The Last Post!

Beautiful Sevilla in the springtime

Hello all! So I am back in the United States safe and sound after a long day of travel on Sunday. I feel like my last week in Sevilla flew by so fast, so it is nice to take a minute and look back on it now that I am settled at home. Upon further reflection, I have discovered that my last week was essentially a series of goodbyes. Tough goodbyes. I realized how many great friends I have made throughout this year and how much I am going to miss them. Not only am I going to miss my friends, but also my host Rotarians, who I basically consider family now. In addition to all of these human goodbyes, I was also left with the task of saying goodbye to the city that I have fallen in love with during these past 9 months. Back in September I arrived in Sevilla with no idea what to expect, but I don't think I could have ever imagined forming the deep connection to the city and the people of Sevilla that I have.

My last Rotary meeting (notice the mantón)

On Monday I had the difficult task of saying goodbye to my host Rotary club, the Rotary Club of Sevilla. The club welcomed me with open arms and treated me like a part of their family, so it was difficult to say goodbye. I gave a brief speech during the meeting attempting to express my gratitude, but it was difficult to get through with how emotional I was feeling. The emotions only got stronger when the wives of the Rotarians gave me a going away gift: a beautiful mantón, a traditional shawl from Sevilla. Though the evening was difficult to get through, it was a great note to end the year on. We had a great time, tearful goodbyes and all. I will never forget the club, particularly Alfredo and Aurora, and the way they took me into their lives and homes.

Ana and I at our Flamenco show!

As the week went by and I continued studying for my final exam, I gradually said goodbye to my other friends. But there was one more big event standing between me and my last exam and departure: our final flamenco show! Our flamenco academy had been preparing for this show for months, and the time finally came on Thursday, the 16th. We performed on stage in front of about 100 people and had a great time doing it. Sure we made a few mistakes, but it was a lot of fun and we raised a lot of money for a women's health organization.

Saying goodbye to good friends

The following day I took my last exam and was able to really relax and enjoy my last 2 days in the city. I just walked around and soaked up the sights and the atmosphere as much as I could. I spent some quality time with my friends and roommates and took on the daunting task of packing up my room. How do you fit 9 months into 2 suitcases?! It turns out it is possible, albeit very difficult. When the time came for me to leave Sunday morning I simultaneously felt ready and not ready. I was excited to get home and see my family. I am excited for medical school and the next phase of my life. But that doesn't make leaving Sevilla behind any easier. This amazing year of my life has come to a close, and that is tough to face, regardless of what lies ahead. All I can do is be grateful for this incredible opportunity that I have been given and move forward knowing I have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience (that, and come back to visit one day!). So to wrap up, I want to thank everyone who has followed me this year. Thanks for sticking with me. And a million thanks to Rotary for this amazing opportunity. ¡Hasta luego!