No place I'd rather be

     You wanna hear something weird? I had that one day where the homesickness was eating away at me and I thought I might break for a while. And then, for an entire week, I felt absolutely no homesickness. Nothing, whatsoever. 
     I mean, there's a huge possibility that that's partly because I was super busy all week. I had a ridiculous amount of homework and studying this past week, and then I spent almost my whole weekend with the other exchange students at an orientation, which was obviously kind of lame, but at the same time really fun because of the people (and the ability to express myself in English). 
     But I think it's kind of amazing that not just for a day, not just for one random morning, or when I was sitting in a cafe in Bilbao, but for an entire week, I have felt content. I feel like I belong here. I feel like this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
     And while yes, it's hard to see the pictures of everyone doing things together, especially for Halloween, because that's my favorite holiday and it's not very popular here, I still can't imagine being there right now. I can't imagine being anywhere but here.
     And for the first time, I'm starting to become extremely attached to the people here, to the place that I live, and to the experience that I'm going through. The thought of leaving actually makes me slightly depressed because there's so many things I have left to see, to learn, to say, to understand, and most importantly, to feel. I'm not ready to leave, and I'm starting to wonder if there will be a time when I AM ready.
     Yes, Pennsylvania will always be my home, but this is my home now too, just like California will always be my home, as well. Moving doesn't mean you've left behind the place you were before, nor does it mean giving up the people you loved before. Moving means opening your eyes to more beautiful sights, opening your mind to experiences yet to come, opening your arms to new relationships you're bound to make, and opening your heart to new family, new friends, and new love. It's expanding the realm of the life you already had. That's why I think studying abroad is the greatest thing anyone could ever do, besides curing cancer or something like that, of course. It's giving you a chance to open yourself up to a whole new life, a whole new way of thinking, and a whole new world.
     "What would I say to those who are thinking of studying abroad but are having doubts? ..... Just do it. Because I believe that the best experiences come from the things you're afraid of."