Day 13

Today was bittersweet. It was our last day in Salamanca and leaving our Spanish home was a lot harder than I expected. We started the day off with our traditional desayuno (breakfast) of pan, mermelada, y chocolate (bread, jam, and hot chocolate). After desayuno, we went to our last classes at the University of Salamanca to get our exams back and receive our certificates for attending the classes. Since we had already taken the final exam for each class, today was more laid back from the other days. For example, in grammar class, our teacher Marta showed us some famous Spanish singers and gave us the lyrics to their songs so that we could sing along. At the end of the classes, we received our certificates for Curso de Lengua y Cultura Españolas from our teachers. These certificates mean that not only have we completed the course, but we are also now a part of the almost 800 year old university. When we arrived at home, our host mom Maria Angeles made us a huge lunch of patatas, pollo, pimientos, y melón (fried potatoes, chicken, peppers, and melon). After, instead of taking a siesta (nap) like usual, Gracie and I walked around the city to say our goodbyes and make some last minute purchases at the gift stores.

At about 5:00 pm, we gave our host families besitos (kisses) and said adios (goodbye) to all of our friends in Salamanca before boarding the bus to Madrid. After about  two and a half hours of driving, we arrived in Madrid and checked into our hotel, Hotel Regina. Then, we went to cenar (eat dinner) as a group at VIPS Restaurant. When we finished eating our meals, we went on a short walk to the Puerta del Sol, where we saw the famous Cartel de Tio Pepe and Kilometro 0 (the point where all the highways in Madrid come together).

Having to part from Salamanca showed me how much I had come to love the city and see it as a second home. When I first arrived in Salamanca, I never thought I would immediately miss the seemingly strange food from my host mom or the four hour Spanish classes once I left. Now that it is over, I wish there was some way I could have another day to spend there. This is a result of the immersion process because through this program, we have not only learned about a culture, but we have come to adopt, live, and love it.