Goodbye Palma

I’m sitting on my 11 hour flight from Munich to Vancouver reflecting on the past month. As I sift through hundreds of photos and videos, I am confident in saying, this has been best month of my life. A month filled with new people, new experiences, and new goals. 

I remember my first night arriving in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Just four weeks ago, yet somehow those four weeks have left the greatest impact on my life. My first night in Palma was nerve racking. I sat in my bed with the doors to my balcony slightly opened, just enough for me to hear the music playing from cars as they drove by. I questioned how I would get along with group and wether or not I would fit in. 

On my first morning, I tiptoed out of my room to see if my roommates, Emma and Vale were awake yet. Despite meeting them 10 hours prior, I had already developed a sense of comfort from them. That first day was filled with excitement. I was introduced to 39 amazing people that I would be sharing this life changing experience with. I also met my program leader, Lucy, who allowed me to feel taken care of at any point in time.

The weekdays were packed with cultural activities, excursions, and yummy food. I looked forward to school in the afternoons because I felt encouraged to improve my Spanish. I fell into a routine and found an amazing group of girls to spend my time with. I looked forward to meeting up with my roommates at night for our walk back home.  When we would arrive, our host mom, Lola, would greet us with a huge smile and we would share updates about our day. Our host parents would cook for us and we would spend hours talking in Spanish after dinner. I will forever cherish these moments. Each nightly conversation brought us closer and allowed me to call them family. 

The weekend were also filled with excitement and adventure. From relaxing beach days to camping trips and cliff jumping in Alcudia, I connected more and more to the other kids on the program. I felt supported, loved, and appreciated by each and every individual on this program. 

When I reflect on this trip, all I can think of is how fortunate I am to have this opportunity. Not only did I explore Europe and gain independence, but I made life long relationships and built new goals for my future. I am leaving Spain with a new outlook on life.