A piece of my heart.

I feel really weird right now. It's a weird that I have never experienced and can't quite explain. I have never felt emotions like the ones going on with  me right now.

My parents are here! 3 months without them sure is long. It was hard not being able to just call them whenever I needed them. I missed them so much. I missed my dad's big hugs and my mom wrapping her arm around mine and being silly. I missed their presence and even the little naggings. I really hadn't realized how much I missed them until they came off the plane and I saw them. I couldn't help but bawl and run to hug them. My cute little parents finally made it to Spain with me. I can't wait for them to see the paradise I have been living in. I can't wait to travel more around Europe with them. It is going to be amazing. 

They got to come over today and have paella and gofres...delicious. It was so fun to watch them with Encarna and Roberto, the family I had lived with for the past few months. Seeing my real mom and host mom together just made me smile. I just know if they had the opportunity that they would make great friends.

If all of this is so great though, then why do I also feel so sad? It's because Alcala de Henares was my home. This was not some place I just came to visit and leave as a simple memory. I lived here. I lived with an amazing family, I made awesome friends, I studied here, and more than anything I loved it here. I already know so many tears are headed my way this week. It already began today at church, my last Sunday in Alcala. Spain will always have a piece of my heart here with them, a piece I can't get back because it belongs here. 

I'm going to miss everything. I am going to miss walking through this beautiful city with Veronica to class every morning with amazing teachers, I am going to miss going into Madrid weekly, I will miss gelado, I am going to miss laughing so hard at night with Encarna and Roberto, I am going to miss gofres, I'm going to miss the spanish accent, I'm going to miss all of the girls in the program, I am going to miss traveling every weekend, I'm going to miss my roommate, I'm going to miss the new friends I made, I'm going to miss my school, I am going to miss the wonderful and kind people of Spain, I am going to miss the cute old people on the streets, I am going to miss the crazy parking, I am going to miss greeting people with kisses on the cheek, I am going to miss dogs in sweaters, I am going to miss the adorable spanish children, I am going to miss weekly soccer games with the single adults in the ward...and this list goes on and on. 

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I had to live in Spain. I will never forget this wonderful country and the beautiful people that I have met along the way. My heart has a place for Spain forever.

Thank you to all of the amazing people that I have come across. You made this experience wonderful. I wish I could stay, but I guess I need to move onto the next chapter in my life.

I leave for Paris on Thursday and will be traveling a little more and home my April 6th.

¡¡¡Te amo España!! Hasta luego:) Gracias por todo. Nunca te voy a olvidar. Un parte de me corazón quedara aquí para siempre.