I have returned from Spain, and boy, it's bittersweet. Hugging my mom, dad, and grandma for the first time in four months was a tear-worthy moment, but after spending two days back at home, I am already chomping at the bit to go back. I guess I've been bit by the travel bug hard, but ultimately, I am happy to be home and I have a greater appreciation for many things in the United States now that I have spent months living abroad.
1. Convenience
Whether it be drive-thrus, Walmarts, or 24-hour pharmacies, many aspects of American culture revolve around convenience. This is not to say that Europe is wrong to have a different shop for your bread, your fruits, and your veggies, but growing up in America, I definitely miss one-stop shopping. Obviously there are pros and cons associated with convenience. For example, I will most definitely be sacrificing quality for quick and easy shopping. However, for someone who is always on the go, I do have to admit I'm a big fan of getting everything I need in one place.
2. Talking to friends
Coming back from studying abroad has made me appreciate the time I have to talk to my friends more. There are no time differences, no problems with wifi, and no international fees for calling. Luckily, my American phone plan has unlimited texting!!
3. Staying off social media
Along with being unable to talk to friends as easily while abroad, I also wasn't glued to my screen checking social media 24/7. This semester, I've lived a more productive and enjoyable life, and Facebook had nothing to do with that. Now that I'm back in the States, I want to apply the same restraint to stay off of social media because ultimately, studying abroad has allowed me to appreciate the beautiful, natural world around me a lot more.
4. PANERA
Okay, maybe this is just me, but I've missed Panera (more famously known as St. Louis Bread Co. where I'm from) so so much. Spanish food is phenomenal, but it was difficult to go from eating Bread Co. at least once a week to not at all. I love it so much that it was my last meal before going to Spain and the first meal I had when I came back. A tad obsessive? Yeah I know, but a girl has got to have her Bacon Turkey Bravo!
*I'd like to say that I also appreciate chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, and barbecue sauce a lot more too, but Panera is so important that it needed its own category.
5. Family
All jokes about bread and bagels aside, studying abroad has made me appreciate my family a lot more. I now know how it feels to go four months without a hug from my mom, and I can't say that I ever want to do that again. College in general has already garnered a higher appreciation for my family, but not seeing them has made each moment with them all the more special.
Spain, thank you for being absolutely amazing to me, but it's good to be home.
