Hola y Adios

In the past week or so more than enough emotions have been felt for the remainder of my life time...

Welcoming my parents back into my life was both exciting and scary. I wasn't sure if I wanted them to be here and then on the other hand I couldn't wait for them to meet everyone. Waiting for my family to come through those doors was nerve racking, a few times I had to grab onto my host brother's arm to assure myself that everything was going to go fine. Seeing them come through the doors was the strangest thing, here I've been this whole year by myself and then out of the blue my family enters. Tears were running down my face even before I got to my mom. It was the classic reunion scene, the two people hugging and crying with all the random people staring at them like their ridiculous.
My two family's got along like they were long lost friends, everyone laughing and having a good old time together, totally disregarding the language barrier. It was cool watching them all get along so well, everything just seemed to click.


Saying goodbye to my life here was WAY harder than I thought it would be. I knew that saying goodbye was going to be hard, but I definitely did not expect to have my heart broken the way it was...
I ended my last few days with my team at our championship meet, and I could not have asked for a better way to end my time with them than a weekend of fast swimming, cheering, lots of smiles and tears.

The meet went well, I finished with a bang tying for 2nd in the 50 breast stroke and assisting in a strong feminine 2nd place finish. Friday night after our team meeting type thing they put on a movie with music and pictures summing up my year with them and than gave me a framed picture of the team. Even before the movie began I was in tears, I couldn't do anything to stop crying, the tears just kept on running.

 

The last day of the competition was emotionally tolling. The team made me feel so special. They were all chanting my name, and then I was chosen to go up and receive the first place trophy for the combined points and then after the team picture I was swung into the pool, clothes and all.
Saying goodbye was down right heart braking, I couldn't stop crying and when I saw the bus turn the corner and disappear from my view I felt as thought a part of me had been torn away.
I didn't realize how large a part of me I had put into the team until I saw it drive away. They were my life here and I really can't imagine my life or this past year without them. Never in my life have I ever put so much of myself into something for fear that it would be all ripped away, yet this year without even noticing, I gave my year abroad everything and in the end Spain is the one that has my heart. The goodbye's that were said are not forever, because this place is where I am meant to be...