All Good Things Must Come to an End

Considering I leave for my flight back to New York in four hours I thought it would be a good time to write my last post in Spain. I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier post but I am heading back to the U.S. a couple days early because of my job.
In this moment it doesn't feel real. I can't believe and I don't want to believe that by 3:50 tomorrow my flight will have landed in New York and my old life will return to be my current. This was a crazy year. I am going to go full out cliche and say it was a roller coaster ride. I have had my lowest points here and the highest. There are so many experiences I went through that have shaped my life and continue to shape it every day. If I start thinking about the life and the people I am leaving behind I don't think I would be able to get on the plane.
Before I came and past AFS student gave me a piece of advice that I tried to remember every day. Don't compare your exchange to another students. It is a complete waste of time that can leave you feeling pretty bad about yourself. Every student has a different exchange that is focused on different things that leave us all with unique talents and stories. Another piece of advice I would give is an obvious one. Never take your exchange for granted and never waste a second. If a friend texts you at 10 at night asking if you want to go to the grocery store but you feel like staying home, go out with your friend. This year is so important and if you waste even a second you will never forgive yourself.
I have come out of this year a better and more mature person. I have crazy memories and friends all over the world. This all sounds so cheesy and lame but it's all so true. I never thought I would go abroad in high school. I decided it so quickly and it all flashed by my eyes and I just wish I had taken more minutes to stop where I was walking and just appreciate that I am living in Spain.
I am going to end this post here because I really do this I might tear up and it would be really startling for a family member to find me crying on the couch in the living room at two in the morning.
If you are going abroad I know you all will have an amazing year.
If you are thinking about going abroad go start your application right now because you won't regret it.
If you are a family member I'm excited to see you soon!
I don't think I told any friends about this blog but if you somehow figured it out I am impressed and I will also see you soon!

Thanks so much to everyone who made this year possible.
VIVA MADRID!