The End of One Chapter Begins with the Opening of Another

As children, we often find ourselves consumed in the idea of who we want to be one day, or where we see ourselves after we have transitioned into adulthood. We're all striving for something greater than who we are, something memorable that we can be proud of. We're writing our own history, scribbling page after page until we write our epilogue. The ending and the beginning are far less important than the content you've written in the middle. It's the chapters that count, the birth of your first child, the moment when you graduated college, the vacation you took when you couldn't afford it. Those are the moments worth remembering.

For the past 8 months, I have been writing the most important chapter of my life thus far. This was my moment to do something incredible, the point in my life where I was able to be more than just a another face in a small town. Europe became my playground and there is nothing more incredible than taking a moment to look at your life and genuinely liking what you see. Happiness can come in all shapes and forms, but true and fluent happiness is when you love the person you've become. 

That is what this journey has given me, true and fluent happiness. And I've asked you, my fine readers, to send me a few questions about this past year to include in my final blog. It could be pieces of my journey that I haven't included in my entries or things you want to know for your own curiosity. Whatever the case may be, I'm happy to interact with you and I hope you enjoy.

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Who were the three most interesting people you met?

Traveling enables you to meet all sorts of people who are very different than what you're used to. They help you understand the culture you're surrounded by and when you take the time to converse with other people, you see that we're all similar despite our differences. 

One person I've met that I genuinely enjoyed being around was a man who works in the residencia named Antonio. Words cannot describe how much I love this man. From his spontaneous high-fives, his forehead kisses, and his very limited English vocabulary, he easily became the one person in Spain that I'm going to miss the most. He even FaceTime'd my mother one evening during dinner. Granted, he only knows a few words in English... but I was an excellent translator.

The next person I met was a few blocks down the street from where I lived in a Syrian shawarma restaurant. To this day, I don't even know the man's name, but I've been to his restaurant so many times that he knows my face. He knows what I order, that I hate tomatoes, and how obsessed with mayonnaise I truly am. I've spent more time with him than anyone else, including Antonio. 

Okay, maybe not Antonio.

Last, but certainly not least, Sister Margaret in Edinburgh's "St. Patrick's Cathedral." This woman's face will forever be on my heart. I stumbled into an old church nearly by accident. I had been looking for a rosary, a tradition that I have each time I travel to a new country, and St. Patrick's seemed just as good of a place as any. First and foremost, let me express that St. Patrick's was in NO WAY a tourist cathedral. Like Bob Ross always said, finding it was just a happy accident. The pews were filled with elderly people sitting quietly and waiting for the afternoon service to start. That's the point where I walked in, standing right in front of all of them, with my leather jacket and backpack. After the initial humiliation, I started to leave until this elderly lady came up to me and asked me if I needed something. (This elderly lady is not Sister Margaret.) --- This woman took me through the cathedral after I told her I wanted a rosary, and we went to another room where I got to meet Sister Margaret. She was this cute, old lady working in the gift shop with long gray hair pulled into a bun. She introduced herself to me, shaking my hand and asking what I was doing in Scotland. (She could hear my accent.) Then after I told her I was just passing through, she called the rest of the sisters into the gift shop to come and meet me. I'll never forget her saying, "This is Jessica. She's from Kentucky. Isn't she lovely?" in this thick, Scottish accent. They were so surprised to see someone that wasn't a local. I wish I could see them again so they would know just how impactful their kindness had been with me, but I do have a rosary as a reminder.

What would you consider the top five sites you visited?

In this answer, I didn't include Spain for a reason. Spain became more than just a place I was visiting. It became my home. So instead, I've included some beautiful places around Europe that I encourage all of you to look further into.

1. Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany 

2. Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland

3. Dublin, Ireland

4. Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

5. Dachau Concentration Camp, Dachau, Germany

What was your number one personal experience?

Traveling and living in a foreign country on your own is as personal as it gets, but the most personal experience that I've endured while in Spain was when I attended a bullfight. I come from a small, family farm in Summersville, where my grandfather has raised cattle my entire life. I grew up in an environment where I could physically pet a 1,500lb. bull without fear. When I went to a bullfight, I watched six get slaughtered right in front of me. It doesn't get much more personal than that. The tears I shed that day was more than I had the rest of the year combined.

When did you first feel truly homesick?

Thanksgiving Day. That was the first time since I had been gone where all of my family was together without me. Spain doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, so I was in class for most of the day. It was just an all around weird experience to go from honoring the tradition to breaking it. 

How did you deal with the big doses of homesickness?

People deal with homesickness in many different ways. For me, I've been homesick twice in the past year and each episode lasted less than 24 hours. With new technology like Skype, FaceTime, and social media, it's very easy to stay connected with family. I talked to my mother nearly every day, so it was harder for me to become homesick, but dealing with it when it did occur was rather easy. Almost too easy. I mostly just reminded myself where I am in my life, that I chose to be here, and that my home will still be there when I decide to go back. 

