Down to the wire.

Ten days left in my study abroad experience that has been unlike anything I ever thought I would do in my life. Heading into the semester I had heard so many different perspectives from so many different people about what to expect and what it will be like, and now I can confidently say there is no amount of mental preparation or explanation that could have begun to prepare me for this semester.

Every single day has been an adventure. Living in an international city for over three months I've realized there is quite literally always something to do. Regardless of your mood, your ambitions (or lack there of), you desire to spend money (or lack there of), I found it impossible to be bored. Adding traveling into that made this all the more true.

As the weeks have begun to wind down my desire to make the most out of every day and hour has increased ten fold. The realization has set in that Madrid, a place I will have called home for more than 100 days when all is said and done, will no longer be a part of my daily routine. There is no doubt in my mind I will be back to visit someday to revisit friends and memories, but not knowing whether that will be next year or 10 years from now is making this goodbye very different than the one I said to the US in September.

Things during my time here that have become daily occurrences will soon be memories that I will not have the opportunity to relive for an indefinite amount of time.

I have one more day of classes left in the semester. I then finish up with one paper and two final exams, at which point in time my spanish learning experience will come to a close.

I figure I have one last post for the semester: My end of experience final thoughts and wrap-up piece that will mostly be written on my plane ride home.

This semester has been like something out of a dream and I could not have asked for more. I feel as though I've squeezed all I can out of these first 12 weeks and now I've got to do the same for the penultimate and ultimate.

Looking forward to coming home for Christmas and being back stateside, however, the nostalgia for Spain and Europe has already begun to sink in.