Going Home

The sun hadn’t even risen yet, and we checked out of Olarain and headed to the airport in Bilbao. Upon arriving at the airport, we went and got our boarding passes; however, there was a small problem: a friend and I only received one of our boarding passes when everyone else had received two. The people at the help desk told us to worry about the problem in Madrid, so that’s what we did. After saying goodbye to our friends who weren’t on the same flight, we boarded and landed in Madrid, where this small problem would become slightly larger. When we landed in Madrid, we went to a few help desks to find out where to get our boarding passes, and were told we had to leave the airport and re-enter, having to check in and go through security again, resulting in us walking through the Madrid airport for around half of our layover. Throughout our arduous journey to receive our boarding passes, we kept asking ourselves if we would be better off staying in Spain and going back to San Sebastian at this rate. It seemed like the world was trying to keep us there by making us go through all this effort just to get our boarding passes to go home. Eventually, we met back up with our friends and got lunch, and this idea of staying in Spain or coming back later kept persisting. We talked about trying to do other study abroad programs and how much fun our time there was.

The City We Were Leaving

I don’t think any of us anticipated how much of an impact our time in San Sebastian would have on us. From the get-go, there was something different about San Sebastian. You could turn a random corner and find a little enclave of nature within the city. There would be people everywhere, young and old, spending time with their friends and family, whether they were getting a drink at a bar or taking a walk near the beach. The people and the city itself seemed calmer, like there wasn’t a rush in everything they did. Businesses would open later in the morning and close for lunch, and they wouldn’t even think of being open on Sundays. Being in San Sebastian felt like you could just live life at your own pace and take everything day by day, which is a stark contrast to our lives at home, where it feels like we always have to be doing something productive or we’re wasting time.

The Memories We Made

As I’m writing this, I think back to our farewell picnic where we exchanged food and memories, really reflecting on our time in the city: the random streets we’d find ourselves in looking for a place to eat, the beaches we’d see on our way to class, and the gelato we’d share after dinner.  I could’ve never imagined that I would become such close friends with people I met two weeks ago, and for that I am forever grateful to the city of San Sebastian. Whether we were getting caught in the rain looking for gelato, exchanging jokes with each other in our Spanish classes, or playing UNO at night, we were making memories and friends that will last us our whole lives. 

Before I landed in San Sebastian, I was nervous and didn’t really know what to expect. I had read various books about the city itself, giving me an idea of the food and culture, but nothing could really prepare me for the experience I had over the last two weeks. I gained a new sense of independence and tried things I normally would have never thought about. This city has changed me in more ways than one, and I hope to take these lessons with me at home. This trip has forced me outside my comfort zone on more than one occasion and given me a desire to see even more of the world.