I’m afraid this post is going to be all over the place (an accurate representation of November!), so please bear with me. Finals have been sneaking up, and now they’re running at me full force. For my literature class, I had to pick a book to read independently in Spanish, and I have an essay due over it before I go back home. Yes, that really is the due date! I have a plethora of projects for other classes and a final exam the week I leave for the States.

With exam season upon us, I have learned so much from Spanish students about the differences between our education systems. For example, in Spain, it is better to skip a question on a multiple-choice exam rather than guess if you don’t know the answer. If you leave it blank, you get zero points, but if you guess incorrectly, points are subtracted! Little changes like this make me so thankful for my Spanish friends, who have enthusiastically shared all their test-taking woes and advice so I won’t be blind-sided by our psych final.

As seems to be the theme in all my posts thus far, the people I’ve met have truly made my time here worthwhile. One of the highlights of my week is arriving to my psychology class early to catch up with everyone. I have also met so many people from around the world during my travels (Argentina, England, Australia, Germany, Norway, Italy, Canada, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Tunisia and Morocco to name a few countries!).

Of course, there was no better time to reflect on how grateful I am for these new experiences and relationships than Thanksgiving. Last week, the ALI Abroad program directors hosted a potluck dinner at their apartment. We all made a dish that reminded us of home and gathered for one last program hurrah. I could not have asked for a better kickoff to the holiday season, and it was so lovely to gather as a big group again before everyone leaves in December. I only have three weeks left, so I’m holding onto every moment with a tight grip and a big smile!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: ALI Abroad: University of Alicante