When I moved from Belize to Poland, I began to regain some of my confidence. It's where I had the taste of complete adulthood and autonomy over my life. I had to learn how to do everything on my own; phone cards, bank accounts, all things legal... all of it! But it's where I rediscovered my love of teaching, and where I felt the most at home.
My school was fantastic, with caring and supportive co-workers who helped me when I felt stuck with a subject, and my students were amazing with their eagerness to learn and also willingness to come to my aid in the city if I ever ran into problems. My Polish and international friends, though, were what made my time the most special. They helped me relax and know that it's okay to not know what my next step in life is and that it's okay to be a little lost in my early 20s. While the Poles are generally known to be serious people, they taught me how life deserves to be laughed at sometimes, even during hardships. It is this kind of support that I miss here in Spain, now that I'm away, and it is them who I am flying back to for Christmas after finding out how expensive it is to fly home to Montana for the holidays.
Spain is my third and final country, and while it feels like coming home in some ways, there are other times where it feels like I've entered a whole other world. I came back to the things that are familiar to me in this new region of Asturias: the siesta, the tapas, the quick and somewhat lisped Spanish accent and the friendliness of the people around me. What I did not come back to is the support group I had during my study abroad experience in Sevilla two years ago and the knowledge of where to go in this part of the country.
