Two Weeks to Go

I woke up this morning in a slight panic, concerned that I only have two weeks left and countless things to do before then. However, I can only pick a few of those things out of this hazy panic, including that 1) I need to buy more pants, and 2) I need to exchange dollars for euros. I don't know whether this means I'm more prepared than I thought, or that I'm not prepared at all.

Realistically, I've been preparing all semester. I know what I need to bring, I have lists upon lists of things to do. I know I shouldn't buy a lot of clothing, because I have to pack my entire life into two or three suitcases for six months; at the same time, I feel a need to go abroad looking as European as possible. Every person I say this to laughs at me: it's an odd whim I've been indulging, a whim that, in fact, caused me to buy jeggings.

Worries aside, I get more excited every day. I take pride in my growing stack of colorful travel books on Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Spain; I learn something new about each place every day. I've been scouring the internet for photographs of Alicante, some of which I've included below. The more I look, the happier I become with my decision to study there: Alicante may not be the most bustling city in Spain, but that's not what I wanted. I hope to become immersed in their small culture, and learn Spanish to the best of my ability. If I feel the need for a more energetic city, Barcelona is only about 3 hours north, and Madrid about 5 hours away, in the center of Spain.

This is La Explanada, a beautiful promenade along the beach in Alicante:


I've fallen in love with this street corner; I plan on finding it when I arrive.


Bellisima.


Did I mention it hasn't snowed in Alicante in 61 years?