Chapter 24: Week With My Family

After just over three months apart, I was finally reunited with my parents and sister last week! We truly had amazing experiences together, but… our week together did not start off as planned. My family was hit with some terrible, terrible luck with their flights. After cancellations and delays, they missed their flight to London where we were set to meet. Of course, by the time I found out they had not made it to on the flight, I was already sitting in the Madrid airport ready to catch my own flight. Nonetheless, I boarded my flight and arrived to the hotel in London for a peaceful night alone where I even got to watch some good, old American television… in English!

The next day, I took the metro back to the London airport to meet them, and boy, was it all worth the wait. We all cried and hugged, and I was elated to see them again. Once we got back to the hotel, they napped and showered, we set out for the only afternoon we would have in London, and we would have a lot to do! Although we could not fit everything in in just a few hours, we took a ride on the London Eye and saw Big Ben. On the walk across the Westminster Bridge, we were surprised to see flowers and letters of sympathy for the victims who had lost their life just the week before in the London terrorist attack. There was also an array of flowers, stuffed animals, and words of encouragement just outside the Palace of Westminster. Seeing how the city of London came together during such a hard time was inspiring despite the tragedy that had occurred.

The next day, we were off to Paris via “The Chunnel,” or the train between England and France that goes under the English Channel. While at the train station, we got a quick glimpse of Harry Potter’s Platform 9 3/4 before boarding the train. In Paris, we had one full day. We managed to fit in seeing the Eiffel Tower during the day and at night, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Arc de Triomphe. Knowing that seeing the Eiffel Tower had been a dream of my sister’s for quite some time, I felt especially lucky to have experienced going up into the Eiffel Tower with her.

After Paris, we flew to Madrid and hopped on a train to Salamanca, my beloved new home. In the weeks leading up to my family coming, I had been mentally preparing myself for all the things I wanted to show them, and it is easy to say I was most excited to show off my Spanish skills. When we arrived, I got to show my family some of my favorite parts about Salamanca, including the Plaza Mayor, the facade of the university, the Puente Romano, the cathedral, and the Park of the Jesuits. We also had ample time to go shopping on Calle Toro, the city’s shopping district. The best part of all was that my family got to meet my host mom, Basi. She invited all four of us over for a delicious dinner, I translated back and forth between my family and Basi, and we laughed despite the language barrier. Having my family meet Basi was one of the most amazing experiences I have had so far in Europe, and I am so glad we decided to come to Salamanca during our week together. According to my parents, Salamanca was definitely their favorite destination of our trip, and it was mine as well.

Lastly, we took a train back to Madrid for the remainder of our trip. Being that I had already been to Madrid back in January, I pretty much knew what I wanted to show my family while we were there. I showed them the Puerta del Sol, the Plaza Mayor, and the Mercado de San Miguel all within the first few hours in Madrid. We also headed over to the Royal Palace, where we took a tour of the various rooms in the palace and learned an amazing history lesson of the Spanish monarchs. Our time in Madrid was also filled with a lot of shopping. To be exact, I believe we went to approximately 526 souvenir shops. Well, maybe I am over-exaggerating, but it sure did feel like a lot!

Just as quickly as our trip together had started, it came to a solemn end on Saturday when my family had to head back to Virginia. I went with them to the airport so that I could catch a train back to Salamanca, and the goodbyes were not easy. Even though I only have one month left in Spain, to say goodbye again was not any easier. One thing that I have learned, however, during my time here in Spain is that it is never goodbye. Instead, Spaniards more commonly say “hasta luego,” or “until later.” And it is true. I will be seeing my family soon enough. I do look forward to coming home, but I know I will miss my Spanish home and all the opportunities I have had once I get back. For now, I am just grateful for the time I have left.