Anyone who's read my blog before will know I haven't found this to be one of the easier things I've had to do. I've never been sat having a breakdown or anything but there have definitely been times when I wished this thing was not compulsory for my degree or that I was only here for a semester. But as the hours count down to my flight home, I can honestly say that I'm glad to have done this and that I'm proud of myself.
These last three and a half months have gone ridiculously quick. It genuinely just feels like yesterday that I got on my one-way flight with three suitcases (totally unnecessary) and landed in the blazing sunshine. I wish it were still sunny. Okay no it's still sunny here but it's also really really cold. My first few weeks here temperatures were around the 40 mark and now they're at 10 and anyone telling me it's not cold, you try dropping 30 degrees. I don't think it ever even gets to 30 degrees in England.
I think my time here has felt quicker because I went home twice. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have done that; it stole quite a bit of money from me, and being home for a weekend can never truly fix your homesickness. Also it made me feel worse when I got back here. Not good.
My classes have been quite difficult but also kind of enjoyable? If you do study abroad and your host university offers a language course for erasmus/foreign students, definitely definitely take it. Being immersed in the language is all well and good but my grammar is still shoddy and even more so when I'm speaking. Also one week, one of my classes involved the identification of different verb tenses and the native speakers couldn't do it, so I felt helpful there. Taking a class taught in English is worth it just to keep you sane. It's just nice once in a while to feel normal and to understand what is going on. I recommend taking translation classes, especially if your uni back home focusses on translation. I took translation both into Spanish and into English. Translating into anything but your native tongue just isn't a thing in the real world so if your host uni offers it into your own language , take it. Also it's great because you feel dead clever. Then into Spanish hopefully helped with my Spanish although I doubt it. I still think whatever I write looks like it came straight out of a broken Google Translate but oh well. I'll keep persevering. Lastly, if you come to the university of Alicante, DO NOT TAKE SPANISH: RULES AND USES I/ESPAÑOL: NORMA Y USO I. It is a death class. This class gave me so much anxiety and I can't even tell you how glad I am that it's over.
I feel like there's not a lot to the rest of my semester and that's one of my main regrets. I haven't really taken advantage of this year off in a foreign country. I am the worst erasmus. I've made some lovely friends but there aren't really very many of them. Not that quantity matters like, but given there are loads of people around I feel like I should have made more of an effort. Definitely more towards the end of the semester I talked to more people. Also I didn't explore Alicante very much, never mind the rest of Spain. I only found out last week that there are two Corte Ingles(eseses?) here and I only found the second one yesterday. My Spanish has definitely gotten better, when it comes to reading and listening at least. Writing and speaking are my goals for next term. I haven't managed my money very well this semester either. What a nightmare I am. Blame Robbie Williams, Take That, Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Jet2, Easyjet and Ryanair for that one.
I have missed my friends and family more than I thought possible. I have found out which ones have missed me back. I realise the distance a lot more here than in Norwich, despite the journey time being almost exactly the same. I miss British food. I miss British shops. I miss British people. I miss the familiarity of being in my own country and understanding how and why things work the way they do. I miss UEA. There's nothing like going somewhere else to realise how great your home university truly is. Twitter has been invaluable. Not like I didn't use it before, but here it's how I've learnt things, how I've made friends, how I've connected with life back home, how I've found a support network of other people who are away too.
In almost four months, I have used:
- 2 bottles of shampoo
- 3 bottles of conditioner
- 1 tube of toothpaste
- 6 jars of pesto
- 4kg of pasta
- 6 GB of 3G on my phone
- 60+ chicken breasts
- 150+ tram journeys
- 3 pairs of jeans (which have gotten holes in and given up on me)
- 1/4 of a bottle of sunscreen
- 6 black biros
- 2 a4 notebooks
To sum up - I hated it here in the beginning, and for a lot of the middle, but I like it now. I am ready to be better next term. I wish it were sunny and I am looking forward to the weather getting better. Doing a year abroad is very very hard but also rewarding if you make an effort.
Until next time, hasta luego.
Until next time, hasta luego.
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