Like many students, I have been blessed enough to spend time in another country during my college career. While my time wasn't long, it was incredible, and I catch myself thinking about it every single day.
If I were to write a letter to the country I studied in here is how it would go.
Dear Spain,
I'm pretty sure you are a magician. The way that you made me feel and the things that you showed me were nothing short of pure magic. I felt like an awe-struck kid again; I felt like I was thrown into a new and amazing playground, with nothing to do but explore. The days and nights melted together as if time was sped up beyond any control.
Because of your magic, I will be back.
I had no idea what was outside my tiny world until you showed me. I thought I was eating the best food, making the best use of my time and experiencing the best memories... until you showed me what else the world had to offer. You opened my eyes to new people and new ways of life. You taught me to slow down and bask in the newness all around me.
Because you opened my eyes, I will be back.
You really made me wonder what else there is to see. My time with you was short, but it was life-changing. Now that I left, I feel there was so much I did not get to experience. You sparked a hunger of curiosity that can only be satisfied with more exploration (a.k.a more expensive plane rides to far away places). Thanks to you, I want to see the entire world and I long to travel for as long as I live.
Because you left me with curiosity, I will be back.
You truly made me question why we do things here that you don't do there, and especially question why our food doesn't quite taste like yours. I want to know why there are so many things that I love that I didn't even know existed. I'm not going to lie, when I left you I felt like I left with many more questions than I did answers.
Because you left me questioning, I will be back.
You made me realize that the world is much bigger than myself. You put things into perspective and you showed me just how small I really am. I learned that being small is not a bad thing; in fact, we should take great joy in knowing we get to be a part of such an incredibly large world. The best way in to feel joy in the world, is by seeing it all.
Because you made me feel small, I will be back.
There are some things that I probably won't forgive you for. I won't forgive you for draining my bank account or stealing days and maybe even weeks of sleep from me. I'm still a little upset about the amount of food you made me eat. You also reminded me how strict the drinking laws in America are compared to the rest of the world.
One thing I will never forgive you for is letting me leave.
Because you let me leave, I will be back.
Signed,
The student who wishes they would have missed their flight home