For those who do get homesick, I don't suggest studying abroad for a year. There are other options where you would study for a month or less. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spending only a few weeks in a new culture. Do what's best for you emotionally and you'll enjoy your time more.

If you returned (to Spain, Germany, Ireland, etc), would it be for the same reason(s) you went this time?

I think so, yeah... The purpose in all of my travels is to learn. I don't plan to study abroad again, which was my ultimate reason for coming to Spain, but I can see myself working abroad. I'm in a transitioning period where I'm ready to begin my journey of volunteerism. I've been blessed in so many ways and I think it's time that I play my part in bettering the world. The reason I would travel again would definitely be for missionary or volunteer work.

Can you explain your feelings while in Germany?

There are places like France or Italy where people visit with the hopes of falling in love... and then there are places like Germany where you go without any sort of idea of what you're in for. When I got there, I was met with this unexpected sense of home that caught me entirely off guard. On the train to Munich after our plane had landed, I remember telling my friend, Sam, that it looked an awful lot like my hometown. There were all sorts of different farming equipment, green fields full of what I would have guessed as soy beans, and cute, little farm houses that looked so picturesque. It was truly beautiful, but not only did the terrain make me have this sense of familiarity, I also was commonly mistaken for a German. A news lady stuck her microphone in my face in front of their Town Hall and started rambling off something in German, then the next day someone thought I was the waitress in a restaurant. It was strange, but welcoming after spending so much time in a country where I had no choice but to stand out. I felt comfortable in Germany, like I belonged.

What was your favorite food in Spain?

My favorite Spanish food was paella. I absolutely hate admitting that because it's so typical. Nothing says "American" quite like ordering paella in a restaurant, but I truly do love it. It's a seafood rice platter that will literally have you never wanting to eat anything else ever again. It's that good. If you ever try paella in Spain, be sure to squeeze a lemon slice over it before you stir the rice. You can thank me later.

Do you plan to bring some of the things you learned in Spain back home with you and teach others what you learned?

Absolutely. I've spent a significant amount of time here. It would be impossible for me to not bring back certain tidbits of this culture because it's a part of who I am now. First of all, I am an avid fan of wine. I hardly drank wine before living here, but now that I've seen how cultural it is and how wonderful it tastes with food, I'll definitely be starting my own wine rack. As far as teaching people what I learned, I would be more than happy to share stories or converse with people about studying abroad. At my university, I'll more than likely be doing some volunteer work as a guest speaker for my language department. I'm also always available for my local high school. I've spoken to the Advanced Spanish class a couple times already about studying in Spain. The best thing you could give someone is knowledge, what they do with it is what tests their true character. Hopefully once I return to the states, I can speak to more people about taking the same risk I did.

What was your favorite part of this entire trip? What was the worst?

Since this question came from my mother, the worst part of the trip was being so far away from you. I'm not too old to admit that I did miss my mother. As far as my favorite part, I think it would be the opportunity to see so many places. Most people travel to one, maybe two countries in their lifetime. I've been to nine and I'm only 21. 

Which part of your year's travels made the most impact on you?

I've been a student at the University of Granada for two semesters, I've met some phenomenal professors, classmates, etc. The biggest impact on me would hands down be my learning environment. I've learned so much from these people about the culture, the history, the food, the people, the language. My first semester I had a few classes in English along with my Spanish classes. By the time I started my second semester, even my electives were taught in Spanish. Me, a girl who completely tanked her placement exam, was comprehending fluent Spanish. If that's not an impact, I don't know what else is.

In what ways are Americans unappreciative compared to all of the people you've encountered while gone?

My civilization and culture professor, Antxon, told the class that the main difference between Americans and Spaniards is their work ethic. We, as American's, often spend more time at our workplace than anywhere else. Antxon's exact words were "Los americanos viven para trabajar, los españoles trabajan para vivir." -- Sorry, Antxon doesn't speak English. What he meant was, "American's live to work. The Spanish work to live."  Whether it's missing a child's soccer practice, staying later than your shift and missing dinner, or becoming overly stressed by your job... it's become apparent to me that some American's are unappreciative of how privileged we are to even be able to have dinner's to miss or children to raise. The Spanish work solely to fund their lifestyle. They take long lunch hours, get paid during maternity leave, and they even have a paid vacation for newlyweds. Even the Coke here tastes better.  

We're also unappreciative of little things like long showers, freezing cold drinks, air conditioning. I can't remember the last time I had ice in my drink, and try sleeping in my bedroom with 90 degree weather and no air conditioning. Talk about humbling.

What were your feelings when you stepped on the plane to go to Spain? 

What do you think your feelings will be when you step on the plane to go home?

