Home Away From Home

My three-week journey in San Sebastián has ended and I could not be more grateful for the life-long memories and friends I have made here. While writing this, I find it challenging to find the words to describe how transformative this journey has been for me. Although I am embarking on my own trip after this (I will be backpacking across Europe for another month), living in Spain for three weeks and being completely immersed in the culture has broadened my horizons and introduced me into a multiverse of worlds that would have otherwise remained unknown to me. 

When I arrived on the first day, I immediately felt a sense of comfortability that I have not felt in any place I have been to abroad. I think San Sebastián has a way of embracing their new friends, whether it’s their coastal waters caressing the light sand, the rays of the sun that feels like a warm hug, or their vibrant and bustling streets filled with locals who greet you like old friends.

Each day I ventured out into the city–becoming more aware of the beauty of San Sebastián and what makes it so unique to all that visit. I spent my breaks during my Spanish classes at nearby cafes or bakeries, breathing in the aroma of fresh coffee and discussing my story with other international students from around the world. My afternoons would be spent at the beach soaking up the sand and swimming in the ocean or hiking and reaching heights of the city that offered breathtaking panoramic views. Evenings were magical, filled with the laughter of my new friends, us exploring the diverse range of pintxos offered, and sometimes ended with us watching the sunset.

Our Last Day

On the early morning of our last day, our bus to the airport arrived at our hotel at 6:30am. After spending a night in the city reminiscing about the memories we made here and finding comfort in each other’s presence, that bus ride was quiet, as many of us were dreading going back home–away from this place we had settled in and had built routines around. Once we reached the airport, I waited with my classmates until it was time for their flight back to the United States. Once it was time for them to leave, I embraced all of them (held them a little too long and a little too tight) and I felt an empty and devastating feeling in my chest as I waved at them until I couldn’t see them anymore. Despite many of us going back to the same place and living in the same area, it felt as though we were all going our separate ways. 

This is because we were not the same people who had left home. We were not the same people three weeks ago as we embarked on a physical and emotional journey which changed our lives and urged us to grow in ways we couldn’t even begin to imagine. Returning home, we now all have personal and shared experiences which allow us to reflect on ourselves–shaping and transforming our perspectives on life, ourselves, and the world that we thought we once knew.

Traveling has become such an integral part of our lives and we all yearn for more as a piece of all of our hearts remain in San Sebastián. We yearn for the sunsets which paint pink, yellow, and orange over San Sebastián’s many beautiful beaches. We yearn for the delicious pintxos we savored in Old Town and the locals who were excited to see us try their foods. We yearn for the friends we made in our Spanish classes as their story and journey were also just beginning. We yearn for endless adventure and jumping in the water on a hot day with our hands clasped together and feeling the breeze in our faces and hair as we rode our bikes in the morning to school. We yearn for everything and so much more. 

“What Was it Like?”

A question that I have had great difficulty answering and perhaps can never really provide an answer to completely is: “What was it like?” Words simply cannot convey the beauty of the place which had become my second home and it could not describe the extensive world of traveling and the journey of self-discovery that it sets you on.

My favorite part about San Sebastián were the breathtaking sunsets and watching it on the beach with my friends (unfortunately I will not be providing a photo of one because I don’t think any photo can capture how beautiful the sunsets truly are here). The first day that I had arrived here, we immediately went to the beach, jumping with joy and embracing the uncertainty of studying abroad. When I reached the beach, I remember breathing in the salt from the ocean and feeling the cool sand under my toes as the sky was painted with golden and amber hues. Its colors danced on the horizon and its glow radiated and embraced the buildings around us. As I stood there, I saw locals walking along the promenade, their silhouettes dancing behind them and their gentle laughs blending with the sound of the waves. The ding of bicycle bells chimed through the air behind us as cyclists rode past. This symphony of smells and sounds and experiences is only a small part of what it was like to be in this beautiful city. And to experience this every single day with people who were discovering life just like me was just a beautiful thing. 

I cherished all of these sunsets because of the moments of stillness it offered. The world seemed to stop as it provided us with a moment of escape and we would share stories, dreams, ambitions, and reflect on our day. While my journey continues across Europe, and I prepare to embark on my next adventure, San Sebastián has left a profound mark on my soul which I will carry with me forever. It will serve as a reminder of the connections and life-long friendships I made there and it is now part of a chapter I will treasure in my life’s journey. To any of my new friends reading this: I love you all dearly and I’m so incredibly grateful to have met all of you. You guys made this journey unforgettable and I can’t wait until we’re all back there again.

In the end–each of our lives have been intertwined by a coastal city in the north of Spain–a city that has become our own little piece of heaven.