The last month has been filled with Spring break travels and 3,000-word papers, but I figured now that I have a week left abroad, it's a good time to break my silence with a blog post. I cannot put into words how excited but heartbroken I am knowing that in just one week I'll be waking up in New Jersey. It's finally starting to hit me that in just one short week, my study abroad experience will live on only through my memories. Now that my time here is coming to an end, I can't deny there are a lot of things I'm excited to go back to in the United States. I have to say, the little things start to add up. Here's a list of what I've been missing here in Spain since January:
1. My dogs.
This shouldn't be a shock to anyone who knows me. I often FaceTime my family just so I can see the dogs.

2. My parents.
3. Ranch dressing.
4. Buffalo wings.
5. Strollo's Italian Ice.
6. Bagels.
Okay, so obviously I miss American food the most.
7. Driving.
But since my license is somewhere lost in Barcelona, I won't be doing much driving once I get home.
8. Going to concerts.
9. American showers.
Okay, so this one isn't quite as big of a deal. In my homestay, you have to turn the water off while you wash your hair and body. I totally understand saving water and saving money, but I do miss just standing under the hot water. Like I said, it's the little things.
10. Playing piano and guitar.
11. My full-size bed.
12. My friends at SHU.
13. Speaking English.
14. Taking classes in English.
To all my friends at home who are complaining about how hard all these final exams and papers are, imagine doing everything you're doing in another language. Yup. 10 page papers for each class, all written in Spanish. You think you're stressed?
15. Having cell service.
Even though wifi is available in a lot of public places, I miss the convenience behind being able to pick up the phone wherever I am and making a phone call.
But, I know after just one week of being back in the U.S, I'll be tempted to start searching for flights back to Spain. Here is a list of things I'll miss about studying abroad:
1. My host family.
I'm not kidding when I say staying with a host family is like having your parents at college, without any rules. My host mom prepares every meal for me (breakfast, lunch and dinner), does my laundry for me and makes my bed. She packs me a bagged lunch everyday for school, along with a juice box. Yep, I get all of these perks, and she doesn't get mad when I come in late at night. It's the best of both worlds. It's also worth noting my host mom is quite possibly the sweetest woman to walk the planet. I don't know what I'm going to do without her.

2. My friends.
I love that I've made friends from all over the country. From Texas to Chicago, Minnesota to Maryland or San Francisco to Pennsylvania, my friends are spread across the map. I've learned how different people are within my own country, let alone around the world. However, it's bittersweet. I can't even think about the day I'll have to part ways with them. See y'all at Iowa Penn State game ;)

3. Bocadillos.
My host mom's sandwiches are heaven sent.
4. Paella.

5. Nutella crepes from Borgonesse.
AKA the best gelato place ever.
6. Casual weekend trips around Europe.
7. All the dogs of Alicante.
If you're friends with me on Snapchat I'm sure you've seen how dog friendly this city is. I mean, there are pups around every corner! It's my own personal heaven.
8. Walking down the Explanada.

9. Spanish music.
I'd also like to take this time to tell everyone that "Despacito" is NOT a Justin Bieber song. The song was way cooler before Bieber got involved.
10. Daily siestas.
11. Beach days after class.
12. El barrio.
A land filled with big buckets of alcohol for three euros.
13. Being of legal drinking age in general.
This will be the longest summer of my life as a twenty year old.
14. Speaking Spanish.
I'm going to have to talk everyday with my Puerto Rican grandmother so that I don't lose my fluency.
15. Not having cell service.
As annoying as it is sometimes not having cell connection, I feel like I've gradually become less dependent on my phone. I'm definitely not as attached as I am in the United States. There's something really liberating about being totally disconnected.
I am so eternally grateful for this experience. Thank you to my parents who made this entire semester possible and for still loving me even when my bank account was empty. Thank you to my Spanish parents for loving me as if I was one of their own and giving me the home away from home that I prayed for. Thank you to my friends for providing me with a semester full of laughter, memories and cheap drunken nights at Parabarap. I will miss you more than you'll ever know. It's going to be really hard keeping it together this last week, knowing that a piece of my heart will live forever in Alicante. Until next time, the good life has finally come to an end, and I'll see ya on the other side of the pond.
