Hello everyone! I’ve officially been in Spain for almost 2 months now! It’s so crazy to think I’m nearing the halfway mark of my stay here. Time has gone by so fast, it’s making me a little sad! To start off, Elizabeth and I decided to plan a trip to Mallorca with our new friends Manami and Arineh! Manami is from Japan and Arineh is from Australia. It’s so cool how we’ve met so many different people from so many different countries. I never thought that I would be able to say that I have a friend from almost every continent! Our trip to Mallorca was unforgettable. It was my first time visiting an island, I wish we could’ve stayed longer than 3 days, but school calls! It was my second time ever seeing the ocean, the water was so blue and clear, I was in awe.
About a week later, our school had another trip to Salamanca! We visited the cathedral, which wasn’t really my favorite so I instead decided to include a picture of my art/history professor and me on top of the cathedral! His name is Javi and he’s very funny. Sometimes I feel like he’s some sort of father/guiding figure in my life here in Spain. It’s nice to be able to have that kind of support from your professors especially when you’re in a different country and away from your actual family.
I think it’s kind of difficult to say whether or not my impressions of Spanish people have changed. When I first arrived in León I thought that Spanish people were very cold and not very welcoming, but it changes from city to city. I felt very welcomed in Mallorca and Salamanca, but the people in Burgos/La Rioja seemed to be very similar to the people in León. I do think I’ve warmed up to the culture and people as a whole, I don’t judge as easily anymore. If I feel like something does or says something rude to me, I take a minute to think if it was actually rude or if it just has something to do with the culture.
Moving on, a bit of culture! We attended Carnaval in León which is a celebration that most cities in Spain take part in. It’s the celebration of the 40 days before Lent where everyone goes a little crazy and eats a lot of good food. There was a parade that we thought was very fun, I would attend it again! Everyone dresses up and it doesn’t matter what you’re dressed up as. My friend Ellie and I decided to go as Orange Blossom and Strawberry Shortcake from the TV show Strawberry Shortcake! Elizabeth and our new friend Brooke decided to dress up as Little Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf! Fun fact, Brooke is actually from Arkansas. She attended the University of Central Arkansas which is so fun, I hope we can stay friends and hang out when we go back home.
Lastly, my birthday passed about a week ago! I’m so blessed to have met such beautiful friends. I love sushi so my friends took me to a Japanese restaurant called Umi. We shared various dishes and my friends split my dish as a treat for me! Afterward, we went for some ice cream and I was treated by my friends there as well. I was gifted a bag that Elizabeth crocheted for me which is gorgeous and such a thoughtful gift, it’s my first crochet item ever! My friend Seo, who I’ve become very close to, gifted me some pictures that she printed out of myself and a bouquet of flowers. I was so emotional, I feel so blessed to be able to have friends that care about me so much. I hope to one day be able to repay them for the beautiful friendships they have given me! That’s all for now, I hope to be able to provide more content for you guys soon, ciao! – Jasmine