The minute I walked away from my mother at the airport last September to go through security, I stopped, got out of the security line, and ran back to her. I don't know what it's like to be a mother, but I do know what it's like to love mine... and contrary to popular belief, I didn't want to leave her. There were so many different emotions that day, from excitement to sadness to fear. Once I stepped onto the plane, the sadness was gone. The only thing left was excitement and fear, and combining those two makes for an interesting 18 hour trip.

When it comes to going home, I will have the same emotions thrown in reverse. I will look back at Spain, not wanting to leave it. This country is a part of me. I cannot stress that enough. Leaving it is not going to be easy, but once I get on the plane to go home, I have a funny feeling I'm going to have a smile on my face.

What were the cultural differences between home and Spain?

1. The food - Food in Spain is much healthier than in the United States. They use a lot of olive oil, take time on their cooking, and enjoy eating socially. There is this phenomenon where when a group of friends goes to a bar and orders a drink (whether it be beer or wine or soda) they get the choice of ordering "tapas" to go with it. Tapas are various types of traditional Spanish appetizers. In Granada, those "tapas" are free. So, when you go to a bar and order a class of wine, the bartender will bring you free food. Some bars even give you a menu. 

2. The nightlife - College students in the US go out around 9 and are usually completely finished by 3, depending on the person. Spaniards are lucky to be ready by 3 and they're not coming home until the sun comes up. When I lived with my host family, my host mom would always ask me what time I came home the night before. If I told her anything less than 6 or 7 am, she would tell me I came home too early. 

Those are the main two that really stand out to anyone visiting Spain for leisure or for study. Other than those there are the difference in exams and homework, the language, (obviously) the way people openly express themselves, the endless showering of compliments, (welcomed or otherwise) or the tiny cars that our trucks could easily drive on top of.

Do they serve "pollo bandido" over there in Spain? 

Hahahaha. No, but my life would be a lot easier if they did.

Does Spain have a restaurant called "The Green" where they serve American food?

No, but we have McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and exactly two Taco Bell's.

How did you grow spiritually, emotionally, and mentally during this trip?

The girl who traveled to Spain last September is not the same girl that will leave in a few days. Growth is an inevitable part of anyone's youth, whether they be abroad or otherwise. While living in Spain, I was able to see the beauty in religion and not just in my own. I live in Andalusia, which is a autonomous community in the south of Spain that used to be ruled by a Muslim Kingdom. (They called it Al-Andalus.) Being so close to North Africa, there are a lot of Moroccan and other Muslims that live in Granada as well as the Alhambra with is what the city is known for. I took an Islamic Culture class this semester and for the first time, I was able to learn about the Muslim faith from an unbiased source. If more American's would take the time to learn about Islam, we wouldn't be so terrified of it. 

As far as spiritual growth in my own beliefs, I have this tradition where I always buy a rosary in every country I visit. This started back in 2011 the first time I came to Spain. Spiritual grown for me came from seeing just how passionate people are in their beliefs. There are so many kind people in this world, people who care about others more than they care about themselves. Take Sister Margaret, for example. I could have easily been a murderer or a psychopath, but she didn't hesitate to hug me and introduce me to all of the other sisters. Having people come into your life that give you hope for humanity is enough to strengthen anyone's faith, because I know in my heart that God put me in these scenario's for my own spiritual growth.

Emotionally and mentally, this trip gave me the incentive to search deeper into our planet and find my own way of making the world a much better place than it was when I found it. Though I still have my sense of humor, I've matured into a young woman that knows exactly what she wants out of life. I may not have all the puzzle pieces together, but I've got the picture on the front of the box. I know what my ultimate goal looks like and I'm going to try my best to reach it.  

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What I want to do as I close this chapter of my life is challenge my readers to do something spectacular. I want each of you, young and old, to plan a trip. This trip can be to China, Australia, South Africa, or to the next county over. Wherever you choose to go is left up to you, the main point is that I want you to go. There is life all around us just waiting to be seen. Maybe it's a field of flowers you drive by every day without glancing at, maybe you've had a family vacation on your mind for the last three years that you've never got around to taking. This challenge isn't difficult. You can go 5,000 miles or you can go one mile, but you have to go. You're not going to have back luck for 72 years if you don't, but you will be selling yourself short on an opportunity to enjoy the planet that God so perfectly created. Even if it's spending the day at the park having a picnic with your family, enjoy the earth and take a minute to marvel at how beautifully sculpted it is.

The end of one chapter begins with the opening of another. As for me, I'm clicking my heels together, going back to my favorite town, and hoping that the people in it haven't forgotten me. Someone once asked me what I'm going to do next. If you're looking for a more profound answer, then you've caught me at the wrong time. At this point in my life, the only place I want to be is on my grandparent's front porch with a glass of sweet tea and handful of cookies that my Granny keeps stashed in a tupperware bowl on her kitchen table. The rest will have to wait.

The end.