The week of lasts :-(

Hey all

So I'm overly emotional right now and apologize in advance for the sappy nature of this post. I have emotions, so shoot me hahah

Anywaysss Friday Helena and I went to the Christmas Village in Barrio Gotico to buy some gifts and then we headed to the Montjuic area and went to the Fundació Joan Miró which is a beautiful gallery of modern art overlooking all of Barcelona. While Modern Art isn't always my favorite, Helena and I had a good time making up titles for the paintings (as they were all the same: Woman with Bird, Woman, Figure, etc. etc.) and trying to figure out the "deep meaning" of each piece. Almudena and I had dinner that night and we planned our excursion for the next morning!

Despite having lived in Barcelona for many years, Almudena and Laia had never been inside - in fact, I don't even know if Almudena had ever really seen it from the outside either! I took the two of them and Helena on a little tour, trying to remember as much as I could from my research and from the audio guide my family and I took when they were here to give a little bit of the history and content of what Sagrada Familia is. I think they had a good time and were at least very impressed by the architecture - I mean how can you not be, it's spectacular.

Helena and I went to Laia's house for a nice lunch with Angeles and then I went to grab some stuff to stay over Laia's that night. We went out for Saul's birthday with a bunch of the people from the Pingree exchange which was really nice that I got to see them once more before I left. I stayed at Laia's and woke up to Paella the next day! It was fantastic, I got so lucky with two host moms that cook really really well!! Then, as this is also the week of FOOD, I went home and taught Almudena how to make apple pie! It came out really well considering the lack of measuring cups, actual pie pans, rolling pins, etc. etc. haha Needless to say, I'm about ready to give up my Supreme Court dreams for pie making. I'm just that good.

Yesterday Almudena had Laia over for our (sniff sniff) last dinner together. We have a Trinity dinner tonight and she has a work party Wednesday, so this was our last time eating all together as a family. And I really do consider them a part of my family now. Almudena has been the best host mom anyone could ask for - she's kind, warm, helpful, caring, and is always willing to lend an ear. I never realized how close we had gotten until this past week when I realized I was leaving and wouldn't be seeing her and Mónica every day anymore. As much as I'm ready to get home and see you all, I'm getting a bit depressed about leaving to tell the truth. I've seen Barcelona, explored pretty much every part, and feel as though I can come away from this experience saying I've truly LIVED in Barcelona. So that part I won't miss so much. What I will miss is the PEOPLE I've made relationships with during these four months. Laia has become like my sister and has done so much for me and we've had so much fun together, and leaving a best friend isn't easy. Almudena is like a second mother, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I will miss having her in my daily life. I know I'll come back and visit, but ever since I left Barcelona the first time I always had the expectation I would study abroad here. Now with this experience almost over, there's nothing directly on the horizon to say "oh I'm coming back in a year or two years" or what have you.

That being said, we exchanged christmas gifts - I got a good luck charm for the new year and a beautiful book that I'm very excited to start reading. I gave Almudena a pie tin and a rolling pin so she can make her own pies and hopefully think of me when she does. Oo no here come the waterworks. She wrote me the most beautiful letter ("This better make you cry!" she said) and it definitely did. I'm not going to get to see her much over the next day or so which makes me sad that I feel like I didn't spend as much time with her as I could or whatever. The end of trips always make me super sentimental, and I know I'm going to be a mess Thursday morning all the way to the airport. Thank god I'll have Laia holding my hand haha.

Anyways, this is probably my second to last post on this Study Abroad Blog. I can't believe it's all over and, with a few adjustments, I wish I could do it all over again. I'll remember all the good times and try to keep it together when I think of how much I miss my new families here. But I know now for sure that I have a second home here in Barcelona, and that is something not many people can say....