, and while the couch you’re lounging on is nice, we should strive to make it a habit to have a hunger for new experiences and discovery.

7.    Eat everything on the first day. When you live in a household of more than 4 people, the good food doesn’t last. Eat the good desserts while they’re there, and don’t be shy in asking for seconds of your favorite dish. I guarantee it won’t be there by dinner tomorrow.

8.    Always say thank you. Did your friend get you hot chocolate with extra whipped cream? Thank her. Receive a letter from Grandma? Give her a call tomorrow. Did a stranger leave your ID with the front desk? Ask for their name or office number to thank them. Just get insulted by your host dad? Doesn’t matter-thank him for making you laugh at yourself. A little gratitude can go a long way.

9.    Provechar. Take advantage. Enjoy. Just live. 

and so the recollections continue… 

After another 2 hour train ride, we arrived at our final spring break destination. Although we quickly realized we weren’t in the heart of Venice, we stayed at Nice Hotel which stayed true to its name. After having stayed at the creepiest hostel we’d ever experienced, this was a well-deserved change of pace and we enjoyed it in full. The man who checked us in didn’t speak a lick of English and we loved it. He showed us to our private ensuite room and left us nearly crying of joy; we hadn’t had privacy in weeks. It was a very nice way to the beginning of the end.

Venice was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. We had to take a twenty minute bus ride to get to the real town. We were greeted with the snaking rivers we so anticipated and the over the top gondolas with fur seating and men fully in costume, hat and all. The streets were tiny (no cars or scooters are allowed in the center of town) and full of life. Italian restaurants and pastry shops sat between endless mask and glassware stores lining the streets. It was beautiful. The bridges and canals were picturesque and the sea was endless. We stayed for one night and two full days. I admit that aside from shopping, riding a gondola, and enjoying the atmosphere there wasn’t much to do in Venice, but I’m extremely glad I went there and was able to experience it in full. 

after 4 months, 4 countries, 16 cities, 4 classes, 1 new language, & 23 hours of transit home…it’s over. 

surreal.

(un)fortunately i still have a lot to recount so it’s not the end of this blog..don’t worry.

casual.

i went to church for the first and last time in spain today. my host cleaning person invited me to come to her church, and i finally found a sunday where it worked. 

it was primarily a portugese church, but there was a translator who spoke spanish as well so it worked out okay. it really made me believe that if i had gone to church weekly my spanish would have improved. i understood everything and after a while it got easier to understand, like i didn’t have to listen as hard. it also solidified the fact that i want to continue practicing spanish and maybe trying to live a different latin american or spanish speaking country for a while (teaching english or taking classes). anyway.

it was divine. not anything i’ve ever experienced, but somehow i didn’t feel left out or anything. it was like a movie. the songs were upbeat and happy, the audience clapped, there was a full drum set, guitar, and keyboard, and the pastor spoke with so much passion he was dripping sweat by the end. 

the service was held in the basement of a nondescript building way west of the city. on the train there i realized that the neighborhood i went to was where a lot of immigrants live. makes sense..i dont know why no me doy cuento hasta ahora. anyway. 

the service was three hours long. it consisted of singing and then listening to three readings and someone’s opinion on what it was saying, and then like an hour and a half or two hours of the pastor yelling and talking about el poder y la autoridad. it was really interesting, but toward the last half hour i started getting antsy. it was still really cool and i wish i’d gone earlier so i could have made time to go more. 

i was underdressed. it was el dia de las madres. the pastor called me out to welcome me and asked if i spoke castellano and i said spanish more…awkward (castellano is spanish in portugese…i knew that but i was so caught off guard i just responded como así). also he said in front of everyone that when he saw me he thought i was from china, but no, i’m americana. lol. life. 

all in all it was really nice and i’m glad i went. renata’s daughter is beautiful and renata is beautiful of course and i’m going to miss everything about spain dearly. 

i think i’m finally realizing that this is the beginning of the end.