Two things that are good about this post-Salamanca trip (besides the, you know, traveling):

1.  I’m realizing just how much my Spanish has improved since coming to Spain.  Obviously, I knew that I’m doing a lot better now, but especially being translator for Dad (who knows nothing about the language whatsoever), I’m realizing how well I can survive in Spain. Granted, I still have lots of room for improvement, but I feel accomplished nonetheless.  Furthermore, I get to be cultural expert, too,, as we navigate the intimidating world of tapas and other Spanish traditions that are fairly foreign to the US.  Just from these past three days, I can’t imagine coming to Spain (outside of Barcelona and Madrid) independently without speaking at least some of the language and knowing some of the customs.  We’ve gotten enough weird looks as it is, and that’s even been when I thought I was doing well with my Spanish skills!  I can function and try my hardest to not be an ugly American and enjoy living like I'm Spanish, but I’ll never really be a Spaniard. And I’m okay with that.
   
2. I get to transition between Salamanca and Auburn, rather than experience the shock of immediately flying home.  We’ve started small: just by leaving Salamanca and heading to a different region of Spain.  Then, when I finally do leave Spain, we’ll be heading to England, my return to an English-speaking country for the first time in four months.  I’m expecting that this is going to be fairly weird.  My English vocabulary is very much dependent on Spanglish now, and I don’t even realize it (sorry, Dad).  I just really like speaking Spanish; it just sounds so pretty.  However, at the very least, I probably won’t be too annoyed by the harsher-sounding constant presence of the English language, because they’ll all have entertaining accents!   Then, finally, after a week’s adjustment there, I’ll eventually head back to California, where I’ll hardly have any time to get bored with life.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   These are a few of my last pictures of Salamanca itself. Wait, why am I leaving?