Vacation...Part 2

Spain!!! For the second week of Vacation my host family and I headed to Rosas, Spain!!! I couldnt believe it when I first found out! We drove with the car, through France, and it was so beautiful the whole way. Crazy to say I have now been in Spain, France, and Switzerland, when two months ago, I had not even been to Europe! Even though it shouldn't have, the differences between Spain and Switzerland still came as a surprise! Funny to think how in just over 7 weeks, the swiss way of life became so normal to me!

We stayed in a small appartment just minutes from the ocean, with a beautiful view! The appartment has a huge deck/patio area where we spent a lot of time. The mornings consited of sleeping in, eating delicious pastrys for breakfast, and then reading/learning/talking/and more on the deck until mid afternoon. We would then either head to the beach to swim/play volleyball/ soccer/relax, or to a nearby city for sight seeing. The evenings were spent going out for dessert, shopping, or staying in and playing the most typical Swiss card game "Jassen" (pronounced yah-sen). It is very complicated, but also a lot of fun to play once you understand! It was an amazing week, and a great way to spend vacation with my host family. Spain was so beautiful, and its hard to explain what it was really like so here are a bunch of pictures...enjoy =))

     

     

Mountains surrounding Rosas
(seen below)

A Beautiful city we visited  

View from our Appartment
of the Mediteranian =)

Appartment view...

Sunset from the appartment...

City streets of Spain <3

Host family...

Nearby city to Rosas

One big thing about the exchange experience that finally hit me is homesickness. It is strange because although I was doing all these amazing once in a life time things over vacation, I was also hit with the worst homesickness I have experienced here. Partly because I want so badly to share all my experiences with my family and friends back home but am unable. Part of the definition of being an exchange student is separating yourself from your old life for a year, and live a new one. But still, homesickness is not one of those things that you can hide from, and I found that things that are normally just a part of my everyday life now remind me of home. I guess when the homesickness hits, it makes you much more susceptible to everything/anything that could bring back a memory of home. Luckily now being in school, and starting to make friends has helped alot, and the homesickness was just a phase. While I still have days when I miss home friends and family, I am also finding that here is now becoming home also. I have a life here, which is so much a part of who I am now, as the states are. Its definitely a big change, but an exchange year in switzerland is proving to be a once in a lifetime experience I know I will never forget. Everyday I am getting to do things I never thought possible, and am finding myself speaking a language every day I knew only two words from when I first arrived. I saw a quote the other day that I think is perfect to describe how an exchange year works....


"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."


Until later, I am off....Tschüss!