I didn't expect leaving Sevilla to be difficult. But it was. I was literally crying as I said goodbye to my host family. They really have treated me as a member of their family, and are very loving people. I'm definitely going to miss them.
On the drive home, I couldn't help but compare everything to Sevilla (well, Europe in general). Everything just seems much more beautiful over there. For me, that's saying a lot, especially since I've always thought Seattle is a beautiful city. I looked at the skyscrapers and, for once, thought they looked quite ugly. I looked at the Fremont bridge and thought it was nothing compared to the bridge in Triana. I looked at the houses on Queen Anne and thought they were nothing like the view of Lisbon. But it's not just the buildings and scenery that strike me the most; everything seems livelier in Europe.
If there's one thing I've come to appreciate, it's the perspective that the Spaniards have about work. No, the Spaniards are not lazy because they take siestas. Spaniards work only to live. Americans, on the other hand, live only to work. It seems like the Spaniards are happier and carefree, because what's most important isn't their careers, but their friends and family. They really do seem to be enjoying life more. That's the complete opposite of what I'm used to: I study and work so hard in attempt to get grades, but it drains me and the results aren't always satisfying. In a way, study abroad has changed my perspective in terms of my academic career.
I'm not completely sure how I feel about being at home. I've been in a bit of a melancholic state. I'm going to miss hearing Spanish all the time. I've also come to be bothered by certain American accents (especially the Valley girl one), which I obviously can't avoid here. I've gotten used to thinking more in Spanish, but I'm afraid I'll lose what I've acquired in Spain.
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