Keira’s Journals

One thing I love about the schools here; just a casual field trip to Rome. Yes, 5 days in the next country over with your classmates and a few teachers. These were the best and most tring 5 days ever. It was very fast-paced from one place to the next and I was certain that we managed to walk every square mile of Rome, which I’ll tell you now, is not easy. There’s no doubt that Rome is a precious city because of its history and stunning architecture. However, they absolutely love staircases. It felt like hiking Mt. Everest to go anywhere; basilicas, the palace, and even our dormitories in the church every morning and night. Regardless, this trip was truly an amazing experience and I got to connect with some of my classmates who I never saw very often. And of course we can’t forget the pasta and gelato :)

Within the next month, we had our spring break/easter break; a full 10 days in Santa Pola, Alicante. I’m still dreaming about this place. We could see the sea from the front porch and above, the balcony overlooked the entire urbanization. For the religious holiday, many of the towns have processions like a giant parade running throughout all the streets at night. It includes an endless number of drummers and participants handing out cards and giant structures carried throughout the town, showcasing the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. Some of these processions are up to 7 hours long, ending at 2 in the morning. There were also many days that we visited nearby towns like Altea or Elche for day trips. And if that wasn’t enough, my host family also planned a trip to Barcelona during the european Labor day in the beginning of May. Situated between the mountains and sea, it is a truly beautiful city with many diverse sights to see. We made sure to visit the especially famous parts of the city and there is always such a large tourist presence there. 

Now we’re finishing up exams and this past weekend was the festivals of San Isidro in Alcobendas and Madrid. There is a park withing walking distance from my house where they host this event for the whole week with multiple stages and even county fair-type attractions like bumper cars and inflatable houses. They have selveral preformances throughout the week until late at night. On May 15, the actual holiday, I saw the festival in Madrid and it was just 10 times bigger. There were tons of people crowing the streets and too many people to fit in the metro. One of my favorite performances to see were the Flamenco Dancers. Different dance academies had multiple groups preforming different tradicional or comtemporary spanish dances. 

And this is what I mean about the reality of the exchange cycle as I have mentioned in previous journals. After all this excitement and action, life must return to its medium point. Now it feels like so many things have happened in such a short period of time and now we’re reaching the end of the finish line. I can’t believe that I went from worrying about my language acquisition to worrying about not having enough time to complete summer plans and it shows me that the hardest part is over. Every student is going to experience change differently and it should not be compared to others. It could take months to adapt to a new host country but once that point is reached this new country becomes a second home. I would genuinely call my host family here my second home that I feel like I can always return to. Being with a host family, especially one such as mine, really completed my exchange experience. I am most grateful for them this year, who sacrificed their time and efforts so that I could make the most out of this year. They were patient with me and soon enough, I felt less like a guest and more like a part of the family. It’s easy to feel alone when you are in another country without your family, but the emptiness of having two sisters to fight with and steal each others’ food was filled with my two host sisters here in Spain. And most importantly, my host parents who were patient with me while I learned my way around the city and getting a hang of the language. They make it impossible to feel isolated, which in reality, I never was alone. From the moment we were accepted into this program, every Rotary volunteer was there to guide us, preparing us for the year to come. Their support was a huge factor in why us exchange students can enjoy this opportunity and we stepped foot into a new country, ready to take on any challenge that comes our way. And even as we carry on with our journey, we might experience distinct Rotary clubs with different customs, projects, and meeting times, but their message of “Service Above Self” is universally recognized. It’s a value that is so strongly represented in Rotary that it does not have to be said, but expressed through the actions of every Rotary member and it’s still hard to comprehend the grand multitude that is Rotary. Only 16 years old and the other exchange students and I have the honor to be a part of such an impactful organization. 

I can recall what one of my hardest moments have been this year. It was on the plane from Atlanta to Madrid and my little sister had written me a note to open on the plane. It was filled with the tiniest handwriting to fit everything and one of the sentences said, “Please don’t change too much while you're away.” These words are tossed around my brain every time I reflect on this year. It makes me think of the progress I’ve made that is almost invisible to me as I see changes so gradually but to others, what would it be like? This year has not only helped me learn about Spanish culture but also more about who I want to be and how I want others to see me. It’s another one of the ideas that is difficult to grasp no matter how much I think about it. But the one truth I know is this; Yes this year has made me into a new person and has shaped my perspective of the world however, I cannot dwell with these thoughts for too long because I have to move on. There were so many great memories made this year and instead of trying to hold on to each and every last one, I’m going to remember the lessons I learned and carry them with me throughout life. 

Thank you so much to my family and to Rotary for all that you have done for me! I will forever be indebted to you all. 

¡Viva España!