Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. -Winston Churchill

Four tiny weeks left. But as the quote says, this is only the beginning. While i have been here I have opened so many doors for myself. I have allowed myself to dream even bigger (yeah, can you believe that? me dreaming bigger..). I now think to myself that seriously anything is possible. I now truly believe, that if I want to do something with my life, someway, somehow it is possible. So, although this may be the end to my exchange year in spain, I have so much more life ahead of me to do bigger things, and travel more, and meet more people. This is only the beginning.

I was walking home the other night from my photography class and I was thinking. I have learned so much. Not in school, or even in that sense at all (becuase, well, school just isnt really that important right now for me). But I have learned how to do a ton of things that will be useful for my whole life, things you simply can´t learn in school.

I have mentioned a lot of them throughout the year, as they gradually became a strong skill set. Like my ability to take basically all forms of transportation, how to get around a place I have never been, how to make friends of complete strangers, how to adapt to a whole new lifestyle, etc.

But I realized too, that, man, I am bilingual. I went to visit a friend of mine who is here on a trip with kids from argentina, brazil, ecuador, canada, etc. I got to where he was staying and I started speaking with people from south america in Spanish. It may sound like one of those things like, oh, duh, if they are from south america you´d obviously speak with them in spanish. But it really just hit me how easy it was. I didnt even think. I told them all about how I got a little lost getting there, and how I love Malaga, and everything, without even thinking about how to form my sentences, or having to ask them to repeat (okay...a few times i had no idea what they were saying, but they had a different accent than im used to, and used different words that we dont use in spain). It is just incredible being able to speak with so many more people. And I could tell immediatly, that even though the south american kids could speak in english, they were so relieved when I spoke spanish. They immediatly opened up and talked with me like an old friend, becuase I could speak their language. It is just absolutly incredible.

This past weekend we had an orientation in Torremolinos for AFS. It is our last orientation with the kids from Andalucia before we go to Madrid for the final orientation with everyone, then go back home. We met with the kids who are in Andalucia who are going abroad next year (most are coming to America). It was real neat to meet them and remember how excited we all were around this time last year. We gave them tips about studying abroad, and things to always remember. We also told them all about america and things that we reccomend you do. Along with that we went to the beach, and played tons of fun games. We played this one game called "besos" or "kisses" where each of the guys has a number, and each of the girls has a letter. The kid in the middle calls out a letter and a number, and if the kid in the center is a girl, the boy that was called has to try and kiss the girl in the center before the girl that was called kisses him. Or, if the kid in the middle is a boy, the girl that was called has to try and kiss the boy in the middle before the boy that was called kisses her. It was hilarious. Oh, by the way, its all kisses on the cheeks, obviously.

I also have been to the beach like everyday, so im getting really tan:)

here are some pictures ive been neglecting to put up cause they take too long to load:

Some friends from school

Mariely and me <3 ^^ best friend here

Franco, Anca, and me ^^my other best friends

Pablo Roldan, Franco and me <3

Kids in my class: Almudena, kate, pabloR, franco, keto, anca and me.

Mariely and Fernando^^ more good friends

at the beachh

mariely and fer

fer....

mariely and me

mariely and fer

a cool shot i got of kate

another cool shot of kate

My american friends from AFS: Mikeala, me, and Alex

Alex and me (she lives in NY, soooo ill def see her back in america)

me and afs kids: Alex, San (from turkey), julian, noelle, ivana , and Solomon

more AFS

Kids from Andalucia going abroad with AFS next year, and the
current students from elsewhere currently in Andalucia<3

maria, Kate, her host mom Sarah, me and Danai (Julian´s host brother)

Danai, me and Julian

Me, Julian, and Kate

Me at the beach with Mariely

mariely and I made tortelini

Side note, MARIELY is coming to visit me this summer in August :) I cant wait. I am kind of more excited for her to come than I am to go home in the first place...